Han Cheng

Université Laval is offering two fully funded PhD positions as part of an international research project examining China’s Science Silk Road and the new geopolitics of knowledge production. The project, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, focuses on the impacts of China’s scientific cooperation, with one position dedicated to environmental issues and the other to outer space. Successful candidates will join a partnership between Université Laval (Quebec City) and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (Berlin), with opportunities to attend courses at the University of Oslo. The research draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from political science, international relations, sociology of science, STS, anthropology, and geography, contributing to debates on science policy and global governance. Candidates must hold or expect to complete a Master’s degree with Merit or Distinction in a relevant discipline by the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Applicants should have a strong interest in science diplomacy, policy, and international cooperation. Knowledge of the Belt and Road Initiative and Global China Studies is helpful but not required. Research focus may be global (requiring mixed methods skills) or regional (requiring qualitative research experience, preferably ethnographic fieldwork in Africa or Latin America). Fluency in English or French is required. The scholarships cover full tuition and a stipend of C$40,000 per year for four years, plus additional funding for research, travel, fieldwork, training, and conferences. Students will be co-supervised by Prof. Hang Zhou and Prof. Jean-Frédéric Morin at Université Laval, with mentorship from Prof. Han Cheng and Prof. Anna Lisa Ahlers at MPIWG. Application requires emailing Prof. Han Cheng with CV, cover letter, transcripts, and a research proposal, followed by a formal application to Université Laval. The deadline is November 14, 2025.