About the Project
The Open Science movement has transformed biological and environmental sciences, and our colleagues are sharing data at among the highest rates documented anywhere (Deeb 2025 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328065). Re-using shared data and code is key to speed up research and inform policy (Rosemberg 2026 https://explore.plos.org/open-science-economic-benefits). So who is actually re-using the data, models and code that our researchers are sharing?
Testing the re-use of research data has just become feasible (e.g. Cohen 2026 https://doi.org/10.31222/osf.io/z9kjf_v2), building on our detailed understanding of data sharing from our institutions, and applying data science approaches to recent, large-scale compilations of citations to datasets from research articles. Understanding how data are re-used should be useful not just to researchers but broadly across the research ecosystem.
Our teams have worked alongside biological and environmental scientists throughout the transition to Open Science. We appreciate how the constraints and opportunities vary between fields, and how research practices are changing to include AI and Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs) also beyond the lab (Ayllon 2021. 10.1016/j.envsoft.2020.104932). This project will explore the following questions, using in-house repositories of research outputs, programmatic analysis including LLM-based methods, global data citations and emerging metaresearch resources:
- How research outputs that are ‘born digital’, such as data in ELNs or AI models, are shared compared to our assessments of current data sharing.
- How shared datasets, models and code are mentioned in ‘sharing’ and ‘re-using’ research articles across biological, social and environmental sciences.
- How other researchers are citing our institutions’ shared datasets in the global Data Citation Corpus, as one indicator of re-use that can be tested at scale.
- How researchers describe re-using data, models and code, and giving credit to their creators. Survey, focus groups and interviews might contribute here, following our recent work on how researchers describe sharing data.
The project is co-supervised by Prof. Andrew Millar of the BioRDM team (University of Edinburgh) and Dr. Gary Polhill (James Hutton Institute). You will work with meta-researchers to analyse data/model/code outputs from our institutions, where several research groups use the ELN in “RSpace” developed by our collaborators at ResearchSpace. In the process, you will learn both data science and data curation.
The project is based with the BioRDM team in the C.H. Waddington building, at the focal point of the Centre for Engineering Biology. More information on:
- Prof. Millar (https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/andrew-millar),
- BioRDM team (https://biology.ed.ac.uk/research/facilities/research-data-management),
- Dr. Polhill (https://www.hutton.ac.uk/people/gary-polhill/),
- and the Centre (https://biology.ed.ac.uk/centre-engineering-biology).
For more information on the project, eligibility and how to apply for the School's PhD programme, please visit the School's funded PhD application information.
Please download and complete the mandatory documents from the EastBio “how to apply” website, before proceeding with your application.
Applicants should apply to the PhD in Biological Sciences with Internship programme via the University of Edinburgh’s admissions portal (Euclid) with a start date of 01 October 2027.
Important: Before applying, please send your referees the EastBio reference form to ensure reference letters are submitted using the correct format.
When completing the Euclid application, applicants should include:
- the project title
- the proposed research supervisor(s)
- anticipated funding source (i.e. EastBio/ Edinburgh Doctoral College Award)
- the completed EastBio application form, uploaded to the Research Proposal Section
- referee details or completed reference letters using the template EastBio reference form. Please note: If you submit only the referee details, they will automatically receive a link to upload their reference letter. However, the submitted letter must be using the template form, so please share this with them in advance.
The closing date for applications to be submitted to Euclid is midday on Monday 16 November 2026.
Reference letters will be accepted up to 2 weeks after the closing date.
Submitted applications will remain under consideration during the shortlisting process until 22 February 2027, when successful candidates will be invited to interview. If any information is missing from your application, we will contact you through Euclid to request this. Please check your emails and the Euclid portal regularly.
Please be aware The University reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend or withdraw any of the advertised scholarships, without further notice.
Funding Notes
This 4 year PhD project is fully funded. Applicants will be considered for either an EastBio BBSRC Doctoral Landscape Award or the University of Edinburgh Doctoral College Award. Successful applicants will join the EastBio cohort as an EastBio-funded or associate-funded student. Those joining will undertake a mandatory training programme which includes a 3-month placement. This is open to students worldwide has financial support with a monthly stipend at the UKRI standard rate, funding towards project costs, and tuition fee cover. For further guidance; EastBio website; no separate application is required for consideration of the University of Edinburgh Doctoral College Award.