Durham University is delighted to invite applications from researchers for Visiting Fellowships of 10 weeks in duration.
Background
The Centre for Creation, Natural Philosophy and Science (CCNPS) was established at Durham University in 2025 to celebrate and promote the legacy of Professor Tom McLeish and his work at the interface of theology, medieval natural philosophy and contemporary natural science. The Centre draws together theologians, scientists, historians and philosophers to seek a greater integration of the natural sciences and humanities within a broader theological framework. The Centre is Directed by Professor Simon Oliver and Professor Giles Gasper.
McLeish Fellows
The CCNPS will elect two McLeish Fellows in the period 2026-2028. Each Fellow will be elected to 31st August 2028 with an accompanying Honorary Fellowship in the Department of Theology and Religion. There will be an expectation of a period of residence in Durham during one university term of their Fellowship, or an equivalent period of occasional residence as agreed with the Director of the CCNPS. Each Fellow will receive a stipend of £10k to meet research, accommodation and travel expenses.
Fellows will be academic staff working in the natural or medical sciences (broadly conceived) who wish to pursue a research project at the interface of theology and natural philosophy and/ or modern natural science. The Fellows will benefit from academic expertise in the Departments of Theology and Religion, History, and Philosophy at Durham. Such projects may include, but are not restricted to:
- The theological basis of natural philosophy and/ or modern natural science
- The understanding of order and purpose in theology, natural philosophy and/ or modern natural science
- Theological, natural philosophical and/ or natural scientific understandings of the human and human creativity
- Synergies between natural philosophy and natural science mediated by theology
- Theological implications of natural scientific research
- Theological, natural philosophical and natural scientific understandings of core categories, including light, motion, space, matter, consciousness.
Duties of McLeish Fellows
McLeish Fellows will be leading members of the CCNPS. They will
- take part in 15 online hybrid seminars convened by the Centre in 2026-2028;
- lead at least one of those seminars;
- publish at least one piece of scholarly work as either a journal article or monograph;
- disseminate their research in one or more of the following:
- Blog or Substack
- Online lecture
- Online interview
- Article(s) in interdisciplinary online journals such as The Conversation
- plan future research and funding bids in collaboration with members and associates of the CCNPS
Person Specification
Essential
- An established research and teaching profile in any area of the natural or medical sciences (broadly conceived) at any career stage;
- A strong track record of published research consistent with career stage;
- Experience of collaborative research leading to publication;
- An academic interest in Christian theology, including systematic, historical, biblical or practical theology.
Desirable
- An ability to communicate the aims of the CCNPS in the public domain and advocate for interdisciplinary work in theology, natural philosophy and the natural sciences;
- Successful research grant capture in any field.
Applications
Applicants should submit a short CV together with a summary of the project and materials they propose to work on, and the expected publications or other outcomes (the summary should be maximum two sides of A4). Applications should demonstrate a serious research interest that focuses on primary source material within the collections held at Durham.
Fellows will be granted a stipend of £10,000 towards their transport and subsistence costs. Please note that fellows will be expected to arrange their own travel and accommodation.
Fellows are expected to be in residence in Durham at some time during their fellowship and to participate in and make a contribution to the intellectual life of the University. This may include an informal talk or other events or blog posts about their research.
Information about the collections can be found here: https://www.dur.ac.uk/library/asc/collection_information/
Academic enquiries:
Professor Simon Oliver [email protected]
Professor David Wilkinson [email protected]
Professor Giles Gasper [email protected]
Please send applications to: [email protected]