phd finder studentships

Decoherence due to flux noise in superconducting qubits at microkelvin temperatures

• Royal Holloway, University of London
• Department of Physics
• Funding For: European Students , UK Students
• Deadline: Open all year round

DemoBECCS: The potential and demonstration feasibility of BECCS

• Technical University of Denmark
• Center for Energy Resources Engineering
• Funding For: European Students , International Students , UK Students

Application of artificial intelligence to multiphysics problems in materials design

• University of Birmingham
• Department of Civil Engineering

In-situ disposal of cementitious wastes at UK nuclear sites

• University of Leeds
• Faculty of Environment
• Funding For: UK Students

From Text to Tech: Shaping the Future of Physics-Based Simulations with AI-Driven Generative Models

Capturing vibration to drive chemical change

• London South Bank University
• School of Engineering

Study of the human-vehicle interactions by a high-end dynamic driving simulator

• Politecnico di Milano
• Department of Mechanical Engineering

A next-generation genetic technology to identify biotechnologically-valuable enzymes and transporters

• Flinders University
• The Synthetic Physiology Laboratory

Development of fluorescent organic molecules for application in super-resolution imaging techniques

• Monash University
• Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Atomic Layer Deposition of Novel Nanolayer Materials for Solar Cells

• Australian National University

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PhD studentships

If you're looking to get PhD funding for a specific research project or field of study, Doctoral studentships can provide you with either a partially or fully-funded PhD

Who awards PhD studentships?

PhD studentships are most commonly awarded by the UK's seven Research Councils in the form of Research Council grants , with research funding overseen by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) .

Individual UK universities also offer scholarships and bursaries to PhD students, while many professional bodies fund Doctoral research in collaboration with these academic institutions.

For instance, research awards are offered by the following engineering organisations:

• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) - QUEST scholarships
• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
• The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

Additionally, Cooperative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE) can be part-funded by any non-academic body. These four-year PhDs require the student to work at the organisation for at least three months.

You can also apply for funded PhD opportunities through many charities, foundations and trusts, including:

• Action Medical Research
• Alzheimer's Society
• British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG)
• British Heart Foundation (BHF)
• Cancer Research UK
• Diabetes UK
• Rosetrees Trust - PhD Plus
• The Leverhulme Trust
• Wellcome Trust

Before you start applying for a funded PhD, it's always a good idea to discuss this with a prospective supervisor first, as they're often able to provide tips on maximising the likelihood of receiving financial support.

How much can I receive?

Many PhD studentships, including those offered by universities, professional bodies, or charities, foundations and trusts, provide three years' funding paid at a similar rate to the Research Council grant:

• Fees-only studentship - These cover a student's tuition fees, plus any associated project and training costs (a minimum of £4,786 per year).
• Full studentship - These add a non-repayable, tax-free maintenance grant known as a 'stipend'. In 2024/25, this is worth a minimum of £19,237 and it can be used towards living costs - see UKRI - Find studentships and Doctoral training .

For example, a University of Manchester School of Social Sciences PhD studentship includes tuition fees for three-and-a-half years and a maintenance grant of £18,622 (2023/24 rate) per year for living expenses, plus associated research costs - such as fieldwork and attending conferences - from the Research Training Support Grant.

However, you should be aware that some PhD studentship recipients are required to teach undergraduates. While this provides an excellent opportunity to gain vital employability skills, it can also be hugely time-consuming. You must be satisfied that tutoring won't negatively affect the quality of your research before accepting your place.

Is my programme eligible for a PhD studentship?

PhD studentships can start at any time of the year, but most begin in September, October or January.

Certain types of PhD, for example professional Doctorates, may not be eligible for a PhD studentship. The same applies to part-time or distance learning options.

Am I eligible?

PhD studentships typically demand that applicants have a Bachelors degree at 2:1 or above, plus a relevant Masters degree or professional experience at that level of study.

Those who already possess a PhD are often ineligible, while some PhD studentships are limited to students fitting certain criteria - for example, those from a disadvantaged background, from a certain country or of a certain ethnicity.

If you're a European Union (EU) national, you'll need to have settled or pre-settled status under the government's EU Settlement Scheme to be eligible for student finance in this country - and this includes PhD studentships.

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application process can be lengthy, and competition is fierce.

Some PhD students will be automatically considered for financial support once they've been accepted by an institution, but many are required to make separate PhD funding applications. These are usually made directly to the university - even for those studentships from Research Councils, professional bodies, or charities, foundations and trusts.

