Dr Zeny Edwards OAM Student Research Fellowship
In April 2025, Museums of History NSW launched the inaugural Dr Zeny Edwards OAM Student Research Fellowship. This program was established to support the next generation of historians, curators and heritage professionals in NSW, while also bringing fresh perspectives to MHNSW’s collections.
The fellowship is generously supported by Dr Zeny Edwards OAM, who was driven by her lifelong passion for learning and particularly the role of museums in fostering meaningful engagement for people of all backgrounds. As she explains:
There’s nothing better than the tactile sensation of holding original material. It’s very haptic. It engages a lot of the senses and, to me, enables deeper learning and a stronger connection to the past.
The fellowship gives students an opportunity to enhance their research skills and deepen their understanding of the history of NSW while actively contributing to public knowledge of MHNSW’s vast collections. Under the guidance and mentorship of specialist staff, fellows conduct focused collection-based research into historic buildings, sites and related objects, as well as the NSW State Archives Collection and the Caroline Simpson Library Collection.
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2025 student research fellowship projects
For the inaugural round of the fellowship, applicants were asked to propose a project that responded to the theme of the role of women in architecture and/or applied arts/design during the 20th century in NSW
How to apply
Student research fellowship: information and guidelines
Museums of History NSW Dr Zeny Edwards OAM Student Research Fellowship