ERC SYNDATA PhD Studentship
The European Research Council funded project, ‘The Ethics of Synthetic Data in the Age of Machine Learning and AI’ (SYNDATA), is now advertising a PhD scholarship to be based in the Department of Sociology at the University of York.
Applications for 2026/27 are open until Friday 5 June 2026, 5pm BST
The SYNDATA project is led by Dr Benjamin Jacobsen, who is based at the University of York, UK. The project aims to better understand the ethical and political consequences of synthetic data for contemporary societies.
AI-generated datasets are increasingly used to train algorithms and are also changing the ethical landscape of modern society. The successful applicant will be working on a project that explores the impact of synthetic data, algorithms, and generative AI and how these are transforming society and culture.
This project will appeal to all students working in areas such as digital sociology, media studies, critical data and algorithms studies, as well as the philosophy of AI.
The PhD scholarship is full-time and will include a full stipend at UKRI level and tuition fees at the UK fee rate.
ERC SYNDATA PhD Studentship contact details
Dr Benjamin Jacobsen
benjamin.jacobsen@york.ac.uk
Eligibility
Open to International (including EU), International (non-EU) and UK (home) students.
Open to students applying for a full time PhD in Sociology only.
Applicants will need to have applied for the PhD in Sociology by 5 June 2026, indicating on their application that they wish to be considered for the ERC funded SYNDATA PhD scholarship.
How to apply
Application deadline: Friday 5 June 2026, 5pm BST
To apply for the studentship, please complete a PhD in Sociology application including:
- CV
- Research proposal
How we allocate
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed toward the end of June.
Terms and conditions
Open to students applying for a full time, on-campus PhD in Sociology only.