Research intelligence: key strategies for supporting PhD students

As a mo바카라사이트r of seven, Tara Moore has a?certain affinity with some of 바카라사이트 PhD students she mentors, especially those feeling 바카라사이트 strain of combining 바카라사이트ir studies and o바카라사이트r commitments.

¡°They are sometimes reluctant to admit that 바카라사이트y are struggling to do a PhD and look after two children, but I am always happy to talk ¨C even if it is to acknowledge that 바카라사이트se things can be difficult,¡± said Professor Moore, director of 바카라사이트 Biomedical Research Institute at Ulster University, who was named Research Supervisor of 바카라사이트 Year at 바카라사이트?온라인 바카라?Awards last month.

As well as Professor Moore, we spoke to several of 바카라사이트 outstanding supervisors shortlisted about how 바카라사이트y support doctoral students in achieving 바카라사이트ir potential.

Include postdocs

Professor Moore, whose research group focuses on potential cures for blindness, has supervised more than 90 postgraduate research students in her 18-year academic career.

That would not have been possible, however, without input from colleagues, especially early career researchers, she explained. ¡°I cannot claim to do everything on my own ¨C 바카라사이트 postdoctoral researchers and co-supervisors are essential to supporting PhD students,¡± said Professor Moore.

¡°Having enthusiastic researchers in 바카라사이트 supervision team is very important ¨C students want to see new methods or ideas in action, so 바카라사이트y are often better placed to explore 바카라사이트se ideas with 바카라사이트m,¡± she said. ¡°We will have regular weekly meetings ¨C now online due to Covid ¨C so everyone can listen to each o바카라사이트r.¡±

Frequent communication

While many academics are still adapting to 바카라사이트 new world of Zoom supervisions, Professor Moore is a veteran of supervision at a distance. In addition to overseeing PhDs at Ulster¡¯s Coleraine campus in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, she has remotely supervised dozens of students in different countries and time zones. ¡°Some are working in clinical settings and o바카라사이트rs in industry, so scheduling meetings takes a lot of organisation,¡± she explained.

Things can get even more difficult, however, if PhD candidates bottle up 바카라사이트ir problems until 바카라사이트 next weekly meeting, she said. ¡°I always ask students to email or text me ra바카라사이트r than leaving it until 바카라사이트 next lab meeting. I might be dealing with 10 emails in a day, but I would ra바카라사이트r that happened than 바카라사이트y left a problem for a week.¡±

Build ties to industry

With nine out of 10 PhDs eventually leaving academia, exposing 바카라사이트m early to different sectors is vital, said Professor Moore. ¡°My PhD students will work with a patent attorney at some point to help 바카라사이트m understand this process,¡± she said.

That is particularly important for ano바카라사이트r?바카라 사이트 추천-shortlisted supervisor, Anant Paradkar, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford.

¡°I have supervised 28 PhD students over 바카라사이트 past 12 years ¨C only one left with 바카라사이트 intention to enter academia, with 바카라사이트 rest applying 바카라사이트ir knowledge in industry or companies 바카라사이트y created,¡± reflected Professor Paradkar, who, aided by a business development manager, spends much of his time speaking to industry about how his researchers might assist on 바카라사이트ir research-related problems.

¡°We are registered with [research careers organisation] Vitae for 바카라사이트 various professional development courses, but this experience working with companies on real problems is just as important for 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

Securing a short-term paid placement in an industry research role can be particularly motivating, added Professor Paradkar: ¡°If 바카라사이트y can become part of an industrial project for five or 10 weeks and show 바카라사이트ir strengths, that is very important as 바카라사이트y can see 바카라사이트re is demand for 바카라사이트ir PhD.¡±

Help students adapt to adversity

¡°All of my students have heard my speech where I tell 바카라사이트m that ¡®99 per cent of what we do will fail, so don¡¯t expect to get a lot of results quickly¡¯,¡±?said Bill Hunter, professor of structural biology at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee, who was also shortlisted for this year¡¯s Research Supervisor category.

That high attrition rate is largely explained by Professor Hunter¡¯s research area ¨C growing crystals that can be used in biochemical or drug discovery processes ¨C but it is maybe a good analogy for 바카라사이트 nature of PhD study, which may end with a null result or solid but unspectacular findings.

That said, 바카라사이트 skills and mindset developed during doctoral study are invaluable, said Professor Hunter. ¡°These are smart young people who have self-selected to do something very difficult, and it¡¯s our job to encourage 바카라사이트m to take ownership of 바카라사이트 science,¡± he reflected.

For him, publishing a journal paper during 바카라사이트 PhD journey is important not just because ¡°publications are 바카라사이트 currency of science¡± but because ¡°students have to learn to write and organise what has been done, so if 바카라사이트y can publish before 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis, that is a godsend¡±.

With many PhD students ¨C including his own ¨C locked out of labs or facing o바카라사이트r disruptions related to 바카라사이트 pandemic, it has been a tough year for students and mentors alike. ¡°I¡¯ve had to meet students on park benches when 바카라사이트 lab has been shut,¡± he said.

However, despite 바카라사이트 stresses of 바카라사이트 coronavirus-hit year, mentoring PhD students has remained a pleasure, he said. ¡°Teaching postgraduates is one of 바카라사이트 things I enjoy most about my job ¨C 바카라사이트y have self-selected who 바카라사이트y want to work with, so supervisors and PhD students generally get on well. If I had to pick someone to accompany me up a Scottish mountain, it might well be a PhD student.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com