Congratulations to Dr Catherine Jenkinson (2019, DPhil History at Lincoln) who was awarded 'Highly Commended' for the VC's Breakthrough Researcher Award at the 2025 Vice-Chancellor's Awards Ceremony. This award recognises 'researchers at the early stages of their careers who have made a significant impact at the University'. Catherine is currently a junior dean at Lincoln, College Lecturer in History and Julian Schild Junior Research Fellow at Pembroke College, and Research Associate, (Hi)stories of Violence: Myth-Making, Imprisonment and the Cultural Identity of the Tower of London.
This VC Award recognises Catherine's collaborative work as part of the ‘(Hi)stories of Violence: Myth-making, Imprisonment and the Cultural Identity of the Tower of London’ project, working with Historic Royal Places and the Royal Armouries. The project investigates how the Tower of London’s links to violence, such as torture and execution, are remembered by the public, and how these dark associations have shaped its appeal to millions of visitors each year. By examining the gap between historical facts and popular perception, the research aims to deepen understanding of the Tower’s past, potentially influencing how its history is presented to future visitors.
Catherine said: "I am delighted and deeply moved by this honour and its affirmation of the continued opportunities and value in research in the humanities. I so appreciate the opportunity to participate in the (Hi)stories of Violence collaborative project, and I really believe this research has the potential to reshape and complicate long-held ideas about the Tower of London and the history of violence more broadly. I am particularly grateful for the mentorship of Hannah Skoda, Steven Gunn, and Rachel Delman. It's a great pleasure to work collaboratively with such wonderful colleagues at the University, the Royal Armouries, and Historic Royal Palaces on this project. I am also indebted to my brilliant colleagues at Pembroke and Lincoln, and to my talented and energising students at Pembroke. Lincoln has been my home for years, and I can't think of a better community in which to live and work both during and after the completion of my DPhil."
