WRDTP 10th Annual Conference

Tuesday 22nd June

1.30pm – 3.00pm

Building collaborative networks is an important part of doctoral study, both for the research itself and for post-PhD work. In this conference session, the SMP team will reflect on their experiences of negotiating network building and the challenges and benefits of being part of such networks.

By the end of the session, participants will have an understanding of what a collaborative network is; how to build a collaborative network; the benefits of being part of such networks; the challenges of maintaining successful networks.

Speakers

Tuesday 22nd June

4.00pm – 5.30pm

How can we make our research intelligible and engaging to the media, and what do journalists, think tanks and others need from us to translate our findings for public consumption? If you’ve ever wondered about how to extend the reach and impact of your work so that it contributes to broader debates in the ‘real world’ this is the session for you! It brings together three experts who either work in, or work with, the media and policy think tanks. They will discuss strategies for accessing those worlds, translating academic research for wider consumption, and their own experiences of engaging in dialogue in the space that exists between academia and the public. How does the media mediate serious scholarship, and what can we do to influence that process and get involved in it? What are the constraints on better dialogue between academics, journalists and policy networks? What careers, both formal and freelance, are available in these areas for those with PhDs, and how can we become competitive for them?

This training event will: (i) help to demystify the media and think tank worlds, by providing a forum for discussion between PGRs and three experts about how we can better-connect research with those communities; (ii) provide students with insights about how to make their work translatable for wider consumption, and to develop strategies for engaging with journalists, think tankers and policy networks; and (iii) enable PGRs to consider the options and possibilities open to them for working in these areas themselves – whether permanently or alongside an academic career – and the things that they might need to do in order to translate the skills developed in their PhDs to fit those roles.

Speakers

Wednesday 23rd June

9.30am – 10.30am

Engaging publics is now a key aspect of being a researcher. The session will focus on the importance of making our research available and accessible to a range of audiences beyond academia. Lukasz Szulc will draw on his experience as a digital media scholar and an academic blogger to offer examples of successful strategies for engaging the public in what we care about. Ultimately, the session will offer reflections on how to make public engagement an important element of research at any career stage.

Students well get:

1. An understanding of the importance of public engagement for academic research in the social sciences;
2. Examples of ways to divulgate academic research with non-academic audiences;
3. An understanding of techniques to combine and time strategically academic and non-academic writing in the course of a research project;
4. A taste of how to write blogs to divulgate research

Speakers

Wednesday 23rd June

4.00pm – 5.30pm

This training session focuses upon the relationship between the researcher and the field, exploring important considerations of inclusion, safety and violence. The first part of this session draws upon the project ‘Pride in the Field: Promoting Inclusive Fieldwork Spaces for LGBTQ+ Workers in Research, Policy and Practice’ to highlight the challenges facing LGBT+ researchers and to spotlight the need for more inclusive fieldwork practices and policies. The second part of this session draws upon personal experience of research in conflict settings to consider the emotional dynamics of field research and how to deal with them.

This training event will: (i) engage PGRs with important fieldwork considerations around inclusion, safety and violence; (ii) will offer insights into the challenges confronting LGBT+ researchers in certain global settings; and, (iii) provide expert tips and advice for those undertaking fieldwork in violent and insecure settings.

Speakers

Wednesday 23rd June

3.00pm – 4.00pm

Developing your research brand is an important part of the journey in an academic or research career. In this interactive workshop session, you will have the opportunity to develop your own research brand. We will discuss factors influencing this and how it may evolve through your career. We will also talk about the best way to promote your brand to maximise your exposure in the research world.

By the end of the session, you will have an understanding of what a research brand is; what yours is currently and how best to promote your brand.

Speakers