PhD Scholarship Recruitment open, on Heritage Opportunities in Unique Offshore Island Environments-The LIGHTHOUSE Project

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a 4 year, full-time, PhD scholarship in the Discipline of Geography at Mary Immaculate College (MIC). This is an exciting opportunity to undertake a PhD as part of larger research project examining natural heritage and dynamic transformation of heritage assets in offshore island settings. This EPA project, entitled LIGHTHOUSE (EPA Project #2025-NE-1297) is a collaboration of academics based at MIC, Queens Belfast (QUB), University College Dublin (UCD), working in partnership with the Commissioners of Irish Lights and National Parks and Wildlife Service, with additional external advice from colleagues in University College London and University of Exeter.

The PhD project will examine natural and cultural heritage challenges and opportunities in unique offshore island environments. The central research question guiding this study is: How can we effectively curate or manage the process of natural and cultural heritage transformation in extreme settings while addressing the pressures of climate change and biodiversity decline?

Living allowance (Stipend): €25,000 per annum [tax-exempt scholarship award].
University fees: EU rate funding support is in place for 4 years of fees.
Other funds: Additional funds are available for a project laptop, open access publications as well as T&S for project meetings, fieldwork and conferences.

Closing date for applications: 16th June 2025
Online Interviews: Will take place in the week of June 23rd or 30th 2025

For additional project details please contact Dr. Catherine Dalton (catherine.dalton@mic.ul.ie).