Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity Recruitment
The Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity (LCAB) aspires to stimulate a profound shift in environmental thinking, recasting 'biodiversity loss' and ‘ecosystem degradation’ perspectives into a more complex, realistic, and nuanced picture of Anthropocene change.
Most accounts of biodiversity change are framed as stories of decline or disaster. However, the human modification of ecosystems and human-assisted movement of species around the world have generated and continue to generate gains as well as losses of biodiversity. Furthermore, they provide benefits to people as well as harm. LCAB seeks to understand the under-studied societal and biological processes that underpin biodiversity gains, and the consequences of those gains, in order to inform and influence society’s responses to these changes.
Our interdisciplinary approach to understanding, interpreting and responding to the challenges of the Anthropocene is helping to identify opportunities to increase the future sustainability of our planet, steering us towards what might be regarded as a 'good' Anthropocene.
Two fully funded LCAB PhD studentships (4-years, full time at UK fee rate) are available. We are interested in supporting PhD studentships that explore the ways in which human activity enhances as well as diminishes biological diversity. You will interact and communicate with each other and the wider LCAB academic community to develop interdisciplinary thinking and skills, which we believe are vital to addressing the complex challenges of the Anthropocene. The projects are:
- Biodiversity gains in churchyards as a microcosm for UK biodiversity gains: Interested to understand how biodiversity gains can be achieved in cultural landscapes where people value different things? Do you want to explore how community efforts to improve biodiversity in churchyards can be a microcosm of UK-wide change? Join us to help examine the role of biodiversity and its championing in ancient, cultural landscapes!
- Urban gardens to improve health, biodiversity and climate-change resilience in cities in Bangladesh: Are you keen to find solutions to the overlapping risks of urbanisation and climate change in the global south? Are you interested in exploring how urban gardens can benefit human wellbeing and biodiversity, and build climate change resilience? And how do we ensure that all citizens can access the benefits without being marginalised? Join our committed and diverse team at LCAB to explore these questions, develop your research skills across disciplines and engage with stakeholders in Bangladesh to effect change.
Professor Chris Thomas,
Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity
The Centre’s core research is developing an improved understanding of biodiversity gains; how humans are causing, responding to, and sometimes benefitting from those gains, and how human responses in turn affect subsequent biodiversity change.
We use a combination of methods from multiple disciplines within the Centre’s four Research Programmes to address the following key issues:
- Biodiversification: Understanding how human impacts and biological processes underpin changes to biodiversity and ecosystems. Tackling radical questions about the growth of biological diversity and rates at which new species are coming into existence.
- Philias and phobias: Identifying the causes and consequences of varied human attitudes to the growth and loss of biodiversity. Considering personal, historical and cultural circumstances and points of view which influence societal responses to these changes.
- Utility: Establishing both the benefits and harms we experience from human-altered biodiversity and novel ecosystems. Evaluating the socioeconomic, political, geographical, historical and cultural circumstances under which these changes exist.
- Moulding the future: Integrating knowledge to foster further positive gains in biodiversity, without compromising human wellbeing or risking 'past' biodiversity. Furthering understanding how we can foster beneficial increases rather than just attempting to halt the losses.
We value the participation of every member of our community and want to ensure that LCAB is an enjoyable place to work. LCAB provides a friendly, supportive, collaborative working environment and advocates flexible working to encourage a healthy work/life balance. We welcome applications from people of any and all backgrounds, and are very happy to discuss and accommodate any individual needs.
The design of LCAB’s working space provides an area which caters for individual and collaborative research as well as social space for relaxed and informal get togethers.
Our existing PhD Students are working on the following areas of research:
- Alex Payne - Evolutionary acceleration in the Anthropocene
- Chantal Berry - Sensory environments c1500-c1950
- Katie Noble - Knowledge and perspectives on laboratory grown meat: Understanding the environmental sustainability of meat alternative and how that informs consumer perspectives
- Molly Brown - Knowledge, understanding and the demand for ivory
- Megan Tarrant - The role of environmental knowledge in rights-based approaches to conservation
- Theo Tomking - Statistics, computing and environmental knowledge in the 20th Century
- Hien Luong - Financing a better anthropocene
- Nikki Paterson - Linking biodiversity, nature connectedness and health over the lifecourse
- Lauren Barnes - Rewilding nature - a panacea for a biodiverse Anthropocene?
- Marco Franzoi - Fish futures: the governance of trade-based consumption and mechanisms for promoting net biodiversity gain
- Andrew Gibson - What is the relationship between biodiversity and information behaviour in Anthropocene ecosystems?
- Meet the rest of the LCAB community
Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity
LCAB researches the changing relationship between humanity and the natural world, and how we might maintain and develop a sustainable Earth. The Centre represents an interdisciplinary collaboration between multiple departments at the University of York, the University of Sherbrooke, University College London and the University of St Andrews. LCAB recognises biological gains as well as losses, and identifies the circumstances under which changes are perceived as positive or negative. It aims to understand and inform society’s response to these changes.
LCAB and the University are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.
The University
Founded on principles of excellence, equality and opportunity for all, the University of York opened in 1963 with just 230 students. In 2019 it is the centre for over 18,000 students across more than 30 academic departments and research centres. In over 50 years we have become one of the world's leading universities and a member of the prestigious Russell Group.
The University has consistently been recognised as one of the leading Higher Education Institutes and is one of just six post-war universities which has appeared in the world top 100. The University of York has won six Times Higher Education (THE) Awards and five Queen's Anniversary Prizes, including two in Computer Science.
We are proud of our association with Athena SWAN, holding twelve awards in support of women in science, with gold awards for Chemistry and Biology as well as a University-wide bronze award.
Of 154 universities that took part in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2014, the University of York ranked 14th overall and 10th on the impact of our research. The University is consistently in the top ten UK research universities and attracts over £60m a year of funding from research alone.
Centred around the picturesque village of Heslington on the edge of the city of York, our colleges are set in an attractive landscaped campus. With a compact and easy to get around design, York enjoys a safe, friendly atmosphere. The campus offers a wealth of facilities, which includes bars, shops, theatres and concert halls all within easy walking distance.
We welcome applicants from any relevant disciplinary background and encourage you to approach the topics from your own perspective.
As well as being a member of LCAB students also have a home department which is most appropriate to their research. Applications should be submitted to the relevant home department with the project title entered into the research proposal field. The home department for the open project is determined by your lead supervisor.
Please note you must enter ‘Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity’ as the source of funding when prompted with “How do you intend to finance your studies”.
Candidates will be asked to submit a:
- CV
- Academic transcript
- Personal statement
- Language certificate (if applicable)
If you would like to apply for more than one role, please complete a separate application for each.
Key dates
- Application deadline: Sunday 19 May 2024
- Anticipated interview dates: June 2024
- Start date: September 2024
Eligibility
Students with, or expecting to gain, at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply. Students applying for the project with the home department of Hull York Medical School will also require a Masters.
Applicants must be eligible to pay UK fees or have proof of funds to cover the additional international fees required. While non-UK home students are welcome to apply, if shortlisted, international applicants will need to show evidence of funding to cover the additional costs of international fees before interview.
This studentship covers UK fees for 4 years and a tax-free stipend to match the UKRI’s minimum rate (£19,237 for 2024/25) for 3.5 years. To qualify for UK (home) fee status, students must be from the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) or Islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the past three years.
Take a look at some Frequently Asked Questions about these studentships.
Posts are available full-time for 3 years, based in York. The postholder will be a member of LCAB and will work with colleagues across disciplines, as well as being a member of a University Department most appropriate to their research.
