AHRC studentship on the visual and material culture of geologicaleducation, based at Leeds and Oxford
The
School of Philosophy, Religion and the History of Science, University
of Leeds, in collaboration with Oxford University Museum of Natural
History and the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology are
pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded 3-year PhD
studentship to explore the origins of object-led teaching in the
nineteenth-century university and connect this to the current resurgence
of interest in the use of museum collections as a teaching resource.
This studentship is funded through the AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme (see http://www.ahrc-cdp.org/)
It
is a fully funded research studentship covering 3 years of tuition fees
and maintenance (living costs), with additional funds available to
support some research costs. There is also the option to apply for up to
6 months additional funding for related professional development (see http://www.ahrc-cdp.org/
The
student will be jointly supervised by Dr Jonathan Topham (University of
Leeds), Ms Eliza Howlett and Ms Kathleen Diston (Oxford University
Museum of Natural History) and Dr Jim Harris (Ashmolean Museum of Art
and Archaeology). The student will be enrolled at, and will receive
their PhD from, the University of Leeds, but will be expected to spend
time in both Leeds and Oxford, as well as becoming part of the wider
cohort of AHRC CDP students across the UK.
The
successful candidate will begin their PhD in October 2018. They will be
primarily based at the University of Leeds Centre for the History and
Philosophy of Science, one of the leading groups in the UK for the
history of science and technology. They will also work in partnership
with Oxford University Museum of Natural History, one of the oldest
natural history museums in the world, and the Ashmolean Museum of Art
and Archaeology, which is world-famous for its University Engagement
Programme and the place where Buckland did his own object-based
teaching.
The Project
In
recent years there has been a ‘material turn’ in the humanities and
social sciences that encourages researchers to look at the roles that
objects play in human action as well as signification. Many university
museums have sought to exploit this shift in order to reassert the
importance of their collections – and objects more broadly – as a
teaching resource. This study situates such modern initiatives in a
larger historical frame, exploring the origins of object-led teaching in
the early nineteenth-century, when Oxford’s first Reader in geology,
William Buckland, routinely employed objects and illustrations in his
lectures. Focusing on Buckland and his successor, John Phillips, the
project draws on a wide range of evidence to analyse the ways in which
they used these materials to teach and develop the science of geology.
The
project is rooted in the extensive source materials in the OUMNH
relating to the history of geological teaching, including collections of
specimens, models and large-scale lecture diagrams as well as lecture
notes, correspondence, and institutional records. This detailed work on
Oxford will be contextualized through extensive comparative research on
coeval developments in the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow,
Cambridge, and London, the Geological Survey’s Museum of Practical
Geology, and provincial museums such as that of the Leeds Philosophical
and Literary Society. The project will investigate the role both of
university teaching and of material and visual culture in the
development of the disciplinary sciences, with a particular focus on
geology. It will thus encourage a reappraisal of the approaches used in
the teaching of this discipline today, including comparisons between
nineteenth-century illustrative materials and modern-day digital
visualisations such as virtual reality.
In
addition to producing a thesis in the history of geological science,
the student will work with museum staff to put the research findings to
practical use. In the Museum of Natural History, the student will
contribute to an online catalogue showcasing key images and objects from
the historic teaching collections and exploring their biography from
the nineteenth-century to the present day. Objects and images researched
during the project will also be used to develop sessions for Oxford,
Leeds and other Higher Education students through a partnership between
the Museum of Natural History and the Ashmolean University, in which the
student will be involved. The student will also be encouraged to
participate in public engagement activities based on the objects and
their findings.
Financial Support
Subject
to standard AHRC eligibility criteria, the studentship will cover
tuition fees at home/EU rate and provide a maintenance award at RCUK
rates for a maximum of 3 years of full-time doctoral study from 1st
October 2018 with the option of up to 6 months additional funding for
related professional development (see http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/
In
addition, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History will provide
research expenses of up to £2,000 to the student each year, to a maximum
of £6,000 over the duration of the studentship, to cover costs
associated with undertaking research in Oxford.
The
University of Leeds, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
and the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology will supply appropriate
facilities to support the research project and limited additional funds
for archive visits and conferences.
Eligibility
We
are looking for a highly promising and suitably qualified student who
will value the opportunity of combining academic research with close
involvement in the work of a leading British museum. Applicants should
have a strong academic record including a high Merit or Distinction (or
equivalent) at Masters level in a relevant discipline such as history
(especially history of science or education), museum/heritage studies,
or visual culture studies, along with a willingness to work across these
disciplines while being based primarily in a history of science
context. Previous experience of work in museums or archives would be an
advantage but is not essential.
Please note that all applicants must meet the AHRC’s academic criteria and residency requirements (seehttp://www.ahrc.ac.uk/
Candidates should:
1. Hold a Masters degree.
2. Be a resident of the UK or European Economic Area (EEA).
In
general, full studentships are available to students who are settled in
the UK and have been ordinarily resident for a period of at least three
years before the start of postgraduate studies. Fees-only awards are
generally available to EU nationals resident in the EEA. International
applicants are normally not eligible to apply for this studentship
The
successful applicant will be expected to reside in Leeds when not
undertaking work at the Oxford museums or research elsewhere.
How to Apply
Candidates should apply by the deadline of 5pm Monday 23 April 2018 via the University of Leeds research postgraduate web application service (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/
· Copies of all transcripts and degree certificates.
· A
writing sample of your work. This should be a relevant academic essay
on a question of your choice which must be no less than 3–4,000 words.
· A
letter of application (maximum 1000 words) explaining how your current
academic interests relate to the doctoral project, your reasons for
applying for the studentship, and how your prior education and other
experiences have equipped you to undertake the project. Please note: this should be entered in the application process in place of the Research Proposal.
· Three
academic references in support of your application. The names and
contact details of your referees should be entered in the Referees
section of the application form. Your referees should be qualified to
comment on your academic ability and should not be from people related
to you by blood or marriage. You are responsible for contacting your referees and ensuring that all necessary references are received. References
can be submitted on headed paper or using the referee's report form.
Your referees should return their references by email to prhspgr@leeds.ac.uk
Interviews are likely to be held in Oxford on 1 May 2018 for shortlisted applicants.
Further Information
Informal enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Dr Jon Topham j.r.topham@leeds.ac.uk.
Further information about the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science at the University of Leeds is available athttps://www.leeds.ac.uk/
Further information about graduate admissions at Leeds is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/
Further information about Oxford University Museums is available at: