Archives and Artifacts offers Miami students opportunity to explore London’s research resources
Participants in the History program studied at British Library, Wimbledon, and more
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Published
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Miami University students researched projects in London as part of the Archives and Artifacts program.
Archives and Artifacts offers Miami students opportunity to explore London’s research resources
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Published
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One meeting was all it took to change Katelyn Phan’s mind.
Phan, a third-year Media and Communications major with an English Literature minor, had been encouraged by a faculty member to participate in Kimberly Hamlin’s Archives and Artifacts program. Phan did not know anyone in the program and was initially hesitant – until she attended a meeting.
“Everyone’s excitement was infectious,” Phan said.
“I would highly recommend this program to others. This program pushed the boundaries of what I thought I was capable of. My peers on this trip came from so many different academic disciplines, but there was truly something for everyone.”
Archives and Artifacts: Introduction to Humanities Research brought 23 Miami University students to London for two weeks this past January. Under the guidance of Hamlin, Chamberlin Family professor and chair of History, participants in Archives and Artifacts researched together at the British Library, the Wellcome Collection, the National Archives, and the London School of Economics, as well as individually at sites that included the Royal Society and the British Museum.
Among those stops was also the Wimbledon archives, which was Phan’s destination for her project, “An Aristocratic Affair: A Content Analysis Of The History of Ladies Wimbledon White Fashion From 1974 To Present.”
Phan’s love of tennis drew her to the subject, which focused on Wimbledon’s traditional dress code for athletes. Phan worked at the Kenneth Ritchie Wimbledon Library where she was surprised at how often her research focus and perspective pivoted.
“Sometimes the evidence will veer you in a completely different direction and what you initially thought you wanted to study will turn into a completely different question,” Phan said.
“The amount of aid I received from the staff and knowledgeable librarians absolutely blew me away. I couldn't believe how much access to information I had. It was like this in all the archives I visited across London.”
This was the second year for Archives and Artifacts. In 2024, Hamlin and 19 Miami students traveled to London for the inaugural outing.
The inspiration for the program came to Hamlin in 2023 during her research fellowship through the British Library’s Eccles Centre.
“While I was there, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. I should bring students here,’” Hamlin said. “I advise a lot of History Honors students, and the challenge for them is always what archive do they go to over the summer or for a long weekend. I thought I could bring everyone here and they could research whatever they wanted.”
This year’s projects ranged from the bombing of St. Paul’s Cathedral and life in World War II to Jack the Ripper, the art of tea drinking, and more. Hamlin held three to four meetings before the trip so students could decide their topics and hit the ground running once they arrived in London.
Some of the participants are History majors, but most are not, Hamlin noted. A portion do research related to a senior thesis, some do for their Honors experience, and some pick a subject that is personally interesting.
“I encourage them to research something meaningful to them and what can help with what’s next,” Hamlin said. “My main goal for them is to develop their own confidence in their intellectual curiosity and the ability to answer their own questions. That’s a skill that will help no matter what you do.
“I saw tremendous growth, not in just the ability to receive information but to make their own arguments as well.”
Hamlin hopes to continue the program, while Phan praised Archives and Artifacts for allowing Miami students to explore the rich history at their fingertips.
“Experiencing a different culture is something that everyone should strive to do,” Phan said. “It allows for us to widen our mode of thinking. I can’t thank Dr. Hamlin and the History department enough for choosing me. The trip gave me memories that I will truly cherish for a lifetime.”
Phan, a third-year Media and Communications major with an English Literature minor, had been encouraged by a faculty member to participate in Kimberly Hamlin’s Archives and Artifacts program. Phan did not know anyone in the program and was initially hesitant – until she attended a meeting.
“Everyone’s excitement was infectious,” Phan said.
“I would highly recommend this program to others. This program pushed the boundaries of what I thought I was capable of. My peers on this trip came from so many different academic disciplines, but there was truly something for everyone.”
Archives and Artifacts: Introduction to Humanities Research brought 23 Miami University students to London for two weeks this past January. Under the guidance of Hamlin, Chamberlin Family professor and chair of History, participants in Archives and Artifacts researched together at the British Library, the Wellcome Collection, the National Archives, and the London School of Economics, as well as individually at sites that included the Royal Society and the British Museum.
Among those stops was also the Wimbledon archives, which was Phan’s destination for her project, “An Aristocratic Affair: A Content Analysis Of The History of Ladies Wimbledon White Fashion From 1974 To Present.”
Phan’s love of tennis drew her to the subject, which focused on Wimbledon’s traditional dress code for athletes. Phan worked at the Kenneth Ritchie Wimbledon Library where she was surprised at how often her research focus and perspective pivoted.
“Sometimes the evidence will veer you in a completely different direction and what you initially thought you wanted to study will turn into a completely different question,” Phan said.
“The amount of aid I received from the staff and knowledgeable librarians absolutely blew me away. I couldn't believe how much access to information I had. It was like this in all the archives I visited across London.”
This was the second year for Archives and Artifacts. In 2024, Hamlin and 19 Miami students traveled to London for the inaugural outing.
The inspiration for the program came to Hamlin in 2023 during her research fellowship through the British Library’s Eccles Centre.
“While I was there, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. I should bring students here,’” Hamlin said. “I advise a lot of History Honors students, and the challenge for them is always what archive do they go to over the summer or for a long weekend. I thought I could bring everyone here and they could research whatever they wanted.”
This year’s projects ranged from the bombing of St. Paul’s Cathedral and life in World War II to Jack the Ripper, the art of tea drinking, and more. Hamlin held three to four meetings before the trip so students could decide their topics and hit the ground running once they arrived in London.
Some of the participants are History majors, but most are not, Hamlin noted. A portion do research related to a senior thesis, some do for their Honors experience, and some pick a subject that is personally interesting.
“I encourage them to research something meaningful to them and what can help with what’s next,” Hamlin said. “My main goal for them is to develop their own confidence in their intellectual curiosity and the ability to answer their own questions. That’s a skill that will help no matter what you do.
“I saw tremendous growth, not in just the ability to receive information but to make their own arguments as well.”
Hamlin hopes to continue the program, while Phan praised Archives and Artifacts for allowing Miami students to explore the rich history at their fingertips.
“Experiencing a different culture is something that everyone should strive to do,” Phan said. “It allows for us to widen our mode of thinking. I can’t thank Dr. Hamlin and the History department enough for choosing me. The trip gave me memories that I will truly cherish for a lifetime.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about the College of Arts and Science? Visit the website for more information.
