STEP - Science and Technology in the European Periphery

The Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine at (CHoSTM) at Imperial College London invites applications for Hans Rausing Scholarships to begin in October 2012. The scholarships are available to students from overseas, the EU, and the UK to study history of science and/or technology at the Centre.

Scholarships are available as:
• a one-plus-three year award ("1+3 award"), which funds the student on the one-year London MSc programme run jointly by Imperial College and University College London, with progression to doctoral study at CHoSTM subject to satisfactory completion of the MSc; or

• a three-year award ("+3 award"), to fund doctoral study only, for students who already have a Master’s degree in the history of science, technology, and/or medicine (HSTM), or a Master’s degree in history or a related humanities or social science field with an HSTM taught component or HSTM research experience.

Applicants should have an exceptional academic track record and outstanding research potential in the history of science and/or technology. They should expect to qualify for additional funding from other British/EU or overseas awarding bodies. The award covers fees (at home or overseas rates) and a stipend equivalent to that offered by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

About the Centre and the postgraduate programmes

The history of science and technology has been taught and researched at Imperial since the early 1960s. We are a vibrant intellectual community of approximately 20 faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and PhD students, regularly hosting visiting researchers and visiting doctoral students. The Master’s programme numbers around 30 students, and we teach 400 undergraduates from all departments at Imperial College.

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, the Centre was awarded the highest rating of all 83 UK history departments: 40 per cent of its research was classed as world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, with another 40 per cent judged internationally excellent. Areas of research strength are history of modern medicine and medical and veterinary science; technological risk and the environment 18th c - 20th c; science and technology in the 20th c; government and expertise; the military and war; agriculture. Recent alumni of the Centre’s PhD programme hold positions at Birkbeck College, York University, King’s College London, ETH Zurich, and the Center for Human and Social Sciences, Madrid.

For further information about the Centre, please visit: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/historyofscience

The PhD programme features an innovative doctoral training seminar in addition to two regular seminar speaker series. The taught MSc programme is the largest of its kind in the UK. PhD students attend seminars and workshops at other London institutions, such as the Institute of Historical Research, and use the Wellcome Library, the British Library, and London’s many other academic libraries for their research. The Centre is located in the Imperial College Library which includes the UK’s Science Museum Library, one of the world’s foremost collections of printed sources and secondary literature on science, technology, and medicine.

Application procedure for +3 award

Applicants for a +3 award are advised to contact a prospective supervisor to discuss research interests and proposal. For research interests of staff and of recent and current doctoral students, please visit: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/historyofscience/chostmstaff.

Application is to the PhD programme via the Imperial College electronic application system, which requests a curriculum vitae and two letters of reference:

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/howtoapply

There is no separate form for the Rausing Scholarship. To be considered for the +3 award, applicants must submit with their electronic application a sample of written work, a brief personal statement of academic interests and reasons for undertaking doctoral research, and a research proposal. The research proposal should be around 1,000-1,500 words plus bibliography and should outline the historical questions being addressed and their significance, relevant historiography, and sources.

Review of +3 award applications for entry in October 2012 (or exceptionally in January 2013) will begin 15 March 2012. Applicants will usually be called for interview unless overseas. Applications received after 15 April 2012 may not be considered. Rausing awards will be announced in May 2012.

Application procedure for 1+3 award

Applicants for a 1+3 award for entry in October 2012 apply to the MSc programme via the Imperial College electronic application system: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/howtoapply

There is no separate form for the Rausing Scholarship. To be considered for the award, applicants must submit with their electronic application a sample of written work and a 1-2 page personal statement of academic interests, reasons for undertaking postgraduate study in history of science and technology, and possible areas of doctoral research.

Applications for the MSc programme are currently being reviewed and applicants are usually interviewed unless overseas. Applications received after 15 April 2012 may not be considered for a Rausing studentship. Awards will be announced in May 2012.

Contacts
General enquiries: CHOSTM Administrator
MSc Admissions Tutor: Dr Rosemary Wall, r.wall@imperial.ac.uk
PhD Programme Tutor: Dr Andrew Mendelsohn, a.mendelsohn@imperial.ac.uk

Please note: candidates seeking funding for scientific or medical research are not eligible for these scholarships.