Applications Open for New PhD Project
Adrift Lab is accepting applications for a new PhD project titled “Understanding sudden shifts in social norms and global tipping points in community attitudes” in partnership with the Center for Marine Socioecology.
Technology and social media has brought innovation in the way that individuals and communities engage with causes, and bring about change in their world. This PhD project will investigate examples of successful local community and global movements, such as the widespread rejection of plastic straws and the global climate movement led by school children.
The project will inform the development of interdisciplinary theory and models of change that can be translated and applied to a range of marine environment challenges. Part of this exploration will involve an IT system that provides access to real-time social media data. This will ensure the research is able to investigate current trends and movements, not just historical cases.
This PhD project will benefit from existing networks established through an IMAS-led PhD project which has successfully engaged communities in waste reduction, including plastic straws. A logical next-step is to maintain engagement with these communities, and quantify the personal- or community-level social benefit of their participation in waste reduction and education programs.
Applications for this project will only be accepted via the UTAS Research Degrees page. We encourage domestic students that meet the eligibility requirements to apply. Unfortunately, we cannot accept international applicants for this project.