Dear List members,

I would like to draw your attention to the funded PhD opportunity between the Innovation Design Engineering programme at the RCA and the V&A Museum. The position has already been advertised and the deadline is this Wednesday 14th May. Please check the eligibility if you are interested and pass this on to anyone who you think would like to apply.

Yours Sincerely
Ashley Hall

Funded PhD IDE-RCA & V&A Museum

 

The Royal College of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum invite applications for an AHRC funded Collaborative Doctoral Award in Mannequin Design, Rapid Prototyping, and Fashion Conservation, to begin October 2014.  The PhD will be based in the RCA’s School of Design/School of Humanities, and the V&A’s Conservation Department. 

 

Mannequins for the 21st Century

 

This practice-based research project is concerned with innovation in the design and development of mannequins for exhibiting historical dress and theatrical costume. The work will also yield insights in aspects of historic costume, in collection and historiography, and in relation to the body in history. Through the use of digital technologies, this study will focus on data-capture from existing costumes and the design and development of digital body-models and physical mannequins. The core research questions are:

 

1. In what ways can new technologies applied to the measurement and

recording of garment collections contribute to a more accurate understanding of body size and proportion?

 

2. In what ways is the comparison of these measurements with existing data valuable to costume historians, and to a range of other disciplines?

 

3. How might the resulting data and technical innovations be used to develop customisable, adjustable mannequins that fulfill all the requirements of museum conservation and display?

 

The successful candidate will be expected to:

 

-  develop and realize a project informed equally by design and rapid prototyping processes at the College, and those of conserving and exhibiting at the Museum.

 

- focus on previous work on customized mannequins by Rapidform RCA, which will develop further with the special aim of providing an efficient, robust, and safe method of providing 3D measurements from existing garments

 

- test ideas and their development, through models and prototypes supported by investigations of appropriate materials and technologies

 

- supplement such practical work with a contextual investigation to include surveys of the recent history of work in the field and similar contemporary project work, by means of desk research and visits to other institutions with an interest in the body and in dress

 

- compile a database of findings to log and record tests and experiments as they progress as the basis for evaluation and conclusion

 

This PhD studentship will be held at the Royal College of Art and co-supervised by Dr Ashley Hall (School of Design, RCA) and Dr Sarah Cheang (School of Humanities, RCA). The third co-supervisor is Sam Gatley, Senior Textile Display Specialist, V&A Conservation Department. The project will be supervised collaboratively, giving the students full access to curatorial expertise and networks in the V&A Museum.

 

The studentship funding is subject to final confirmation by the AHRC but will be fully funded for three years full-time (or five years part-time) and will begin in October 2014. It will cover tuition fees at home/EU rate and provide a maintenance award at RCUK rates. In addition the AHRC provides an extra £550 per annum for Collaborative Doctoral Award students, while the V&A provides additional financial support (up to £1,000 a year for three years) to the student towards authorized travel and related research costs.

 

How to Apply

 

Before making your application, it is essential that you ensure you meet all eligibility requirements set by the Royal College of Art. A complete list of the RCA’s entrance requirements for MPhil and PhD can be found at http://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/apply/entrance-requirements/mphil-phd-entrance-requirements/<http://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/apply/entrance-requirements/mphil-phd-entrance-requirements/> . 

 

1.    As with all applications to the RCA, candidates must apply online. Our online application form can be accessed at https://applications.rca.ac.uk/<https://applications.rca.ac.uk/> . Please note that you will be required to create an account with this system in order to begin your application.

 

2.    Once you have created an account, log into the application system.

 

3.    Follow the headings in blue to the left of the page and input the requested details.

 

4.    IMPORTANT: When you reach the “Course Details” section under the “Course” heading, you must select “AHRC and V&A Scholarship – 21st Century Mannequins”

 

5.    If you fail to select this course your application to this award may not be considered.

 

6.    Continue to fill out the online application form until all required details are filled and select submit.

 

 

Closing Date: 19:00 (CUT) Wednesday 14th May 2014

 

Interviews will be held after the week beginning Monday 26th May 2014

_________________________________

Dr Ashley Hall
Deputy Head of Programme
Innovation Design Engineering
School of Design

Royal College of Art
Kensington Gore, London
SW7 2EU
E [log in to unmask]
M +44 (0) 7870 648882
www.rca.ac.uk
ide.rca.ac.uk
http://rca.academia.edu/AshleyHall/About





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