nottingham trent university | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans - Part 2

ADBE Lean Construction Studentship, UK: Institutionalised Waste within the Construction Industry

The School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University has an ambitious development strategy which allows us to offer an exciting opportunity for a PhD Studentship. The studentships will pay UK/EU fees and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (£13,590 per annum for 2011/12) for up to three years.  This project is part of a portfolio of research being undertaken within the newly formed Centre for Lean Projects at NTU. The successful candidate will join an international team of doctoral researchers and will have access to the collaborating construction industry partners in the UK.
Waste, as understood in Lean thinking, doesn’t feature in modern construction economics or management theory. These fail to recognise the imperfect systems in which entities not only operate inefficiently but additionally protect themselves by adding contingency and behaving opportunistically. The effect of these practices is to embed inefficient and wasteful processes across the supply chain and throughout the project life cycle, consequently they have become part of the institution of the construction industry – “the way it does business”.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 15 April 2011.

Further Scholarship Information and Application

PhD Studentship in Medical/Clinical Devices at Nottingham Trent University, UK

The School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University has an ambitious development strategy which allows us to offer an exciting opportunity for a PhD Studentship. The studentships will pay UK/EU fees and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (£13,590 per annum for 2011/12) for up to three years. Applications are invited from those looking to pursue doctoral study in the subject area of medical/clinical device development. The research area could include design applications utilising smart materials and technologies. Designers are increasingly becoming aware of the potential use and integration of smart materials and technologies within their designs. One of the critical steps towards building innovative surgical solutions will be to link physicians and product designers utilising the appropriate materials and technologies to provide tangible improvements in patient care and treatment.
Designers are trained to think three dimensionally about form. In creating a new medical device, designers must understand the complex set of issues that exist in a variety of environments. It also illustrates the need for designers to understand a wide range of styles and techniques and transform ideas and visions into new pioneering products ready for market. We are interested in considering applications that will demonstrate an integrated design approach with a keen interest in utilising and implementing novel technologies.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 15 April 2011.

Further Scholarship Information and Application

PhD Studentship in Innovation in the UK Construction Industry, UK

The School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University has an ambitious development strategy which allows us to offer an exciting opportunity for a PhD Studentship. The studentships will pay UK/EU fees and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (£13,590 per annum for 2011/12) for up to three years. Whilst there is an established need to improve the efficiency and sustainability of buildings the adoption of innovative products and processes supporting this need appears to be at a relatively low level. There seems to be very little incentive in the supply chain to encourage innovation without regulation.
Compared with manufacturing industries investment in research and development in the construction industry is relatively small and appears to be restricted largely to the engagement by product manufacturers in product improvement. Whilst there appears to be an increasing range of valuable and impressive innovative products and/or processes which are developed, the level of integration of these products in new buildings seems limited. Many of these products relate to the work usually carried out by specialist firms who have limited access to, or engagement with, the design team for a project.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 15 April 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application