Should you go on a writing retreat?

Posted on 17 June 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Do you struggle to find the time and motivation to get going with your writing? It can be difficult to find the right time and environment in which to write productively. That’s why the Doctoral Academy offers residential writers’ retreats, providing you with an intensive writing environment for the final stages of your doctoral research.
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Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Posted on 10 June 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Earlier this year, we challenged postgraduate researchers from across the University to present their research in just three minutes and with only one slide. Cardiff University has taken part in the national Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition for the last five years, and this year saw our highest level of interest to date. In the
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22q11.2 deletion: the most common syndrome you have never heard of

Posted on 4 June 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Natali_Mis/www.shutterstock.com Hayley Moulding, School of Medicine You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that 22q11.2 was a postcode or password. My guess is you wouldn’t have thought it was the most prevalent syndrome of its kind. So let’s talk about “22q”. Everyone has 23 pairs of chromosomes – that’s 46 all together. Chromosomes are made of
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MS and the PhD

Posted on 28 May 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Today is World MS Day – a day which aims to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis and bring together those who are living with the condition to share their stories. MS is a neurological condition that affects the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord causing a range of symptoms such as problems with balance, vision
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Climate change: yes, your individual action does make a difference

Posted on 21 May 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Steve Westlake, School of Psychology What can we do in the face of the climate emergency? Many say we should drive less, fly less, eat less meat. But others argue that personal actions like this are a pointless drop in the ocean when set against the huge systemic changes that are required to prevent devastating global warming.
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Blogging and the PhD

Posted on 14 May 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Have you ever thought about setting up your own blog? It’s a great way to practise your communication and public engagement skills, as well as boosting your public profile. It can also be a fun and creative way to achieve a good work-life balance. Here, Charlotte Babb, School of Psychology, tells us how she manages
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Helping to rebuild lives after stroke

Posted on 7 May 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Last week saw the launch of the Stroke Association’s annual stroke awareness month, Make May Purple. Here, Alex Smith from the School of Medicine tells us how he aims to improve the ways in which stroke survivors can share their experiences and outcomes. A few weeks ago the Stroke Association unveiled its first ever TV
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Mary Owen: Murderer, mistress, misunderstood?

Posted on 29 April 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Elizabeth Howard, School of History, Archaeology & Religion@LizhiHoward One of the great rewards of undertaking historical research is finding evidence that challenges previous assumptions. As a historian who works on gender, this is something I often encounter, both while researching and when teaching. My thesis is about women’s experience of crime in Wales c. 1542
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PRES: Having your say on the student experience

Posted on 16 April 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

Next week you will see an email about the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) arriving in your inbox. Here, Dr James Farror tells us why it’s so important that you take this opportunity to have your say. As a postgraduate researcher (PGR) at Cardiff, there are many ways in which you can share honest and
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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: my journey to finding a a new treatment

Posted on 9 April 2019 by doctoral-academy-blog

In the first of our blog series on rare diseases, Kasope Wolffs, School of Biosciences, tells us how her research into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis could change the lives of millions of sufferers worldwide. Did you know that fibrosis is responsible for almost half of all deaths? If you’re thinking “that can’t be right”, you’re not
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