PhD Studentship: National Media Museum interpretation

[Michael Pritchard]

MediaLive: Towards a Sustainable Live Interpretation Delivery Model for the National Media Museum, Bradford. University of Leeds. This AHRC-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) offers a unique opportunity to pursue a fully-funded PhD with one of the UK's major national museums (the National Media Museum, Bradford) in collaboration with academics from the School of Performance and Cultural Industries (PCI) at the University of Leeds. The award continues the School's one hundred percent record in the national competition for CDAs and the successful applicant will join a cohort of four other collaborative PhD students, as well as working within a vibrant Postgraduate Research culture across the Schools of PCI and Music.

About the project:
It is likely that this project will include an element of practice-led research, a model of enquiry leading to the generation of appropriate new performance materials which a) may be delivered by current Explainers at the Museum and b) address the key critical question faced by national collections: how are objects and resources which are already mediated given new and informative life in a live, performative context? In addition, contextual research into museum performance both within the NMSI group of Museums (including the Science Museum in London and the National Railway Museum in York) and beyond will be undertaken. As such, the PhD will be directly aligned with the development and implementation of a new live interpretation programme, one of the Museum's key strategic aims over the next five years.

This project will be co-supervised by Professor Jonathan Pitches, Dr Sita Popat from the University of Leeds and by Sarah Mumford, Learning Manager of NMeM.

Studentship Information

The studentship is tenable for up to 3 years (full-time) or up to 5 years (part-time) from 1 October 2011. Applicants should normally have, or expect soon to be awarded, a Masters degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. theatre and performance, applied performance). In the 2011/2012 academic year full-time awards provide a maintenance grant payment of £13,590 p.a. and fees of £3,732 p.a. In addition to these amounts, the AHRC will pay an additional £500 per annum in April to students in receipt of a full award.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 6 June 2011

Applications should be made using the standard School of PCI application form: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/Research_degree_application_form.doc ).

In section G, please write 500 words detailing how you would approach the collaborative project, considering the following points:

a) how your previous experience would equip you to undertake the proposed research;
b) how you would formulate the project within the parameters laid down by the project description, particularly emphasizing any areas where you think it could usefully be developed;
c) how you envisage the collaborative nature of the project being of benefit to your study; and
d) how you consider the proposed research would further your future plans.

You are strongly encouraged to attach a separate research proposal of no more than 3 sides of A4. Guidelines for this can be found at: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/pci/postgraduate.html 

Interviews:

Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held on 28th June 2011, at the University of Leeds.

Application forms and further details are also available from Linda Smith, School of Performance and Cultural Industries, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, 0113 343 38713, [e-mail]

Interested candidates are strongly recommended to contact Professor Jonathan Pitches before making an application. [e-mail]