School of History, Classics & Archaeology

Classicist James Livingston wins Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Fellowship

PhD Classics student James Livingston has been awarded an invaluable opportunity.

He has been given a three-month Fellowship by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST).

The Fellowship aims to provide AHRC-funded PhD students with a chance to write a four-page topical parliamentary briefing (a POSTnote) for MPs and Peers.

First Classicist Fellow

Dr Sarah Bunn, scientific adviser at POST, said:

“POST and the AHRC were pleased to award two AHRC-POST Fellowships this year and we are delighted that James accepted. He will be the first Classicist to join POST as Postgraduate Research Fellow and we look forward to welcoming him in the autumn”.

James is studying for a PhD with a thesis on the Imagery of psychological motivation in Apollonius Rhodius’s 'Argonautica' and early Greek poetry, under the supervision of Professor Douglas Cairns.

Great opportunity

James says:

“I will work at POST’s Westminster offices for three months and write one of their POSTnotes on a topic approved by their parliamentary Board, which will then be internally and externally peer reviewed, before being distributed to all MPs and Lords.

“It’s a great opportunity. Needless to say, I am most excited!”

“Seamless culture between arts and sciences”

Although AHRC/POST Fellows work on policy topics which are predominantly grounded in science and technology, applications needed to demonstrate a clear emphasis on an Arts or Humanities discipline.

James’s thesis uses theories and results from various subjects roughly grouped under the umbrella of the ‘cognitive sciences’ to examine Apollonius’s conception of psychological motivation.

His winning application included a summary briefing in the form of a POSTnote on the emerging technology of e-cigarettes and their potential policy implications.

AHRC and POST Postgraduate Fellowships Scheme