methodologies | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans

International PhD Scholarship in Total Gesture Recognition, UK

Applications are invited for a full-time scholarship available in the School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences. The scholarship is tenable for up to 3 years for a PhD (via MPhil route) [subject to satisfactory progress] and is open to international applicants only. UK/EU applicants are not eligible to apply. The scholarship will provide £15000 towards the cost of the International tuition fee over 3 years.
Total gesture recognition based on dynamic facial expression, body motion and hands sign is a vision pursued by the Applied Digital Signal and Image Processing (ADSIP) Research Centre. Over the past few years, the Centre has gradually and systematically developed a number of novel methodologies and algorithms for recognition of individual gesture modality through various research projects, such as dynamic 3D facial expression recognition, multi-camera based human motion tracking, and data-glove based dynamic hand gesture recognition.
The proposed project will tackle a number of major technical challenges associated with simultaneous capture, parallel processing, multi-feature tracking, and high-dimensional classification of dynamic body motion, facial expression and hand sign in 3D, in real time and in different physical scales which have not been attempted previously. Furthermore, the propose project will explore the advantages which could be gained by making use of the interconnected and interdependent nature of the three gesture modalities to increase the robustness and accuracy of recognition which is unlikely to be obtained based on single modality.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 13 May 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application

University of Central Lancashire International PhD Scholarship: Women in Education, UK

Applications are invited for a full-time scholarship available in the School of Education & Social Sciences. The scholarship is tenable for up to 3 years for a PhD (via MPhil route) [subject to satisfactory progress] and is open to international applicants only. UK/EU applicants are not eligible to apply. The scholarship will provide £15000 towards the cost of the International tuition fee over 3 years.  This project will examine the role, position and experience of female teachers within faith schools. In the last twenty years, the position of woman within religion has been investigated by feminist researchers, theologians and sociologists. Franke (2001) argues that the focus of feminist researchers falls into one of several categories, these are: the development of goddess cults, new religions, women as religious leaders, feminist representations of the divine, the body, sexuality and reproduction and female empowerment within religion. Whilst the role of women within religion has been examined, this has not been extended to the role of female educators as women of faith. This project will explore the roles carried out by women in various faiths, and in particular the roles they may take in religious education and faith schools. It will seek to address the issues of women as faith educators and potential faith leaders via qualitative methodologies.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 13 May 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application

International PhD Scholarship in ‘Eco’ Homes & Carbon Reduction, UK

Applications are invited for a full-time scholarship available in the School of Built & Natural Environment. The scholarship is tenable for up to 3 years for a PhD (via MPhil route) [subject to satisfactory progress] and is open to international applicants only. UK/EU applicants are not eligible to apply. The scholarship will provide £15000 towards the cost of the International tuition fee over 3 years. Numerous initiatives and rhetorical statements seek to promote energy saving and carbon reduction by improving the environmental performance of urban areas, in particular residential property. While initially a trans-disciplinary desk exercise that draws on, and provide a systematic overview of, a wide range of international comparisons, the evaluation and testing stages of this research will require a range of different types of engagement. These may include ‘Action Research’ and Ethnographic methodologies to identify ‘public’ and institutional attitudes and behaviour, alongside analysis of the policy making and implementation process within various public bodies, its impact on commercial decisions and the wider business environment, and other approaches to market testing and performance measurement. This should include identification and appraisal of various schemes intended to provide a standardised way of classifying buildings, projects or places in terms of their environmental performance or contribution to sustainability, energy or carbon goals.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 13 May 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application