A psychology student from the University of the West of Scotland has been awarded a Carnegie Vacation Scholarship for summer 2024.

Undergraduate student, 23-year-old Dylan Muir from Brodick on the Isle of Arran, will spend the summer carrying out a research project into attentional bias to study whether images of alcohol influence people’s behaviour.

The Carnegie Vacation Scholarships aim to encourage undergraduates to develop their independent research skills and prepare for postgraduate study. Around 75 to 100 scholarships are awarded to students across Scotland each year. The scholarship culminates in students presenting their findings as posters to the Trust, allowing them to meet and network with each other.

“I’m really pleased to have been awarded one of these scholarships. It’s a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in research. "
Dylan Muir, student

Dylan said, “I’m really pleased to have been awarded one of these scholarships. It’s a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in research.

“The study will be carried out by recruiting voluntary participants to take part in a brief survey to measure how much different images capture their attention.

“The survey is not live yet but, once it’s ready, further details and information on how to sign up will be posted on our research Facebook group for anyone who’d like to take part.

“I wanted to focus on this subject because it’s important to consider the subtle ways advertising images may affect us, especially for people who are struggling with addiction or problematic drinking.

“We know Scotland has a deeply embedded drinking culture so it will be interesting to see how much of that behaviour is driven by factors people might not be aware of.”

Throughout the project Dylan will be supported by two of the University’s lecturers, Dr Bianca Hatin, and Dr Gillian Bruce. Dr Hatin specialises in how people perceive and interact with their environments and Dr Bruce has expertise in alcohol research including organising this year’s Alcohol Hangover Research Group conference in Glasgow.

“We’re incredibly proud of Dylan for receiving a Carnegie Vacation Scholarship."
Dr Bianca Hatin, lecturer

Dr Bianca Hatin said, “We’re incredibly proud of Dylan for receiving a Carnegie Vacation Scholarship.

“Dr Bruce and I are both excited to supervise this project as we feel the outcomes of the research could potentially be significant and have a wide range of applications.

“Our research is directed towards creating real and impactful benefit to our communities and the wider challenges set by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – Dylan’s research clearly speaks to these values.”

Anyone who is interested in participating in Dylan’s research, or any other research taking place at the University of the West of Scotland, should join the Facebook group here.