Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting our Winter Showcase 2024, and we’re excited to share that it was a wonderful success.

The Winter Showcase is more than just an event—it’s a platform designed to empower researchers giving them the opportunity to connect, learn from each other and practise their presentation skills. Whether you’re drawn to insightful research talks, captivated by the diversity of research posters, or eager to present your own findings, the Winter Showcase offers something for everyone.

This year’s programme featured a lineup of thought-provoking presentations that highlighted the diversity and depth of research in our community:

• Chris Payne “Are e-scooters active transport? Measured physical activity outputs of e-scooter riding vs walking”
• Shiyu Yuan “The Power of Two: Couples’ Combined Work-from-Home Status, commuting time, and Childbirth in the UK”
• Inah Okpa Okpa “Mitigating Carbonwashing in ESG Marketing: Can Artificial Intelligence Adoption Enhance Corporate Climate Governance?”
• Yeshu Kadiri “Informal Urbanism and Gendered Infrastructure in the Global South: Ethnography of a Basti in Hyderabad, India”
• Emily Su “Visualizing a ‘Synergy of Greatness’: A Study of the Sublime through Napoleonic Battle Painting, c. 1800-1815”
• Yvonne Cullen “How to relearn creative and collaborative learning”
• Hugh Robertson-Ritchie “Epistemic Injustice in ME (Myalgic Encephalomyopathy or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is Exacerbated by Uncertainty”

The event also featured a variety of impressive research posters created by our talented PhD students. Covering a wide range of themes, these posters sparked engaging discussions and gave the opportunity to learn about the innovative projects being conducted at Kent.

It was really uplifting. I enjoyed connecting with other postgraduate students and building my self-confidence to speak about my research. The Graduate and Researcher College really works for the students and that it’s an amazing asset to the PhD experience.

Barbara Denuelle

If you weren’t able to join us this year, don’t worry—there will be plenty more opportunities to get involved. Whether as a presenter or attendee, your presence can make this event even more exciting and impactful in the future.

Stay tuned for updates on upcoming events and ways to connect.

Last week, we hosted our annual Exploring Global Cultures PG Talk—an event that has become a highlight of the year at the Graduate and Researcher College. This eagerly anticipated talk brings together postgraduate students to share fascinating insights into their unique cultural backgrounds.

This engaging event invites Master’s students to share insights into their unique cultures through 7-minute presentations, offering a fascinating glimpse into the traditions, values, and perspectives that make our community so diverse.

This year’s event was no exception, as four incredible students transported us to Grenada,  Mauritius, Nigeria and Cyprus.

The PG Talk: Exploring global cultures was fascinating. It was lovely meeting the other speakers and listening as they talked us through their histories, from tragic stories of slave trade to the beauty of diverse cultures, landscapes, and carnivals.

Aderonke

Each presentation offered a unique perspective, reminding us of how much we can learn from one another and how wonderful it is to celebrate our differences and connections.

I am always very proud when I am able to shine the spotlight on Grenada because being from this island has shaped a very large part of my identity. I am happy to introduce a piece of my culture and history to the other students. And if I am able to spark curiosity through my love and pride of my homeland, then I have successfully represented Grenada to the best of my ability.

Kamille

Events like these offer us a glimpse into the worlds of our peers, fostering a sense of connection and togetherness.

Presenting Nigeria was particularly special for me, as in recent years, Nigeria has grown significantly in tech, fashion, art, film, and music, and sharing these beautiful aspects of Nigeria with others was quite fulfilling.

Aderonke

Stay tuned for more exciting events from the Graduate and Researcher College.

Over 50 PGR students along with their supervisors gathered upstairs in Woody’s for the BIG PGR Quiz of the Year.  It was a joint social event organised by the Graduate Researcher College(GRC) and Kent Student’s Union (KSU) with a free spread of tasty food and refreshments provided too.

14 teams took part with innovative and inventive names: Non-Applicable, The Smooth Brains, Yeasty Boys, The Centrifugitives, Psycho Linguistics, Biohazardous Waste(d), Philanthropy Fantastica, Inspire, Hybrid Vigour, Unsupervised Learners, Quiz-ics and Astronomy, Statistically Insignificant, ChemisTRY Harder and The Mushkateers.

Quizzers battled their heads over a picture round and questions on Food, Films, Around the World and History of Kent University whilst socialising with fellow PhD students and supervisors in the warmth of Woody’s.  There was much fun and laughter had by the PGR community at Kent.

It was a close competition with Non-Applicable winning the Booby Prize and The Mushkateers (pictured above) scooping the top prize of £100.  Josh, from the Mushkateers winning team, summarised the evening by saying: “Nothing brings friends and co-workers together like a good old-fashioned Quiz night!”

*Disclaimer: This article discusses my recovery from a substance use disorder and provides resources at the end, if you or someone you know is struggling.

Who am I?

My name is Katelyn, and I am a first-year PhD student in Sociology at the University of Kent.  Originally from a small town outside Columbus, Ohio, my journey to the PhD has brought me around the world.  From growing up in the Swiss suburbs to studying at university in five different countries, my academic journey has been all but straightforward.  In this article, you’ll read more about my path from brick uni to distance-learning and back again.  It has not been easy, but I hope I can inspire others that anything is possible if you believe in yourself.

My Undergraduate Journey

Like many people, I began my university journey at the age of eighteen, freshly graduated from my International School in Switzerland, where I grew up.  Also like many people, I was uncertain which direction to take, so I went with my safest bet, which was to study English Literature and Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh.  However, near the end of my first year, I realised the course wasn’t right for me.  I have always loved reading and creative writing growing up, but I didn’t have passion for my course.  That’s when I decided to transfer unis and took the leap to study back in my home country, at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

My time in D.C. led to a similar fate, and by the end of my first year there, I was ready to return to Europe.  Even though I looked and sounded like my peers, my time living abroad for so long left me feeling disconnected from the American experience.  I wanted desperately to move back to Europe and be closer to my family, who were still in Switzerland, so I transferred yet again to the American University of Paris, in France.

For the most part, I enjoyed life in Paris.  It was a hustling and bustling city with lots to do, and my professors were very knowledgeable about their subjects.  However, I fell in with the wrong crowd, and my academics started slipping.  I developed a substance use disorder and eventually withdrew from my studies there.

In February 2020, I went to treatment to get the help I needed.  Although it was the most difficult experience of my life, I came out clean and ready for a new beginning.  That said, I couldn’t help but feel like my university destiny was shattered.  That is, until I heard about the Open University.

After three failed attempts at uni, I felt nervous embarking on a distance-learning journey with the OU.  What if I wasn’t meant for university?  What if I failed again?  I also didn’t have a lot of support from my family when I announced that I wanted to finish my Bachelor’s degree online; however, they did let me move back home to Switzerland to give it one last go.

The first few months were an adjustment.  I had gone from very structured learning to structuring my own learning, and it was a learning curve to say the least.  However, I persevered and I made it through.  I graduated with my BA in Criminology and Sociology from the Open University with first-class honours, and to this day, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities the OU provided me.

Transferrable Skills for the Future

Distance-learning gave me skills that have translated directly to my PhD, such as time-management, organisation, independence and self-motivation.  It allowed me time to focus on myself and my recovery while still pursuing my academic passions.  Distance-learning with the OU really helped me rebuild my life and restore my confidence – so much so, that I ended up pursuing a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Policy from the London School of Economics.

Once again, I found myself country-hopping, hoping to find success as a young academic.  I won’t lie – going to LSE scared me, because my first several attempts at brick uni were unsuccessful.  Not to mention I was leaving behind my closest friends and family in Switzerland.

However, despite the challenges that I faced moving to London, I am so glad I did, or else I would not be in Canterbury today.  Pursuing my MSc in Criminal Justice Policy solidified my interest in, and passion for, criminology and sociology which led me to apply for a PhD at the University of Kent.

Why Kent?

 Something I’ve been asked a lot is, Why Kent?  Firstly, I chose the University of Kent because their motto stood out to me.  “We stand for ambition” was something that resonated with me, because despite facing adversity, I did feel like I had no ambition necessary to succeed at a PhD.  Secondly, I found a PhD supervisor whose expertise aligned very closely to my proposed research – an interdisciplinary study of the gentrification of sexual geographies in London’s Kings Cross.  Mentorship is something I really value, and I firmly believed that the guidance I would receive at the University of Kent would be unparalleled to any other.

So, I began my PhD in Sociology in January of 2024 as an international and mature student.  Moving to Canterbury has been an amazing experience for me so far.  Despite London’s influence on my academic journey, the city was overwhelming to me.  I find Canterbury much more bite-size, and my studies so far have been nothing but satisfying.

Mentorship is something I really value, and I firmly believed that the guidance I would receive at the University of Kent would be unparalleled to any other.

In particular, the student support at the uni – including that from my supervisor – has been extremely helpful for me.  A few months before commencing my PhD, I was diagnosed with ADHD and was finding it hard to come to terms with what that meant for my future studies.  Yet, the support I’ve received has helped me learn to work with my ADHD, rather than against it.

I also really value the diversity at the University of Kent.  I feel like I belong, and I think that is what I have been searching for all along.

I also really value the diversity at the University of Kent.  Despite living in a different country and being slightly older than my peers, I feel at home here.  I feel like I belong, and I think that is what I have been searching for all along.

What’s Next?

Now, as I head into my second year of the PhD, I am excited for what lays ahead.  I have the tools I learnt from the Open University and four years in recovery under my belt, and I have never felt more prepared to face what comes my way.

Of course, PhDs aren’t easy.  In fact, I’ve faced lots of challenges already such as recruiting participants for my ethnography.  But, it’s all part of the learning experience, and I’m so glad I’m experiencing it at the University of Kent.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my diverse route to PhD studies.

Katelyn Owens

Resources

Looking for a fun social event with other Postgraduate researchers?

Join us on Wednesday 27th November at 16:00 for an afternoon of fun, food, and friendly competition at our Postgraduate Researcher Quiz!

Come along and make up PGR teams of up to 5 – invite your supervisors to join in! Don’t have a team? No worries! Sign up solo and we’ll help you find one on the day.

A chance to exercise your quizzing muscles, meet other researchers with a tasty spread of nachos, wings, loaded fries, and more provided at each table (vegan options available!) The winning team could even win £100 prize too!

Stay after the Quiz to mingle with your fellow PGR colleagues and supervisors in a relaxed, social atmosphere.

When? Wednesday 27 November, 16:00 – 18:00

Where?  Woody’s Pub and Café.

Don’t delay, book today! Fill in this form to book a place. Link to calendar event here.

N.B.  Spaces are limited, so make sure you sign up! Deadline for signing up is Wednesday 20th November.

The InSpire Group is excited to announce the expansion of our monthly networking days for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) at Kent. These non-compulsory, PGR-led full-day events are led by doctoral researchers and designed to foster collaboration, engagement and a sense of community among PGRs. Originally initiated within the School of Social Sciences, we are expanding the outreach to incorporate PGRs across the university. The next upcoming event will take place on Thursday 7th November 2024 (see programme below) in the Cornwallis East Boardroom on the first floor and online. 

A New Initiative for PGRs 

Scheduled for the first Thursday of every month during the academic year, InSpire Group days offer PGRs a chance to connect through writing sessions, discussion groups, seminars, research panels and social activities. Each event is planned in advance, enabling participants to manage their commitments related to work, childcare and travel. 

