Background:
The first year after discharge from military service is a key period for health. Around 14,000 personnel leave the UK Armed Forces each year and experience lifestyle changes, with loss of structured physical training, altered dietary routines, and alongside risks of weight gain, inactivity, and alcohol misuse [1], [2], [3]. These behavioural and dietary shifts may contribute to an elevated risk of cardiometabolic disease, poor mental health, and long-term disability [4], [5]. Wearable technologies generate rich, continuous streams of data on physical activity, sleep, and physiological stress. When combined with digital nutrition tools and self-report measures, these provide multidimensional datasets with potential for advanced analytics. Applying AI to these data could offer an opportunity to move from descriptive after event monitoring to predictive just-in-time intervention modelling, delivering personalised insights that can guide behaviour change and support health trajectories among those who recently left the UK Armed Forces.
Novelty:
The novelty of this project lies in its integration of multimodal health data with data science to support those who recently left the UK Armed Forces during the transition from military to civilian life. This PhD will combine continuous wearable-derived digital phenotyping with dietary and psychosocial data to create a comprehensive, real-time picture of veterans’ health behaviours. By applying AI techniques, including supervised and unsupervised approaches, reinforcement learning, and explainable AI, the project will move beyond just monitoring to generate personalised, adaptive feedback tailored to individual behavioural patterns.
Aims & objectives:
• Collect and harmonise multimodal datasets (wearable, dietary, and survey data) from those who have recently left the UK Armed Forces.
• Develop predictive models to identify veterans at risk of poor nutrition, inactivity, or adverse health outcomes.
• Use unsupervised learning to identify distinct digital behavioural phenotypes of transition.
• Build and test an AI-powered, adaptive digital intervention that provides personalised feedback and goal-setting based on model outputs.
• Evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness in a pilot trial.
References:
[1] L. Ashcroft, ‘The veterans’ transition review’, Biteback Publishing, 2014.
[2] E. Binks and S. Cambridge, ‘The Transition Experiences of British Military Veterans’, Polit. Psychol., vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 125–142, Feb. 2018, doi: 10.1111/pops.12399.
[3] M.-L. Sharp, W. Busuttil, and D. Murphy, ‘Examining physical health conditions and associations of pain, obesity, and function of UK Veterans diagnosed with PTSD and other mental health conditions’, J. Mil. Veteran Fam. Health, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 75–87, Sept. 2019, doi: 10.3138/jmvfh.2018-0051.
[4] R. Akhanemhe et al., ‘Cardiovascular and lifestyle risk factors of mild cognitive impairment in UK veterans and non-veterans’, Occup. Med., vol. 74, no. 4, pp. 274–282, June 2024, doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqae027.
[5] R. Mellor, E. Saunders-Dow, and H. L. Mayr, ‘Scope of Use and Effectiveness of Dietary Interventions for Improving Health-Related Outcomes in Veterans: A Systematic Review’, Nutrients, vol. 14, no. 10, p. 2094, May 2022, doi: 10.3390/nu14102094.
Back to projects
Data-driven transitions: using wearables, nutrition, and AI to predict and support health trajectories in recently discharged veterans
We are now accepting applications for 1 October 2026
How to apply
Candidates should possess or be expected to achieve a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in a relevant subject including the biosciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, chemistry, physics, and be enthusiastic about combining their expertise with other disciplines in the field of healthcare.
Important information for International Students:
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa. Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study. Further detail can be found under the International Students tab below.
How to apply
Closing date: 12 January 2026 (23:59 hrs GMT)
Create an account with King’s Apply.
Apply to the EPSRC DRIVE-Health: Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health MPhil/PhD (Full-time).
Please ensure you read the full information required on our Apply page, particularly relating to Personal Statement and Supporting Information.
Complete the following sections of the application with all the relevant information.
- A PDF copy of your CV should be uploaded to the Employment History section.
- A 500-word personal statement is required outlining your motivation for undertaking postgraduate research with the CDT, and you only need to choose one way to provide it. You can either type it directly into the application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or upload it as a separate document if you have a longer statement (maximum two pages).
- Please nominate up to 3 projects of particular interest by quoting the project codes in the research proposal section of the online application form.
Funding:
Please choose Option 5 “I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London” in the funding section.
Under “Award Scheme Code or Name” enter “EPSRC DRIVE-Health 2026”.
Failing to include one of these codes might result in you not being considered for funding.
Questions marked * are mandatory and you will not be able to submit without answering.
Non-EU international applicants are advised that ATAS may be required. While there is no charge to apply for ATAS, processing can take up to 3 months. Please read the Important Information for International Students.
Funding
Enhanced Studentships to Attract Top Talent
Each studentship is fully funded for 4 years.
This includes tuition fees, a stipend and a generous allowance for project consumables.
Tuition Fees: these will be covered for both Home and International students.
Stipend: students will receive a tax-free living allowance of £25,403.40 per year (current projection for Academic Year 2026/27).
Research Training Support Grant (RTSG): up to £20,000 over 4 years for research consumables and attending national and international conferences.
International
Important Information for International Students
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa.
Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study.
Additionally, depending on your chosen project, some nationals may need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a visa. The ATAS application process can take up to 3 months and so it is essential that you apply for this early. Please note the following:
• If you need to apply for a student visa, you cannot submit your visa application until your ATAS certificate has been issued.
• If you are applying for any other visa, you cannot enrol at King’s and start your programme unless your ATAS certificate has been issued.
• If you apply late, you may not be able to join on the expected entry point and your registration may be postponed
Please review the following article for further information on the ATAS certificate and how to apply:Do I need ATAS clearance before I start my course at King’s?
For further advice, please contact the Visas & International Student Advice as soon as possible.
Eligibilty
Academic Requirements and Eligibility
We welcome eligible Home and International applicants from any personal background who are pleased to join diverse and friendly research groups.
Open to Home and International applicants.
Applicable level of study: Postgraduate research.
English Language Requirements (Band D)
Based on the IELTS test scoring system, this programme requires that successful candidates achieve the following level of English before enrolling. Successful applicants’ offer letters will include information about when they must have achieved this standard.
Overall: 6.5
Listening: 6
Speaking: 6
Reading: 6
Writing: 6
Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.