Museum announces fully funded PhD
Published on: 2 December 2021
The RAF Museum, the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter are currently inviting applications for a fully funded (academic fees and maintenance stipend) Collaborative Doctoral Award Studentship to research, write, and complete a dissertation on the project ‘Women in the Royal Air Force: Gender, Sexuality and Contemporary Britain’.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the South West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership, the project will be supervised by Dr Grace Huxford (University of Bristol), Professor Richard Toye (University of Exeter), and Dr Harry Raffal (RAF Museum).
The project will explore the history of contemporary Britain through one of the most dynamic branches of the British military: the Royal Air Force (RAF). Focusing particularly on the history of women in the RAF, the student will explore the recruitment, training, day-to-day tasks, roles and deployment of servicewomen, placing such developments within broader social, economic and political contexts. The project will also explore the experience of women in the RAF, as well as the wider relevance of gender to the institution and military communities.
The student will also have the opportunity to conduct original oral history interviews as part of this project and their research and career development will be fully supported by a supervisory team from Bristol, Exeter and the RAF Museum.
To discuss the project and the application process please email the Supervisors at the University of Bristol and Exeter. You are also welcome to informally discuss the opportunity with the RAF Museum’s historian, Dr Harry Raffal: harry.raffal@rafmuseum.org
The studentship consists of the payment of academic fees and a maintenance stipend for three years and eight months (or part-time equivalent). For 2021/22 the tuition fee rate has been £4,500 per annum, and the maintenance award rate is £15,609 per annum (or part-time equivalent). Rates for 2022/23 will be announced in January 2022. In addition to their award, studentship holders benefit from additional funding opportunities to support their training, professional development, and research costs. Full details of the project, including guidance for applicants, are available on the SWWDTP website
Applications need to be made through the SWWDTP application portal