You'll typically be asked for your PhD application form, a research proposal , a cover letter and your references. After the institution has reviewed your application, you may be invited to interview.

Throughout this process, the university will scrutinise what you'll bring to the institution. Applicants at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), for example, are judged on:

• the quality of their research project and how it connects with research currently being undertaken at the institution
• how appropriate the supervisory team is
• their calibre, academic qualifications and academic/research experience
• whether the research can contribute towards the Research Excellence Framework (REF), meaning that interdisciplinary research will be preferred.

How do I increase my chances of getting a PhD studentship?

You can improve your chances of success by:

• asking a friend or family member to proofread your application
• carefully choosing your referees, ensuring that they'll speak positively of you
• discussing your draft application with a relevant academic
• explaining how your work will be unique and innovative
• following the funding body's guidance regarding word counts and formatting.

What other PhD funding is available?

If you're unsuccessful with your PhD studentship application, you could consider:

• crowdfunding
• employer sponsorship
• PhD loans .

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Studentships and doctoral training

Get a studentship to fund your doctorate.

UKRI studentships offer funding for doctoral research. They also offer you access to training, networking and development opportunities to help you build a research and innovation career.

Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training .

You could get:

• a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year for your living costs, which is paid to you in regular instalments
• support for your tuition fees (minimum £4,786 per year)

The stipend is usually non-taxable and does not need to be paid back. Some research organisations may offer more if you study in London, or they or one of their collaborators might decide to top up the payment. This will be outlined in the studentship advert from the research organisation.

We normally pay the support for tuition fees directly to your research organisation.

The levels given here are for the academic year 2024 to 2025. UKRI’s approach to doctoral stipend and fee levels will be reviewed through the  new deal for postgraduate research .

Additional support for your doctoral studies

As a UKRI-funded doctoral student, you may be able to access additional funding to cover the cost of other related training and development opportunities.

This could include:

• conference attendance
• language training
• overseas research visits
• internships or placements with a non-academic partner

The availability of support will depend on the research organisation and the training grants they have on offer. You should contact the research organisation you are interested in applying to, to find out what you could get.

Extra support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship.

You should speak to your research organisation’s disability advisor to assess your needs. They can help put the right support in place, including a DSA application if necessary. You cannot claim DSA directly from UKRI.

DSA helps to cover the cost of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance covers:

• non-medical personal assistance
• specialist equipment
• extra travel costs
• general expenses

Find out more about DSA in our framework .

If you are a research organisation you can download claim forms and guidance for DSA .

Who can apply

Any prospective doctoral student wishing to study at a UK research organisation, including prospective international students, can apply for a UKRI studentship.

All UKRI-funded doctoral students will be eligible for the full award, both the stipend to support living costs, and home-level fees at the UK research organisation rate.

How to find opportunities

Many UK research organisations offer some form of studentship funding from UKRI. These opportunities will depend on the subject you want to study and will normally be advertised by the research organisations.

Research organisations may have additional opportunities that do not involve UKRI. UKRI supports around 20% of all UK-based postgraduate researchers. You should speak to the research organisation you are interested in to find out what studentships are available.

You could also consider using a specialist website like   FindaPhD  to look for opportunities.

When to apply

Research organisations set their own deadlines for applications.

Many open for applications early in the academic year and close in January or February. This is not a hard and fast rule. It is important that you check the deadlines for the research organisation where you want to study.

How to apply

You cannot apply to UKRI for a studentship. You must contact the research organisation you are interested in studying with and use their application process.

For doctoral students who are already studying with a studentship, there are opportunities to get additional funding to support placements that are separate from your doctorate.  Find training and development opportunities .

Last updated: 14 February 2024

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

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Scholarships and Studentships

Find out more about specific funding schemes & scholarships administered by the Centre for Doctoral Studies, below:

Funding to support Joint PhD Programmes

These scholarships are available for students applying to joint PhD programmes run in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, National University of Singapore or the University of Sao Paulo, with King's as their home institution.

The King's Joint PhD Scholarship provides full tuition fees, stipend and an annual research grant.

Visit our joint PhD funding opportunity webpage for more details.

Find out more about the Joint PhD Programmes available at the National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong, and University of Sao Paolo by visiting the International Education webpage.