 Background 

The InSpire Group was born from discussions at a recent LSSJ Writing Workshop, where the need for stronger collaborative connections within our PGR community was highlighted. Fostering these ties and encouraging networking is essential as we navigate the often isolating journey of research. A key proposal was to establish a designated day each month for on-campus PGR activities, leading to the official formation of the InSpire Group (Integration and Networking of Scholarly PhDs in Research and Engagement). 

 Why a Pre-Arranged Day? 

The underlying principle of our monthly meetings is to provide a predictable schedule that facilitates planning to arrange childcare, take time off from part-time jobs and book travel in advance, thus making participation more feasible. While attendance is not mandatory, our goal is to create an environment that is supportive and easier to join on campus or online. Where possible, all sessions will be hybrid, accommodating those who may not be able to attend in person.  

Topics of Interest 

Our monthly events will cover topics relevant to the PGR experience, including but not limited to methods, supervisory relationships, ethics, academic expectations, wellbeing and self-care, individual working groups and writing sessions. These discussions will include contributions from faculty, GRC representatives and our community of doctoral researchers. 

Get Involved 

All PGRs are automatically part of the InSpire Group, but we encourage you to join the organisational team, which currently includes 15 doctoral researchers from the School of Social Science. Your participation will enrich our collective experience. If you’re interested in contributing, please fill out our Organisational Team sign-up form: https://forms.gle/7anXFcCfNXyiYnNf7. This doesn’t require a monthly commitment; it signals your interest in engaging in discussions about topics, event formats and logistical support.  

Upcoming InSpire Days 

Mark your calendars for the following InSpire days this academic year: 

7th Nov, 5th Dec, 9th Jan, 6th Feb, 6th Mar, 3rd Apr, 1st May and 5th Jun.  

Please see below the Programme for the upcoming 7th November InSpire day. We look forward to seeing many of you there.  

Download Programme

Microsoft Teams  

Join the meeting now 

Meeting ID: 312 162 837 306 

Passcode: bJfDyx 

For any comments or questions, please contact organiser Katrine Callander at kac45@kent.ac.uk. 

Katrine Callander

We heard you!

Following on from insights and feedback we’ve had from our PG community about wanting more opportunities to present their research and network we are excited to offer the following new Winter Showcase event.

On 11 December we are welcoming all PG students to our Winter Showcase 2024. This will be an excellent opportunity for all postgraduate students to hear and see what research is being undertaken by our postgraduate researcher community. Postgraduate researchers can present their research in the form of a talk and/or a research poster or just come along to hear and network with their peers.

There will be the opportunity for 6  postgraduate researchers explain their research via 10 minute research talks. This is a great way to practice your presentation skills , particularly if you are presenting at another event or conference later in the academic year.

A research poster is a fantastic way to communicate your research findings to an audience, and it can also can help to promote discussion and collaboration with your peers.

There will be a number of research posters on display. If you would like to display a research poster you might be interested in attending the ‘Producing a Research Poster‘ workshop we are running online on 14th October, 2-4:30pm.

Join us on Wednesday 11 December, 12-3pm at the Winter Showcase 2024 to celebrate postgraduate research and our community at Kent.

Sign up details to attend and/or present will follow shortly.

The Graduate and Researcher College is delighted to announce the winners of the GRC Prizes 2024. These awards honour outstanding contributions made by postgraduate researchers and members of staff across various fields and disciplines.

The GRC Prizes were established to recognize and encourage the exceptional efforts and achievements of the university’s graduate researchers. This initiative not only highlights the outstanding contributions made by these talented individuals but also serves as a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and supportive research community.

Let us announce the winners of the GRC Prizes 2024:

Research Supervisor Runner-Up – David Garbin

“Receiving the PG Supervisor Prize is a significant milestone I would like to share with my outstanding students. Their commitment to their research and their hard work is truly inspiring! Their critical engagement and international research also enriches our whole academic community. It’s a great honour to work with them.”

Research Supervisor Runner-Up – Marta Farré Belmonte

“I’m very proud to be the Runner-Up for the GRC Research Supervisor Award, and I’m very thankful to my research postgrad students that nominated me. I take a lot of pride in supervising students and helping them develop into amazing scientists, being recognised by my lab students and the Graduate and Researcher College feels very special.”

