Tag: Doctoral student

Doctoral Student Spotlight: Antonia Voigt, Education PhD Student & Best Full Paper Award Winner

Posted on by cu19879

Antonia has been paving the way for greater sustainability management in UK universities after choosing to explore the topic for her doctoral thesis. Her work was even recognised for a prestigious award last year! 

We caught up with Antonia to learn more about her area of research expertise, her journey as a PhD student at the School of Education, and what her hopes are for her groundbreaking research after successfully defending her doctoral thesis.

Antonia presenting her PhD findings at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, the preeminent professional association for management and organization scholars.

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I am a passionate researcher, and for the last nine years, I have immersed myself in the world of academia. I believe in the power of lifelong learning. Every year, I have pushed myself a little further beyond my comfort zone and tried out something new. Whether through presenting my research at a global conference or serving as the Faculty PGR representative at the University of Bristol, I am striving to have a positive impact on people’s lives. On the rare occasions when I am not at university, you will probably find me folding intricate origami figures or watching the latest K-drama series.

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In Conversation With: Pen Williams, Education PhD Student & BERA SIG Best Presentation Award Winner

Posted on by cu19879

We spoke with Pen Williams, an Education PhD student and doctoral researcher at the School of Education, who recently won the Nature, Outdoor Learning and Play Special Interest Group (SIG) Best Presentation Award at the British Educational Research Association (BERA) Annual Conference. She told us all about her journey at the School of Education so far – progressing from her Masters degree to her PhD – to her specialist research interests and her reaction to receiving the prestigious award this year.

Tell us a little bit about you!  

I’m currently in the third year of my PhD at the School of Education and am busy analysing the data I collected earlier this year! Before returning to full time study, I was a secondary teacher for about 20 years, teaching English in schools and colleges in and around Bristol. I also work with the Global Goals Centre on delivering their workshops based on the sustainable development goals. Other than that, I’m a mum, proud Bristolian and season ticket holder at Ashton Gate for the Bristol Bears! 

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Salma’s story: What is it like to conduct doctoral research during a pandemic?

Posted on by School of Education University of Bristol

Blog post by Salma Al Saifi, doctoral researcher at the School of Education, University of Bristol

The spread of the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19 with all the strict measures and restrictions applied to minimize its impact on people’s lives have posed a serious challenge to the conduct of my research project. For instance, conducting fieldwork such as interviews and classroom observations during such circumstances was problematic and challenging for me. (more…)

A working-class academic (and proud)!

Posted on by School of Education University of Bristol

By Sarah McLaughlin, BA(Hons), MSC. PGCE, School of Education, University of Bristol  (Doctorate in Education student)

“I have found the School of Education very welcoming and my supervisors extremely encouraging and supportive…my experience during EdD taught modules is that students and staff have made me feel valued, included and accepted.“

I have many roles – I am a mum of two boys, a sociology lecturer for an Access to Higher Education course and an A-level class. I am also a Doctorate in Education academic. I use the term academic because that is what I am and I am really proud of this, however I have never felt that I am a ‘real’ academic because I definitely suffer from imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern whereby individuals feel they aren’t as intelligent or competent as others might think. For me, I think this impression comes from the fact that, due to my social class background, I have never felt that I have been a ‘real’ student. (more…)

 Simple Strategies to Enjoy Your PhD Journey

Posted on by School of Education University of Bristol

Blog post by Saud Albusaidi, EdD student, School of Education, University of Bristol

Doing your PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or EdD (Doctorate in Education) is a long hectic journey. Basically, you will face many ups and downs, and I believe as a student you should talk about these lows and highs, as it helps relieve stress.

Celebrate your accomplishments, as celebration helps you fuel your continued success. In a few words, I will talk about two things I have done during my first and second year of my EdD, which definitely helped me enjoy my journey. (more…)