King's China Council Scholarships

King's College London and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) hold an agreement to jointly fund PhD students to pursue research degrees at King's College London. As part of the agreement, successful students receive a scholarship that covers the tuition fee, an annual living allowance that includes overseas student health cover, a return airfare to London and visa application fees.

For full details, please visit our King's China Council Scholarships funding opportunity webpage.

Funded PhD Opportunities in Science & Engineering

The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership at King’s College London offers PhD Research Studentships across the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences and the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine , particularly in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences .

For more information please visit our EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership webpage.

Harold Moody PGR Studentships

King’s College London and the Centre for Doctoral Studies are offering four studentships to support underrepresented communities within postgraduate research students in two faculties.

The studentship covers:

Tuition fees at home level

An annual stipend (living allowance): at the UKRI rate (for the year 2021/22, this was set at £17,609), (pro-rata for PT registration)

Research costs: up to £1,000 per annum (pro-rata for PT registration)

Eligibility criteria

Applying for PhD, at KCL in the following Faculties:

Arts & Humanities

Social Science & Public Policy

Applicants must be UK-permanent residents who are liable for fees at the home rate and identify as one of the following ethnic groups (as identified by the applicant in the admissions application):

Black British, Black or Black British African, Black or Black British Caribbean, Black or Black British other or Mixed Black.

If you identify as being of Black or Mixed-Black ethnicity, you are warmly invited to apply for one of these scholarships.

For full details please visit the Funding Database.

Economic & Social Research Council Studentships

The KISS DTC has now been replaced with the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP), made up of KCL, Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College.

LISS-DTP will now award ESRC -funded postgraduate research studentships to support doctoral research and training in the social sciences across this partnership. These are available for three or four years full-time, either as a three year PhD (‘+3’) or as a one-year Masters followed by PhD (‘1+3’). Therefore, a masters degree is not a prerequisite for applying for a LISS-DTP studentship.

A range of training programmes are available based on an assessment of the applicant’s prior learning and training needs and each LISS-DTP Thematic Pathway has a variety of Masters programmes associated with it.

Please see the LISS DTP website for details on the Thematic Pathways for more information.

Part-time studentships are also possible at pro-rata rates.

ESRC Open Competition Studentships

The Open Competition enables students to propose their own research project for funding. The Open Competition opens each November with an application deadline at the end of January. Applicants are notified in April about whether or not they have been awarded a studentship commencing in October.

Studentships are offered as either +3 (PhD only) or 1+3 (Masters and PhD). You will need to identify a supervisor who will write a supporting statement for your application.

Visit our studentships page or our dedicated LISS-DTP website for more information.

Please send general enquiries to: [email protected]

ESRC CASE Competition Collaborative Studentships

LISS DTP’s CASE Collaborative studentship competitions promote partnerships between social scientists at King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and Imperial College and end-user organisations (public or private or third sector ‘partner institutions’).

A collaborative studentship (referred to as a CASE studentship) is one in which the student enhances their training by working closely with the non-academic partner in the development of their research project. They are a great way to initiate longer-term partnerships and to ensure the ‘impact’ of doctoral research.

It is important to note that the academic faculty initially apply for collaborative studentships, as potential supervisors. If successful they may award the studentship either to a named student or through an agreed recruitment process.

The studentship can involve any public or private or third sector partner institution. The involvement of the partner institution should add value to the studentship (e.g. distinctive opportunities for analysis, dissemination, research management, networking and/or knowledge transfer). The PhD project should also enhance the partner institution’s activities by offering the potential for societal or economic impact.

For more information, please visit the studentships page on the LISS-DTP website .

Arts & Humanities Research Council Studentships

The London Arts & Humanities Partnership (LAHP) is a Doctoral Training Partnership co-funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and eight Higher Education Institution (HEI) partners:

• King’s College London
• London School of Economics and Political Science
• Queen Mary University of London
• Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
• Royal College of Art
• Royal College of Music
• School of Advanced Study
• University College London

Please visit the London Arts & Humanities Partnership website for full details of the studentships.

Eligibility:

LAHP welcomes applications:

• From ‘home’ and ‘international’ (including EU) applicants (Please refer to ‘ International Students ‘);
• Across all of LAHP’s subject areas and approaches in the arts & humanities, including for inter-disciplinary and practice-based research;
• From those who have recently completed their Masters’ programmes and those with relevant professional and/or practitioner experience;
• From those wishing to study on a full-time or part-time basis;
• From applicants of all ages and backgrounds.

