Studentships & Scholarships

The University of Bolton will advertise a number of funding initiatives for postgraduate research degrees throughout the year, including studentships and scholarships through the university and its partners.

PhD Studentship

Novel Inorganic Environmentally Sustainable Flame Retardants for Polymers

The University of Bolton - Institute for Materials Research & Innovation

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship, available from 1 September 2021 in the ‘Fire Materials Research' team based at the Institute for Materials Research & Innovation (IMRI)/ School of Engineering at the University of Bolton.

This project, in collaboration with an industrial partner aims to develop and characterise novel inorganic compounds, which can be used as flame retardants in specific polymers. This also involves assessing their role as potential synergists alongside a range of conventional flame retardants used for the selected polymers and to optimise component ratios for the best performance.

Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 class undergraduate degree or a relevant Masters degree or equivalent experience in a relevant Physical Sciences/Engineering discipline.

Fire Materials Research Team has a strong national and international reputation, and is supported by access to state-of-the-art infrastructure including materials processing and flammability testing facilities, clean room, nanomaterials characterisation, textiles and composites laboratories, complemented by a suite of materials modelling capabilities. Most of the work is funded by industry and UK research council (eg EPSRC, Innovate UK), EU etc and so is addressing real problems in the polymer and polymeric composite sectors. Collaborative activities with industry are performed through the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC). KCMC and its partners will offer active support to the Studentship where appropriate.

Prospective candidates can contact Professor Baljinder Kandola (Tel: 01204 903517, email: B.Kandola@bolton.ac.uk) for an informal discussion relating to this opportunity.

The student will receive UK/EU tuition fees and a tax free bursary of at least £15,609 per annum for 3.5 year duration of the project. International applicants may apply but will be expected to pay the difference between the UK/EU and International Fee Rate.

Closing date for applications is 31 July 2021.

Application forms and further details are available via the following link: http://www.bolton.ac.uk/Quality/QAEContents/ResearchDegreesAndStudents/Documents/Word/AppformforAdmission.doc 

Candidates are asked to submit the application form, as well as a covering letter and a paper of approximately 1000 words describing your relevant experience and ideas regarding the research to be carried out. Please submit all of the above to Professor Baljinder Kandola via email: B.Kandola@bolton.ac.uk

The University of Bolton strives to achieve equality of opportunity

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Scholarships

Over the coming academic year, there will be a number of targeted investment initiatives in research to strengthen our Teaching Intensive, Research Informed (TIRI) agenda and the quality of our submission for REF2021. In order to help colleagues plan ahead, the deadlines for the main initiatives have now been decided and are highlighted below.

Ainsworth Travel Scholarships Scheme 2019

This scheme aims to provide support for research-related academic travel for registered PhD students of the University of Bolton. The scheme will provide a small number of travel grants up to a maximum of £500 per applicant. Reasonable costs associated with travel such as accommodation and subsistence should be bid for as part of the award.

Aims

• To support the University’s TIRI Agenda – through enrichment of the PhD research student experience

• To support the University’s Research strategy – through support for the research student community

• To support the University’s REF strategy – through facilitating career development of research students

Eligibility – Applicants

• All students directly registered for a PhD at the University of Bolton and are based at the University, whether FT or PT who are not also FT or permanent members of staff are eligible to apply.

• Applicants must have an ORCID number to complete the application process

• Applicants must have fully completed their Postgraduate Skills Record, including their ‘Annual Research Progress Report and Action Plan (Mandatory Submission 4)’ document to demonstrate continued progress on their PhD programme

Eligibility – Awards

• Applications can be for any travel/academic visit which has direct relevance to the quality of the applicant’s PhD or associated research outputs

• Examples of proposals which might be accepted are:

  • Contribution to costs associated with conference attendance in the UK

  • Contribution to costs associated with presenting a peer-reviewed paper at a conference in the UK, or exceptionally, overseas. In all cases, the paper must be presented and published in conference proceedings.

  • Contribution to costs associated with visits to universities in the UK or exceptionally overseas where research related to the applicant’s PhD is being carried out

  • Contribution to costs associated with fieldwork visits to collect data relevant to PhD studies

  • Contribution to costs associated with visits to libraries, archives or other curated collections relevant to PhD studies

  • Only one award will be made per applicant but any applicant can make up to two applications

  • Each successful applicant will be required to

    • Provide a brief report of their visit/research travel

    • Data collected must be made accessible in accordance with the Research Data Management Policy

    • Upload a copy of any conference paper to the UBIR (University of Bolton Institutional Repository)

Eligibility – Period Of Award

All funds must be spent and claimed by 31 July 2019

Application

Applications must be made using the online application portal which can be found at:

https://bolton.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/ainsworth-travel-scholarship-application-portal-2019

Arrangements For Identification Of Awards

• Bids received after the deadline will not be eligible

• Bids will be received by a panel will be chaired by Executive Dean – Research & Graduate School. Other members will be:The Panel reserves the right to place conditions on the award

  • Chair of the RKE Committee
  • SU President or nominee
  • 3 Faculty Research Coordinators
  • Secretary (from R&GS)
• • The Panel reserves the right to place conditions on the award

Evaluation Criteria

• Added value to the quality of the PhD

• Added value to the employability and research profile of the applicant

• Added value to the reputation of the University – via the REF or otherwise

• Overall Value for Money

The panel will view favourably applications to support the presentation of work that has previously been presented within the University.

It is a condition of receiving an award that the applicant gives a presentation on their research at the TIRI Conference in 2019.

Schedule

• Launch 15 June 2018

• Deadline for applications: 5pm on Friday 6 July 2018

• Announcement of successful applicants: 23 July 2018

The scheme is named after the first Chair of the Committee which met on 1 July 1825 and eventually established the Mechanics’ Institute of Bolton, which became the University of Bolton.