Stephen Dunning (He/Him)

Stephen is a cultural historian, heritage professional, and postgraduate research student based at Penryn Campus, University of Exeter. He is currently studying for his PhD in History, funded by the UK's Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWWDTP). Stephen's Doctoral research is also funded by the Social History Society (SHS) and the Royal Historical Society (RHS). In October 2025, Stephen was awarded the Martin Lynn Scholarship in African History from the RHS. 

Stephen's research utilises social science theory to explore imperial and global history, focusing on the history of civil engineering technologies and their relationship to imperial and social ideologies in domestic and colonial contexts. His PhD examines the construction of engineering technologies and imperial ideologies during railway engineering projects in Devon and British colonial-era East Africa. 

Stephen holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Geography and Heritage, as well as an M.A. in Heritage Management, both from Bath Spa University. He also attended postgraduate summer schools with the Global Academy of Liberal Arts (GALA) at Claremont Graduate University (CGU) in Los Angeles, and the Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione (CSAC) at the University of Parma in Italy. 

Stephen’s published works include online and limited-print articles on the religious and cultural history of America, as well as the history and culture of the county of Somerset, and other historical research topics, art exhibition reviews, and developments in the museum and heritage sector. His media appearances include an online documentary short about the life and work of Russian geographer Peter Kropotkin, a guest appearance on the American television show Higher Education Today, and an interview on behalf of Bath Medical Museum for a feature on BBC Bargain Hunt. 

Stephen is a highly qualified and experienced professional in the heritage sector. He has worked for several museums and heritage organisations in the UK, including English Heritage, the Bath Preservation Trust, and the American Museum & Gardens. Stephen's professional expertise encompasses the curation and conservation of historic house and museum collections, as well as customer service provision and venue hire in museums and heritage sites.