The ESRC is increasing its engagement with the retail sector, and one element of this is the opportunity for academics and Masters’ students to work on retail research Master dissertation projects with major companies such as Boots, British Gas, Camelot Co-operative, E.ON Energy Solutions, and Experian on projects which are important to the retail industry.

Retailers will be proposing projects, and students’ applications will be welcomed, throughout February and March 2013.

The scheme is in its second year and has proved to be a great way for both students and their supervisors to build links with major retail companies. Working during the spring & summer, students will be eligible for a £500 bursary (for ESRC funded students in their Masters year of a 1+3) or entry for a prize competition with a prize of £500 and two prizes of £250 awarded to the best three dissertations.

Participants in this scheme will also benefit from advice and support from the retail industry Demographics User Group – which represents 15 of the UK’s top retailers and works closely with universities and government; and from industry advice on how data are used in real world problem solving. There’s also an expenses-paid opportunity to showcase your research findings to an audience of leading retailers, at a conference to be held at the Royal Society on 9 October 2013

Further information about the scheme and the list of available projects are available on the ESRC website.