Biodiversity gains in churchyards as a microcosm for UK biodiversity gains
UK landscapes arise through complex interactions between ecology and culture. Realising biodiversity gains requires understanding how individuals and communities respond to change in valued socio-ecological systems. Churchyards are an acute example of this - a semi-public, highly valued cultural space, often shared with threatened species and habitats. Many churches are seeking to increase biodiversity in churchyards but, as ancient cultural landscapes valued by a wider community than just church members, change can be challenging. Using urban and rural churchyards, this project studies the perceptions and values of communities alongside the ecological benefits of churchyard biodiversity. This will elucidate strategies to engage and positively involve communities with multifaceted stakeholders in wider biodiversity promotion.
Your project will involve:
- Qualitative interviews with various stakeholders to understand perceptions and challenges associated with churchyard biodiversity gains.
- Collation of ecological data from churchyards to quantify their biodiversity value and potential of sustainable churchyard management in England.
You will have an interdisciplinary outlook, an interest in biodiversity and a background in a relevant natural or social science subject. You will work with both qualitative and quantitative research methods and you will develop interviewing skills. You will be supported in making connections in the chosen case study locations.
You will be based in the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity (LCAB) at the University of York.
LCAB provides opportunities to interact with students and researchers across departments and institutions, and will offer additional training as required.
Supervisors: Prof Colin Beale, Prof Victoria Wells, Dr Julie Rugg and Prof Kate Giles
Urban gardens to improve health, biodiversity and climate-change resilience in cities in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has some of the most densely-populated cities facing overlapping risks of health, climate and urbanisation. Residents - particularly the poorest - have diets low in fresh vegetables and fruit, are subjected to hazardous levels of pollution, and have little or no access to green spaces. Women in particular have high levels of vitamin D deficiency due to extended time indoors fuelled by gender norms and limited access to women-friendly parks. Urban gardens can support biodiversity, local food production, access to green space and reduce heat-island effects with potential health gains and are supported by recent policies.
Your project will:
- Systematically review evidence of impacts of policies, fiscal interventions and programmes to support urban gardens on health, biodiversity and ecosystem service outcomes in the global south.
- Map low-income neighbourhoods to identify existing and potential urban gardens and assess their biodiversity in city/ies in Bangladesh.
- Explore perceptions and experiences (both positive and negative) of residents and city planners of urban gardens and their biodiversity.
- Co-design strategies with local stakeholders to stimulate urban gardens within cities.
You will have a Masters degree in a relevant subject, with a commitment to building interdisciplinary networks. Experience of qualitative and participatory research methods and knowledge of the global south would be advantageous. You will have excellent written and spoken English and an ability to speak, or willingness to learn, Bengali.
LCAB provides opportunities to interact with students and researchers across departments and institutions, and offers additional training as required.
Supervisors: Prof Helen Elsey, Dr Anika Haque, Prof Piran White
Home department: Hull York Medical School (HYMS)
The City of York
Internationally acclaimed for its rich heritage and historic architecture, York's bustling streets are filled with visitors from all over the world. Within its medieval walls you will find the iconic gothic Minster, Clifford's Tower and the Shambles - just a few of the many attractions.
But York isn't just a great place to visit - it's also a great place to live and work. While nourishing a vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere, York still maintains the friendly sense of community unique to a small city.
Shopping, culture and entertainment
York boasts specialist and unique boutiques but also all the high street stores on its busy shopping streets. Alongside them you will find cinemas, theatres, an opera house, art galleries, a vast range of restaurants, live music venues and clubs. York is particularly renowned for its multitude of pubs and bars, from the modern to the medieval.
Yorkshire
The Lonely Planet guide recently declared Yorkshire the third best region in the world to visit. There is something to cater to every taste, whether it be the rugged landscapes of the Moors or the Dales, the picturesque seaside towns of Scarborough and Robin Hoods Bay, the gothic architecture of Whitby or the vibrancy of cosmopolitan Leeds.
- For informal project-specific enquiries please contact the supervisor for each PhD project area (above)
For other queries please contact Centre Director, Professor Chris Thomas via chris.thomas@york.ac.uk or Centre Manager, Dr Sally Howlett at lcab-enquiries@york.ac.uk - If you require assistance with applying, please see our guidance or contact HR Services by telephone on +44 (0)1904 324835 or email recruitment@york.ac.uk
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