Department of Geography Roinn na Tíreolaíochta PhD Scholarship in Geography The Department of Geography at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, is a small but dynamic department within Mary Immaculate College’s Faculty of Arts. The department has a strong research profile and has successfully attracted funding both from public sources, including the Irish Government’s Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and the Environmental Protection Agency, and from private sources. Members of the department have held leadership roles in professional associations, including the Regional Studies Association, the Irish Quaternary Association and the Geographical Society of Ireland. All members are research active, and have successfully supervised postgraduate research at Masters and /or PhD levels. Faculty members and postgraduate students within the department form a strong and mutually supportive community of scholars, into which new postgraduate students will be integrated. Further information about the department is available at: http://www.mic.ul.ie/academicdepts/geography/Pages/default.aspx The Department of Geography is now pleased to advertise a Scholarship to support research leading to the degree of PhD. The Scholarship is tenable for three years, commencing in September 2016, and is designed to support research in one of four specified areas, which span both physical and human geography. Details of the research areas, the terms and conditions of the Scholarship, and application procedures and key dates are described hereunder. RESEARCH AREAS

1. Tracking the evolution of a man-made aquatic habitat Proposer: Dr. Catherine Dalton Project Summary Landscape transformation, as a result of urbanisation can threaten aquatic ecosystem health but can also create opportunities for creative conservation. Newly created artificial urban lakes can act as important foci for wildlife and represent an opportunity to further enhance conservation interests in areas of degraded ecological value. These circumstances apply to Bunlickey Clayfield pond in Limerick. This pond was created as a result of clay extraction for cement production from c. 1940, is utilised for landfilling of inert waste, and was dissected in 2006 by a rock filled causeway supporting a dual carriageway. Despite these major developments, new aquatic habitats with locally distinctive features have evolved, contributing to naturalness and diversity in landscape character in an otherwise highly disturbed and artificial setting. This project will (a) track the evolution of this artificial aquatic habitat using the sediment record physicochemical properties and bio-indicator diatom assemblage change with time, (b) evaluate the pond in the broader landscape context using the concepts of corridors, nodes and ecological

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MIC Geography PhD Scholarship 2016 networks in a GIS and, (c) make recommendations which will optimize habitat and water quality and in turn conservation potential.

2. From Graveyard to Cemetery - Changing Geographies of Death and Burial in Nineteenth Century Ireland. Proposer: Dr Hélène Bradley Davies Project Summary The ‘garden’ cemetery is a relatively recent addition to burial landscapes in Ireland. This new method of interment, introduced in the early 1800s, shifted the focus from small church and community orientated graveyards to large, impersonal cemetery spaces on the edge of urban centres, usually under the control of municipal authorities. This project will firstly, explore why, when, where and how this major shift in burial practices occurred and secondly, examine the impact this shift had on the treatment of the corpse and the expression of grief in nineteenth century Ireland. Careful consideration will be given to developments in public health legislation, changes in the organisations and bodies responsible for the construction and management of burial landscapes, the graveyard and cemetery as specific types of landscape, and the cemetery as a cultural institution. This research will build on work already undertaken by Mary Immaculate College on Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery in Limerick city

3. Children’s Independent mobility Proposer: Dr Brendan O’Keeffe Project Summary Among geographers there is a growing interest in children’s geographies and a recognition that studies in this field complement research across both the social sciences and the so-called hard sciences. This research will build on work already completed in Mary Immaculate College on the subject of Children’s Independent Mobility, defined as the ability children have to make journeys on their own. The research conducted to date was based on a survey of over 2,200 children and their parents / guardians and has generated a large database on which a doctoral researcher can build. The research may focus on complementing the initial data collection with qualitative material, in particular interviewing teachers, civil society leaders and local authority personnel on the school and community variables that affect child mobility. Other possible research avenues could include micro-level studies of schools to examine how local geographies influence the decisions taken by parents and children. A more social-science oriented piece of research might examine how parents’ attitudes and behaviours impact on their children’s mobility and lifestyles. Through the research already completed, Mary Immaculate College has developed partnerships with the Policy Studies Institute (UK) and with the fifteen other universities that undertook parallel research in their home countries. These will provide the PhD researcher with the opportunity to plug into an active and dedicated international research community.

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MIC Geography PhD Scholarship 2016

4. Ireland’s Changing Geographies of Immigration Proposer: Prof. Des McCafferty Project Summary Following a surge in the mid-2000s and subsequent sharp decline following the post-2008 fiscal and economic crisis, immigration to Ireland has again increased significantly in recent years. Changes in the volume as well as the composition of immigrant streams have been reflected in changes in the geographies of immigration. Research already conducted at MIC has suggested that, while the geographies of immigration are quite fluid, there is a moderately high degree of segregation of new immigrants in certain urban areas. This research project may further develop these analyses, for example through a closer examination of recent census data, and through widening of the geographical focus beyond urban settings. Avenues for development that may be productive include the intersection between residential segregation and educational / occupational segregation, and / or the relationship between the new geographies of immigration and established patterns of socio-spatial differentiation. It is envisaged in any case that the research would go beyond description of changing spatial patterns, to focus on the factors influencing immigrant geographies, ranging from ‘external’ factors operating in housing and labour markets to ‘internal’ factors operating within immigrant groups themselves. Depending on the framing of the research question, research methodologies may entail the application of quantitative methods and GIS-based analysis, and so applications from candidates with expertise in these areas would be welcomed. TERMS AND CONDITIONS The scholarship is valued at €11,298 per annum, consisting of a stipend and a waiver of tuition fees (currently €4,398 for EU students). The value of the stipend is currently under review and is likely to increase, while the fees waiver will be linked to any increase in fees over the term of the Scholarship. The continuation of the award is subject to annual review of the holder’s progress under MIC’s procedures for review of postgraduate research. The successful candidate may be required to provide teaching assistance at an appropriate level (up to 5 hours per week) to the Department of Geography. Applicants must hold a Master’s qualification in geography or a relevant cognate discipline. In exceptional circumstances, applicants with a first class honours Bachelors degree may be considered. Selection will be by a board consisting of members of the Department of Geography, Mary Immaculate College, and will be based on the written application and an interview. APPLICATION PROCEDURE Applicants are required to provide three documents, as follows: 1. Completed application form (see below). 2. Personal statement. This should give a brief outline of your career to date, your reason(s) for applying for this scholarship, and why you think you are a suitable candidate for a scholarship. 3

MIC Geography PhD Scholarship 2016 3. Detailed research proposal. This is essentially your elaboration on the summary research proposal set out above for your chosen research area. It must therefore specify which one of the research projects you wish to pursue. It may also:  Indicate how you propose to develop the research project, i.e., what specific research question(s) will you investigate?  Identify a suitable conceptual and theoretical framework for the research  Provide a brief literature review relating to the above  Outline the methodologies to be employed (the type of information that will be required, how it will be obtained, and how it will be analysed)  Set out a research schedule/milestones Completed applications should be posted, or scanned and emailed, to: Prof. Des McCafferty Department of Geography Mary Immaculate College South Circular Road Limerick Ireland Applications must be received by 5.00pm on Monday, June 6th 2016. Candidates must be available for interview during the week of Monday 13th to Friday 17th June. A decision on the award of the Scholarship will be made by Tuesday 21st June.

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Mary Immaculate College University of Limerick PhD SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM Name

Surname

First Name

Postal Address

Contact phone no. Email address

Educational Qualifications Degrees awarded to date, including names of institutions and class of degree, where applicable Other academic qualifications (if applicable)

List any prizes/ awards obtained based on academic work.

Relevant Work Experience Indicate nature, location and length of any employment relevant to your application.

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MIC Geography PhD Scholarship 2016 – Application Form

Information Technology Competence State here your level of IT competence (familiarity/ ability with relevant software, etc.).

Referees Include here the names, postal and email addresses, and telephone numbers of two referees who have agreed in advance to act in this capacity.

Referee 1

Referee 2

Further Information Applicants wishing to furnish further relevant information about themselves may do so, on a separate page, under this heading.

Declaration I hereby declare that this application has been completed entirely by the undersigned and that it consists entirely of the undersigned’s own work. Signature:

Date

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