Applications invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship on digital literacy skills

Merchiston Tower spring

The successful candidate will be based at Edinburgh Napier University’s Merchiston campus

Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship within the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. The successful candidate will work with Director of Studies Dr David Haynes on a project entitled Digital literacy skill requirements for new employees and its relation to productivity in the Scottish economy. Continue reading

New roles for Katherine Stephen and Rachel Salzano

Rachel Salzano, Katherine Stephen

Rachel Salzano and Katherine Stephen

In October 2019 new PhD students Rachel Salzano and Katherine Stephen joined the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. Three and half years later, they are now coming to the end of their PhD journeys while settling into new work roles. Continue reading

Edinburgh Napier University joins the international iSchools network

iSchools logo - red text stating 'iSchools'

Congratulations to Professor Diane Pennington and Dr Debbie Meharg of the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. With the support of the Dean Professor Peter Andras, they have led the work that has resulted in the recent acceptance of the University’s School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (SCEBE) as a member of the international iSchools network. Continue reading

Out with the old, in with the new

Hazel Hall and Peter Cruickshank

Dr Hazel Hall and Dr Peter Cruickshank, 30/09/22

In autumn 2022, the more eagle-eyed readers of this blog may have noticed some changes across the pages of my web site, as well as in my profile information on other platforms. I spent 16th November 2022 editing my designation as ‘Professor’ so that it now reads ‘Emeritus Professor’. At the same time, my colleagues updated the Centre for Social Informatics flyer as version 19.3 to reflect the new status granted to me by my employer. Earlier in the year, on August 3rd, we advertised a job vacancy for a new Professor in Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University. All this activity ties to my retirement at the end of September 2022. Continue reading

New roles for Social Informatics PhD graduates Buunk, Middleton, Mowbray, and Ryan

What can you do with a PhD from the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University? Find out here with news of four former PhD students who graduated between 2018 and 2020. Continue reading

An internship with the Scottish Government for Marina Milosheva

Marina Milosheva

Marina Milosheva

Today marks the start of a full-time internship for Centre for Social Informatics PhD student Marina Milosheva. For a period of 13 weeks, Marina will be working at the Advanced Learning and Skills Analysis Unit within the Scottish Government. This Unit is a part of the Scottish Government’s Learning Directorate. The work undertaken within the Unit focuses on the improvement of the lives of children and young people in Scotland through raising educational standards.

The title of Marina’s internship is ‘Evidence review as part of the evaluation of the Developing young workforce programme (2014-21)’. It is administered through the Scottish Graduate School of Social Scottish Science (SGSSS) internship scheme.  Continue reading

Job vacancy: Professor in Social Informatics, Edinburgh Napier University (full-time, permanent)

view, Edinburgh, Napier, University, Merichston, campus

View of the city from Edinburgh Napier University Merchiston campus, home of the Social Informatics research group

Scotland’s top modern university for research power and impact is recruiting a new Professor in Social Informatics. Please pass the message on!

Full details of the job can be found in the advertisement on jobs.ac.uk, and by following the links on the Edinburgh Napier University ‘work with us; page. The deadline for applications is Sunday 4th September 2022, with Interviews expected to take place in the week of 10th October 2022. Continue reading

Centre for Social Informatics ‘all centre’ meeting June 2022

Social Informatics Research Group Edinburgh Napier University selfie

Dr Peter Cruickshank, Dr David Brazier, Dr David Haynes, Dr Hazel Hall, Katherine Stephen, Dr Bruce Ryan, and Dr JP Vargheese pose for a post-meeting selfie

For the first time since 18th December 2019, this week members of my research group gathered for an end of year ‘all centre’ meeting to celebrate our recent research highlights.

Although not everyone could make it on this occasion, those who could enjoyed spending the afternoon of Wednesday 22nd June together. We took it in turns to deliver short personal updates to the rest of the group on our own research. We also read out details sent to us by email from those who could not participate in person, and gave each absent colleague a round of applause. Continue reading

Applications sought for funded PhD studentship jointly supervised by colleagues from the University of Glasgow, Edinburgh Napier University, and the National Library of Scotland

SGSAH Gaelic logoWith colleagues Dr Paul Gooding (University of Glasgow) and Amina Shah (National Library of Scotland), Dr David Brazier of the Centre for Social Informatics has been awarded an Applied Research Collaborative PhD Studentship by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH). Continue reading

Goodbye 2021, hello 2022

fireworksEdinburgh Napier University opened its doors again this morning after the Christmas break. This, however, is metaphorical reopening for me. As record numbers of Covid19 cases are reported in Scotland (and the UK as a whole), I will be continuing my research and PhD supervision activities off-campus from home. Continue reading