The Materiality Research Growth Network is grounded in the University’s commitment to cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional research into the materials and materiality of collections—from the Material Culture Forum and Centre for Material Texts to our world-class labs dedicated to the preservation, conservation and scientific examination of our collections. We are uniquely positioned to embark upon and develop research collaborations that can bridge Cambridge’s collections, disciplines and departments, and support wider arts, culture and STEM agendas through the application of scientific approaches to enhance our understanding of our cultural heritage.
This RGN’s 2020-2021 projects,Thinking Paper and The Cambridge Heritage Science Hub (CHERISH) Initiative, offer new ways of thinking about the materiality of our collections, both conceptually and methodologically. They embody the Research & Collection Programme’s aim to unlock the potential of our collections through cross-disciplinary, national and international research collaborations. Visit their pages to learn more about these projects.