Morley PhD studentship 2024/25
In addition to the current open call for BBSRC NLD DTP project proposals for October 2024 entry, a further opportunity is available to submit a project proposal to the Morley Agricultural Foundation (TMAF). The Morley PhD programme is led by Dr Steve Rawsthorne (ex-John Innes Centre and TMAF Board member).
TMAF has committed to create a rolling program of fully funded (equivalent to BBSRC DTP level) PhD studentships. The Morley PhD Studentships will be aligned to a current BBSRC DTP programme to provide the student with the same training experience as those on a DTP. The Morley PhD students will not undertake a formal PIPS placement but will benefit instead from direct interaction with end users of their research, including TMAF Board and Advisory Board members. The TMAF members are largely drawn from a farming, agronomy and land use background. The aim is to create a cohort of scientists who benefit from the knowledge and resources of TMAF, whilst undertaking their PhD under a DTP umbrella. The cohort of Morley PhD students will benefit from interactions with TMAF including an annual meeting of students and supervisors, presentations to the TMAF Board and Annual Meetings (as appropriate), and social gatherings. TMAF will have three Morley PhD Studentships running in Oct 2023, along with another affiliated studentship and three CTP studentships.
Project Submission Guidelines
TMAF has a diverse research portfolio ( https://tmaf.co.uk/research-grants/). Its research funding priorities are now defined as:
- Maximising best economic yield under different management regimes
- Measurement of soil health, including structure, carbon content and biodiversity
- Developing affordable methodologies and management practices to measure soil parameters
- Examining production systems to reduce inputs or increase efficiency
- Researching practical farm solutions to reduce farming’s impact on the environment.
Projects proposals are sought that are at the forefront of research in these stated areas, and which contain an element of novelty that will entice the highest quality students to this programme. Interested applicants should submit a 1-page project outline to the NLD DTP Management Board in the first instance, via the Google form link below. The project outline should include the following:
- The proposed research, its relevance and novelty, and its alignment to the stated priorities
- The supervisory team, and its academic affiliation(s)
- The nature of the research and how it will be undertaken
- The anticipated outcomes of the research and its relationship to UK agriculture.
Applicants should ensure that their applications can be understood by the non-specialist audience of the TMAF Board.
The NLD DTP Management Board will initially consider all project proposals submitted for TMAF, and will submit a final maximum of five proposals to the TMAF Board by 25th September 2023. The TMAF Board will make a choice from the submitted projects at its Board meeting on 12th October 2023 and will inform the DTPs of the outcome immediately following this. The NLD DTP will handle all aspects of recruitment to the studentship, should the successful studentship be awarded to NLD DTP, and training. TMAF will maintain a strong, supportive involvement throughout this process and will wish to form an enduring relationship with the successful student and supervisory team.
Please submit your project proposal for consideration by the Management Board at this link: TMAF PhD studentship project proposal form
Closing date for TMAF proposals – 5.00pm on Friday 15th September 2023.
If you have any questions about the TMAF, please do contact us at bbsrcdtp@liverpool.ac.uk.