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Doctoral College Newsletter - 3 February 2025
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Religion and Belief Policy
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We are pleased to announce that the University’s new Religion and Belief policy for students has been published. The University is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that respects all forms of religious expression, expressions of the absence of belief and promotes mutual understanding and tolerance.
The policy is available to view on the Equality, Diversion and Inclusion webpage.
If you have any questions, please contact your PGR Support Team in the first instance.
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Emotionally Challenging Research Group
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This new research culture group aims to bring together PGR's who are involved in any form of emotionally challenging research. The aim is to connect people and create a peer support network, whilst learning from others in the field in workshops and seminars.
PGR Kirsty Cann is looking at gender-based violence (GBV) in secondary schools, a sensitive subject where she needs to be mindful of looking after herself. GBV is at the ‘obvious’ end, whilst others may be less obvious but are close to the researcher's values and beliefs and may pose a challenge. For example, teacher wellbeing, peer mentorship, topics around gender, sexuality, and reproduction. Any research that covers personally challenging or sensitive topics, or where the individual is exposed to stories, images or situations that are emotionally charged, can be potentially distressing.
Their first session/chat/welcome is online on Tuesday 4 February at 12.30. Please contact Kirsty Cann (kc575@exeter.ac.uk) if you have any queries or would like to know more.
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Join us for a virtual screening of Exeter Impact Podcast Episode 4 with Professor Sam Vine and a live Expert Impact Panel!
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The Exeter Impact Podcast hosts engaging conversations with research experts, sharing their insights, approaches, and solutions for advancing the impact of research at the University of Exeter and beyond.
In our next episode, Professor Sam Vine shares his impactful research in human performance and learning using AI and VR to understand how we learn and improve technology. The episode’s virtual launch event, including an Expert Impact Panel discussion takes place online from 12.30-14.00 on Friday 14 February.
Our Expert Impact Panel will discuss "Pioneering Innovation: advanced technologies and their impact on research and society". The panel will explore cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of research and their implications for society, policy, and ethics, highlighting the groundbreaking advancements revolutionising research.
Review our event programme and register your attendance here.
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Final Reminder- Expressions of Interest: Presenters for Exeter Postgraduate Researcher Podcast
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Have you ever thought about having your own podcast? What questions would you ask staff about topics relevant to postgraduate researchers?
This is our final reminder that we are looking for postgraduate researchers who would like to gain some valuable presentation skills practice to be the voice of the PGR community through our new Exeter Researcher Podcast. This is your chance to ask any questions you have, explore topics you don’t know so much about or highlight information you think other PGRs would find useful.
Find out the full details about this voluntary role.
Expressions of interest form will close at 12.00 (12 noon) on Monday 10 February 2025. If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.
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Maths & Stats LGBTQ+ event- Tuesday 18 February
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The Department of Mathematics and Statistics are hosting a coffee morning on Tuesday 18 February (10.30-11.30 in Laver 320, Streatham Campus) in celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month. Everyone, whether staff or student, is welcome to join us for a chat over some hot drinks and sweet treats, and to hear more about LGBTQ+ support systems and networks across the University! Let us know if you would like to come (or have any dietary requirements!) here in our sign up form.
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Tell the story of your research- Tails from Biodiversity Research
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Tails from Biodiversity Research is an opportunity to connect, collaborate and communicate your biodiversity research through a new creative project. At the heart of this initiative is storytelling — sharing our passion for research and creating connections across disciplines.
Together, we will:
• Explore storytelling and nature through a half-day workshop in Cornwall (Friday 14 March 2025).
• Create illustrations of your work through an online session with an artist to turn your research into vibrant, shareable stories (Friday 28 March 2025).
• Have your research in an illustrated biodiversity research book, showcasing work from across the University.
Places are limited and will be selected based on the originality of your research and to ensure interdisciplinarity across the project.
Deadline for Applications: Friday 21 February 2025
This activity is a Researcher-led Initiative that has been funded by the University of Exeter Researcher Development and Research Culture team.
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Welcome to the Doctoral College Induction Portal!
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Our Doctoral College Induction Portal contains all the key information you need to know in your first few weeks in one easy place. Whether you are just beginning your course, or looking to refresh your knowledge, please check out this handy SharePoint resource that covers topics such as PGR Support, wellbeing, student voice, researcher development and peer mentoring, plus many more! You will also find the recording from the online induction held on Thursday 9 January in the Welcome to the University session.
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GW4 Open Research Prize – deadline soon!
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The deadline is fast approaching for this year’s GW4 Open Research Prize, which recognises outstanding entries that showcase exemplary open research practices in one of three award categories:
• Widening Reach
• Improving Quality
• Poster Prize
The Prize is open to submissions from all researchers (including postgraduate research students), in all disciplines, across the GW4 universities (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter). Applications from technical and professional services staff, who conduct or support open research, are also welcomed and encouraged.
Winning entries will be awarded a £250 voucher and invited to attend an in-person awards ceremony, to be held at the University of Bath on 2nd April, as part of this year's GW4 Open Research Week.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 14 February 2025.
Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your contribution to advancing open research!
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🎵 ANNOUNCEMENT: The Penryn shanty choir is undergoing a rebrand!
