Doctoral Studentship in Chemistry Education at King’s College London funded by the: Bernard Dawson Scholarship Fund (BDSF)

We are looking to recruit an imaginative and enthusiastic student to undertake a PhD study in chemistry education in the School of Education, Communication and Society at King’s College London. Examples of potential areas for research are listed below, however candidates are encouraged to propose a chemistry education research project which would draw on their own strengths, as well as the strengths of CRESTEM as a research group.

• Assessment practices
• Inclusion and social justice
• Knowledge, understanding and epistemology
• Learning in informal contexts
• Pedagogy, including dialogic and enquiry approaches
• Science capital and identity

The Bernard Dawson Scholarship Fund was set up to support chemistry education research. Dr Bernard Dawson was an academic in chemistry education at King’s College, who helped to pioneer new approaches to science teaching through the Nuffield Science Teaching Projects.

The Fund will provide a stipend of £20,000 pa for three years and tuition fees for the successful applicant at the home fee level (although International applicants are welcome).

We would like successful applicants to take up some paid opportunities to contribute to teaching sessions on the PGCE. Contributions would not exceed six hours in any one week and would not be mandated.

The studentship will be based at King’s Waterloo campus but may involve travel to fieldwork sites.

For any enquiries please email Dr Heather King: heather.1.king@kcl.ac.uk

Eligibility criteria

Open to all nationalities

Essential criteria that candidates will need to demonstrate include:

• A good (2:1 or 1st class) honours degree in a relevant subject
• High merit/distinction at Masters level (or equivalent qualification) in the social sciences/ education or a related field (including some research experience);
• Experience of working with the education sector
• Excellent writing skills;
• Creativity, imagination and enthusiasm.
• Interest in one or several of the fields listed above.

Please see our webpages for further information and details on existing projects: click here

Application procedure

The application deadline is 27 March 2020

Interviews will take place on April 24 2020

To apply please go to: myapplication.kcl.ac.uk

• On the online application form, please select “Education Research MPhil/PhD (Full-time)” from the programme list,and select September 2020 as the programme start date. Please clearly mark your application “Science Education studentship” in the Research Proposal box and add “Science Education studentship” in the funding section of the application”.
• Applicants are asked to submit a short Research Proposal (max. 2 sides of A4) outlining a proposed study relating to areas outlined above. Please include the following: provisional title, aims, background, methodology and how the proposal fits with CRESTEM’s aims.
• In the personal statement section please include details of why you meet the criteria, how your qualifications and experience have prepared you to do a PhD and the reasons for your interest in this studentship.
• Please also submit a sample of Masters-level writing with your application (e.g. a chapter from a Masters thesis; a journal paper, etc.)
• Please provide contact details for one academic referee in the references section.

Only candidates shortlisted for interview will be contacted.