Digital World is a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary theme covering the development, use and impact of Digital Technologies in a range of different disciplines and user environments, including health, society, the arts, and humanities. As part of this theme, three prestigious, University-funded, PhD scholarships are available to start in October 2010 as part of an integrated cross-disciplinary network: Rethinking a City's Theatres, Digital Creativity and Innovation (RECITE).

The key purpose of RECITE is to undertake groundbreaking interdisciplinary research into the challenges of how a city's theatres, including both spaces and performances, could be digitally mapped, modelled and documented to such an extent that they can be reproduced and displayed on Web-based interactive virtual world technologies that are accessible and useful to a wide range of end-user applications. The UK is one of the world's leading countries for contemporary theatre and is endowed with one of the richest histories of theatre in the world. The mission of RECITE is to research appropriate methodologies and technologies such that the vast repositories of the theatre archives hosted around the country can be mined for the benefits of research, education and the creative industries.

Award details The scholarships cover the cost of Home/EU tuition fees and provides an annual, tax-free maintenance stipend of £13,650. The recipient will also receive a Research Training Support Grant of £1,000.

RECITE Projects Interactive modelling of a city´s theatre spaces

To investigate how best to digitally model a city's theatres in their real architectural and urban environments as high-quality open-source based 3D interactive virtual theatres that are linkable to other associated datasets and thus support experimentation with digital creativity and innovation in all aspects of a city's theatre-related activities.

Supervisors: Dr Chengzhi Peng, School of Architecture (c.peng@sheffield.ac.uk); Dr Daniela Romano, Computer Science

Performing the City

A practice-based PhD to create original and/or derived performance(s) in urban spaces in or close to Sheffield, and to develop and test effective ways of documenting the performance(s) Also to identify, invoke, re-document and analyse a range of performances in Britain over the last twenty years which have occurred in and foregrounded city and urban spaces.

Supervisors: Dr Steve Nicholson, School of English, (s.nicholson@sheffield.ac.uk); Professor Flora Samuel, School of Architecture

Documenting character performance for pre- and post-production theatre activities

To investigate how the movements of actors could be mapped, reconstructed and overlaid on virtual theatres as 3D virtual plays and what digital records would best support both pre- and post-production theatre activities and how such a digital record may change the role of the director of the play

Supervisors: Dr Steve Maddock, Computer Science (s.maddock@sheffield.ac.uk); another joint supervisor will be appointed from the School of English

Eligibility

• Academic requirements – applicants should have, or expect to achieve, a first or upper second class UK honours degree or equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK in an appropriate area of study.
• Allowed study options – applicants should be registering on their first year of study with the University for 2010/11.
• Residency restrictions – awards are open to UK, EU and international applicants.

How to apply

1. Applicants are advised to contact the lead supervisor to discuss their application in the first instance.
2. Complete an application for admission as a postgraduate student. Details of how to apply for admission can be found by following the link on the left. Applications for admission should be submitted as soon as possible.
3. Wait until you have received an admissions or applicant number.
4. Download the 'RECITE Application Form' from the download box on the right. Read the notes of guidance carefully and send the completed form, together with your CV, two academic references and degree transcripts (if appropriate) to pgr-scholarships@sheffield.ac.uk

The closing date for applications is 28 May 2010 at 5pm. Applicants may also be asked to attend an interview to assess their suitability for the project.

Download Application Form: www.shef.ac.uk/content/1/c6/10/86/23/recite_app.doc