PhDs take forever. Well, it seems that way. Data on completion times suggests 7 years is the average. Yet, (Australian) universities are pushing 3 years, perhaps with a 6 month extension. So, how do you stay focused? Or, more to the point, what are the kinds of things that distract you from making meaningful progress […]
No matter how well your PhD progresses,; no matter how good a relationship you (think you) have with your supervisor(s), at some point there’ll be a need for a tough conversation. It could be about publication authorship. It could be about experimental design. It could be about grant writing, or thesis submission or leaving academia. […]
One of the most overlooked steps in the PhD process is topic selection. In this FREE on-line workshop, I’ll go through how potential applicants might choose a topic. Importantly, I’ll also look at factors that influence topic such as where you live, where you are willing to study and what your background is. If you’re […]
Wanting to and being a successful academic researcher are two different things. In this FREE on-line workshop we’ll take a look at what academic success looks like and what you’ll need to do to get there. This is a FREE event, but registration is essential.
We need better PhD supervisors.1 Yes – students need to take control of their own destiny. Yes – students need to be more aware of their role in the research, and supervisory process. Yes – students should be self-informing about options beyond their PhD. But…
If you’re doing a PhD you may well be thinking you’d like to become an academic researcher. But that is not the only option available to you. In this FREE introspective on-line workshop, we’ll look at the five main reasons why people become academic researchers. We’ll also consider if academic research is the only way […]
A mentor should be someone who can show you the way through things. They may not have THE answer, but they probably have AN answer. A bit like a Sherpa helps people up mountains. They cannot climb the mountain for you, but they can give you the best advice and support about how to climb.
A mentor should be someone who can show you the way through things. They may not have THE answer, but they probably have AN answer. A bit like a sherpa helps people up mountains. They cannot climb the mountain for you, but they can give you the best advice and support about how to climb. […]
The decision to become an academic researcher is often based on passion for science or research. And although leaving any profession is hard, the decision to leave academia is often a tough one. There are often conflicting emotions concerning staying or leaving. Not to mention the conversations with staff, students and colleagues. And sometimes it […]
If tough conversations were easy, we’d all be having them, and they wouldn’t be called tough. They are tough for a reason. Or sometimes several reasons. Tough conversations could be almost any topic with almost anyone. But conversations with your supervisor or your entire supervision panel or maybe some collaborators can be particularly difficult. There […]