American Friends PhD Scholarship Award

Q. How does it feel to be the first-ever American Friends PhD Scholar?

I am honoured and humbled by the generous support I have received for my PhD research entitled While I Breathe, I Hope. As part of my research, I am investigating how cultural resource managers like me can work with other professionals, sovereign Tribal Nations, descendent communities, stakeholders, and community scientists to document, protect, and mitigate cultural heritage at risk using a transdisciplinary approach.

Simply put, receiving this scholarship from the American Friends lifted a financial weight from my shoulders so that I could focus on my research.

Q. What does being a student at the University of Leicester mean to you?

As a part-time, distance learning PhD researcher returning to academic life 14 years after completing my master’s degree, it is exciting to be part of a university community that not only looks to the future but does so in a generous, purpose-driven way.

I hope my research will add to the Citizens of Change call to action by making a lasting change in how we protect cultural heritage for current and future generations in the face of climate-related impacts.

Q. What’s next for you?

This scholarship will allow me to conduct more comparative global research and learn from other cultural heritage stewards facing similar climate change issues. Global conversations and observations will, in turn, help inform how I evaluate cultural landscapes locally, allowing me to engage with more community members whose traditional cultural landscapes face climate-related impacts. These types of personal connections will not only enhance my thesis but will live well beyond my PhD research by helping to strengthen a community of support to address future impacts on cultural heritage.

Being part of the global University of Leicester community is an honour. Thank you.

Meg created a video about her PhD research which can be viewed below

Esther Kentish

Esther’s work focuses on how frontline medical professionals documented and processed their evolving identities and experiences during the crisis. Her analysis reveals themes of time distortion, personal and professional identity shifts, and intimate emotional responses.

Esther Kentish was recently interviewed about her PhD research exploring the emotional and ethical dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic through doctors’ memoirs and diaries:

“Memoirs offer a uniquely intimate lens into how doctors coped—personally and professionally. One entry that deeply moved me described a doctor who, after exhausting days, sat and spoke with her late sister’s ashes. It was her way of processing grief and trauma.”. In addition to her academic achievements, Esther is also a published poet and a passionate advocate for creative expression, regularly attending ballet performances and literary events.

Esther is continuing her research into the emotional and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has moved into a new strand of her PhD which involves interviewing NHS doctors and patients about the ethical and emotional complexities of care during the height of the pandemic. Esther was selected to present her research at the 16th Asian Conference on Arts & Humanities in Tokyo during May 2025. Her poster, entitled “Britain’s NHS Doctors and Their Stories: COVID-19 Doctor Memoirs and Cathartic Release”, was displayed throughout the conference.

Esther said:

“The American Friends PhD Scholarship has played a vital role in supporting this work. It has provided the financial stability needed to undertake sensitive, community-informed, and interdisciplinary research during a time of immense public health and social challenge. I remain deeply grateful for this support.”

Dale Sindell

Gastromuseology – Food as a Lens for Identity and Difference in Museums

Dale outlines her research as:

“My research explores the emerging trend of gastromuseology in contemporary museums, investigating how food can be utilized as a powerful tool for learning about identity and difference. As museums evolve to become more visitor-centric, experiential, and socially relevant, the integration of food-related elements offers a unique opportunity to engage audiences in meaningful ways.

Food is a shared human experience—an invitation that ignites the senses, sparks curiosity, and transforms a simple meal into an opportunity for dialogue, reflection, and connection. In museum settings, its broad accessibility makes food a powerful transformative medium for learning. My research examines how food functions as a pedagogical tool, creating participatory spaces where visitors engage with complex histories and diverse perspectives through taste, smell, and shared experience.

While food has the power to unite, it is also deeply political, shaping and reflecting social hierarchies, class structures, and ethnic identities while evolving with globalization, migration, and historical power dynamics (Stano, 2015; Parasecoli, 2014). Food can act as a bridge or a source of division, serving as a symbol of belonging yet also reinforcing social inequalities.

Through my research, I aim to provide insights into how food-based programming is perceived by visitors, which in turn, can shape museum practice, strengthen community connections, and inspire action toward social change.”

Dale said of her scholarship support:

“Your support makes this work possible. I cannot thank you enough for investing in this research, which is not only academically significant but personally meaningful. I look forward to sharing more with you soon—and ultimately, to making you proud.”