To be eligible for a LAHP open studentship in the forthcoming recruitment round you must either:

• Have submitted an application to commence a programme of postgraduate study at a LAHP partner institution in the 2021/22 academic year (i.e. to start in October 2022), or
• If you have already commenced doctoral study, you may apply for funding for the remainder of your study, providing that, at the start of the AHRC award (1st October 2022), you will have at least 50% of the period of study remaining (excluding the ‘writing-up period’).

Funding is available for both full-time and part-time students. Awards cannot normally be deferred. Successful candidates will be assumed to be starting their studies in October 2022 unless there are exceptional circumstances approved by LAHP and your Research institution.

Application procedure:

Please visit the LAHP website for details on the full application procedure.

More about Postgraduate Research

Funding & Scholarships

Discover our range of postgraduate research funding opportunities.

Postgraduate entry requirements

Find out more about entry requirements for our postgraduate courses.

Find Education Scholarships for PhD Students

Every little bit helps, get a head start funding your doctoral degree using the U.S. News scholarship database. Apply for money now.

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Elevar Scholars Program

California State University, Fullerton

What You'll Need

• Application Form
• Recommendation
• Demonstrated Financial Need
• Merit-based Aid

Description

Funded by the CSU and Giles T. Brown Endowment for Graduate Studies through the Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation, this program seeks to increase the diversity of students completing graduate degree programs, encourage further study in doctoral programs and promote consideration of university faculty careers. If provides fellowships to economically disadvantaged CSUF students who have overcome educational disadvantages or hardships. The fellowships are intended to minimize students’ debt burden, allowing them to complete their program more quickly and commence doctoral study.

Fletcher Jones Fellowship

University of California, Irvine

• Need-based Aid

The Fletcher Jones Fellowship is a highly prestigious award, made available through funding from the Fletcher Jones Foundation. It is competitively awarded to an outstanding doctoral student who has advanced to candidacy and demonstrates financial need. The award of a one-year fellowship of approximately $22,290, to be used as a stipend, is intended to assist with doctoral degree completion.

Chancellor's Club Fellowship

Chancellor’s Club Fellowships recognize our most academically superior doctoral and MFA students — those who exhibit outstanding promise as scholars, researchers, and public leaders. Nominated students must be first-generation college students, with neither parent having received a four-year degree. Nominations are made by Associate Deans for scholars in their respective schools.

Miguel Velez Scholarship

The Miguel Velez Scholarship provides financial support to graduate students who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise, have financial need, and are citizens and residents of a Latin American country. Preference is given to citizens of Colombia.

James Harvey Scholar

The James Harvey Scholar award provides financial support to graduate students who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise, have financial need, and are completing a publishable thesis or dissertation on homosexuality or the life or works of James Harvey.

Otto W. Shaler Scholarship

The Otto W. Shaler Scholarship provides financial support to international graduate students who have financial need, and who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise. Each school may submit no more than two applications for this award.

Brython Davis Fellowship

Overview: The Brython Davis Fellowship provides financial support to students who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise, have financial need, are U.S. citizens, and are the child of a service member or veteran of the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps.

La Verne Noyes Fellowship

The La Verne Noyes Fellowship provides financial support to graduate students who demonstrate outstanding past academic achievement as well as future promise, have financial need, are U.S. citizens, and are descendants of World War I U.S. Army or Navy veterans.

Barbara Bell Blake Nursing Scholarship

Purdue University, Northwest

Need Based: Please note: This specialty scholarship requires a separate application. Even if you've already applied for a PNW admissions scholarship, you need to submit a separate application to be eligible.

Intel SWE Scholarship (Graduate)

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

SWE Scholarships support those who identify as a female/woman and are pursuing an ABET-accredited bachelor or graduate student program in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science in the United States. US Citizenship required. Minimum GPA: 3.0. Class: Graduate (Masters, Doctoral) Major: CprE, CS, EE.

University of Birmingham CENTRE-UB PhD Studentships 2024-2025 May 13, 2024 by DigitalVaults Scholarship Board

• Amount: Tuition and £19,237 stipends
• Deadline: May 16, 2024

Scholarship Overview

• Country: United Kingdom
• Scholarship Type: Merit-based
• Institutions: University of Birmingham
• Funded by: University of Birmingham
• Tuition Type: Full tuition
• Degree Program: PhD
• Scholarship Amount: Tuition and £19,237 stipends
• Separate Application Required?: Yes
• Deadline: 16 May, 2024.

