Friendship and fellowship
The world of postgraduate research can be a solitary one. But becoming part of a community of your peers can help ensure success. PhD student Sarah Spence reflects on her first year as part of this community.
When I started my PhD last October, the first thing I did was set up my home office. A new lamp, a comfy chair, even a houseplant. I was eager to work from home: no more lugging my laptop and books to classes. But as the semester wore on, I felt disconnected from my fellow researchers. It was a strange feeling, one I’d never had before: professional loneliness.
That’s why Dr Elizabeth Adams’ work is so important. She’s the University’s Researcher Development Manager, working with PhD students to organise training and build a community. Even though many researchers work independently, community is the key to success, whether through networking, collaboration or reputation in the field.
All shapes and sizes
What exactly is a research community? When I ask Elizabeth she says it’s not simply one big group across the whole University. We each join lots of smaller communities for different purposes. You might join a writing boot camp to push through tough deadlines, form a public engagement group with colleagues in your subject area, or pop along to a weekly coffee morning. These micro-communities come in all shapes and sizes, just like researchers themselves.
Elizabeth’s team are behind a number of initiatives to get postgraduate researchers together. There’s something for everyone: lunchtime walks, a gardening group, crafting events and competitions.
These events attract students from across the University. Meeting people from different research backgrounds is inspiring, says Elizabeth. “You see all the other exciting research that goes on, but you also see the similarities and differences between other people’s PhDs, and it makes you reflect back on your own.”
Workshops provide formal training but chatting during breaks can be just as productive. Elizabeth says the biggest help can simply be “realising you’re not the only one finding it a struggle”, whether that’s dealing with trouble sleeping or frustrating lab results. Reconnecting with others can also be refreshing. “The number one bit of feedback we get from any workshop, regardless of what it’s about, is people saying they come back feeling more motivated.”
Students themselves are key in shaping these communities. The PGR Blog – uofgpgrblog.com – is written for students by students. This online community offers professional advice on everything from data management to networking, alongside personal perspectives and competitions.
Leading the way
Elizabeth believes that the best results come when researchers themselves lead the way. “I don’t really like that idea of forcibly creating a community. I think you need to give people the opportunity to explore, and let them come up with their own community.” The University’s role is supporting these ideas, whether through funding, offering advice or providing meeting spaces.
Taking the lead can be daunting. But success after the PhD depends on skills built alongside the thesis, like organising events and working with others. Being proactive in the community is empowering, says Elizabeth. “You get out of it as much as you put in.”
It’s true. I’ve recently set up a discussion group in my specialism, the medical humanities, with two other students. It brings together researchers with shared interests from different disciplines who don’t usually get to meet each other. We’re eager for peer mentoring, a chance to debate ideas without worrying about impressing supervisors, and networking opportunities with like-minded people. Reaching out to my colleagues has been the best cure for my professional loneliness.
Glasgow’s postgraduate communities continue to thrive. Elizabeth’s excited that the forthcoming Research Hub will provide more training, office and social spaces for researchers to collaborate. Meanwhile I’m happy to leave my home office behind a few days a week to reconnect with my fellow researchers and the communities we share.
Interested in joining our research community? Find out about postgraduate research opportunities at glasgow.ac.uk/research/opportunities.
