History of design PhD | History of art PhD

Nicola Ashmore's supervisory interests focus on creative interventions and curatorial practice, notably the means through which this can leverage change and collaborative activism. 

Nicola would welcome makers and practitioners and those working with collections and archives in their doctoral projects. She brings a wealth of experience in her supervision in communicating research findings through a wide range of platforms from documentary film, exhibition practice, to online and offline publications. Nicola has taken an interdisciplinary approach to her investigations into museum practices and community based collaborative practices and would encourage enquiries from those who push at the boundaries of their chosen disciplines. 

Harriet is interested in supervising PhDs focusing on histories of art, design and the urban environment; government or official uses of art and design, graphic design histories; art, design and dress for propaganda and protest; art, design and diplomacy; and exhibition and display histories. If you are planning a project that is connected to Harriet's research expertise, but not listed here, feel free to contact her to discuss it further. 

Harriet's current PhD students focus on themes ranging from political poster design, to conscientious objector art practices and clothing production and consumption during World War Two. She has examined PhDs at University of Southampton, University of Antwerp and University of Brighton.

Postgraduate research supervision

Jeremy welcomes approaches for supervision towards a research degree. His interests span Design History, Modernism and Design, Graphic Design, German Design and Transnational design histories. His expertise is particularly relevant in the following university PhD programme application areas: Architecture and Design and History of Art and Design.

Current supervision:

Alex Todd, The Violence of Vision: Wild Plakken and the Crisis of Dutch Political Identity, 1977–1996, supervised with Dr Harriet Atkinson TECHNE studentship (2020-)

PhD supervisory completions:

University of Brighton

Caroline Hamilton, Les Ballets 1933: collecting, exhibiting and performing the avant-garde, supervised with Dr Annebella Pollen TECHNE CDP award with Brighton Museums and Gallery (2018-2022)

Dora Souza-Dias, Representing the Graphic Design Profession on the world stage: a history of the International Council of Graphic Design Associations, 1963-2013 [University of Brighton Studentship] Supervised with Professor Catherine Moriarty and Dr Megha Rajguru  (2015-2019)

Tania Messell, Promoting industrial design on the world stage:the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design, 1957-1980 [University of Brighton Studentship] supervised with Dr Lesley Whitworth (2014-2018)

Michelle Henning, Re-animating modernism: Picture Language, Museum Display and Visual Reproduction, PhD by publication (2014-2015)

Hilary French, Adaptable Housing: Accommodating Change, PhD by publication (2015-2016)

Jane Barnwell, Production Design for Film, PhD by publication, (2017-18)

Royal College of Art

2018 Mary Ann Bolger, Designing Modern Ireland: the role of graphic design in the construction of modern Ireland at home and abroad

2014 Jessica Jenkins, The mural and visual communication in urban spaces in Communist East Germany, 1945–89 

2014 Alice Twemlow, The Politics of Design Criticism since the 1950s

2012 Marina Emmanouil, Graphic Design in Greece since 1945

2011 Susie McKellar, Rational Consumption and Design 1927-1957

2010 Diane Silverthorne, Alfred Roller: Spaces of Art in Vienna 1890s-1920s

2009 Miya Itabashi, Japonisme: the representation of Japanese art in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Britain

2007 Lisa Godson, The Material Culture of Public Events in the Irish Free State, 1922-1949

2006 Harriet Atkinson, Spontaneous expressions of citizenship: Festival of Britain in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, 1951  

2005 Victoria Kelley, Soap and Water – cleanliness, class and gender, 1870 – 1917

2004 Trevor Keeble, The Domestic Moment: Design, Taste and Identity in the late Victorian Interior

2002 Viviana Narotzky, An Acquired Taste: the consumption of modern design in Barcelona, 1975-1995

2002 Deborah Landis, Scene and not heard, Hollywood Costume Design

2001 Yasuko Suga Ida, Representation of the State through Design in interwar Britain

2001 Diane Bisson, Museums in Transition: past and present interpretations of the concept of design

2000 Nicolas Maffei, Norman Bel Geddes: designer of the future

MPhil supervisory completions:

Royal College of Art

Rick Poynor, Modernism and Eclecticism in Typographica, 1949-1967 (1998)

Jane Audas, Reflections of Modernity: shop display, 1930-1940 (2001)

Line Pederson, The Design of Art Nouveau Jewellery in Denmark (2001)

Ana Fereira de Rocha National Identity, Cultural Heritage, Cultural Industry and Architectural Production after the Second World War – Museums of Modern and Contemporary Arts and Design in Rio de Janeiro, Paris and London (2008)

Sue is based at the University of Brighton Design Archives and supervises research on archives in theory and practice, particularly in art and design; and on twentieth century British art and design and their contexts, with a particular focus on the mid-century. She supervises Masters and Doctorate projects both at Brighton and elsewhere, and is happy to hear from potential students with interdisciplinary interests that intersect with archives practice or the Design Archives collections.