Scholarship Benefits 

Every 4-year studentship includes a stipend at the UKRI of £19,237, disbursed in monthly payments along with tuition coverage. Included in the training program, PhD students will gain entry to a dynamic series of training sessions designed to enhance both their research skills and their development as researchers. As integral contributors to CENTRE-UB, each PhD student will receive numerous chances to participate in and lead various outreach and public engagement initiatives.

Eligibility

To qualify for a PhD studentship, candidates must have achieved, or be on track to achieve, at least a 2.1 degree classification from a UK university, or its international equivalent, in a field relevant to the PhD project. Specific requirements vary by project, so please review the details for the project you are interested in. For queries about eligibility, contact the project’s supervising professor.

We welcome applications from both domestic and international candidates. To be considered a domestic applicant, you must fulfill one of the following: a) be a UK National who meets residency requirements, b) possess settled status, c) hold pre-settled status and meet residency requirements, or d) have indefinite leave to remain or enter in the UK. Candidates not meeting these conditions will be regarded as international applicants.

How to apply

Follow these steps to apply for a PhD project:

Choose the PhD project that interests you.

Download the Centre-UB PhD application form .

Fill out the EDI survey .

Send the following documents to [email protected]   and include the project descriptor in your email’s subject line:

• Centre-UB PhD application form
• Academic transcripts
• References (ensure you include at least one academic reference)

If you have any specific questions about the project, please reach out directly to the project’s supervisor.

Additional Information

Every 4-year studentship will take place in partnership with an associated organisation. These studentships involve a variety of partners from public, private, or third-sector entities that specialize in human behavior. Each doctoral candidate will be guided by two academic supervisors from the University of Birmingham and one supervisor from the partner organisation.

Official Website

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/centre-ub/centre-ub-phd-studentships

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School of Human Resources and Labor Relations College of Social Science

School of human resources and labor relations phd candidate uriel saldivar receives the college of social science graduate student teaching award.

HRLR PhD candidate, Uriel Saldivar.

Uriel is a published researcher with interests in leadership, negotiated work arrangements, and remote work. He aspires to become a research professor in management upon completing his PhD. Uriel teaches HRLR 315, Research Methods and Analysis; HRLR 211, Introduction to Organizational Leadership; and HRLR 212, Career Management.

The Graduate Student Teaching Award recognizes a graduate student who has demonstrated evidence of dedication to instruction through experimentation and successful implementation of innovative techniques and/or contribution to the scholarship of teaching and learning, including experiential learning; and evidence of excellence in instruction as demonstrated by the impact on students' careers and colleagues' teaching/advising practices.

Uriel's PhD advisor Dr. Chenwei Liao noted, "As a first-generation college student, Uriel values the transformative power of education and integrates this perspective into his teaching to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in his classes. His dynamic teaching style captures students' attention, while his openness encourages active participation from students of all backgrounds, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning community. Thanks to his outstanding teaching, students often remark that they completely forgot he was a first-time professor due to his exceptional teaching skills."

His students describe Uriel as an engaging, compassionate, and inspiring instructor who is focused on building authentic relationships and helping students learn. "Uriel is an empathetic instructor and is willing to offer support when students are in need. He wants students to learn the material of the course in ways that are applicable to their careers, not just for exams. His classroom is an inclusive space for all to explore their identities as a leader and as a future human resources professional," shared student Maura L.

"Besides research, teaching has also been a rewarding aspect of my doctoral journey in the School of Human Resources & Labor Relations at MSU. The CSS graduate student teaching award only further motivates me to continue serving our students to the best of my ability. I would like to thank everyone involved in this award nomination and the College of Social Science for this opportunity," said Uriel.

Uriel Saldivar's achievement exemplifies the high caliber of education within the College of Social Science, and we look forward to seeing how he will continue to shape the field of management and human resources in the years to come.

HRLR News & Events

Improving early childhood classrooms fuels PhD student Rudy Dieudonne

Story by Maddie Kranz x’24, a UW–Madison student studying Community & Nonprofit Leadership and Art History

Working across disciplines in the School of Human Ecology, Rudy Dieudonne — a doctoral candidate in Design Studies — is improving learning environments for young children with autism. His innovative work and compelling presentation made waves at the Three Minute Thesis competition, an international contest for graduate students to practice concisely communicating their research with a broader audience in under three minutes. Of the 11 finalists at UW–Madison, Dieudonne won both the First Place and People’s Choice Awards.

“People typically don’t understand why researchers decide to do their research and try to solve a specific problem,” Diuedonne said. “I used the Three Minute Thesis competition as an opportunity to explain why I am passionate about my research and improving the educational experiences of children within classrooms.”

Making classrooms accessible

Within Dieudonne’s research, he analyzes the ways in which classroom lighting and noise impact students with autism. His work draws from studies of design, child development, physiology, and more.

The current classroom environment is not appropriate for students with sensory sensitivities. Dieudonne worked with the School of Human Ecology’s Child Development Lab — a teaching and research early childhood preschool — to monitor children’s heart rates, stress levels and behavioral reactions as he adjusted the lighting and noise levels in the classroom. As the levels increased, so did the students’ physical and physiological reactions.

“What I needed was power, and that’s what the results of this research provides,” Dieudonne said in his Three Minute Thesis presentation. “The power to help our government revise classroom design standards across this country, and the power to defend students with autism, as well as their constitutional rights to education.”

Making classrooms accessible for preschoolers with autism is a difficult task, but Dieudonne says that some of the solutions are not as complex as some may believe.

“It can be something very simple, like putting a light on a dimmer switch,” Dieudonne said. “By doing this, any person with sensory sensitivities can center the room and adjust the lighting to their specific needs.”

For noise, classrooms could have some sound-masking machines — like the small devices often found in doctors’ offices that produce ambient noise to muffle private conversations — in strategic locations to reduce the amount of noise while still allowing the teacher’s voice to be heard. By adding this ambient sound, any distractions from other students will be less noticeable. Individuals in the classroom could turn up the volume if they are more sensitive to noise or lower it if they are less sensitive.

These proposed changes are part of universal design, a strategy used by designers of all disciplines to ensure that individuals with or without disabilities can use a space or object with few to no adaptations. Dieudonne learned more about universal design in his doctoral coursework, where he explored human ecology theories and the ways in which society is a large system composed of networked interactions between people and their environment.

Finding his way to Human Ecology

Dieudonne’s love for designing adaptable classrooms comes from a project he worked on as an Associate Designer before coming to the School of Human Ecology. A client commissioned the firm he was working for to redesign their special education classrooms, but neither he nor his colleagues had any experience in what works best for students with disabilities. Dieudonne knew that he wanted to go back to school for his PhD, but he was not sure what he wanted to research.

“I’m a big proponent of education, and so knowing that there’s kids who experience discomfort because of the classroom environment… that really stuck with me,” Dieudonne said.

While applying for PhD programs, Diedudonne was motivated by his architectural career and decided to research the effects classroom design has on children with disabilities. However, he was also concerned that his lack of experience of working with children would negatively impact his chances of being accepted. All of his worries subsided when he interviewed with the School of Human Ecology. It was at that moment that Dieudonne realized that his research was, in fact, possible.

“The [Design Studies PhD program] committee said, ‘Well, we’d like to accept you, and this is someone here within the School of Human Ecology who can speak with you. She works with students with autism,’” Dieudonne said.

That person was Sigan Hartley , 100 Women Distinguished Chair in Human Ecology and professor of Human Development & Family Studies (HDFS). Hartley runs the Hartley Lab at the Waisman Center and has assisted Dieudonne in developing his classroom design research. She also connected him with Amy Wagner , the director of the Child Development Lab (CDL).

“A lot of people were willing to help, because they were passionate about helping children, too,” Dieudonne said. “They saw the benefit of this research and what this research could do for many people.”

Dieudonne now works with the Child Development Lab and other Human Ecology partners to further his research, and as the winner of UW–Madison’s competition, he represented the university at the regional Three Minute Thesis competition. He once again had only three minutes to present his research to an even broader audience and placed in the top ten of presenters. The School of Human Ecology is proud to be a place where innovative and interdisciplinary researchers come to change the world.

You can watch Rudy Dieudonne’s Three Minute Thesis presentation on YouTube .

Legacy gifts to the School of Human Ecology continue to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives. Motivated by her belief in the importance of education, alumna Mora Himel Lincoln ’43  forethought decades ago now ensures graduate students like Rudy Dieudonne can explore new ideas and innovations.

May 13, 2024

Class of 2024: Former VCU men’s golfer prepares for Ph.D. program

School of Medicine graduate student Sachin Kumar Kempelingaiah reflects on taking another swing and following a new passion.

