Leverhulme Trust PhD Studentship

The successful candidate will be expected to begin the studentship on 1 October 2026 on a full-time basis and will be primarily based at Goldsmiths, University of London (the awarding body) but will closely collaborate with OII and Oxford University Museums.

This PhD studentship will investigate the role of reproductions (digital scans, 3D prints, augmented reality) on the experiences of visitors to Oxford University Museum sites.

Existing theory suggests that original artworks and artefacts held in museums and galleries have a special quality, an ‘aura’ or ‘essence’ arising from their unique history (Benjamin, 1935). Essentialism has previously been shown to undermine the value ascribed to reproductions (Newman & Bloom, 2012). Nevertheless, technologies for reproducing objects in museum collections through digital imaging and 3D printing are fast advancing.

Despite the museum sector’s increasing engagement with reproductions, surprisingly little is known about how visitors experience emerging methods of reproduction and to what extent these experiences are impacted by essentialist attitudes. Existing research and theory therefore suggest a tension between museums’ willingness to embrace technologies for reproduction, and prevailing theory about how visitors might respond to them.

The PhD will involve the development and execution of a series of in-situ studies at Oxford University Museum sites, including the Pitt Rivers Museum, The Oxford Museum of Natural History, and the Ashmolean Museum. They will systematically investigate how experiences of cultural objects are influenced by the mode of reproduction, what object is being reproduced, and how visitors interact with and are informed about the object.

The PhD forms part of an interdisciplinary project and will therefore involve working closely with a PhD student specializing in digital humanities at the OII, to develop a toolkit for museums based on the research findings.

The project will be supervised by Dr Rebecca Chamberlain (Reader, School of Mind, Body and Society) with supervisory support from Dr Kathryn Eccles (Deputy Director, Oxford Internet Institute).

Benefits and opportunities

The successful candidate will be hosted by the School of Mind, Body and Society at Goldsmiths, University of London. Students have full access to the Psychology and Neuroscience’s facilities for lab and field research, and first-rate technical support is available from a team of full-time technical staff.

They will also be able to gain research supervision and teaching experience through the MSc in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity, directed by Dr Rebecca Chamberlain. They will be integrated into a thriving on-campus community of researchers in psychology of the arts, embedded within the Art and Cognition (ArC) Lab which meets on campus every week.

The doctoral researcher will receive training on the use of behavioural and eye tracking measures of cultural object experience, survey design, in-situ data collection in museums and galleries and state of the art techniques for analysing quantitative and qualitative data. The doctoral researcher will enjoy access to taught modules in relevant programming languages and software (e.g., R, Python and NVivo).

Value

The studentship provides a full home‑fee waiver (to the value of £5,238 per annum) and an annual stipend, currently £23,805 for 2026-27 (including London weighting), which is expected to rise annually in line with UKRI increases, for a maximum three years.

Number available

1

Year of entry

2026 (studentship starts Thursday 1 October 2026)

Eligibility criteria

Applicants should have or expect to receive a Master’s-level qualification in a relevant subject such as Psychology, Cognitive Science or Neuroscience by the start of the project (Thursday 1 October 2026). Prior experience working within museums and galleries would be beneficial to the project, an interest in cultural and artistic heritage is essential.

This PhD studentship is open to home (UK) students only. To be a home (UK) student, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

Application deadlines

 5pm Friday 3 July. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview in the week beginning 13 July 2026.

How to apply

To apply for this studentship, you must submit an online application for a PhD in Psychology via Goldsmiths, University of London’s programme page by 5pm Friday 3 July 2026. Please title your proposal clearly ‘Leverhulme Studentship: Object Lessons’.

You do not need to complete the Psychology Department PhD application form.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

1. Your CV
2. Personal Statement: Previous experience relevant to the project, your motivations for pursuing this position, your career aspirations, and any further information you think is relevant to the application. Please confirm that you understand that this project will be primarily in-person due to research requiring on-site data collection, that you have an enthusiasm for working as part of an interdisciplinary team, and a willingness to travel between London and Oxford for research collaboration.
3. Research Proposal: The proposal must be a maximum of 1500 words. It should briefly describe and motivate a research topic and possible first study for your PhD. Include a brief summary of the existing research and/or theories on which the project is based, one or more specific research questions / hypotheses, how you would address these questions / hypotheses, and some indication of how you would approach data analysis.
4. References
5. Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates

Contact

If you are interested in applying, you are welcome to contact Dr Rebecca Chamberlain r.chamberlain(@gold.ac.uk) for an informal discussion about this opportunity.