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Joint ESRC / Department for Transport Collaborative PhD Studentship
Traveller information systems: The importance of social interactions
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The Centre for Transport & Society (CTS) at the University of the West
of England, Bristol, is offering a three-year ESRC/DfT PhD studentship
starting in the academic year 2006/7. The Studentship includes full
payment of fees at the UK rate and a maintenance grant of £14,300 tax
free per annum (the standard £12,300 ESRC grant studentship award +
£2000 enhanced stipend). Applicants must be EU residents (Non-UK
citizens would qualify for a fees-only grant).
Centre for Transport and Society
CTS is a multidisciplinary research centre with a team of some 20 people
including individuals with transport planning experience and many from
backgrounds in the social sciences. With a research portfolio of some
£1million, CTS is characterised by its research relating to attitudes
and travel behaviour. Its stated aims are to improve and promote
understanding of the inherent links between lifestyles and personal
travel in the context of continuing social and technological change. We
are looking for a capable and enthusiastic individual to take up this
studentship and join our team.
The research topic
Advanced Traveller Information Systems (ATIS) can, in principle, help
individuals to make more fully informed decisions about how, when, where
and whether they travel. They can assist in both the planning and
execution of journeys by one or a number of modes. This can in turn lead
to changes in travel behaviour in ways that are able to benefit
individuals and potentially the transport system through better matching
supply and demand and thus helping to tackle congestion. The UK has seen
major developments in ATIS which notably include multimodal web-based
services such as Transport for Londons Journey Planner
(http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/) and the Governments Transport
Direct portal (http://www.transportdirect.info) as well as in-car
devices and mobile services accessible via personal digital assistants
and mobile phones.
Research into the development and use of ATIS has tended to presume that
information is sought and used by each individual wishing to inform
their own decisions. Yet through social interactions individuals are
able to exchange information and influence each others behaviour. For
instance there may be a grapevine effect where one ATIS user then
becomes the messenger informing many others in a network of contacts for
whom the same information may be relevant. Cooperation between
travellers having a more pro-social value orientation may lead to
different if not additional behavioural changes than had previously been
recognised which may have significant consequences for patterns of
traffic and thus congestion.
One of the main objectives of the PhD research addressing this topic
will be to identify the psychological and social factors that may be
important in the design and use of ATIS with regard to encouraging
pro-social orientation within travellers.
Applications
It is anticipated that the student nominated for this studentship would
hold a Masters degree in psychology, another social science or
transport studies. More information about CTS may be found on its
website (www.transport.uwe.ac.uk).
If you wish to enquire informally about applying, please contact as soon
as possible Dr Erel Avineri, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Transport
& Society (CTS), by email at [log in to unmask]
Formal applications should be submitted electronically, if possible, and
include the following:
a completed application form; and
a full CV.
Individuals are encouraged to make clear in their application why they
are attracted to this studentship opportunity and what credentials they
have to suggest that they are well suited to addressing this research
and become part of the CTS team. Applicants for whom English is not
their first language will need to supply evidence of their proficiency
in English. The standard required is a British Council IELTS score of
6.5 or above (equivalent to a paper-based TOEFL score of 600 or a
computer based TOEFL score of 250).
To obtain an application form please contact Carolyn Webb in the Faculty
Research Office by email at [log in to unmask], or telephone 0117 32
83102. There is an initial closing date of 30 August 2006. Short-listed
candidates are likely to be interviewed in the week beginning at 11
September. We would expect the successful applicant to commence as soon
as possible.
Dr Erel Avineri
Senior Lecturer in Integrated Transport
Centre for Transport & Society
Faculty of the Built Environment
University of the West of England
Frenchay Campus
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
Telephone: 0117 32 83197
Fax: 0117 32 83899
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.transport.uwe.ac.uk/
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