Understanding the Relationship Between Home-based Working, Wellbeing and Mobility at University of Birmingham

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a substantial growth in the level of home-based and flexible working, and higher levels of such working have persisted in the post-Covid period. This shift in working patterns has had varied and wide-ranging impacts on both the mobility patterns of such workers and their mental and social wellbeing, which have occurred alongside other pandemic-related shifts in people’s behaviour and mental health. The interrelationships between these interconnected phenomena are still poorly understood, and this PhD studentship will therefore aim to develop a better understanding of the links between home and flexible working patterns, mobility patterns and wellbeing. The project will take a multidisciplinary approach combining quantitative analysis of large-scale secondary datasets (such as the National Travel Survey and mobile phone data) and primary data collection, for example based on a life-diary approach, to capture the interrelationships between mobility and lifestyle-related constraints.

This studentship is associated with the Healthy Low Carbon Transport Hub, a large multi-disciplinary research programme on the health co-benefits of low-carbon transport interventions led by the University of Southampton in collaboration with the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds and UCL, and funded by NIHR and UKRI. The studentship will play a central role in one of the case studies for the hub (on home-working and health). The student will therefore be fully integrated into the HLTH programme and will have the unique opportunity to work with a large team of leading researchers in engineering, transport economics, social sciences, sport and exercise sciences and medical sciences and with third sector organisations, representatives from local, regional and national governments and the programme’s board of advisors and user panel.

The PhD student will be based at the University of Birmingham (Edgbaston Campus) and jointly supervised by Professor Simon Blainey in the University of Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE), School of Engineering and Associate Professor Darja Reuschke in City-REDI, Birmingham Business School. They will therefore be affiliated with two world-leading interdisciplinary research centres, as well as working as part of HLTH. We seek applicants with a relevant undergraduate degree (minimum 2:1) in a relevant subject such as geography, urban planning, or civil engineering, and with ability to develop multi-disciplinary perspectives relating to the PhD topic. Applicants must have very good knowledge and experience of relevant quantitative/statistical analysis methods and/or Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and be keen to learn new methods.

The University of Birmingham is providing full funding for this project for a UK student.
International students should only apply if they already have full funding to cover the difference between the University’s home and international fees themselves.

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your interests and relevant skills relating to this project by 30th June 2025. For informal enquiries, please contact Prof. Simon Blainey (s.p.blainey@bham.ac.uk) and Dr Darja Reuschke (d.reuschke@bham.ac.uk). 

Funding notes:

The University of Birmingham is providing full funding for this project for a UK student.
International students should only apply if they already have full funding to cover the difference between the University’s home and international fees themselves.