Do digital technologies help or harm the planet? What are the relations between digitisation and injustice? How can a digital society support environmental and racial justice? How can digital business and the digital industry operate in a more sustainable way? Can we change the way we use digital technologies, to better protect human and non-human life?

Join us in this grand challenge to explore these questions. You will be working alongside lead researchers from across different faculties and departments. You will first take part in research, doing a survey of awareness and attitudes towards digital technologies, the environment, and social justice. You will then help organise a “hackathon” that will develop creative solutions for a more sustainable digital living.

Students will require to complete a short research intensive before joining the grand challenge. If they have not already covered survey design and quantitative data analysis, they will also be required to complete a short training teaching them how to do this.

Students will join a team lead by several members of academic staff, and work collaboratively with the other interns. In each team, at least one intern will be responsible for survey design OR data collection and input OR initial data analysis respectively.

The teams will research perceptions of, and attitudes towards environmental harms of digital technologies among: students and young people

• policy makers
• industry and supply chain
• textiles and fashion
• SMEs including business managers and technologists

When writing your expression of interest, please state your preferred interest for one of the roles and groups above. Please note, however this cannot be guaranteed and you may be asked to work in another group on the project.