The INSPIRE Foundation PhD Scholarship
(previously the Ralph Crossley PhD Case Studentship)

Introduction

Each year the INSPIRE Foundation awards a PhD scholarship worth approximately £20,000 p.a.  This provides a flexible sum designed to offset the costs of a PhD student’s university Stipend and Fees while researching a 3 (sometimes 4) year PhD thesis.

Background

The scholarship was established in memory of Major General Ralph Crossley a much loved Trustee of INSPIRE.  When he retired from the Army, he became Chairman of the Salisbury Health Authority and then the Salisbury Healthcare NHS Trust.  With an engineering background, he was deeply involved in emerging technologies and their successful application and became fascinated in and committed to the work of the INSPIRE Foundation.  Ralph died in 2011 but his legacy lives on.

Criteria

A proposed project must accord with INSPIRE’s Research Strategy and the Applicant would normally be expected to work within the area of Spinal Cord Injury for a further two years after completing their PhD thesis.  PhD students can either seek election within an INSPIRE funded SCI project or an external project where funding is already in place.

Value

The value of the PhD Scholarship is based on the fees laid down by universities and as examples, as at October 2019:

	Stipend	Fees	Per Annum	Total Award
University College London	£17,432	£5,314	£22,746	£68,238
University of Glasgow	£14,766	£4,246	£19,012	£57,036

Payment will be made on a termly basis (3 x p.a.) conditional on satisfactory progress from year to year as reflected in project Interim Reports.

To Apply

Selection of Applicants will normally be carried out by Principal Investigators (PIs) but in the first instance, any interested party (PI or PhD Scholar) is advised to call INSPIRE’s Director Tel 01722 425098 to discuss outline ideas.

Details of the PhD Student will need to be included in, or subsequent to, the formal Application process.  Applications will be accepted at any time and will be considered in the next round of meetings of the National Scientific Committee and Board of Trustees, click Review Process Graphic. Final approval will be given by the Board of Trustees usually at their April meeting. All applicants will be kept informed of the progress of their respective applications either directly or thought their Project PI.

The above PhD Student's biographies can be found below:

Lalitha Venugopolan

In the above photo Lalitha discusses her award with Baroness Masham at INSPIRE’s first House of Lords Reception. Lalitha’s proud husband Dr Santosh Seshadhri looks on.

Sean Doherty (coming soon)

In the above photo, Sean receives the INSPIRE Foundation PhD Scholarship from Patron Baroness Masham at the House of Lords.

Alison Symon (coming soon) 

The above photo shows Alison and Patron Baroness Masham at a House of Lord Reception with PI Dr John Riddell (left) and Trustee, Professor Emeritus Peter Ellaway, Imperial College London

Joeri FL Van Helden