Food Examiner
Danielle La Scala
Versatile and detail-oriented AHRC PhD candidate and hourly lecturer in History at De Montfort University with a strong academic background and demonstrable record of teaching, project management, grant writing, publishing, and collaboration. I am keen to drive meaningful change in higher education through the academic services, particularly in project management roles, communications, or sustainability strategy. ​
Skills
Communication
Passionate communicator experienced in both written and spoken formats, engaging academic, student, and public audiences by publishing, lecturing, and regular conference presentations.
Project Management
Consistently managed projects alongside candidacy, such as a Research Fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution, and co-organising the Midlands4Cities 2022 Research Festival, a hybrid event held across four cities.
Problem-Solving
Proactively identified and resolved issues with initiative, demonstrable by three years of experience in student advocacy at an undergraduate through postgraduate level
Collaboration
Coordinated with colleagues to deliver an effective lecture and workshop plan and produced regular monthly reports to supervisors throughout doctoral training.
Education
2021 - 2025
PhD in History
De Montfort University
Thesis – ‘The Burger in Britain: A Symbol of Americana.’ Funding agent – Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Programme.
Additional role: Student Advisory Forum Representative for AHRC, 2022-2023.
2019 - 2020
MA in History
De Montfort University
Grade – Distinction.
Dissertation – “Food for Freedom”: Propaganda and the Value of Food During World War II.’
Additional role: Postgraduate Course Representative, 2019-2020.
2016 - 2019
Ba Honours in History with French
De Montfort University
Grade – First Class.
Additional role: Undergraduate Course Representative, 2017-2018.
Experience
Oct. 2023 - Nov. 2024
Lecturer, part-time
De Montfort University
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Lectured, convened seminars, and facilitated workshops on four modules ranging across modern British history and methodological practices.
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Delivered regular office hours to ensure a high level of tailored and accessible support.
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Marked assessments to university standard, offering detailed and actionable feedback.
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Lecture engagement praised by students as ‘highly interactive.’
Feb. 2024 - May 2024
Research Fellowship
Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington D.C.
Funding agent – United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI).
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Managed a research project of over 35 boxes of archive materials by securing funding, conducting and digitising fieldwork, and synthesising findings into three chapters of written outputs.
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Ensured compliance with both organisational and government policies.
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Maintained and allocated personal funds from multiple funding streams, successfully adhering to the project budget.
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Training/Qualifications
Feb. 2023 - Apr. 2023
Get Engaged with Policy! Programme
United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Constructed and presented a persuasive policy brief to engage government stakeholders.
Dec. 2022 - May 2023
Training to Teach Programme
University of Nottingham
Developed skills in designing interactive lessons and integrating digital tools to enhance student interest; also shadowed a classroom setting to improve communication strategies.
Aug. 2022 - Sept. 2023
Student Advisory Forum Representative
Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership Programme
Student advocacy role; trained in bridging communication gaps between the student body and all levels of senior and executive management.
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Research Publications
Danielle La Scala and Panikos Panayi, ‘The Globalization of British Food’, in Jonathan Davies, ed., The Routledge Handbook of Globalization in the 1980s (Forthcoming, Abingdon, Routledge, 2025), 6,000 words.
Danielle La Scala, “A Taste of America: The Arrival of the American Burger, 1954-1994.” (Historical Research, accepted and forthcoming August 2025).
Research Funding
UKRI International Placement Scheme Fellowship - £6775 (2024).
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Grant funded a three-month international Fellowship programme in Washington, D.C. to analyse 19th and 20th century archival materials at the Smithsonian Institution under the guidance of senior and lead curators, resulting in three written and one presented output.
References available upon request.
