Funded PhD Studentship – Tobacco Control University of York -Department of Health Sciences

South Asian Consortium for Tobacco control Research

Overview

Applications are invited for a full-time three-year PhD studentship in tobacco control research in people of south Asian origin, funded by NHS Leeds and hosted within the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, commencing October 2013. 

We are seeking an exceptional and self-motivated individual who wishes to develop their research skills and build a career in tobacco control and who will make an active contribution to the SACTR portfolio. 

Approximately 350 million people consume at least one or the other forms of tobacco in south Asia and nearly 1.2 million people die secondary to related diseases. Tobacco use is also more common among people of south Asian origin (mainly from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) living in the UK and US than in general population. In addition to smoking cigarettes, people in south Asia also use a variety of smoking (bidi, Hookah) and smokeless forms of tobacco. Use of such niche tobacco products is less understood in terms of their toxicity, addictive properties, and sociocultural determinants. Moreover, south Asian populations have different underlying risks for diseases caused by tobacco use in both relative and absolute terms. The same sociocultural determinants and behaviours that influences tobacco use in south Asians are also likely to influence the effect of interventions (primarily designed for cigarettes) to prevent and control its use.

The PhD studentship is aimed to develop academic scholarship in the area of tobacco control in south Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal) and/or in people of south Asian origin living in the UK. The successful student will be encouraged to present their own research. However, it should enhance our knowledge in achieving sustained behaviour change in relation to tobacco use in south Asians. The successful candidate will be expected to build a research project within this area with the support of their supervisors.

The Award

The award will cover academic fees at the UK/EU or overseas rate, depending on the student status, and a maintenance grant of £12,000 per annum for three years.  A project support grant of £4,000 over the course of the PhD can be used at the discretion of the supervisors to support research expenses.

For students whose first language is not English there is a minimum requirement of an IELTS score of at least 7 in each component of the test.

How to apply

Applications should be received no later than 30 April 2013 before 4:00PM. 

Applications should be made using the Department of Health Sciences on-line application process.

Applicants should state that they are applying for the advertised Tobacco control PhD studentship ref: PHD2013SID and provide a curriculum vitae and two academic references. You should also upload an outline of your intended approach to the area of research outlined, stating your objectives and potential methods or approaches that could be used (up to 500 words in PDF format). 

Informal Enquiries

Prospective applicants who wish to discuss the studentships should contact Dr Kamran Siddiqi on kamran.siddiqi@york.ac.uk.