Funded PhD opportunities

The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning raises significant new challenges and opportunities for archives and heritage. The IWM shares with the Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life an interest in the theme of image and language and, specifically how new technologies may be reconfiguring human sense-making, history, and memory. IWM holds extensive archives in which audio traces are present but not currently retrievable for the study of the everyday histories and memories of war. Our collaborative doctoral project is situated in this context – ‘Sounds of the war archive: algorithmic history and memory of the lived experience of conflict’. The CDP represents a genuine opportunity to make a significant contribution to the field by examining how machine learning technologies could change how we think about, categorise, and use the less tangible data of the archives of war. Though the student should have research interests in the cultural, social and historical impacts of technology on heritage and archives, it is not necessary for them to already have specific technical skills. The Leverhulme Centre cohort of PhD students will be fully interdisciplinary and training in humanities-focused technical skills will be provided as necessary.

Research questions:

Key research questions to be addressed could include:

• To what extent does sound in the war archives offer a means to analyse the affects and emotions of war?
• Do digital technologies provide novel ways of accessing and interpreting sonic histories and memories?
• How might the use of machine learning on the sound archive change how we think about the lived experience of war and conflict? Is there potential to surface some of the marginalised or subaltern accounts of war?
• What kinds of connections, associations, and traces are present in the sonic archive and do these less tangible aspects of war change how we understand nation, memory, loss, or hope?
• Beyond oral histories, is there potential to place sound archives at the centre of the interpretation of war, opening new ways for visitors to access otherwise abstract or invisible histories?

This research studentship is one allocated to Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life by the AHRC, in partnership with IWM. The successful student will be expected to spend time carrying out research and gaining relevant experience with the partner in IWM London as part of the studentship.

The student will have access to desk space at IWM and will be embedded into the working environment of the museum, gaining invaluable professional insights and skills. They will have access to wide range of training activities, related to for example collections management, visitor experience, and creation and commissioning.

The project will include excellent opportunities for public engagement. These will be decided in consultation with the appointed student to support their future career plans but could include blogs, temporary displays at IWM (onsite and/or online), public talks, participation in ‘hands on’ collections events at IWM, and contributions to the preparation of learning material and research guides related to the IWM collections studied.

A globally outstanding centre of postgraduate research excellence, a warm and friendly place to study, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to study for a PhD. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people’s lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our research postgraduates are a major part of our community. We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

The CDP studentship offers exciting opportunities to study as part of a larger scholarly community in The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life, whilst providing excellent opportunities for to develop your career through specialist training, and engagement with our partner IWM. The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life is a 10 year and £10 million investment by the Leverhulme Trust. It aims to transform how we understand and study the relationship between human life and machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms. Algorithmic life involves an emerging cultural, social, and technological way of knowing and engaging with the world, a paradigm whose form and consequences are not yet well understood. Two overarching fundamental questions underpin the Centre’s research: What are the novel paradigms of knowledge, perception, and action that emerge with contemporary algorithmic technologies? How do ideas and concepts of what it means to be human transform and adapt in collaboration with the different life-worlds of algorithms? The area of heritage, archives, war, and memory is an important focus within the broader LCAL research agenda.

The CDP studentship is for 48 months duration or part-time equivalent up to a maximum of 8 years.

The award pays tuition fees up to the value of the full-time home fee. Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2026/2027 is £5,238 Students with an ‘overseas’ fee status are welcome to apply. Students will be required to reside in the UK until completion of the PhD.

The award pays an annual stipend for all students, both home and international students. This stipend is tax free, and is the equivalent of an annual salary, enabling the student to pay living costs. The UKRI Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2026/2027 is £21,805 plus London Weighting of £1000/year. There is also a CDP maintenance payment of £600 per year and a Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG) worth up to £750 per year to support study visits, conference attendance, training and development opportunities which are necessary for the student’s primary research. Further details can be found on the UKRI website.

Additionally, the successful candidate is eligible to receive additional resource for training, fieldwork, career development, and conferences from the Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life.

The successful candidate will be encouraged to participate in professional development events and activities organised for all Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life PhD students.

• This studentship is open to both Home and International applicants.
• We particularly welcome applications from people of Global Majority backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this field of study. Candidates with a disability/disabilities are also encouraged to apply. Our institutions are committed to offering all reasonable adjustments to candidates and appointees.
• Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant good undergraduate degree (2i or above) or good Masters-level qualification in a discipline relevant to the project, including but not limited to digital humanities, history, museum and heritage studies, cultural geography, philosophy, science and technology studies. While not essential, some prior experience of museum-based work would be welcome.
• As a collaborative award, students will be expected to spend time at both the University and IWM.
• All applicants must meet UKRI terms and conditions for funding. See:

https://www.ukri.org/funding/information-for-award-holders/grant-terms-and-conditions/

For more information about the Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life, please see our website at https://leverhulmecal.webspace.durham.ac.uk/

Enquiries may be sent to the leadership team of the Centre at [email protected].

Please note that the studentship application deadline is 4pm on 14 May 2026.

Applicants are required to submit by email attachments to [email protected]

• A summary CV (2 pages of A4) and degree transcripts.
• A short cover letter (500 words) which details your academic background and experience and explains why you wish to study for a collaborative PhD with Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life and IWM. If you have already contacted or applied to one of the Durham departments, please explain this briefly in your letter and provide the application number. Note that it is not required for you to have already made an application for admission onto the PhD programme. We will advise you on the University PhD admissions process alongside our evaluation of your studentship application.
• A PhD outline proposal (maximum 3 sides A4) detailing the theory, concepts, and methods you envisage pursuing in your doctoral research. Though your PhD project will be co-designed with your supervisors and IWM, we are interested to know the themes that most interest you.

The Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life at Durham University and IWM will jointly assess the applications and hold interviews in order to reach a decision.