GoGreen funded PhD post at the Courtauld Institute of Art

The Courtauld Institute of Art is a research-led, independent College of the University of London, with one of the world’s most prestigious programmes of art history, curating, and conservation. The Department of Conservation, where the PhD will be located, offers training in Conservation at Postgraduate level with 3-year MA degrees in either the Conservation of Easel Paintings or The Conservation of Wall Paintings.

This PhD will investigate methods of conservation education to encourage the use of green methods for the cleaning of painted surfaces, with the aim of facilitating the wider adoption of greener practices in training programmes and for continuing professional development of practising conservators. Green cleaning may encompass historical methods using natural and unrefined materials, or modern methods to reduce or replace petrochemical solvents using innovative application methods or bio-derived alternatives. The PhD will explore the practical use of these methods, the assessment of their efficacy using a range of analytical methods, and then will develop training modules and course materials. Innovative pedagogical and change management techniques will be investigated to ensure successful adoption in the conservation profession.

The PhD position is funded by UKRI as part of the EU Horizon-CL2-2021 project ‘GoGREEN: green strategies to conserve the past and preserve the future of Cultural Heritage’, a four-year research project with partners from seven countries.

Application and funding information:

• This is an application to start a funded PhD in September 2023.
• The fee for PhD students does not apply to this post, and the successful applicant will be in receipt of the current UKRI Stipend of £17,668.
• Application requirements: Postgraduate qualification in paintings conservation or conservation science.
• CV and letter of interest to be sent to Clare Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Conservation at clare.richardson@courtauld.ac.uk, by Friday 26th May 2023, with “GoGreen PhD” in the subject line. The letter should set out why applicants would like to study this topic for their PhD and their suitability for research in this area.

Interviews will then take place online in June 2023 with decisions to be made within two weeks.