Postdoctoral Fellowship MPIWG/Victoria and Albert Museum
The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science,
Berlin (Max Planck Research Group Art
and Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe; Director: Prof. Dr. Sven Dupré) in
collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum (contact: Dr. Marta Ajmar,
Head of Postgraduate Programme, V&A/RCA History of Design, Victoria and
Albert Museum, London) announces
one postdoctoral fellowship for three months between
January 1 and December 31, 2014.
The tenure of the fellowship is to be divided between the
two institutes: the first and third months will be spent at the MPIWG, the
second month at the V&A. The fellow will be offered research facilities at
both institutions.
Outstanding junior and senior scholars (including those
on sabbatical leave from their home institutions) are invited to apply.
Candidates should hold a doctorate in the history of science and technology,
the history of art and art technology or a related field (junior scholars
should have a dissertation topic relevant to the history of science) at the
time of application and show evidence of scholarly promise in the form of
publications and other achievements.
Research proposals should address the history of
knowledge and art up to the eighteenth century (with a preference for the
period between 1350 and 1750), and may concern any geographical area within
Europe, and any object of the visual and decorative arts. Projects related to
on going projects at the Max Planck Research Group Art and Knowledge in
Pre-Modern Europe will receive preference. The proposal should make clear how
the project would benefit from the resources and contribute to the research
culture of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Visiting fellows are expected to
take part in the scientific life of the Institute, to advance their own
research project, and to actively contribute to the relevant project of the Max
Planck Research Group Art and Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe.
The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is an
international and interdisciplinary research institute (http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/en/index.html).
The colloquium language is English; it is expected that candidates will be able
to present their own work and discuss that of others fluently in that language.
Fellowships are endowed with a monthly stipend between 2.100 € and 2.500 €
(fellows from abroad) or between 1.468 € and 1.621 € (fellows from Germany),
whereas senior scholars receive an honorary commensurate with experience. The
Max Planck Institute for the History of Science covers the round trip travel
costs from the fellow’s home institution and a round trip Berlin-London.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is the United Kingdom’s
national museum of art, craft and design. It offers an encyclopaedic resource
in its collections of the visual arts from Europe and Asia, of both historical
and contemporary importance, and is a powerhouse of skills and expertise.
Research relating to the arts and humanities takes place across the institution
and is expressed in the form of gallery development, temporary exhibitions,
books which range from the popular to the highly academic, journal articles,
website material, conferences and colloquia. It supports collections-based
research in all areas of art and design, ensuring that exhibition, publication
and gallery projects are enhanced by the most relevant and up-to-date
scholarship and benefit from appropriate academic partnerships and funding
opportunities. The V&A houses the National Art Library, a major public
reference library for art and design. Further outstanding expertise and
resources relevant to the joint fellowship can be found in the V&A’s
curatorial collections and Conservation department. In close scholarly proximity to the V&A
are other key ‘Albertopolis’ institutions dedicated to science, technology, art
and design – the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, Imperial College
and the Royal College of Art.
Many research projects are located in the Research
department, which supports a wide number of exhibition research teams, a
further group of scholars and the V&A/RCA Postgraduate Programme in the
History of Design. It produces a number of publications and web-based outputs
(Online Journal, Research Report, Research Bulletins) and oversees seminars and
workshops to support the development of staff research and subject expertise.
The Visiting Fellow will be based in the Research department and be expected to
participate to the vibrant research culture of the department and the
V&A/RCA History of Design community. S/he will be expected to contribute a
research seminar during the period of the fellowship.
Candidates of all nationalities are encouraged to apply;
applications from women are especially welcome. The Max Planck Society is
committed to promoting handicapped individuals and encourages them to apply.
Candidates are requested to submit a curriculum vitae
(including list of publications), a research proposal on a topic related to the
project (750 words maximum), one sample of writing (i.e. article or book
chapter), and names and addresses of two referees (including email) who have
already been contacted by the applicant to assure their willingness to submit letters
of recommendation if requested, to:
Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte Max
Planck Research Group Dupré – postdoc fellowship Boltzmannstr. 22
14195 Berlin
Germany
(Electronic submission is also possible: officedupre@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de)
by June 30, 2013. Successful candidates will be notified
before July 31.
For questions concerning the Max Planck Research Group on
Art and Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe, please see http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/en/research/projects/MRGdupre
or contact Sven Dupré (mailto:officedupre@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de);
for administrative questions concerning the position and the Institute, please
contact Claudia Paaß (paass@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de),
Head of Administration, or Jochen Schneider (jsr@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de), Research
Coordinator.
For enquiries concerning the Victoria and Albert Museum’s
component of the fellowship, please contact Dr. Marta Ajmar, Head of
Postgraduate Programme, V&A/RCA History of Design, Victoria and Albert
Museum (m.ajmar@vam.ac.uk).