PhD Opportunity: Sensing Nature – University of Manchester

We are pleased to advertise a President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Award studentship in the Manchester Institute of Education, School of Environment, Education and Development, at the University of Manchester, on the topic of "Sensing Nature: Designing and Evaluating Interventions that Enhance Environmental Empathy and Nature Connectedness (SEEEN)". 

The project would suit a candidate from environmental psychology, human geography, environmental interpretation or heritage, public health, planning, or the digital and spatial sciences who wants to do applied, community-based research in Greater Manchester. The award is open to applicants worldwide and is allocated through a faculty-wide competition. Application deadline: 11.59pm (GMT), Friday 18 December 2026.

More information and how to apply: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/pds-award-sensing-nature-designing-and-evaluating-interventions-that-enhance-environmental-empathy-and-nature-connectedness-seeen/?p201222 [findaphd.com]

Key details

• Supervisors: Dr Sarah MacQuarrie (lead), Dr Ian Thornhill, Dr Markel Vigo
• Department: Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester
• Funding: University of Manchester President's Doctoral Scholar Award (competitive), covering tuition fees and a stipend £1,000 above the standard UK doctoral rate
• Eligibility: Home and international applicants
• Duration: 3.5 years
• Start date: September 2027
• Deadline: 11.59pm (GMT), Friday 18 December 2026
• Interviews: Week commencing 1 March 2027

About the project

Nature connectedness and environmental empathy are increasingly recognised as important for both wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviour (Capaldi et al., 2014; Mackay and Schmitt, 2019). In response, a wide range of interventions now aims to bring people closer to the natural world, from immersive soundscapes and environmental interpretation to storytelling, digital tools and community projects. However, the evidence on which approaches work, for whom, and whether their effects last is still fragmented. This PhD addresses that gap by asking how people sense and make sense of their local environments, and how those processes can be supported.

The project has three connected strands. In the first, the student will synthesise existing evidence to build a framework that links sensing and interpretation to nature connectedness and behaviour change. In the second, they will work with local partners and communities across Greater Manchester to co-design and trial interventions, paying close attention to what helps these take root in practice. In the third, they will contribute to a digital twin of selected Cyan Lines locations, which will be used to test alternative designs, explore future environmental scenarios, and engage residents who rarely take part in conventional consultations. Running through all three is an evaluation framework that tracks wellbeing, behavioural and implementation outcomes over time. A central question for the project is whether digital experiences of nature reinforce, complement or replace direct experience.

Research context

This is a cross-faculty project, supervised by a team that spans the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The successful candidate will be based in the Manchester Institute of Education, a highly interdisciplinary department with strengths in education, psychology and applied social research, and will be enrolled on the PhD Education programme.

Who we are looking for

Applicants should hold a First class honours degree (or overseas equivalent) and a master's degree in a relevant subject, with an overall average of at least 60% and a dissertation mark of at least 60% (or overseas equivalent). We would particularly welcome candidates with a master's in a field such as environmental psychology, planning, environmental management, education or computer science, and with training in qualitative and/or quantitative social research methods. Experience of participatory, co-design or community-based research, or of evaluating interventions and programmes, would be valuable, as would familiarity with digital tools for analysis, visualisation or modelling (for example R, Python, GIS, digital twins or immersive environments). We are looking for someone with a genuine interest in human–environment interactions and place-based research, who communicates well with non-academic audiences and community partners, and who can work both independently and within an interdisciplinary team to manage a multi-strand project.

Funding and eligibility

The President's Doctoral Scholar Award is allocated competitively across the Faculty of Humanities. Funded by the University, it provides full tuition fees and a stipend set at the standard UK doctoral rate (the national minimum used by UKRI), plus a £1,000 enhancement, for 3.5 years from September 2027. The award is open to both home and international applicants. International candidates should note that relocation and associated costs, such as visa fees and the immigration health surcharge, are not covered.

Inclusion and accessibility

We warmly welcome applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds and routes into research, including those currently under-represented in doctoral study. If you would like to discuss any adjustments to the application or interview process, please get in touch with me directly.

How to apply

Please apply online for the HUMS PhD President's Doctoral Scholarship programme by 11.59pm (GMT) on 18 December 2026. In Section 6 (Research Details), select "Yes" for an advertised project and enter the project title exactly as it appears above; type the supervisor's name rather than using the search function. In Section 9 (Funding Sources), indicate that you are applying for the President's Doctoral Scholar Award.

Your application must include: your bachelor's and master's transcripts and certificates (an interim transcript if your master's is still in progress, with official English translations where needed); a CV; a supporting statement of up to 700 words explaining why you want to undertake this studentship and how your focus, experience and skills relate to the project; a sample of your academic writing of up to 5,000 words (one piece or two shorter pieces, with an abstract or introduction if taken from a dissertation), uploaded in Section 12 under Research Statement/Proposal and labelled "Writing Sample"; and two academic referees, one from your most recent institution. A PhD proposal is not required. Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Contact

For informal enquiries about the project, please contact me at sarah.macquarrie@manchester.ac.uk. For general admissions queries, please email the Humanities Doctoral Academy Admissions team at HUMS.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk. Further details of the award are available on the Faculty of Humanities President's Doctoral Scholar Award webpage.