Welcome, PhDs and ECRs!
PhD candidates and early career researchers are integral to the CDCS community. We want to support their research and provide opportunities for involvement in the wider research community within CAHSS.
All PhD students and ECRs with interests in data and the digital are welcome to join our community.
See below for the different ways that you can get involved with CDCS.

Digital Research Prizes 2025
We're looking for examples of digital research that shows creativity, excellence and impact and which models best practice in the use and sharing of data. The winner of each of our five prize categories will be awarded £250 towards research costs. Nominate your work!
Digital Research Sandpit
Are you working on an early-stage digital research project and need support? The digital research sandpit will allow you to explore your idea with our experienced team of researchers and technologists. This will be a great opportunity to iterate, test your ideas and get feedback.
Digital Methods Training
CDCS offers a training programme each semester for CAHSS research staff and students. Topics covered range from text analysis to generative AI, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
Opportunities List
Our ‘CDCS Opportunities’ email list is for University of Edinburgh PhD students and ECRs: join to receive notifications about PhD-focused events, paid work and the volunteering opportunities that we provide.
Training Bursaries
Our bursary scheme supports the acquisition of skills which are essential for research, teaching and/or academic support, and for which training is not available internally. Find out more.
Survival Guide for PGRs
Check out Digital Research Services' new Survival Guide which provides an overview of tools available to analyse and manage research data and highlights training and events they will be offering in the next academic year.
Apply for Affiliation
Early Career Researchers and PhD Students within the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences whose research focuses on relevant topics, can apply to become affiliates of the Centre for Data, Culture & Society.