Doctoral researcher Antonin Ficatier is studying for a PhD in Theology and Religion at Birmingham and is the recipient of a scholarship from Cumberland Lodge, a charity dedicated to empowering people, through dialogue and debate, and to tackling the causes and effects of social division.
We spoke to Antonin about what it means to him and how it will help his research studies.
Every year, the Cumberland Lodge Scholarship select 10 PhD students from all over the country who study in very different fields. For the two years of the program, we are given opportunities to develop practical skills and take part in the activities of the Cumberland Lodge (conferences, writing retreats, reports etc). The program aims to help young scholars to gain a better understanding of current societal issues.
I actually learnt about the program from an email sent by our department to all students. I was very interested in the program and decided to apply to the scholarship in March, along with 190 other applicants. There was an oral interview at the beginning of May, and I somehow made it!
Being a Cumberland Lodge Scholar will definitely help me to broaden my horizons and to take part in interdisciplinary discussions. As a Christian ethicist, it will also be a wonderful opportunity to dialogue with scholars from other fields and to learn from their point of view.
I am a distance-learner part-time post-graduate in the department of Theology and Religion. Under the supervision of Dr Jeremy H. Kidwell, I investigate digital technologies from the lens of Christian ethics.