North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership
In June, I heard the words, ‘Congratulations! You are a Dr!’
Abi Lafbery, Social Studies of Science, Technology and Medicine, Lancaster University (2020 Cohort)
After years of conducting an ethnography of outdoor swimming practice in the North West of England, where I immersed myself in water, flora, fauna, pollution, weather and climate, it all seemingly led up to this bottle neck moment on dry land: the viva. Thankfully, my viva ended with prosecco and strawberries courtesy of the department. It also left me feeling that the dreaded viva might not be so dreadful after all, and that it might just need to be demystified. In this piece, I will share my experience and some tips to help illuminate what can often feel like one of academia’s best kept secrets.
Read MoreBridging Theory and Practice: Reflections from Fieldwork in Kisumu, Kenya
Enoch Kolawole, Health and Wellbeing, Keele University (2023 cohort)
Millions of women around the world live with HIV, but the burden of the disease is unevenly distributed across regions and continents. Over the past three months, I have had the opportunity to travel to urban and rural areas of Kisumu County, Kenya, for data collection as part of my PhD research on HIV. This international fieldwork, generously funded by the NWSSDTP, provided not only a rich academic experience but also a deeply personal and professional journey into the realities of women affected by HIV, allowing for firsthand observation and application of theories and concepts.
Read MoreTelling The World: Publicising Your Research Through The Media Workshop
Ishita Patil, Planning and Environment, University of Manchester (2024 Cohort)
In April 2025, I attended a two half-day online workshop titled Telling the World: Publicising Your Research Through the Media, organised by former BBC journalists Tim Grout-Smith and Lily Poberezhska. The workshop was advertised through the Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP), and while I was uncertain about what to expect, I enrolled with the hope of learning how to communicate my research beyond academic settings, especially by avoiding all the academic jargon.
Read MoreCivil service internship placement: Overview, reflection and thoughts
James Whitehurst, Health and Wellbeing, Keele University (2022 cohort)
Over the past three months I have been lucky enough to experience working in the civil service as a member of the “Open Innovation Team”. The Open Innovation Team (OIT) are an in-house consultancy who work with stakeholders and experts to inform policy through research and analysis. Overall, I enjoyed the fast-paced nature of civil service life and being exposed to direct policy through the expectations of our clients, who were policy teams in various government departments.
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North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership 