Collaborative Doctoral research studentship offered

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Charitable Trust (RCVS Charitable Trust) and Imperial College London seek applications for an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded collaborative doctoral studentship to research ‘veterinary training and veterinary work: a female perspective, 1919-2000.’  The deadline for applications for this studentship is 26 June 2011.

“This exciting project is an opportunity to use archival material held by the RCVS Charitable Trust library, interview transcripts, and surveys, to describe and analyse the educational and work experiences of successive generations of female British vets,” says Clare Boulton, Trust Librarian and the Trust’s supervisor for the project.  “It will cover the period from admission of women to the profession in 1919, to its late 20^th century feminisation.”

The student will study women’s shifting expectations, experiences, professional networks and career trajectories, and examine how and why certain veterinary activities came to be regarded as suitable (or unsuitable) work for women. In the course of this research, he or she will catalogue the personal collections of two prominent female vets, assist in the presentation of historical material on the Trust website, and carry out public engagement work aimed at raising the profile of the Trust’s collections. 

The collaborative award will cover standard tuition fees, and the RCVS Charitable Trust will make a contribution of £1,000 per annum towards research costs.  An additional three-year annual maintenance grant is available (for UK students only) from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC); in 2010-11 the AHRC annual maintenance grant for students in London was £15,590.

The studentship is open to UK or EU citizens who have been resident in the UK for the last three years, as per AHRC requirements.   Applicants should hold a first or upper second class degree, and hold or be studying for an MSc or MA degree in a relevant area of history, with an overall MSc/MA grade of at least 65%. Applicants should also fulfil Imperial College English language requirements, and be supported by two strong academic references.   

Applicants should send a copy of their curriculum vitae, along with the names and addresses of two referees, a sample of their written work, and a statement outlining their academic interests and reasons for applying for this studentship, to Dr Abigail Woods ([email protected])