Understanding and preserving works of art and culture for future generations
Lucy student and Gates Scholar Ellen Purdy’s interdisciplinary PhD combines chemistry and conservation science
Lucy PhD student Erica Cao (Music) and Gates Scholar on her multi-disciplinary research integrating psychology, sociology, and public policy
Why did you choose to do a PhD and what are your plans afterwards?
I had spent a year away from medical school working on an arts non-profit, and I didn't want to stop that work as the year came to an end. I'd been doing research alongside it, and the PhD seemed like a way to continue and further develop what I was doing. This was after scholarship funding and having done an MPhil there with my supervisor who became my PhD supervisor. Now I'm looking forward to going back to patient care, with a clearer vision of integrating the research and community work too.
What are your key motivations and what would you ultimately like to achieve?
I'm interested in scholarships that bridge research and practice. I discovered that there's a whole community of really interesting, paradigm-shifting scholarships and writing that I want to be a part of, whether in a formalised institutional way or otherwise. I'm trying to expand how we think about and practice care - not just from a well-being and health perspective, but also social and structural care. A lot of the motivation for that probably comes from knowing people and neighbours in social service, clinical, and community settings.
What's the best thing about being part of the Lucy community?
I had been doing quite a bit of exploring into gender and racial bias, and thought that a women's community would be a perfect place to further that. I know that Lucy Cavendish is going co-ed soon, and that it aims to retain its ethos focused around inclusivity, which has always been its strength for me. And there are so many charms - library tea and magazines, student union meetings, wilderly gardens. And the creative writing workshops and women writers space are wonderful!
About Erica
Erica's research interests are in the arts, health, and civil society. She is a PhD candidate at Cambridge University's Centre for Music and Science. Her MPhil and PhD studies are funded by Gates Cambridge Scholarships.
Her PhD project is on the impact of music-making on civic engagement and social connectedness. She conducts field research through Humans in Harmony, a nonprofit organization which links students and community members to write collaborative and personalized songs. Her research uses methods from psychology, sociology, and public policy. She is currently conducting field research with Humans in Harmony in NYC.
Erica graduated with a B.A. in Psychology summa cum laude and a Certificate in Musical Performance from Princeton University. Her medical training is at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
