Dear comp-neuro team,

I was wondering if you could please forward the information below to your list about a new PhD position in our lab for February 2017 start.

Kind regards,

Eirini Mavritsaki

PhD available for February 2017 start in ‘New insights into ADHD through behavioural and modelling studies’

Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship within the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences, Birmingham City University. Applicants need to demonstrate ability and commitment, including excellent communications skills in written and spoken English.

Project Synopsis:

There are many limitations on the behaviour of complex neural systems, but one primary constraint is to filter incoming input in order that actions can be programmed to behaviourally relevant stimuli. This is the limit of ‘attention’. A major challenge for current-day researchers is to understand how (and why) these limitations arise, especially in conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) where the attentional system is dysfunctional. Our application’s main aims is to access differences in visual attention between children diagnosed with ADHD and typically functioning children and the role of diet in this. This Ph.D. thesis aims to do this using a novel interdisciplinary approach, behavioural and computational modelling study together with a food diary.  The Ph.D. is part of a bigger research project that is in collaboration with Dr Chrysavgi Tsakona in Russell Hall Hospital.

The successful applicant will join the newly-established Centre for Applied Psychological Research (CAP Research) within the Department of Psychology at Birmingham City University. This centre is part of a vibrant and rapidly expanding research community, which offers applicants with an excellent opportunity to develop their research career. The applicant has the opportunity to have teaching experience, to participate to research seminars and to co-supervise undergraduate projects.

Candidate Qualification and Specifications:

Essential

Ø The applicant should hold a good undergraduate honours degree (First or 2:1) in psychology or a related social sciences subject.

Ø A demonstrated understanding of research methods is essential (as evidenced by degree transcript grades for research methods and dissertation modules).

Ø The applicant will be expected to undertake and pass Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

Ø The applicant should enjoy working with children.

Ø The applicant should have experience in computational modelling.

Desirable

Ø A Masters’ degree in research methods, psychology or a related social sciences subject.

Ø Work experience (voluntary or paid) in schools or experience working with children.

Ø Experience in C++ and/or Matlab.

Ø Access to a car and a valid driving licence.

For more information please contact Dr Eirini Mavritsaki (Eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eirini Mavritsaki, Ph.D., CPsychol
Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology and  Director of Research for the School of Social Sciences

Department of Psychology

Faculty of Business Law and Social Sciences    

Birmingham City University
The Curzon Building
4 Cardigan Street
Birmingham
B4 7BD
eirini.mavritsaki@bcu.ac.uk
0121 331 6361

Special Issue in Frontiers 'Neuropsychology through the lenses of computational modelling'

http://fron.tiers.in/go/r2e3M4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~