East Midlands Sustainable Living and Mental Wellbeing (EM-SLAM) AHRC-funded PhD Studentships

Be part of a new generation of researchers shaping healthier people, planet, and places. Join EM-SLAM and help create hopeful responses to global challenges .

EM-SLAM is an AHRC-funded Doctoral Focal Award (running 2026-2032), at the interface of the environmental and health humanities, exploring the relationships between sustainability and mental wellbeing. We invite applications for fully-funded four-year PhD studentships that will empower you to become a changemaker. 

We seek PhD applicants in subjects across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and welcome interdisciplinary applications, including those involving STEM subjects. EM-SLAM’s particular focus will be in the environmental humanities, health and wellbeing, ecology, and the arts, using storytelling as a research methodology and knowledge practice to enable impactful, transdisciplinary work. 

The University of Leicester has particular strengths in five distinct research areas that relate to the Sustainable Living and Mental Wellbeing theme of the EM-SLAM consortium. Applicants may wish to orientate their application to one of two of these broad areas:

Digital Futures
Healthy Planet, People and Places
Heritage and Culture
Social Justice and Rights
Space, Society and Sustainability

Successful applicants will be based in one of the following six schools. 

School of Arts Media and Communication (including English and Creative Writing)

• Supervisors in Media and Communications
• Supervisors in English and Creative Writing Supervisors

School of Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy 

• Supervisors in Criminology 
• Supervisors in Sociology 

School of Geography, Geology and the Environment (including Human Geography)

• Supervisors in Human Geography
• Supervisors in Physical Geography and GIS 

School of Heritage and Culture (including Museum Studies and Archaeology)

• Supervisors in Archaeology and Ancient History
• Supervisors in Museum Studies

School of History, Politics and International Relations

• Supervisors in History
• Supervisors in Politics and International Relations

Leicester Law School

• Supervisors in Law

Supervisors can be identified via the research page links above, but we encourage cross-departmental supervision where possible. Please see the contacts below for help in identifying potential supervisors.

EM-SLAM is a unique consortium of four leading universities: Loughborough, Leicester, De Montfort and Nottingham Trent. We work alongside national and regional partners and cultural organisations to explore what it means to live in inclusive, sustainable, flourishing communities and to address the intertwined crises of environmental degradation and mental health in ways that are both impactful and hopeful. EM-SLAM will train at least 30 doctoral researchers (including practice-based scholars) to lead change across academia, policy, the third sector, and creative industries.
The University of Leicester offers one 4-year AHRC scholarship to start in September 2026, two scholarships to start in autumn 2027 (to include one collaborative doctoral award with an external partner), two to start in 2028 and two to start in 2029.

Why Apply?

Innovative Training: Gain advanced research skills, professional development, and employer-led training tailored to future careers in academia and beyond.
Collaborative Research: Work with diverse stakeholders to co-design projects that address real-world challenges.
Placements & Partnerships: Benefit from embedded placements with leading organisations in health, sustainability, and the arts.
Community & Support: Join a vibrant, inclusive cohort.
Impactful Themes: Focus on urgent issues such as climate anxiety, ecological justice, mental health care, and sustainable living.
Four Years of Funding: 4-year AHRC studentship covering UK fees and tax-free stipend, alongside support for individual training and conference attendance.

Who Should Apply?
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, including those new to research. EM-SLAM is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and actively encourages applications from underrepresented groups. If you are curious, creative, and motivated to make a difference, we want to hear from you.

• Fully funded AHRC studentships (plus match-funded opportunities)
• Training and career development programme delivered across the partnership
• Interdisciplinary supervision across arts, humanities, health, and environmental sciences
• >Opportunities for practice-based research
• A supportive network of academic and non-academic partners