Funding

Competition funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

FMC10020126

Start dates

October 2026

Application deadline

16 January 2026

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in October 2026.

The PhD will be based in the Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR), at the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, and will be supervised by Dr Christian Morgner, Dr Timothy Exell and Dr Amy Drahota.  

Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26).Bursary recipients will also receive a total of £1,500 for project costs/consumables.

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

This funded PhD is only open to new students who do not hold a previous doctoral level qualification.

 

The work on this project could involve:

  • Advance research-through-design methods for cognitive health: how XR form, interaction, sound and dramaturgy shape lived experience, engagement and agency.
  • Produce creative artefacts (XR prototypes, soundscapes, visualisations, design patterns) and a critical exegesis that theorises accessibility, embodiment and care.
  • Develop service design blueprints and accessibility pattern libraries that translate studio insights into deployable pathways for NHS contexts
 

 

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia challenge health and social care systems, yet scalable, humane assessment and rehabilitation tools remain limited. Proposals are invited for a practice-led PhD that will create and critique immersive XR experiences that support memory, attention, executive function and dual-tasking in everyday scenarios (e.g. wayfinding, shopping, medication management). The project is expected to align with Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, particularly priorities on dementia/frailty and safe, inclusive digital care, and will evidence routes from studio prototype to NHS-ready service.

The project may include participatory and inclusive design with people living with cognitive impairment, carers and clinicians; creative ethnography (cultural probes, photo/voice diaries, narrative interviews), speculative design and experience prototyping; motion- and volumetric-based performance workshops; spatial-audio sketching; iterative RtD cycles with usability, cybersickness and cognitive-load checkpoints. 

 You will be able to produce a portfolio of XR artefacts (installations/apps), open accessibility patterns, toolkits, datasets and curated showings (e.g. virtual production/LED stage demos), plus a critical written component. Impact will include cultural and design impacts (audience reach, adoption by creative/health partners) and policy/service impacts (implementation playbooks, privacy/safety packs, interoperability assets) aimed at NHS adoption.

Your work will take place across the XR Studio & VR Lab, Motion Capture, Volumetric Video & Photogrammetry, Spatial Computing Lab (Magic Leap 2 & Apple Vision Pro), Music Technology & Spatial Audio, LED XR Stage, and Simulation & Digital Coding suites—enabling lifelike scenes, embodied interaction studies, spatial sound design and public-facing dissemination.

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

This is a competitive funded project, the ideal candidate will hold a Master’s degree in a relevant subject and will demonstrate background in one or more of the following fields:   Interaction/Service/Experience Design, Creative Computing, Games/Immersive Media, Sound/Spatial Audio, Visual Communication, Performance/Scenography, or allied health/HCI fields. Portfolio demonstrating creative research, prototyping in Unity/Unreal (or equivalent), and an inclusive, ethics-of-care mindset would be an advantage.

 

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Professor Christiann Morgner (christian.morgner@port.ac.uk), Dr Timothy Exell Tim.Exell@port.ac.uk and Dr Amy Drahota Amy.Drahota@port.ac.uk to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our . Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV. Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code FMC10020126 when applying. Please note that email applications are not accepted.