Making public health data truly public with the use of AI tools.

Summary

We are embarking on an innovative research project that aims to transform how we understand and interact with public health data across Britain and Ireland. By analyzing detailed geographical and temporal trends in cause of death data, we will explore health inequalities and identify key areas where public health interventions are ineffective and can be improved.

The project will involve calculating age-standardized mortality data working from official sources, including the Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency (NISRA), the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the National Records of Scotland (NRS), and the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales.  We will mine this data for insights into local and national trends and to compare and contrast geographies across and within Britain and all of Ireland.

Our goal is to make this information as easily accessible to the public as possible, which we will do with a fully interactive web resource. Users will be able to explore and compare data county-by-county and city-by-city, across Britain and Ireland, allowing for a deeper understanding of local and national health trends. In addition, we will integrate cutting-edge technology by embedding a large language model (similar to ChatGPT) into the platform. This will enable users to ask natural language questions and receive intelligent, data-driven responses, making complex information easier to understand and interpret.

We aim to foster greater engagement amongst the public with health information, which could ultimately help to shape more effective public health policies.  This project is particularly exciting because it combines public health and advanced data analysis with new AI technology to empower both the public and policymakers.

This project offers a unique opportunity to develop valuable skills in data science, artificial intelligence and public health research for those interested in joining our team.

Important Information: Applications for more than one PhD studentship are welcome, however if you apply for more than one PhD project within Medicine, your first application on the system will be deemed your first-choice preference and further applications will be ordered based on the sequential time of submission. If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be interviewed only on your first-choice application and ranked accordingly. Those ranked highest will be offered a PhD studentship. In the situation where you are ranked highly and your first-choice project is already allocated to someone who was ranked higher than you, you may be offered your 2nd or 3rd choice project depending on the availability of this project.

Specific skills requirements of the applicant for this project:
Programming experience, R or Python.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Research proposal of 1500 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree
• Masters at 70%
• Research project completion within taught Masters degree or MRES
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Publications record appropriate to career stage
• Experience of presentation of research findings

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

Our fully funded PhD scholarships will cover tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £19,237 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).  A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £900 per annum is also available.

These scholarships, funded via the Department for the Economy (DfE) and the Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS), are open to applicants worldwide, regardless of residency or domicile.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.