STUDENTS are invited to apply for 30 new PhD pandemic research scholarships at Warwick University’s newly created Institute for Global Pandemic Planning.
The 30 research scholarships have been made possible by generous gifts by University of Warwick alumni and donors who have given more than £3 million to support pandemic research and students affected by the impact of Covid-19 in the past six months.
The new doctoral students will research the best ways for global leaders to respond to pandemics. More details on how to apply are available here.
Mr Clive Gillmore and Mr Keith Skeoch are the principal philanthropists donors behind the PhD scholarships.
Clive Gillmore, founder and Group CEO of Mondrian Investment Partners, has given £1.5 million to support the scholarships. His gift follows a £3 million donation made in 2019 to establish The Gillmore Centre for Financial Technology at Warwick.
The new scholarships will be known as the Clive Gillmore PhD Scholarships.
Keith Skeoch, who stepped down as CEO of Standard Life Aberdeen in September 2020 and is currently interim Chair of the Financial Reporting Council, has established the N.K. Skeoch PhD Scholarships.
Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Clive, Keith and indeed all donors who’ve supported these important scholarships.
“Warwick is unique in that our researchers are already collaborating across different disciplines on pandemic planning and response. This philanthropy will allow us to develop global partnerships and expand the reach of this crucial research.”
The Institute for Global Pandemic Planning will enable Warwick to combine world-class expertise in Mathematical Epidemiology, Global Public Health, and Behavioural Economics to develop comprehensive solutions for global leaders struggling to respond to the health, social, economic and psychological impacts of pandemics.
Through the Institute, an interdisciplinary response group of Warwick’s experts will be rapidly mobilised to advise governments and establish a robust pipeline of doctoral students to expand worldwide scientific leadership on managing pandemics.
Mathematical epidemiologist Dr Mike Tildesley is among the academics supervising new PhD scholars. He continues to be extensively interviewed and cited across national and international media outlets and is a member of the SPI-M group, the epidemiological modelling arm of the government’s influential SAGE committee.
Dr Tildesley is currently involved in modelling various exit strategies to inform government thinking, including the workplace model, along with the regular review of the R-rate and providing evidence for the impact of lockdowns.
He said: “The scholars will be part of a new network of international PhD students who will act as ambassadors for our scientific approach and feed key learnings back into their respective countries.”
