Supervising doctoral students: dimensions for reflection

This is a guest post by Dr Martyn Polkinghorne Associate Professor and UKCGE recognised research supervisor, Dr Julia Taylor and Dr Fiona Knight the Heads of the Doctoral College and Natalie Stewart Doctoral College Programme Manager and current PhD Student, all from Bournemouth University. The highest level of degree offered by UK Universities is the …

Creating the right environment for PhD productivity

This is a guest post by Alberto Corsini (Université Côte d'Azur, France), Michele Pezzoni (Université Côte d'Azur, France), and Fabiana Visentin (Maastricht University, the Netherlands), based on their recent paper on PhD productivity, in the journal Research Policy. Today’s science relies increasingly on PhD students’ work. PhD students, through their publication activity, play a fundamental …

Is it possible to be a bullying supervisor without realising it?

This is a guest post by Dr Elizabeth Adams of Scafell Coaching. Elizabeth is a Researcher Development consultant with strengths in coaching, innovation and entrepreneurial leadership. Image via @BelievePHQ on Twitter In a recent Australian study (530 researchers) around half the respondents indicated that they had experienced bullying. Bullying and harassment were also highlighted as …

Five reasons we need trauma-informed postgraduate supervision

This is a guest post by Dr Katrina McChesney (@krmcchesney), a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Waikato, New Zealand and incoming co-editor (with Dr James Burford) of Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. Katrina’s current research interests include trauma-informed doctoral education and doctoral research by distance. Cover image by Julia Taubitz on Unsplash The World …

What did my supervisors do well?

This is a guest post by Dr Sazan M. Mandalawi, who has recently completed her doctorate at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. She has published two recent papers, one on doing distance doctorates, and the other on the supervision of distance doctorates. I began my Doctoral journey at the University of Southern Queensland in …

Postgraduate development – bridging the research-teaching divide

This is a guest post by Dr Marita Grimwood, Associate Professor in Curriculum Design at Edinburgh Napier University. Her co-authored book, Evidencing Teaching Achievements, is forthcoming with Critical Publishing in 2023. 'Research' and 'teaching'… what do those words mean to you? So often in HE we see them set up as opposites. They can be …

Doctoral students at a distance? 20 ideas to support institutions and supervisors

This is a guest post by Dr James Burford (@jiaburford), an Assistant Professor of Global Education and International Development at Warwick University in the UK, Dr Katrina McChesney (@krmcchesney), a Senior Lecturer in initial teacher education at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, Professor Liezel Frick (@FrickLiezel) based in the Department of Curriculum Studies …

Praise and encouragement goes a long way towards building confidence in laboratory work

Charlotte Slaymark is a Technician at the University of Glasgow, and holds the UKCGE Recognised Associate Supervisor Award.

The Auditorium

By Charlotte Slaymark, Biogeochemistry Technician and PhD Candidate, University of Glasgow

Supervision may be the most important aspect of a postgraduate’s experience during their masters or PhD programme. Supervisors are there to teach, guide, develop, support, and empower postgraduates into becoming independent researchers and highly skilled people. The experience is formative, and it is likely the candidate will remember it for their entire life.

Supervision in physical sciences often comes from several people to provide different expertise, training, development, and support. I think it is important all aspects of supervision are considered for a successful postgraduate experience which is why I took time to reflect on my supervisory practice by taking part in the UK Council for Graduate Education Associate Supervisor Award.

This blog piece is about my day-to-day experience as a research technician (and part time PhD candidate), supervising on post-graduate projects in the School of Geographical and…

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Being open to critique, transparent in your motives, and when needed, step out of the way

This is a guest post by Manuela Schmidt, currently working at Jönköping University and Linneaus University and Erika Hansson, of Kristianstad University. Manuela and Erika met during their respective doctoral programs. Manuela in health science and Erika in psychology. After reaching ‘the other side’, both with PhD’s after their names, they decided to ignore the …

The doctoral supervisor as methodological mentor: postgraduate methodological journeys

Dr Timothy Clark (@DrTimothyClark) is a Senior Lecturer, Supervisor and Researcher in Education and Childhood at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). The selection, and coherent application, of methodological approach is often highlighted as one of the most challenging aspects of doctoral study. In my own experience, as an EdD student, the …