A PhD student has been appointed to carry out a study into how the nuclear industry has shaped the heritage of Caithness and North Sutherland.
Linda Ross is to undertake a study called "The Second Industrial Revolution - An exploration and Analysis of of the Dounreay Nuclear Research Establishment on the Far North of Scotland" over the next three years.
Her appointment was announced at a special event which took place at Dounreay on Friday.
A former senior curator at the Scottish Martime Museum, Ms Ross said she was looking forward to discovering and recording Dounreay's importance to the area's industrial heritage.
"I hadn't thought about leaving my job but when I saw this position advertised I just knew it was right for me.
“I was delighted when I was offered the position and equally thrilled to accept it".
The PhD is a collaborative doctoral partnership between Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
As part of her research, she will be gathering information, digging through archives and speaking to local people about their experiences of working at or living near to Dounreay.