Yunah is keen to supervise research projects on trans/national identities and networks of design and visual/material culture and repressentations of design and visual/material culture in magazines and exhibitions. She especially welcomes enquires about projects on craft, design and visual/material culture in and from the East Aisan region including China, Korea, and Japan. 

Professor Newbury is interested in supervising PhD projects related to his main areas of interest in photography, history, politics and memory, especially but not exclusively those with a focus on Africa. He also welcomes enquiries from applicants interested in researching any aspect of the history or practice of documentary and community photography and photographic education in Britain and elsewhere, and is open to proposals that encompass a range of historical, archival, theoretical and practice-led approaches to photography and visual culture.

He has supervised 20 PhD students to completion across photography history, theory and practice, as well as projects related to art education, public art and visual culture, and several Collaborative Doctoral Awards, including with Birmingham City Council, Belfast Exposed gallery and the Imperial War Museum. He has examined 30 PhDs, including at University of the Arts London, University of Cape Town, Edith Cowan University, Goldsmiths College, University of Greenwich, Tshwane University of Technology and University of the Western Cape.

Charlotte has supervised one PhD student to completion and has two current PhD students. She is eager to supervise PhD projects on 19th- and 20th-century dress, fashion, and textile history topics and welcomes enquiries.

Dr Ceren Özpınar is currently supervising three PhD students at Brighton, and one at IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, who work on subjects in transnational storytelling, lesser-known women artists in the 20th century, feminism in the museum, and textile-based artistic practices. 

Ceren would be interested in supervising PhD projects on feminist and queer approaches to art; transnational art histories; narratives of difference; memory and materiality. She would also welcome proposals interested in researching any aspect of the project of decolonising the history of art and exhibitions, particularly but not exclusively, in the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African geographies.

Ceren also hosts visiting doctoral researchers on a regular basis. If you are working on a PhD project at another institution related to her research expertise and would like to be supervised by her at Brighton for a short period (up to a year), feel free to contact her.

I have enjoyed supervising 6 doctoral students to completion, candidates who have worked on subjects in modern British art history, or in projects relating to feminist or queer approaches to visual interpretation or production. I have supervised and examined candidates who have undertaken phd work by practice or prior publication. I would particularly like to encourage applications from prospective phd students who would like to pursue projects that interpret British art and visual practices using intersectional feminist perspectives including decolonization and transnational approaches.

Annebella supervises PhD projects in visual and material culture, histories of photography and popular image cultures, Mass Observation, modern British art and design, non-elite design and dress history, everyday / vernacular cultural practices and countercultures. She is currently supervising ten doctoral students, including three in funded partnership with museums. She has supervised six PhD students to completion, including a PhD by Publication, and has examined over 20 PhD theses, including practice-led doctorates, nationwide.

I would be delighted to supervise research projects that focus on the politics of modernisation through design in postcolonial contexts, the histories of design and craft in South Asia, art, design and politics in India and modernisms beyond the west.

I am currently supervising PhD research projects on Australian aboriginal textile production (Design Star funded); technology and the experience of art in contemporary museums, and museum engagement with South Asian communities in the UK (CDP with British Museum). 

Dr Wintle welcomes enquiries about projects on museums, exhibition design, collecting, cultural forms of imperialism, nationalism and decolonisation, especially in Britain, and the material and visual culture of South Asia.

Claire has supervised three PhDs to completion and currently supervises eight AHRC-funded PhD students. She has examined postgraduate theses at SOAS, Leicester University, Royal Holloway, Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Southampton and a further five PhDs at the University of Brighton. Her students focus on themes ranging from British South Asian community engagement with museums to the professional experiences of museum staff working to decolonise practice. She works with colleagues at the British Museum, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the Horniman Museum and the V&A to supervise Collaborative Doctoral Projects on subjects including the British Museum's relationships with museums in West Africa, South Asian donors to the British Museum, exhibition design at the British Museum and Korean collections at the V&A. She also works with colleagues at Shiv Nagar University in India to supervise a PhD project on Bihar Museum.