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During a successful first term, our staff choir has evolved and now enjoys singing a range of both classical and contemporary songs, with only the occasional sea shanty 😉 Do consider dropping in for a mid-week singalong and enjoy the mood-boosting effects of group singing while having fun, all under the expert guidance of local artist and musician, Charlotte Cripwell.
Every Wednesday, 13.00 – 14.00, Stella Turk Seminar room, Penryn Campus.
🌱 We are fundraising to keep the choir going for another year – please spread the word! Donations can be made here.
Brought to you by the Cornwall Wellbeing Network- enquiries to Natasha Hammond or Andrew Pye.
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SCI Masterclass Event- Interdisciplinary approaches to narrative empathy
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Date: Thursday 20 March 2025
Time: 11.00-13.00
Venue: Wellcome Centre boardroom, Queen's Building, Streatham Campus
The Societies & Cultures Institute invites PGRs and early-career researchers to join Suzanne Keen, award-winning literature professor, as she leads this masterclass exploring a range of topics including emotional congruence, sympathy and mimicry in literature.
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Join fellow PGRs in this online space, led by PGRs for PGRs to focus individually on whatever tasks you would like to work on. You can join the PGR Study Space Microsoft Teams Group here, or for further information, please contact Jo Sutherst.
The PGR Study Space core facilitated hours are:
Monday 10:00am-12:00pm
Wednesday 10:00am-12:00pm
Friday 10:00am-12:00pm
There are unfacilitated sessions outside of these hours so you can fit it around your working patterns.
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1-2-1 career appointments available
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1-2-1 careers appointments with our dedicated PGR careers coach, Kenneth Howgill, are available to book on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Kenneth is a qualified and experienced career coach, lecturer and learning and development professional with over 20 years’ experience within the corporate sector, universities, further and adult education. He has held management roles in the public, corporate and not for profit sectors, leading professional development, coaching programmes, and recruiting graduates. Kenneth is a member of the
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and holds a business degree, a master's in music and a professional career coaching qualification.
All appointments are 50 minutes long. Please contact researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk if there are any technical difficulties.
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Wellbeing Support and Sessions
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Every Mind Matters
Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. The NHS have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. See their website here.
Spectrum.Life
Sprectrum.Life provides a confidential telephone, video, and live chat counselling service to help with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, bereavement and more. The Spectrum Life web portal offers wellbeing courses, mindfulness, healthy eating resources and online fitness classes to help you to stay well.
Wellbeing Centre
If you would like to speak to PGR Education Welfare Team for Welfare, they can be contacted at welfare.pgr@exeter.ac.uk or tel: 01392 726207. Further wellbeing information, tools and support can be found on our wellbeing webpages.
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Time to Talk Day- Thursday 6 February
Thursday 6 February is the annual National Time to Talk Day co-ordinated by MIND; the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. It’s a day for friends, families, communities and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. Loads of useful and interesting information, activity tips and promotion tools on the web pages. Also, check out the locally curated set of practical resources to help.
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Nurture-U: Are you feeling worried about your thesis or other PhD work?
The Nurture-U team are offering FREE resources and therapies to help with confidence and stress while doing your PhD.
We have:
1. An online toolkit, to help you track your mood over time and manage your busy lives
2. An innovative app to build confidence,
3. Online therapy, with a therapist or self-guided, and
4. A resilience workbook, with support from a therapist.
All these options have been proven to work, we’re just researching who responds best to what type of support. You can hopefully improve your wellbeing, earn shopping vouchers, and help other students in the future by contributing to research!
Any questions, please email nurture-u@exeter.ac.uk. You can also follow us on Instagram.
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Free Mindfulness Sessions for Wellbeing
Mindfulness is a powerful practice of training our attention and an evidence-based way to tackle anxiety, stress and low mood. If you’re interested in exploring more, there is a variety of free internal options available for all colleagues.
Sessions from the internal Mood Disorders Centre mindfulness team include: an eight-week MBCT-L course (2hrs weekly), an eight-week ‘deeper mindfulness’ course for those who’ve completed the MBCT-L course and bespoke ‘healthy mind’ sessions for whole teams, which can be delivered in-person or online.
You may also be interested in trying mindful meditation in 30 min online sessions each Thursday lunchtime. This is a secular practice run by the Chaplaincy.
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Details on how you can contact the PGR support team, either via email, telephone or face to face via our hubs (located on all campuses) is available on our contact us webpage.
Remember you can come along and meet the team or to ask any enquiries you might have at either of our helpdesk hubs below at any of our campuses:
The Streatham PGR Hub is open from 10.00am – 3.00pm Monday to Friday. The Streatham Hub is situated in the Old Library Ground Floor next to the Quiet Study Space and Bill Douglas Centre.
The St Luke’s PGR Hub is open from 10.00am – 3.00pm on a Monday and a Thursday. Students wishing to access the hub should go to the Info at St Luke’s desk and request PGR support, the PGR team will then be called to see you.
The Penryn PGR Support Office is open from 10.00am – 2.00pm Monday to Friday. It is based in the Postgraduate Suite in Daphne Du Maurier building 3 (next to the SU and opposite the Stannary).
For enquiries surrounding training and development, please contact the team on: ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
You can view previous versions of the newsletter here.
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