AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership

[Fully funded studentship: £21,805 per annum stipend plus £2,000 per annum and £600 per annum additional allowances. Covers tuition and living costs for both home and international students.]

The University College London (UCL) and The National Gallery invite applications for a fully funded PhD studentship under the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) scheme, focusing on 'Histories of Pollution in the Urban Art Museum, c. 1840–1900.' This unique doctoral project explores the intersections between urban pollution and the Victorian art museum, examining how pollutants affected cultural artefacts and buildings, and how curators, conservators, scientists, critics, artists, and the public responded to these challenges. The research will centre the National Gallery as a key site for critical scrutiny and the development of new practices during the nineteenth century, mapping networks of individuals involved in studying and mitigating the effects of pollution on art museums and objects.

The studentship is jointly supervised by Dr Nicholas Robbins (UCL) and Dr Susanna Avery-Quash (The National Gallery), offering the successful candidate the opportunity to work closely with both institutions. The student will be expected to spend time at both UCL and the National Gallery, and will join a vibrant cohort of CDP-funded doctoral researchers across the UK. The project can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis, and is open to both home and international applicants.

Funding includes a stipend of £21,805 per annum, plus additional allowances of £2,000 and £600 per annum, covering tuition and living costs. Applicants should hold a master’s-level degree in a relevant subject (such as history of art, museum studies, cultural history, or technical art history) or demonstrate equivalent professional experience. The programme is committed to diversity and particularly welcomes applications from people of Global Majority backgrounds.

Applications are accepted until 4 May 2026, with interviews scheduled for the week commencing 25 May 2026. For further details and to apply, please use the provided application link.