STEP - Science and Technology in the European Periphery

Arts and Humanities Research Council - Collaborative Studentship

‘Handle with Care: Developing Creative Strategies for “Difficult” Natural History Museum Collections’

School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow and Glasgow Museums/Glasgow Life

About the Award:
Following the award of an AHRC Collaborative PhD Studentship, the University of Glasgow, in partnership with Glasgow Museums, is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified applicant for a doctoral studentship for three years commencing on 1 October 2011.

Principal supervisor: Dr Hayden Lorimer; 2nd supervisor: Professor Chris Philo. Glasgow Museums supervisors: Dr Helen Watkins; Richard Sutcliffe.

This collaborative doctoral project focuses on Glasgow Museums’ internationally significant collections of birds’ eggs and aims to locate them within their wider cultural and historical settings of collecting, natural history and wildlife crime. Analysing egg collections at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, alongside associated records, correspondence and contemporary publications (focusing on the museum archives but also using parallel UK collections), the studentship will explore how collections of birds’ eggs were amassed by different personalities and practices in Britain and overseas; how birds’ eggs circulated between private collectors and museum collections; and how birds’ eggs have come to be regarded as difficult or problematic objects. It will also consider how the location and management, and historical context of egg collections have affected museum audiences' attitudes and perceptions.

The successful applicant will work closely with Glasgow Museums’ staff involved in the management of the collection and planning of displays, publications, learning activities and on-line material. In this way the student will play an important part in improving knowledge about this significant natural history collection and developing ways to open it up to wider audiences, including visitors to Glasgow Museums; the scholarly community; and the public at large.

The successful applicant will benefit from working within a lively, supportive and expanding research environment in School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow.

This project will be of interest to applicants with backgrounds in a range of disciplines and subject areas, including historical and cultural geography; museum studies; history and sociology of science; environmental history, and cultural history. Applicants should hold (or expect to achieve in 2011) a Master’s degree and either a 1st Class or Upper 2nd Class Honours degree in a relevant discipline.

For eligible candidates the award covers Home/EU tuition fees for three years and provides a maintenance award of at least £13,590 per year for three years (with an additional cash contribution of £3000 over three years from Glasgow Museums (£1000 as maintenance + £2000 as project budget). The terms and conditions of the award will be those of the AHRC’s postgraduate studentships. Applicants must therefore have a relevant connection with the United Kingdom, usually through residence.

For further information, or informal discussion about the position, please contact: Dr Hayden Lorimer (email: hlorimer@ges.gla.ac.uk; tel: +44 (0)141 330 2509) or Professor Chris Philo (email: cphilo@ges.gla.ac.uk; tel: +44 (0)141 330 4787).
http://www.ges.gla.ac.uk http://www.gla.ac.uk/

http://www.ges.gla.ac.uk:443/staff/hlorimer
http://www.ges.gla.ac.uk:443/staff/cphilo

http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/Pages/home.aspx

How to apply
In order to apply you will need to supply the following:
· CV
· Covering letter (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake this project).
· An example of scholarly work up to 4,000 words in length (e.g. coursework essay, or a dissertation sample)
· Degree transcript (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying)
· 2 references (if your referees prefer, they can email the reference direct to: hlorimer@ges.gla.ac.uk)

The closing date for applications is 5pm Friday 17th June 2011.

Applications should be sent to: hlorimer@ges.gla.ac.uk

Studentship interviews will be conducted on Thursday 30th June 2011.

New exhibition A Passion for Glass, National Museum of Scotland, Fri 20 May - Sun 11 September. Free entry. www.nms.ac.uk/glass
National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130
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