Open academic publishing: copyright thesis needs a research student

The excellent Estelle Derclaye (right), Professor of IP Law at the University of Nottingham, is looking for a PhD student to write a thesis on open academic publishing. She explains:

The School of Law has one fully-funded postgraduate research studentship available from October 2013 (funded by CREATe). This studentship is for the equivalent of full HEU fees and maintenance, providing a total of around £13,726* per annum (* estimate including Home/EU fees of £3,924). The scholarship is available for a period of one year initially, with the expectation of renewal for a further two years, subject to satisfactory performance in degree studies. 

The studentship is in the field of open academic publishing. The student will choose, in consultation with the supervisor, the precise topic from a number of research gaps identified in the literature review on open academic publishing, which will be completed in July 2013 and published on the CREATE website. 

The candidate should have a Masters degree, in law or other relevant social sciences (eg economics), and very good knowledge of copyright. Some knowledge of open access generally and open academic publishing particularly is desirable but not necessary.

You can find out more about this golden opportunity here.

Support for research project urgently needed

With your money, a music PhD
project can achieve success ...

Back in January, in ""Great fun, interesting, rewarding": funded copyright PhDs with Estelle" (here), the 1709 Blog reported on leading British academic Estelle Derclaye's good fortune in having secured two fully-funded collaborative PhD scholarships in the field of copyright. Each was fully-funded for three years by the University of Nottingham, with the music industry partner being required to contribute "a minimum of £3,000 in cash or in kind" over the course of the three years. One of the two PhD scholarships was

" ... with a prominent music company on parody and non-commercial use generally and specifically applied to music. It will review French, Canadian, Australian and UK law".

Sadly, the 1709 Blog learns as follows from Estelle:

" ... due to circumstances beyond his control, it is now impossible for the partner in the music industry ... to take part in the project. I thus need a new partner (as the university is happy to maintain the funding even if I change partner). Unless I find a partner by 2 April, I will lose the funding. Excellent students have been shortlisted and the interviews are taking place soon. If you know someone preferably in the music sector (collecting society, music company, NGO, etc) which may be interested, can you give me their contact details?".

Better still, if you can help, email Estelle as soon as possible here. There isn't a minute to lose!

"Great fun, interesting, rewarding": funded copyright PhDs with Estelle

The worst thing about
doing a PhD is the silly
uniform they make you
wear for graduation ..

This blogger's friend, the distinguished scholar Dr Estelle Derclaye (University of Nottingham, England), has received two fully-funded collaborative PhD scholarships. They are both in the field of copyright:

* one is in collaboration with a very prominent technology company on the liability of ISPs for copyright infringement but also other types of breaches eg privacy, defamation; 

* the other is with a prominent music company on parody and non-commercial use generally and specifically applied to music. This latter one will review French, Canadian, Australian and UK law. 

There will be a three month internship in each organisation (depending on which studentship the student applies for and obtains) which should be great fun, interesting, rewarding and very special and rare for a PhD student in the field of intellectual property. The supervisor will be Estelle herself and, in addition to the three months traineeship, the successful candidate will be in regular contact with the legal counsel of the company co-sponsoring the PhD.

There will be a selection process and short-listed candidates will be interviewed by Estelle and legal counsel of the two companies. Knowledge of intellectual property -- and more specifically copyright -- is highly desirable, as well as French language abilities, for the second scholarship.

Candidates do not have to draft a proposal but do need to provide a personal statement of their skills, knowledge, interest and motivation.

Enquiries on the topics can be addressed to estelle.derclaye@nottingham.ac.uk.  For procedural matters, send email Danielle.sinclair@nottingham.ac.uk or joanne.bailey@nottingham.ac.uk

If you are interested, you can see the advert on www.jobs.ac.uk, the Guardian online and the Times online or at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/LSS350 

The deadline for receipt of applications is 20 February.  Good luck!