Research Supervisor Winner – George Saridakis

“Receiving the 2024 GRC Prize for Research Degree Supervisor is an immense honour, coupled with the profound joy of having contributed to the growth and development of my research students. Many thanks to my students, co-supervisors, and colleagues for their unwavering support and collaboration over the years.”

Postgraduate Researcher Runner-Up – Krysia Waldock

“For the importance of my research topic to be understood and recognised as ground-breaking, and the work I have done outside of my PhD, to be recognised, means a lot. This is especially the case where I work in a field (disability/neurodivergence & religion) that is under-researched and not always seen as important.”

Postgraduate Researcher Runner-Up – Waksh Awais

“I am glad to have won the GRC Runner up prize this year and it has really motivated me for my academic career. I also greatly acknowledge the support provided by my supervisors, KBS and all other communities at University of Kent.”

Postgraduate Researcher Winner – Basma Eldoukhi

“I am very proud to be the 2024 GRC Postgraduate Research Student Winner. This award is a clear and nice recognition for all my hard work, commitment and integrity to my research, the university and diverse societal causes using my voice, skills, expertise, power, courage, fierce bravery, and conviction. This award is a reminder of what legacy and mark I want to leave in the academic research and community within the university and wider. I dedicate this award to the people of Gaza and every Palestinian scholar. Research is about and for the people and values, so when the time comes, we need to be  loud and clear to stand up, speak up for these values and people and be the change that we want to see in the academia and everywhere. It has been a tough year and I am so delighted to be winning the Graduate school Prize for postgraduate student. It means a lot to me and I very much appreciate the nominations and the award.”

On the 3rd of July 2024, the GRC welcomed staff and students alike to our Annual Postgraduate Conference.

It was a busy and vibrant day celebrating all of our postgraduate researchers, thank you to all who attended. If you have any feedback from the event, please fill out our form here.

This year, the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) collaborated with the Division of Arts and Humanities, the Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Kent Business School and the Division of Natural Sciences to celebrate our postgraduate researcher community.

The day kicked off with research talks,  panel discussions, poster presentations, interactive sessions and divisional Q&As. We were then also joined by Kent Union, The Brilliant Club, Library Services, Careers Services, and Student Support and Wellbeing. After enjoying a Kentish buffet lunch students and staff mingled and networked, before heading off to more talks, panels, presentations and sessions.

Awards Ceremony 

We ended with an awards ceremony and drinks reception, which celebrated the winners of the Three Minute Thesis,  Academic Poster Competition, Academic Talks Competition, ECR Participation Competition, Supervisor Competition and the GRC Prizes. We were delighted to announce the winners of all our competitions this year at the event. These were:

Three Minute Thesis

Runner-Up – Olasunkanmi Arowolo

Winner – Becky Mcneill

Academic Poster Competition

Division of Natural Sciences Runner-Up – Amy Powell

Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Winner – Olivia Keers

Kent Business School Winner – Maryam Ajaj

Academic Talks Competition

Division of Natural Sciences Runner-Up –  Mariam Yacoub

Division of Natural Sciences Winner – Ed Deshumukh-Reeves

ECR Participation Competition

Division of Natural Sciences Winner – Jake Hudson

Supervisor Competition

Division of Natural Sciences Winner – Professor Michelle Garrett

GRC Prizes

Research Supervisor Runner-Up – Dr.  David Garbin

Research Supervisor Runner-Up – Dr. Marta Farré Belmonte

Research Supervisor Winner – Professor George Saridakis

Postgraduate Researcher Runner-Up – Krysia Waldock

Postgraduate Researcher Runner-Up – Waksh Awais

Postgraduate Researcher Winner – Basma Eldoukhi

We were delighted to see so many of you at the Annual Postgraduate Conference – thank you for joining us and making it such a wonderful day!

Hear what some of our students had to say about the day:

“I thoroughly enjoyed the conference and thought that all of the presentations were engaging followed by enriching discussions.”

Subhadip Mukherjee

“This year’s conference was absolutely fantastic. It was brilliant to see so many divisions collaborating and such a large portion of our PGR population in one space! Genuinely a massive well done to you and your team and it was a pleasure to be a part of it.”

Ben Bradley

Hi! My name is Becky and I am a second-year PhD student studying Forensic Psychology at Kent. My research focuses on exploring a new theory of paedophilia which suggests that this sexual interest falls into two pathways: one that is more biologically created, and another that is more environmentally created. I am using a combination of questionnaires, scales, and interviews to gain an idea of how a sexual interest in pre-pubescent children develops, and how it is perceived by those who have it.

I entered the 3MT competition after seeing it advertised and being encouraged by my supervisor to take part. Since I haven’t had the chance to attend many conferences so far in my PhD, I haven’t really been able to showcase my research or practise my presentation skills, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to do so. Even if you are lucky enough to attend plenty of conferences during your studies, the 3MT competition is a great chance to demonstrate an ability to present your research in a clear, succinct manner to an audience who may not be experts in your field, or may not even be that familiar with it at all. Once I started practising my talk, I realised just how short a time 3 minutes is to try and get across something that I’d been working on for nearly 2 years!

Some advice I would give to those considering taking part:

• One way I found helpful was to imagine that I was at a social event meeting strangers, and they had asked me what my PhD topic focuses on. That way, I could figure out how I could explain it in a simple manner, while getting across the important information.
• Draft a speech to start with – even if it is in bullet points, this will form the basis of the speech and make sure you are hitting the key points that are outlined in the guidance for 3MT. Only focus on the really key parts – it might be tempting to go into detail, particularly with complex research, but that’s part of the challenge: how well can you present your PhD to someone who doesn’t study your subject, in a very short period of time?
• Read it aloud while timing yourself – it’s best to not look at the timer while doing this as it can be quite off-putting! This will give you a good idea of whether you are way over or under in terms of time, and you can tweak your speech accordingly
• Even if you don’t have solid findings yet, or feel as though your research isn’t quite developed enough, that’s fine! I didn’t have any findings at the time I applied for 3MT, and I presented what I expected to find
• If you have the opposite problem, and you have too many things to talk about in your speech, that’s fine too! I only spoke about one part of my research as I wouldn’t have had time to talk about the other part – the judges don’t need to know every aspect of your PhD, just a bit of it is enough, and they are focusing on your ability to present your research clearly, enthusiastically, and professionally
• Try to think about the really key parts of your research when creating your slide. I found the slide one of the hardest parts, and in the end I went for a very simple, fairly vague message, which I explained in my speech. There are various approaches you can take to creating your slide, which are in the guidance resources for 3MT, so I definitely recommend taking a look at them. The main thing is to make sure you don’t overcrowd your slide or make it look dull; the judges won’t want to read a lot of text alongside you talking, and things like images are more eye-catching than a graph or table!
• It doesn’t have to take ages, for those who might be worried about balancing 3MT alongside their studies – I would honestly say it took me longer trying to perfect my powerpoint slide than creating and recording my speech!

The 3MT competition is a great chance to demonstrate an ability to present your research in a clear, succinct manner to an audience who may not be experts in your field, or may not even be that familiar with it at all.

I was thrilled to hear I had won the Kent competition, and after doing so, I was very pleased to receive the prize (£200!), and my entry has been submitted to the UK semi-finals for the national 3MT competition. While I don’t know yet the outcome of the semi-finals, it is fantastic to have got this far, and I will at least be able to say that I was a contender in the UK semi-finals for the 3MT competition. Taking part in something like this will look great on a CV in terms of showcasing presentation skills – not only to a room full of experts in the field at a conference, but to a lay audience with a very strict time constraint.

I would thoroughly recommend taking part – you never know, you could be the next UK 3MT winner!