North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership
A Trip to China: Visiting and Working at a Chinese University and Presenting at the China International Conference on Eye Movements
Rhiannon Mackie, Psychology, University of Lancashire, (2024 Cohort)
In October, I was fortunate to spend three weeks in China as part of my PhD studies. The trip was organised with the help of my supervisors and colleagues at Tianjin Normal University (TNU). It offered a unique opportunity to work in a different research environment and to attend and present at the China International Conference on Eye Movements (CICEM) — the largest conference I have attended so far. Funding from the NWSSDTP was crucial in securing my visa and making this incredible experience possible.
Read MoreFive Tips on Navigating the NWSDDTP Scholarship Application: Reflections from a First-Generation Scholar
Ellie Campbell, Educational Research, University of Manchester (2024 Cohort)
As the first in my family to attend university, the idea of doing a PhD once felt out of reach. I always associated it with something that “never happens for people like me”. Obtaining the NWSDDTP scholarship wasn’t just an option, my PhD journey depended on it. No scholarship meant no PhD. Because of that, I felt enormous pressure.
Applying for the NWSDDTP scholarship was one of the most rigorous and challenging processes I’ve undertaken. Yet, as a successful applicant, it has become one of the most rewarding. Here are my five tips for navigating the process, including what I wish I’d known when I began.
Read MoreConferencing Through my PhD: Spaces of Collaboration, Intellectualism and Growth
Cara Mattu, Development and Humanitarianism in an Unequal World, University of Liverpool (2021 Cohort)
As I enter my last month as a funded PhD researcher with the NWSSDTP, I have been reflecting on the opportunities I have been privileged to take advantage of over the last three years. One of the huge perks of being a DTP funded researcher is that each person is allocated a pot of money to attend conferences (and other things, see the guidance here).
Read MoreAttending The 2025 Annual RGS-IBG International Conference (Birmingham)*
*(Please read/listen to the narrated version or do both based on whatever you prefer)!
Sam Browning, Geography & Environment, University of Liverpool (2024 cohort)
I attended the 2025 Royal Geographical Society (RGS-IBG) Annual International Conference at the University of Birmingham (UOB) between the 26th and 29th of August. The symposium attracted over 2000 delegates across the four days to explore the overarching theme of ‘Geographies of Creativity / Creative Geographies’, organised and introduced by Conference Chair Prof. Patricia Noxolo (UOB). Here are some of my reflections and recommendations on how to get the most out of attending a future RGS or equivalent annual international conference as a first-time delegate1.
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North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership 