Supervisor: Dr Gianluigi Giorgioni 

Bio: Gianluigi’s current research interests are mainly on De-colonising the curriculum in Finance and the evaluation and management of heritage assets. Other research interests in Outward Foreign Direct Investment from emerging markets, in particular China; monetary unions in developing countries with special reference to the CFA Franc Zone; determinants and impact of accounting and financial disclosure in the context of emerging markets and Islamic Finance led to publications of good quality research papers in international peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of International Money and Finance, Research in International Business and Finance, International Journal of Accounting, Management International Review, Applied Economics and Economic Modelling and also published an edited book on “Development Finance: Issues and Challenges” (Palgrave).

Email: G.Giorgioni@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Management 

Department: Accouting & Finance

Module Code: ULMS201

Suitable for Students Of: The project could be appropriate for a team of TWO students, one with a background in Accounting & Finance and the other with a background in humanities and social sciences like (for instance) Architecture, Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, History and Geography.
However, the project could proceed even with only one student from either background as prior knowledge of accounting, economics and finance, although desirable, is not required.

The project could be of interest to students in archaeology, history, geography, political sciences and students with a strong interest in the historical development of science and technology. A strong interest in the topic of heritage assets and in pedagogical matters would be welcome. Fluency in other languages, in particular non-European ones, although non-essential, would be particularly appreciated.

Desriable experience/requirements: This position is open to all levels of undergraduate student. Prior knowledge of accounting and finance, although desirable, is not, strictly speaking, required. A genuine interest in the topic of heritage assets and de-colonisation, not an interest to enrich the curriculum vitae with a research experience per se, would be extremely welcome and could act as a decisive factor in the interview process.

Places Available: 2 (flexible)

Start Dates: 10/06/2024

Project Length: 4 weeks

Virtual Option: Yes - virtual, hybrid or in-person

Project Description: 

Universities hold considerable amounts of valuable assets defined as “heritage”. This creates several potential issues:
(a) Are universities best placed to hold these items?
(b) Are the costs incurred by universities (storage, security, insurance) an appropriate use of income?
(c) Are universities able to offer access and visibility to the public or the items are effectively hidden from public eye?
(d) Last, but not least, with decolonisation in mind, is it appropriate for universities to hold those items?

The project will entail a thorough search of the financial statements of universities located in the UK to establish how universities account for their holdings of heritage assets as a first step leading to further research.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Ben Cartlidge

Bio: Ben Cartlidge is Lecturer in Greek Culture and Classical Receptions. He studied classics and linguistics at Oxford and Cologne, and has taught at Oxford and Liverpool. He works on ancient literature, both Greek and Latin, and is particularly interested in the ways linguistic issues affect the interpretation and reception of ancient texts.

Email: benjamin.cartlidge@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Histories, Languages, and Cultures

Department: Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology

Module Code: HIST000

Suitable for Students Of: Classics, Archaeology, Ancient History

Desriable experience/requirements: Knowledge of either ancient Greek, or Latin, or both. Some experience with Excel would be advantageous

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024, 1 July 2024

Project Length: 4- 12 weeks

Virtual Option: Yes - virtual, hybrid and in-person options

Project Description: 

The expanding "oikoumene" brought Romans and Greeks into continuous, ever-expanding contact with a wide range of ethnic groups. Furthermore, both Greece and Rome themselves were comprised of communities of various histories, understood by a rich tradition of (what we would term) mythical and historical materials. The histories of intercultural contact, on the one hand, and processes of self-definition, on the other, led to a vast system of ethnic terms that have left traces across the literary and epigraphic tradition of Greece and Rome. These terms are, however, often undertheorised, and are frequently poorly understood. This project aims to articulate a data-driven view of the ethnic epithet in antiquity by examining usage in literature and attempting to understand why different epithets are chosen by different authors and at different times. The mental landscape of different authors will be mapped by examining which distinctions they value.
Your role will be to examine a Latin or Greek author from the Imperial period, catalogue the ethnic epithets they use into a (pre-existing) database, and then analyse their distribution and usage against existing commentaries and relevant epigraphic data. Epigraphic approaches are also possible, and discussion of the point is welcomed!

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Rachel Oldershaw

Bio: Dr Rachel Oldershaw is a stem cell biologist and a lecturer at the University of Liverpool. Her research is focused on the role of stem cells in the maintenance of tissue health and function and how impairment in stem cell biology contributes to the onset and progression of disease. Her research is also focused on how adult, embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells can be used in the development of regenerative medicines that repair damaged tissues, with focus on the musculoskeletal system, the eye and cardiac tissues.

Email: lrao1@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Life Sciences 

Department: Biochemistry

Module Code: LIFE398

Suitable for Students Of: Biochemistry, chemistry  

Desirable experience/requirements: N/A

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024

Project Length: 8 weeks 

Virtual Option: No

Project Description: 

The isolation of cardiomyocytes from human cardiac tissue is technically challenging and dependent on collection of small amounts of tissue discarded from invasive surgeries. The generation of a reproducible and scalable cardiomyocytes derived from IPSCs, combined with the use of NMR metabolomics to measure metabolic changes in response to disease will enable application to research studies investigating normal and abnormal cardiac development, screening of drug efficacy to replace large scale use of animal models and the development of regenerative medicine and cell therapy protocols.

The continuing increase in the incidence of cardiac disease with rising economic and societal costs underpins a clinical need for understanding disease progression and developing new drugs and cell therapies. Induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) are cells that have been reprogrammed from a somatic (terminally-differentiated) cell to the pluripotent phenotype being able to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types. This project will use NMR metabolomics to determine the metabolic changes that occur during cardiomyocyte dysfunction using IPSC-derived cardiomyocytes as an in vitro model.

In the project IPSCs will be differentiated to the cardiomyocyte lineage using combinations of cytokines and growth factors that mimic the embryonic development of cardiac tissue. The efficiency of cardiomyocyte differentiation will be determined by analysis of genes and proteins expressed by cardiogenic lineages. Metabolic regulation of IPSC-derived cardiomyocytes in response to drug treatment that induces a disease phenotype will be measured used NMR metabolomics. Training will be provided in maintenance and differentiation of IPSCs, semi-quantitative and quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence, NMR metabolomics, bioinformatics and computer modelling.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Kazuhiro Yamamoto

Bio: I am a biochemist with a primary interest in regulation of extracellular matrix turnover: how molecules surrounding the cells are degraded or accumulated in pathophysiological processes. Recently, I was awarded Versus Arthritis Bridging Fellowship to pursue fundamental research aiming to understand the molecular mechanisms that keep healthy cellular environments in adult tissues.

Email: kazuhiro.yamamoto@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Life Sciences

Department: Biochemistry

Module Code: LIFE398

Suitable for Students Of: N/A

Desirable experience/requirements: N/A

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024, 1 July 2024

Project Length: 8 - 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: No

Project Description: 

Endocytosis is the process by which cells control the composition of their cell surface and extracellular environment and is thus essential for cellular signaling and metabolism. Cells constantly internalise large amounts of molecules from the cell surface and microenvironment, storing them inside the cell, recycling them back to the extracellular milieu, or degrading them in lysosomes. Our research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that keep healthy cellular environments in adult tissues. The student will investigate what type of molecules are internalised by the cells, how it affects cellular behaviors and pathological conditions where the endocytic regulation is disrupted. The study will use biochemical, molecular, cell biological and imaging techniques.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Tomi Koljonen

Bio: I work as a Lecturer in Organisation Theory at the University of Liverpool in the Work, Organisation and Management group. My research focuses on organizations, occupations, and work. In particular, I am interested in how technology shapes and is shaped by occupational work, the mechanisms and lived experiences of organizational inequality, and qualitative research methods. I undertook my doctoral studies in Organization and Management at Aalto University and received a Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowship for which I visited Boston College in 2020.  Prior to my academic career, I worked in public relations and completed BSc and MSc degrees at Aalto University.

Email: koljonen@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Management

Department: Business Management

Module Code: ULMS201

Suitable for Students Of: May be of interest to a broad range of students across the disciplines of management, education, sociology, psychology, and anthropology.  

Desired experience or requirements: No prior experience is needed, however, some familiarity and enthusiasm regarding qualitative research methods and interviewing may be useful. Interest in the topic of EDI is also a plus.  

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024, 1 July 2024

Virtual Option: Yes - virtual, hybrid and in-person options

Project Length: 8 - 12 weeks 

Project Description 

Society increasingly expects organizations to tackle issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Unfortunately, research shows that such efforts are both inconsistently adopted by organizations and— even when implemented—fail to reach their goals. However, organizations now seek to better address EDI issues with the help of an emerging occupational group, EDI experts. This research aims at understanding how these experts choose the EDI initiatives they advance, how they get support for those initiatives, and how they legitimate their standing as experts on EDI issues. To answer these questions, this project examines the work of EDI experts in UK higher education via a semi-structured interview study.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Gabriella Pizzuto

Bio: After completing my degree in Theoretical Physics in Genoa, Italy, I started his PhD in Civil Engineering in Birmingham in 2012 and completed it in 2016. From 2015 to 2011, I was employed in a number of postdoctoral positions in Birmingham and in Bradford and, since 2022, I have covered lecturship positions in Bradford and Liverpool.  My scientific interest have been numerical modelling of multiphase non-Newtonian flow applied in water managing and, more specifically, anaerobic digestion for wastewater treatment. After using and developing finite-volume Computational Fluid dynamics (CFD) models, my focus shifted towards developing new models and methodologies for the Lattice-Boltzmann method, and I am now part of the OpenLB development team. My most recent interest consists of investigating the possibility of linking CFD to artificial intelligence. I have contributed securing a number of ResearchUK grants for an overall value of around £500,000.

Email: gabriella.pizzuto@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Electrical Engineering, Electronics, and Computer Science

Department: Computer Science

Module Code: COMP298

Suitable for Students Of: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science

Desired experience or requirements: Excellent programming skills (Python); Familiarity with robotic simulation environments is desirable but not essential

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024

Project Length: 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: No

Project Description 

The potential use of robotics for laboratory experiments offers an attractive route to alleviate scientists from tedious tasks while accelerating the process of obtaining new materials, where topical issues such as climate change and disease risks worldwide would greatly benefit. This project will continue on our previous outputs by creating novel simulated robotic examples representative of laboratory robotic tasks. This project will be in close collaboration with other researchers at the University of Toronto, where it is envisioned that the novel outputs will result in a peer-reviewed article.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Ahmed Elsheikh

Bio: I am a professor of biomedical engineering with interest in developing medical technology to help improve eye care.

Email: elsheikh@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Engineering

Department: Engineering

Module Code: ENGG290

Suitable for Students Of: Engineering, Physics, Mathematics

Desired experience or requirements: Programming

Places Available: 3

Start Dates: 10 June 2024

Project Length: 8 - 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: No

Project Description 

The project is about the development of a corneal topography device that combines low cost and portability with precision and advanced technologies. To reduce the cost substantially we develop software tools to carry out tasks that are commonly carried out using expensive hardware components. The work involved is mathematical analysis and programming in Matlab and Python.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Professor Olivier Cadot

Bio: Olivier Cadot is Chair in Aerospace Engineering in the School of Engineering of the University of Liverpool since 2017. His experimental research focuses on turbulence, wave-turbulence, wake transitions and flow control. His recent original contributions are related to understanding the turbulent wake dynamics of three-dimensional bluff bodies with application to automotive engineering.

Email: cadot@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Engineering

Department: Engineering

Module Code: ENGG290

Suitable for Students Of: Fluid Mechanics, Aerodynamics 

Desired experience or requirements: Lab based work with wind tunnel testing

Places Available: 1

Start Dates: 10 June 2024

Virtual Option: No

Project Length: 12 weeks 

Project Description 

Wind tunnel testing will be conducted on a simplified car model involving flow velocity, wall pressure and aerodynamic force measurements.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Fazil Akin

Bio:  Fazil is a lecturer in Industrial and Product Design at the University of Liverpool, School of Engineering. He is trained as an industrial designer and interaction designer, holds an MSc in Product Design from Middle East Technical University (Turkey), an MA in Product Design and Management from Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Switzerland), and a CAS in Interaction Design from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland. He continues his PhD studies in the field of design and philosophy of technology at Hessen State University of Art and Design (Germany).

As a design educator, Fazil has worked in several universities since 2015 on subjects of Designing for Experiences, Design Theory, Critical Design, Design Activism and Materialising Design Ideas. Occasionally he holds workshops for utilising design activities to discuss or develop ideas in several fields. A short list of these workshops is: New Experiences through Materials, Experience Design for the Digital Space, Resistant Design Practices for Cities, Critical Design Supermarket, Designing Imaginative Atmospheres, Designing Deliriously Happy Making Objects, Designing Theoretical Gifts, Design with a Theory in Mind

Email: f.akin@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Engineering

Department: Engineering

Module Code: ENGG290

Suitable for Students Of: Industrial Design, Product Development, Product Design, Design Management 

Desired experience or requirements: N/A

Places Available: 5

Start Dates: 1 July 2024

Project Length: 4 weeks 

Virtual Option: No

Project Description 

Liverpool is one of the cultural hubs of the UK, housing more museums and cultural institutes than any other city outside London (Visit Liverpool, n.d.). Besides museums, music and media industries are an important aspect of the art culture of the city, including the Liverpool Biennial being the ‘largest festival of contemporary visual art in the UK’ (Liverpool Biennial, n. d.). This makes the city an ideal field to research the materialities that the art world creates that could be transferred to the product design activity.

Although art objects have distinct characteristics compared to everyday products, the materialisation process can be an inspiring source for industrial designers. Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby state that “I kind of feel that art exists because design has failed. In an ideal, utopian world, everyday life would be so rich, meaningful and challenging that we wouldn’t need this separate category called art.” (cited in Puolakka & Sutela, 2010). The relationship between art with usefulness is an ongoing field of discussion, at least since Oscar Wilde’s famous ‘all art is useless’ claim (cited in Howard, 2020). On the other hand, the interest of the art world in the ‘use of art’ is very interesting (Byrne, 2016). Stephen Wright’s Towards a Usership Lexicon (2013) can be an example of this or other works around the Arte Útil formation.

The use value of objects and products is a key specification of product design. User-centred design is a well-established field within the design profession alongside human-centred design. It is very interesting to observe while the design profession widens its focus from the user to the impact of products on earth and other living entities beyond the users of the products, the art world is rethinking the role of art by discussing the use of art objects. This intersection area could be a very productive field for product designers to observe and learn from the art objects and implement this learning into their practice.

The researchers involved in this subject will look at the objects exhibited in the museums and art institutes around Liverpool, including the city. Each researcher needs to develop first his/her field book by utilising several design methods interpreted according to his/her interest. Throughout their fieldwork, they will fill their book with the details they learned from the vast number of objects artists produced for the city and its exhibition spaces. The project will end with a discussion session where the observations and field notes are shared, and possible uses of materials, techniques, and approaches are defined for product design.

Byrne, J. (2016). Social Autonomy and the Use Value of Art. Afterall: A Journal of Art, Context and Enquiry (Autumn/Winter 2016), Vol. 42, pp. 60-69.

Howard, M. (2020). Uselessness is a Rarefied Thing. In Howard, M., & Parodi, L. (Eds.) Uselessness: Humankind’s most valuable tool? Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH.

Liverpool Biennial (n. d.). Khanyisile Mbongwa Announced as Curator for Liverpool Biennial 2023. Retrieved on 20th of December, 2022 from https://www.biennial.com/news/khanyisile-mbongwa-announced-as-curator-for-liverpool-biennial-2023

Puolakka, A., & Sutela, J. (2010). Science Poems. Helsinki & Paris: OK Do.

Visit Liverpool (n. d.). Museums and Galleries in Liverpool. Retrieved on 10th of December, 2023 from https://www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/attractions-in-liverpool/museums-and-galleries/

Wright, S. (2013). Toward a Usership Lexikon. Retrieved on 20th of December, 2022 from https://www.arte-util.org/tools/lexicon/

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Rosti Readioff

Bio: Dr Rosti Readioff is a lecturer (assistant professor) in the Department of Materials, Design & Manufacturing Engineering, University of Liverpool. Her role involves research in biomedical engineering and teaching engineering students.

Before joining the University of Liverpool, Dr Readioff was a lecturer (Teaching and Research) at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath. She gained leadership and management experience when coordinating students and staff to deliver teaching on the Group Business Design Project (GBDP 1 & GBDP II) units for the third and fourth-year mechanical engineering students. During this time, she continued collaborating with surgeons and academics interested in orthopaedic and dental bioengineering research.

Prior to her first lectureship, Dr Readioff was a Research Fellow at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. She worked on The Optimising Knee Therapies programme grant and contributed to the project's numerical modelling and simulation tasks. In particular, she led the development of finite element models representing the meniscus within the tibiofemoral joint to evaluate meniscal allografts' mechanical and tribological performance.

As a postdoctoral research associate at the School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Stafford, UK, her project was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). This project focused on using musculoskeletal modelling and analysis to develop a personalised assistive technology to support people who are paralysed and have lost functionality of their upper limbs.

In addition to her academic journey, she worked full-time as an Advanced Research Engineer at The Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd., where she focused on Physics Modelling and Simulation. She learnt to work at different Technology Readiness Levels in research while gaining extensive project management skills. While working at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, she attained Chartered Engineer status from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Dr Readioff's interest in biomechanics and numerical simulation started while pursuing her undergraduate engineering degree. She graduated with a first-class MEng (Hons) degree in Civil and Structural Engineering in 2013 and a PhD in Engineering in 2018 from the University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. Her PhD thesis focused on determining material characteristics of knee joint ligaments ex vivo and developing a finite element model of the knee joint.

Her personal website is: https://rostireadioff.wordpress.com/

Email: rosti@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Engineering

Department: Engineering

Module Code: ENGG290

Suitable for Students Of: N/A

Desired experience or requirements: Students with computational modelling and simulation knowledge, particularly finite element modelling.

Places Available: 6

Start Dates: 10 June 2024, 1 July 2024

Project Length: 8 - 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: No

Project Description 

Meniscal injuries are the second most common injury to the knee, with meniscal tears accounting for 70,000 hospital admissions per annum in the UK alone. One of the critical consequences of meniscal injuries is knee joint instability, which can develop into long-term degeneration of the articular cartilage. Meniscal injuries are caused by excessive strain, highlighting the importance of meniscal material mechanics and kinematics during functional loading. Therefore, a comprehensive study of knee joint menisci behaviour during physiologically relevant loading is vital to identify key mechanical and kinematic parameters responsible for reducing the risk of meniscal injuries.

A strategy to overcome the consequences of meniscal injuries is implanting synthetic menisci. However, limited meniscal implants are available, and those currently obtainable are insufficient for improving patient clinical outcomes. This limitation is likely due to the need for more material mechanics and kinematics data for menisci or technological advancement to obtain such data.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Ahmed Abass

Bio: Dr Abass awarded his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Liverpool in 2011. Since he joined the University of Liverpool in 2007, he worked exclusively for Russell Group universities either in teaching or research (University of Liverpool & Cardiff University). He started his academic career in 1999, just after he graduated with a First-Class BSc Honours degree in Production Engineering and Mechanical Design (top of his class).

Dr Abass joined the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool as a lecturer in Biomedical Engineering in August 2018. Dr Abass’ research projects contribute to a cohesive research plan focused on ocular topography and multi-scale modelling. In his engagements as a PhD, MSc and MPhil supervisor and examiner, Dr Abass extensively focuses on the link between the research activity and market need. With his experience in working with healthcare business partners in the UK and overseas, Dr Abass aligns his research to apply digital-based technology to ocular applications. Having access to an effective digital twin of a real-life ocular application allows for testing of either new or high-risk existing technologies and treatments on the digital twin in a safe environment at a much lower cost with no risk of infection or damage on the physical twin.   

In his teaching, Dr Abass puts the focus on the students’ learning outcomes through intensive use of deep learning techniques and shows his students how to relate new ideas to prior knowledge and everyday experiences. He stresses the need for evidence to support conclusions and examine the logic of his students’ argument. As an academic lead in the School of Engineering Employability Group, Staff-Student Liaison Committee Convener, Chartered Engineer (CEng MIMechE), and as a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), he has special experience in active learning where students get involved in the learning process in a Student-Centred Learning model.

Email: a.abass@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Engineering

Department: Engineering

Module Code: ENGG290

Suitable for Students Of: Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering

Desired experience or requirements: Matlab coding

Places Available: 8

Start Dates: 10 June 2024, 1 July 2024

Project Length: 4 - 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: Yes - virtual, hybrid or in-person options

Project Description 

Soft contact lenses are medical devices largely used to correct eye refractive errors for more than 125 million people worldwide. Unlike spectacle lenses which are used in conventional glasses, soft contact lenses should be designed to fit the user's eye besides being able to correct his vision. Not cleaning the lenses properly leads to the accumulation of protein on the lens. These can cause irritation of the cornea and impaired visual acuity. During the cleaning and fitting process, the surface of the contact lens deflects significantly. Therefore, damage or spoilage of contact lenses is more common with soft lenses than rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. Damage may occur in the form of tears, cracks and chips. These may cause local irritation of the cornea.    In this project, students will design the geometry, select the materials of a range of soft contact lenses, and then test their performance during the handling and fitting process. A MATLAB software code will carry out the product design process; however, the process of handling and fitting contact lenses to human eyes will be simulated by Abaqus finite element software, where the 3D change in the shape of contact lenses can be monitored and recorded. The student will then use the knowledge gained from this exercise to obtain design correction factors, in terms of dimensions and materials, that can be used to improve the performance of soft contact lenses during the handling process.

Additional Requirements 

Candidates are expected to use MATLAB software and the commercial finite element package Abaqus or the free finite element software package FE-BIO. They will need to use an external hard drive to save their simulation data.

Supervisor: Professor Francisco Rowe

Bio: Francisco Rowe is a Professor in Population Data Science and the Lead of the Geographic Data Science Lab at the Department of Geography and Planning within the University of Liverpool. His areas of expertise are: internal & international migration; human mobility; and geographic data science. Francisco is featured in the Experts Database of the United Nations Network on Migration and two of his projects on Big Data, machine learning and migration are listed in the Data Innovation Directory of the International Organization for Migration. He has been invited to present his research at the United Nations Population & Development Division in New York and works closely with the Global Migration Data Analysis Centre within International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the UK2070 Commission, UK’s government organisations, including the Ordnance Survey and the ONS Data Campus, and commercial companies, Geolytix. His work contributed to the United Nations Expert group meeting on `sustainable cities, human mobility and international migration', and the ONS Government Statistical Service Advisory Committee.

Email: F.Rowe-Gonzalez@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Environmental Sciences

Department: Geography and Planning

Module Code:

Suitable for Students Of: N/A

Desired experience or requirements: Experience working with data or willing to work with data, experience in migration or the impacts of climate change on people

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2023

Project Length: 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: No - hybrid or in-person

Project Description 

Climate change is one of the main societal challenges of the 21st century. Rises in temperature are predicted to increase the likelihood of extreme weather events including cyclones, floods, heatwaves and droughts and to lead to sea-level rise. These changes are expected to impact migration patterns both directly and indirectly through changes in agriculture, food prices, infrastructure and health. Previous work has been limited to study the direct effects of these changes. The indirect impacts of climate change on migration has received less attention. Additionally, the cumulative evidence of the effects of climate changes on rising migration levels is mixed. This project aims to analyse the relative impacts of climate change on migration drawing on innovative data sources and taking into account both the direct and indirect impacts of environmental changes.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Richard Boothroyd

Bio: Dr Richard Boothroyd is a Lecturer in Physical Geography in the School of Environmental Sciences. His research interests include fluvial geomorphology, remote sensing and river-related hazards. His current research uses satellite data to understand the risks that river-related hazards pose to people and infrastructure in dynamic landscapes. He has developed innovative workflows using Google Earth Engine (https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1496) and has contributed to international research projects to assess the evolution of global flood hazard and risk (https://www.evoflood.co.uk/index.html).

