Fellowship Scheme: 2005-6
Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
Applications are invited for a maximum of three MERL Fellowships tenable
for up to twelve months, to support academic research in subject areas
associated with the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), University of
Reading.
The Museum, which has recently moved to extensive new premises, offers
excellent facilities for research. The aim of this new scheme is to
provide opportunities for established academics to pursue research
programmes to enhance and extend understanding and knowledge of the
countryside, food and farming in its widest sense, with particular
emphasis on exploiting the Museum's outstanding object, archive and
library collections.
The scheme will offer up to three short-term academic fellowships, open to
scholars with an academic appointment in a recognised higher education
institution in the UK or elsewhere wishing to pursue collections-related
research, based at the Museum. Research proposals are invited from any
discipline that reflects the broad scope of the Museum collections: For
example, its strengths in practical, technical, farm-level scientific,
economic aspects of agriculture, the rural crafts, trades and industries,
rural ethnology, material culture, fieldwork, and rural industrial
archaeology, with relevance to academic disciplines across a broad
spectrum, including agriculture, rural and business history, design,
archaeology, social policy, plant and animal sciences.
The fellowships will attract a stipend of up to £10,000, payable to the
host higher education institution of the applicant, to offset teaching and
administration costs, and other research-related expenses. Each Fellowship
will be tenable for up to one year. Priority for two Fellowships will be
given to members of the University of Reading. Fellows will be provided
with office accommodation and research facilities at MERL, who will be
expected to spend at least 20% of their time based at the Museum. Fellows
will also be encouraged to participate in the academic programmes of the
Museum including seminars and other forms of promulgation of research
initiatives linked to the Museum, as appropriate.
Applicants should submit a written proposals (of not more than 2 sides),
including where possible details of plans for the publication and
dissemination of their research programme, a cv and the name of two
referees to
IMPS,
The University of Reading,
Whiteknights,
PO Box 217,
Reading RG6 6AH
by 17 June 2005.
Shortlisted candidates will be expected to attend a short interview. It is
expected that interviews will take place in the week beginning 27 June
2005 and that fellows will take up their positions at the beginning of the
academic year, other than by special agreement.
For an informal discussion about the Fellowship scheme, please contact Mrs
Annette Haworth, Director of Information Services
([log in to unmask],0118 378 8981), Professor Michael Fulford,
Chair MERL Advisory Committee ([log in to unmask], 0118 378 8048)
or Kate Arnold-Forster, Head of University Museums and Collections
Services ([log in to unmask], 0118 378 8671)
Further information about MERL can be found at: www.merl.org.uk.
Arrangements to visit the Museum can be made with Kate Arnold-Forster
([log in to unmask] or 0118 378 8671).
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