This job is with University of East London, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.
Salary Funding covers tuition fees (approx £5-8k per year) and a stipend set at the ESRC/UKRI rate for London Universities (£22,780 p.a) if studying full time.
Post Type Full Time
Closing Date Friday 20 November 2026
Fully funded PhD place at ISEY - Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth at UEL
“How engagement with complex screen media is reshaping early cognitive development and attention systems”
*Unfortunately, we cannot accept international applications, unless self-funded, for this PhD
The Project
A funded PhD position is available to address a fundamental question in developmental science: how does shared reading between caregivers and young children support early learning, and what are the interpersonal neural mechanisms that underpin these benefits? Shared reading is one of the strongest predictors of children's early language, literacy and cognitive development. Through shared books, children are exposed to new vocabulary, more complex language structures, as well as reciprocal interactions with adults. Experimental research has shown that interventions promoting caregiver-child book sharing can improve children's subsequent language outcome and attention skills.
Shared reading is a dynamic, interactive process. Caregivers continuously adapt their speech, gaze, gestures and pacing in response to children's attention and behaviour. These moment-to-moment adjustments may create optimal opportunities for learning by helping children attend to, process and retain new information. The temporal coordination of adult behaviour and infant’s neural activity may therefore be a key mechanism through which shared reading supports development.
Currently, however, we understand very little about how learning unfolds moment-to-moment during these interactions, and how underlying neural mechanisms support later developmental outcomes.
The PhD project aims to move beyond quantity-based measures of shared reading to investigate the neural mechanisms through which caregiver-child interactions support learning. By addressing the following questions:
- How do caregivers and children coordinate their behaviour during shared reading, and which features of this interaction create optimal opportunities for learning?
- How does moment-to-moment neural activity, measured using dual-brain EEG, become coordinated between caregivers and children during shared reading?
- How does interpersonal neural coordination relate to children's attention, engagement and learning during shared reading?
- How do the timing and quality of shared reading interactions predict children's subsequent learning and developmental outcomes?
By integrating measures of behaviour, attention and dual-brain neural activity, the project will provide a mechanistic
Fully funded PhD place at ISEY - Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth at UEL in London employer: University of East London
The University of East London (UEL) is an exceptional employer, renowned for its commitment to social inclusion and career-focused education. With a vibrant work culture that prioritises innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, UEL offers extensive professional development opportunities and a supportive environment for its employees. Located in the dynamic London Docklands, UEL is at the forefront of digital transformation in higher education, providing a unique chance to contribute to meaningful change while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package and a strong focus on employee well-being.