Email: richard.boothroyd@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Environmental Sciences

Department: Geography and Planning

Module Code:

Suitable for Students Of: Geography, Environmental Sciences, Computer Sciences

Desired experience or requirements: Previous experience using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software would be advantageous (e.g., ArcGIS/QGIS). An interest in learning how to use Google Earth Engine (GEE; https://earthengine.google.com/) will also be needed. The project is 100% computer-based, so can be completed either in person or virtually. The student will require access to GIS software and a stable internet connection when using GEE.

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024

Project Length: 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: Yes - virtual, hybrid and in-person options

Project Description 

Riparian vegetation influences the hydrological, geomorphological and ecological functioning of river systems. The spatial and temporal distribution of riparian vegetation is well documented along many river corridors in temperate settings (e.g., large European rivers), but comparatively less is known about riparian vegetation dynamics in tropical settings. An opportunity exists to use satellite data to improve this understanding. The project will quantify seasonal to inter-annual changes in riparian vegetation distribution for selected rivers in the Philippines. The project will use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software and the cloud-based geospatial analysis platform Google Earth Engine (GEE) to map and quantify changes in vegetation using satellite data. The student will gain hands-on experience in applying GIS mapping techniques and processing satellite data. Results from the project will be used to inform future sustainable river management activities designed to reduce flood risk.

Additional Requirements 

N/A

Supervisor: Dr Roland Clark

Bio: Roland Clark is a Reader in Modern European History at the University of Liverpool. He is the President of the Society for Romanian Studies, a Senior Fellow with the Far-Right Analysis Network, the Principal Investigator on the European Fascist Movements project, and the 2022 Lapedatu Fellow at the New Europe College in Bucharest. Clark specialises in the history of East-Central Europe, and of interwar Romania in particular. His research interests include fascism, social movements, violence, gender, theology, and lived religion. 

Email: clarkr@liverpool.ac.uk

School: Histories, Languages, and Cultures

Department: History

Module Code: HIST000

Suitable for Students Of: Histories, Languages, and Cultures

Desired experience or requirements: Good reading knowledge of French, German, Croatian, or Yiddish is required.  Experience working with historical sources and/or searching historical newspapers is strongly recommended.   

You need to be computer literate, able to process information quickly, highly organized, self-motivated, and able to work independently. As part of the project you will become skilled at searching digitized newspapers and using MS Access. Given that you will be working with historical sources, ideally you should be studying for a degree in History.   

Places Available: 2

Start Dates: 10 June 2024, 1 July 2024

Project Length: 4 - 12 weeks 

Virtual Option: Yes - virtual, hybrid and in-person options

Project Description 

Between 1919 and 1923 a wave of antisemitic riots that swept through European universities in at least 11 different countries, and then coalesced into organized student movements that agitated for student control of the universities, the expulsion of Jewish students, and supported extremist right-wing parties. Many of these students later became activists in fascist political parties. Although scholars are aware of these riots within their national contexts, antisemitic student activism has never been studied as a transnational phenomenon and historians know very little about how these movements interacted with or supported one another.     

The first step in designing a transnational research project of this nature is to identify as many instances of student violence as possible. As part of the research programme you will search digitized newspapers to identify instances of antisemitic violence and will input them into a pre-existing database using MS Access. This will involve going through foreign newspapers and reports, reading descriptions of student violence and deciding how to describe them. Newspapers will be in French, German, Croatian, or Yiddish, depending on your language skills, but not in English.  

Additional Requirements 

N/A