Image: Panel 8 Photography
Over the past few months, the Society’s five current PhD students have continued to carry out their research on the Collections, as well as a number of associated activities related to their projects.
Chandan Mahal and Joy Slappnig, who are researching the relationships between family, place and diaspora, and the extent, variety and significance of “Indigenous maps” within the Society’s Collections, respectively, have both completed full drafts of their theses and will be submitting them shortly.
Katie Vann, who started her project on historical photographs, Indigenous knowledge and heritage in Guyana last September, has been busy in the archives looking through materials to better understand how they can be used as a resource to enrich our understanding of Indigenous heritage, identity and rights in contemporary Guyana.
George Tobin, who’s research places geographical relief models in the culture of modern geography, has been undertaking a placement at the Society. He has been developing a series of resources using materials from the Wiley Digital Archive which revolve around the history of the Society’s involvement with modelling and mapwork. He will also be working on some blog posts around his research topic and is planning a Be Inspired event to take place next year.
Finally, Alice Oates, who is exploring the governance of Antarctica focusing on the Halley research station, has recently taken part in the UKRI policy internship scheme, spending three months in the Tackling Loneliness Team at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Reflecting on the experience, she said: “Going from an academic research project to a fast-paced policy environment was fascinating. I found myself eating up everything I could read on loneliness and how it affects us, and was delighted to be working on something that really matters to people’s lives. I enjoyed opportunities to take part in some of the core work of civil servants – writing briefings for Ministers and responding to correspondence from members of the public. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity offered to me by the UKRI internship scheme and the Tackling Loneliness team and I’d encourage anyone who is eligible to consider applying.”
To date the Society has hosted 14 PhD students carrying out collaborative research on our Collections, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, with two more to start in the autumn. Find out more about the Collaborative Doctoral Awards.