Loughborough University is calling for applications from international applicants for a fully funded PhD on the ‘impact of new technologies on Creative Industries production: how to manage positive and negative environmental impacts’, starting October 2024.
The creative industries are among the largest and most digital of the UK’s industrial sectors. Within creative industries we are witnessing two contrasting effects: the fast adoption of technology is, to some extent, reducing the carbon impact of otherwise high-impact sectors whilst simultaneously stimulating increased reliance on the energy-sapping processes of data rendering, server farms and audience-streaming that contribute significantly to the data CO2 footprint.
Despite the centrality of the creative industries to climate change, little academic research or policy currently exists for creative industries to reach net zero. Working closely with research partners, this new project will involve investigation of the impact and potential of digital adoption for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from creative industries; assessment of the impact of creative technologies for digital decarbonisation, particularly in early-adopting sectors such as film, games and live performance; and examination of overlooked creative industries sectors which are adopting digital technologies at a slower pace (eg. fashion and museums) and how this transformation can be managed in a sustainable way for both the environment and the sectors.
The studentship is for three years and provides a tax-free stipend of 18,622 GBP per annum plus university tuition fees.