The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship offers outstanding early career researchers the opportunity to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment. The primary emphasis is on the completion of a significant piece of publishable research, and the integration of the award holder into the community of established scholars within their field.
Proposals should be related to our research priority areas, led by Urban Lab staff who are available to act as mentors:
- Reparative Urban Practices – Prof Catalina Ortiz
- Speculative Urban Statecraft – Dr Joe Penny
- Critical Urban Heritage – Prof Clare Melhuish
- Climate, Displacement and the Posthuman – Prof Nishat Awan
Please contact the appropriate Urban Lab academic to discuss your application. They will also be able to provide mentoring support should your proposal be successful.
The BA Fellowship is tenable for three years, starting, at the earliest, on 01 September 2026, in a UK based University or Higher Education Institution.
Currently, the Academy funds 80% of salary costs, with the balance paid by UCL. Research expenses are covered at 100% within the upper limit, which is set at £6,000 over the three years.
The application will be in two stages: the Outline Stage (call out in July, deadline Oct 2025), open for everyone within the eligibility criteria; and the Second Stage, by invitation only (expected deadline Feb 2026).
Outline applications for Urban Lab support should consist of:
- An outline of research (max 3 pages incl. references, 12 point, 1.5 spaced)
- A CV with details of your academic and other relevant accomplishments
- Named mentor and preferably a supporting statement from the applicant, explaining what makes you a potentially outstanding candidate for a Fellowship and synergies with our work in Urban Lab.
These should be sent to Nishat Awan by 09:00 on 27th May 2025.