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By Anthony DePalma School of Medicine

When Sachin Kumar Kempelingaiah arrived in the U.S. in 2017, his goal was to become a professional golfer. A native of the Caribbean island Trinidad and Tobago, Kempelingaiah came to VCU on a golf scholarship and rarely missed a tournament while he earned bachelor's degrees in biochemistry and biology in the College of Humanities and Sciences. But when a back injury during his senior year derailed his athletic career, he leaned on his other passion: science.

"I still played a few tournaments here and there, but it just wasn't at the level that I had been able to previously perform at," Kempelingaiah said. "I realized I wouldn't be able to go professional at this point, so I decided I needed to do something else."

That "something else" became graduate school. Kempelingaiah will graduate from the School of Medicine in May 2024 with a master's in biochemistry, and he's thrilled to remain under the mentorship of Can E. Senkal, Ph.D. , as he begins working toward his Ph.D.

Same drive, new turf

As an undergrad, Kempelingaiah learned about autophagy, the process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm. Eager to learn more, he connected with Senkal, an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , and volunteered in his lab on the MCV Campus for about a year.

Alongside Senkal and a graduate student, Kempelingaiah learned more about cellular mechanisms and how a research lab operates. Using cancer models, Senkal and his team study the cellular roles, metabolism and regulation of sphingolipids, lipid signaling molecules that tell the cell whether or not to reproduce. The goal is to identify cancer-specific dependencies in the sphingolipid metabolic network and develop mechanism-driven therapeutics for cancer.

The environment of Senkal's lab inspired Kempelingaiah to apply to the M.S. program, and he officially joined his mentor's lab. His thesis work examined sphingolipids' involvement in ferroptosis, an intracellular iron-dependent form of cell death, within cancer models.

"I love having the opportunity to learn and discover in the lab, and perhaps even be a part of testing something new," Kempelingaiah said. "And I've really learned at an exponential rate in this master's program."

Kempelingaiah is grateful for the opportunity to stay at the School of Medicine for his Ph.D., where he'll dig deeper into his sphingolipids research and continue fostering the relationships he's built at VCU.

"VCU is pretty well known for their sphingolipid research, and I wanted to stay a part of that research because there are a lot of interesting things happening in the field," Kempelingaiah said.

‘A team player’

Kempelingaiah attributes much of his success as a graduate student to the work ethic he developed by playing golf, noting the years of training and dedication to the sport it takes to be successful.

"I think that's the same thing in the lab environment," Kempelingaiah said. "You're not always going to get the results you're hoping for, so you have to put in the work to actually understand what it is you're trying to do and keep on trying."

Senkal echoed that sentiment. He noted other transferable skills, such as Kempelingaiah's attention to detail, that are especially critical in science.

"I think the skills he practiced throughout his time playing golf really helps him with research," Senkal said. "In the lab, he's persistent, friendly and always willing to help others out. He's a team player."

As for his lifelong passion, Kempelingaiah will always be a golfer. He still plays from time to time, with less back pain after a few years of not pushing himself as hard.

"I take it much more easily when I'm on the course," he said. "And I still have a blast."

This story was originally published on the VCU School of Medicine’s news site.

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Afro-Am PhD Student Olivia Haynes Awarded Freedom on the Move Data Fellowship at Cornell University

Olivia Haynes, doctoral student in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies, has been awarded a Freedom on the Move Data Fellowship at Cornell University for summer 2024. 

Data fellows will further Freedom on the Move's mission of making all extant “runaway slave ads” from North American history free and accessible to researchers, students, and the public.

Through the eight-week fellowship program,  data fellows will work with scholars of slavery, resistance, marronage, and emancipation to help deepen the data available at freedomonthemove.org . The fellowship comes with room and board, as well as a stipend.

"Olivia's fellowship represents the type of public, digital Black humanities work that degrees and expertise in African American Studies/Africana Studies make possible," says Yolanda Covington-Ward, Chair of the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies. "We are so proud of Olivia for being selected for this fellowship and know that she will make valuable contributions to the Freedom on the Move project."

Freedom on the Move is a digital history project based in Cornell University’s Department of History in partnership with the Cornell University Library. 

Haynes received her B.A. in Visual and Material Culture with Africana Studies and Peace Studies from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. Her research interests center on enslavement, with a particular focus on the American North, the visual and material culture of slavery, and Black motherhood and reproduction under enslavement. Her dissertation project delves into the lives of Black midwives, mothers, and birthing practices in the American North between the eighteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

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