The Turing Awards Scheme 2022

Following on from a successful award last year when the School of Advanced Study (SAS) was awarded £35,445 to support 25 placements at a variety of institutions, including higher education institutions and museums around the world, the School was successful with its second application for 2023.  Learning lessons from the previous year the School will mobilise students to a smaller number of institutions and for a shorter period of time.  We are pleased to announce that our partners this year are: University of Padua, University College Dublin, Rheinsberg Museum; Museo della Civilta; Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales;  Schoenberg Institute, University of Pennsylvania; Ada Lovelace Centre for Digital Humanities, University of Free Berlin; University of Innsbruck. 

Jo Fox, Dean of the School of Advanced Study, said:
“It is hugely satisfying to see our students making the most of the opportunity to experience living and working in other cultures, towns and cities across the world - learning new skills, looking at new perspectives of their research, learning new methodologies, finding new and alternative resources, learning languages and, not least, finding the time to learn about themselves.”

What our students said...

It is important as a PHD student, to have these types of exchanges with other Universities and academics across the globe as it will me help me when I arrive on the job market.
-    Indira Boutier, Institute of Commonwealth Studies

The joy of working in such a beautiful places is equalled by the joy of working itself, for the tasks that I have been assigned not only cater to my strengths and interests but also lead me into the backstage of various projects in digital humanities. At the Fontane-Archiv I have been batch-processing high-resolution scans of Fontane’s Erstdrucke—the first printed editions of his writings—for online publication, an opportunity for me to develop a workflow for a relatively big database.
-    Christopher Lu, Warburg Institute

Immersing myself into a different research culture and community benefited my growth as a researcher and inspired me to explored new methods and approaches. Being on a Turing Scheme Mobility that allowed me to combine my work with getting to know new ways of working and researching, attending different events, and being at a leading research institute in the humanities was a rare opportunity which would not have been possible without the support and funding of the Turing Scheme.
-    Monja Stahlbergher, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies

Having the opportunity to interact with peers from various disciplinary backgrounds who are conducting ethnographic work on Latin American subjects allowed me to participate in very rich and enlightening discussions which helped me pose important questions about my own research.
-    Tatiana Suarez, Centre for Latin American and Caribbean studies

It added to my teaching skills for larger in-person classes, confidence to embed in a another institution.  A quick ability to learn basic Italian!
-    Annabel Higgins, Institute of Commonwealth Studies

I learnt that when I am struggling with my research I can ask for help and that a chat about my topic with someone who studies similar subjects can be extremely useful. This is why I like being part of a vibrant community of scholars, both in the UK and in Italy.
-    Elisa Stafferini, Warburg Institute

The experience boosted my confidence both in developing relationships and in my academic abilities. I was last a full-time student more than 30 years ago so it was a valuable opportunity to take a break from work and family and to dedicate the whole time to my research. I came back motivated and enthusiastic about my doctoral studies, and with a network of international contacts.
-    Philippa Cooper, Centre for Latin American and Caribbean studies

I learnt technical skills involved with data collection, editing data, and linked data by working on the SDBM… I also became more familiar with catalogues (sale catalogues, collection catalogues, dealers’ catalogues)… Through my familiarisation, I became more aware of their shortcomings and became more critical of them as historical sources. This is helpful for the work relating to the database and it has also been very valuable for my own research.
-    Ruari Williams, Institute of English Studies

The Turing mobility scheme in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which has granted me a chance to improve my German, travel, meet people, and get involved in another university. Not only do I feel that the scheme has allowed me a chance to regain some motivation for my own work, but it has facilitated experiences that I will take with me throughout the rest of my life.
-    Nicole Liu, Institute of Classical Studies

I wanted to get the experience of a different university – exploring what kinds of resources they had on campus, as well as the archives and institutions close by. I felt that this could only complement the existing opportunities and resources that I have at the School of Advanced Study.
-    Natalia Fantetti, Institute of English Studies

The material I viewed at Harvard University significantly expanded my PhD data set. I have been unable to view this type of material in London, and it has changed many of my ideas about my topic. It also highlighted how much I would enjoy being a full-time researcher, rather than my current part-time status.
-    Grace Touzel, Institute of English Studies

What our Partners said...

The student’s active and enthusiastic engagement with the PhD community at the UCD  Humanities Institute. She showed great initiative in pursuing her research goals by making contact with various Irish archives and museums. She immersed herself fully in the HI scholarly community.
-    Dr. Anne Fuchs, University College Dublin

We were not quite how this was going to work out as this was the first time we had a placement student from the UK. But everything went very well, in a friendly and professional manner.   
-    Dr. Peter Böthig, Kurt Tucholsky Literaturmuseum

The dynamization of our institution through an international guest with his ways of working has been very enriching. The intercultural exchange and the opportunity to explain our work processes to him and thus see them from his perspective has helped us to understand ourselves better and to develop further as an institution.  
-    Prof. Peer Trilcke, University of Postdam

Collaborating with colleagues in the School of Advanced Study and building relationships to empower postgraduate scholars to gain new knowledge and experience in the field is always rewarding.
-    Lynn Ransom, Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies, Penn Libraries.

It’s important for students from the UK to have exchange opportunities, especially in the post Brexit environment. And its always good for students in Mexico to have a chance to engage with UK counterparts and build connections and networks.
-    Dr Rachel Sieder, Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology

What our SAS Academic Facilitators said...

I understand that the placement has been a great success with the student wishing to continue her stay at the Museum longer than was stipulated in the original agreement.
-    Professor Charles Burdett, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies

They have enjoyed their stay very much. The Innsbruck and Dublin placements were particularly rewarding, as they offered academic opportunities which the students would not otherwise have had; the Rheinsberg placement (Kurt Tucholsky Museum) was specifically useful for a student who is currently completing his PhD thesis on a group of writers, one of whom is Kurt Tucholsky.  
-    Professor Godela Weiss-Sussex, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies

I was able to visit the students while they were away and was impressed by how much they were learning and growing in confidence. Both students are now applying what they have learned in completing dissertations.
-    Dr Laura Cleaver, Institute of English Studies

Both students who enjoyed a placement at CIESAS have been able to expand their networks, get in-depth training in fieldwork research (including project design, aspects of ethics, self-care and care for others, etc.), get feedback on their work from experts in Latin American Studies, political anthropology, and ethnographic research. One of the students whose first language is not Spanish has developed confidence in her language skills, which will be helpful for her fieldwork research.
-    Dr Ainhoa Montoya, Centre for Caribbean and Latin American Studies