Eligibility

Applicants for this studentship must have both of the following:

• honours degree (high 2:1 or 1st class)
• masters degree in journalism (with Merit / Distinction) or cognate discipline. Predicted grades will be accepted for masters degrees where the course has been successfully completed

Project details: Context

This PhD studentship is part of a Leverhulme Trust-funded project entitled, Remembering the COVID-19 Vaccine: Exploring Individual and Collective Memories in Scotland. Our project partners are: National Museum of Scotland, Lothian Health Services Archive, and The Wee Museum of Memory. The PhD student will be supervised by Dr. Esperanza Miyake (Strathclyde) and Dr Jaime Garcia-Iglesias (University of Edinburgh). The PhD student will also be working closely together with the other PhD student related to this project (who is based in the University of Edinburgh), so this presents a cross-institutional and cross-sector opportunity for collaborative work and dialogue.

The COVID-19 vaccine has become a symbol of biomedical success and the beginning of a 'post-COVID' era characterised by remembrance in the form of official memorials, documentaries, fiction and policy initiatives that seek to commemorate the pandemic’s 'past'. However, dominant representations of COVID-19 vaccine memories in the UK often overlook the experiences of the Scottish context despite Scotland’s distinctive pandemic response as a devolved nation. In addition, the experiences of those medically unable to receive the vaccine and those who experienced significant side effects are often marginalised. Such memories need to be recorded, theorised and made meaningful, to ensure a more diverse account of COVID-19 and to imagine better vaccine futures.

The overall project will investigate individual and collective memories of the COVID-19 vaccine in Scotland, asking the following research questions:

• What are the collective memories of the COVID-19 vaccine the public are being encouraged to remember in the UK?
• What are the individual memories of those ‘missing’ in public remembrances of the COVID-19 vaccine?
• How can COVID-19 vaccine memories be mobilised for the future in ways that are more diverse and meaningful for the future?

PhD studentship

This PhD opportunity will focus on research question one: What are the collective memories of the COVID-19 vaccine the public are being encouraged to remember in the UK?

This interdisciplinary PhD project will investigate public articulations of memory through analysis of key cultural and institutional discourses and artefacts generating collective memory of the COVID-19 vaccine in Scotland (for example, policy reports, media coverage, literature, art, exhibitions, and memorial activities created between December 2020 (vaccine approval) and 2025 (5th anniversary).

The project will ultimately seek to understand public articulations of COVID-19 vaccine memories and their relation to broader social discourses. The PhD researcher will also be encouraged to engage in public engagement and dissemination activities, in collaboration with our partners (National Museum of Scotland, Lothian Health Services Archive, and The Wee Museum of Memory).

The PhD student will join a thriving research community based in the Department of Humanities at the University of Strathclyde (which includes History, English and Creative Writing, Gender Studies, Modern Languages & Translation Studies), and will have the opportunity to engage with activities emerging from the Scottish Oral History Centre, the Centre for the Social History of Health & Healthcare, and the various research groups (for example, Health & Environment).

The PhD student will have access to training opportunities through the Graduate School and will gain a PG Certificate in Researcher Professional Development.

Interviews

Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel after the closing date and incomplete applications will not be considered.

• applicants shortlisted for interview will be notified by 26 November 2026
• interviews will be conducted w/b 30 November 2026
• the successful applicant must be able to commence study on 1 January 2027

Supervisors

• Dr Esperanza Miyake (University of Strathclyde)
• Dr Jaime Garcia-Iglesias (University of Edinburgh)

How to apply

In the funding section of the application form please state the project title: 'Remembering the COVID-19 Vaccine: Exploring Individual and Collective Memories in Scotland'.

Please submit your application with the following documents uploaded no later than 19 November 2026 by 5pm (GMT):

• 500-word personal statement outlining why you wish to undertake this studentship and your suitability for this research study
• demonstration of academic writing – extract of up to 1000-word count from your recent master’s dissertation
• CV (up-to 3 pages)
• two academic references – name and full contact details
• all degree certificates and transcripts, to date
• IELTS Academic with a minimum overall band score of 7.0 with no individual test score below 6.5 (taken within the past 2 years prior to commencing study) or equivalent of English language proficiency (if English is not your first language).

Number of places: 1

Explore the Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate School.

Find out more about the PhD Journalism, Media & Communication.

The application deadline for this studentship is Thursday, 19th November 2026.

Funding Notes

This Leverhulme Trust scholarship award covers Home fees and equivalent UKRI stipend for the duration of study, to be completed within 3 years. The stipend rate for commencing study on 1 January 2027 £21,805 (tax free) each year – paid in monthly instalments and likely to increase each academic year.

International applications may be considered, but if successful, they would need to be able to fund the difference between Home & International fees per annum for the duration of study, as no additional funding is available.