AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Studentship in collaboration with University of Sussex and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Re-storying the Sussex Weald Garden: Exotics, Empire and Ecobiography. (2025)

What you get

The scholarship covers PhD fees, research costs and the standard UKRI stipend (a tax-free maintenance allowance of £19,237 pa for 2024-25) for three years full time (6 years part time) with the possibility of extending the funding to 4yrs.

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

As part of our AHRC CHASE Doctoral Training Partnership, applications are invited for a collaborative doctoral project between the University of Sussex and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew), investigating the plants and people of three estates in the Sussex High Weald. This PhD will offer a unique opportunity to reassess the histories of Wakehurst, Nymans and Sheffield Park, whose owners commissioned new landscaping schemes featuring ‘exotic’ species in the early 20^th century. Beyond the beauty of these gardens lies a challenging history of horticultural dealing and nurture, late-imperial trading and environmental change, told through the related life stories of people and plants. Through using archives recording the development of these gardens in Sussex and original research into European and global botanical and cultural trade, the research will enable new perspectives on the gardens’ development.

Training Opportunities

The University of Sussex provides extensive support for doctoral students. The researcher will be specifically supported in methods training. They will not be expected to have detailed botanical knowledge. However, RBG Kew will support training in general botanical knowledge and use of appropriate archives.

Supervisory Team Details

Academic Supervisors

Professor Margaretta Jolly, School of Media, Arts and Humanities

Professor Vinita Damodaran, School of Media, Arts and Humanities

Professor Alan Lester, School of Global Studies

Collaborative Partner Supervisors

Ms. Lorraine Lecourtois : Head of Public Programmes, Wakehurst

Ms Kiri Ross-Jones: Senior Archivist and Records Manager

Eligibility

The studentship is subject to UKRI eligibility criteria, and will cover PhD fees and stipend at UKRI rates for 3 years in the first instance up to a maximum of four years full-time, or eight years part-time study, subject to institutional regulations.

This studentship is open to both UK and International students. We would be interested in hearing from candidates from diasporic or Global South backgrounds, and particularly candidates from the source regions of the exotic plants introduced to the three estates i.e. South Asia, East Asia and South America.

Essential skills/attributes:

In addition to an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as History, English Literature, Environmental Studies or Human Geography, and a master’s degree or equivalent professional experience, you will have experience of archival research.

At RBG Kew and the NT you will work with practitioners across different departments, so an ability to work as part of a team and good interpersonal skills will be important. A readiness to travel to the three properties and to archives at Kew Gardens and East and West Sussex and potentially to international archives will be necessary.

Desirable skills/attributes:

-          Experience of communicating project findings to wider audiences

-          Experience of engagement with the heritage sector

-          Experience of community engagement projects.

We are committed to welcoming applications from under-represented groups, BAME students, and those who may identify as LGBTQI+.

Number of scholarships available

One

Deadline

How to apply

Please submit a formal application through the University of Sussex’s online application system attaching a CV, degree transcripts, certificates and a detailed statement of interest which responds to the specifics of the proposal. Please also upload two academic references.

On the application system, you will need to select a degree programme in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Humanities. Please ensure you state the project title under funding and include the proposed supervisors’ names where required.

Terms and conditions

The studentship is subject to UKRI eligibility criteria and will cover home or international fees and stipend at UKRI rates for a maximum of four years full-time, or eight years part-time study, subject to institutional regulations.

Informal enquiries about this collaborative project can be sent to m.jolly@sussex.ac.uk.

Sponsors

Contact us

For informal enquiries about the project contact Prof Margaretta Jolly  m.jolly@sussex.ac.uk.  

For enquiries about the online application process contact  MAH-PGR@sussex.ac.uk

Timetable

Application Deadline: 12 midday on Monday 17th February 2025