£18.5 million award success for the Welsh Graduate School for the Social Sciences

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The Welsh Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) is one of 15 new doctoral training partnerships announced by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) following a successful bid for funding.

The investment in doctoral training partnerships (DTPs) demonstrate ESRC’s commitment to its revised vision for doctoral training, that reflects the findings of the Review of PhD in the Social Sciences in 2021. They will provide a breadth of professional development training opportunities to enhance the capabilities of doctoral candidates and further develop a world-class, highly skilled workforce for the UK.

WGSSS is a watershed for the social sciences in Wales. Building on the success of the ESRC Wales DTP, we are strengthened by new university members, a powerful group of strategic partners, and a deep commitment from stakeholders. WGSSS will nurture social science researchers from all backgrounds, delivering outstanding training and practical preparation for a wide range of careers, within impact to communities in Wales and around the world.

Professor John Harrington, WGSSS Director

WGSSS is a collaboration between Cardiff University, and Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, the University of South Wales, the University of Gloucestershire, and Swansea University. The University of Wales, Trinity St David is an associate member and contributes to shared training and researcher development.   

A total of £40 million investment in postgraduate social science research and training, WGSSS will deliver up to 360 studentships across 5 annual cohorts from 2024. It will create an integrated cross-Wales community of researchers through a common Training Platform supported by ESRC, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and partner universities.

Working closely with the Learned Society of Wales, it will deliver support for social sciences students and supervisors on career development, wellbeing, and inclusion. WGSSS is supported by an £18.5 million award from ESRC, which is matched by contributions from partner universities and by £1.5 million-plus investment from strategic partners including Welsh Government, Office for National Statistics, Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Council for Voluntary Action, Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and the Office of the Commissioner for the Well-Being of Future Generations.

This is fantastic news and a ringing endorsement of the collective strength of the universities in the partnership. Together we have a strong track record of delivering social science research with environmental, economic, and societal impact to our communities and more widely across the UK and beyond.

As one of the biggest and most significant investments in postgraduate social science research and training, this partnership will ensure that we continue to develop social scientists who are equipped to deliver impactful research for future generations, providing solutions to constantly evolving complex societal challenges. Importantly, it will offer a boost for postgraduates’ career development, support their wellbeing as well as leading to greater inclusion.

I’d like to thank Professor Harrington and his team across the partnership who worked so hard on this successful bid and look forward to  following the progress of the partnership over the coming years.

Professor Wendy Larner, Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University

The University of South Wales (USW) is proud to be part of the Welsh Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS). USW has a long and distinguished history of impactful research in social sciences/policy, evidenced by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 outcomes that placed our submission as 1st in Wales for impact. We pride ourselves on not only the strength of our research but also the opportunities and experiences made available to our students, which is reflected in USW being voted the top university in the UK in the recent postgraduate research experience survey. Being part of the WGSSS, will further enhance the research and training opportunities open to social sciences students and we look forward to working in collaboration and partnership with colleagues across Wales and beyond

Professor Martin Steggall, Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation, University of South Wales.

Our vision for postgraduate training is that it will develop globally competitive social science researchers who can operate in interdisciplinary, collaborative, and challenge-led environments across a range of sectors and who have a diversity of backgrounds and experiences.  This redesigned and expanded doctoral training opportunity will enhance the experience for PhD students and boost the UK’s capability.

Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair

Rated as ‘outstanding’ the WGSSS bid was praised by ESRC for its visionary approach to equality, diversity and inclusion, and plans for internships and career development.

Information on how to apply for studentships via the WGSSS Competition for entry in 2024/2025 is available on the Studentships page.

National Museum Wales Internship

Deadline: Monday 3 July 2023

The Wales DTP is pleased to offer an internship opportunity with Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, working on a project to develop a “Heritage Craft Skills Action Plan”. There is currently no comprehensive policy for heritage craft skills being retained or re-established at Amgueddfa Cymru. There is a risk of skills soon being lost due to staff retirement, and a need to develop an innovative offering to ensure that these valuable skills are passed on.

This is an opportunity for a social sciences PhD researcher with experience in conducting literature reviews, interviews and/or workshops and a professional or personal interest in the heritage sector.

In this research project, a student will have the opportunity to apply their skillset to:

  1. analyse leading sector initiatives
  2. work in collaboration with Amgueddfa Cymru staff and craftspersons to develop and better understand the current training provision to develop policy and a “Heritage Craft Skills Action Plan”.

Internally, this Action Plan will build on existing policies, practice and succession plans to enhance the work of Amgueddfa Cymru, and create a difference, across a variety of Welsh heritage crafts.  Externally, this work will be disseminated through networks such as the Heritage Crafts Association and inform heritage practice within Wales, the UK and Europe.
The internship is open to any ESRC Wales DTP funded student (except those within 3 months of the start or end of their studentship).  It is anticipated that the internship will commence no later than 1st October 2023 for a period of 3 months full-time or the part-time equivalent.

A full project description is provided in the document

Please submit your completed application form to enquiries@walesdtp.ac.uk by 4pm on the day of the deadline.

Global Language Based Area Studies Conference 2022

The Global Language Based Area Studies Conference 2022 was held on 6-7 June in Cardiff. Hosted by the School of Modern Languages, with support from the Department of Politics and International Relations, the event brought together doctoral students from the Wales DTP, South Coast DTP and Midlands Graduate School.  The conference included academics with internationally recognised expertise on different research methodologies across a vast interdisciplinary field including African, European, Eurasian, Indian Ocean, North American, Russian and Chinese studies.

As well as showcasing area studies, the event provided a space for doctoral researchers to network with one another, to develop lasting connections and build the area studies cohort as a whole.  Participants presented content- and methods-led papers, offered peer review, received constructive feedback, and heard from postdoctoral students.  A research surgery and methods café enabled discussion on the methodological and other challenges faced by researchers.

Methods Blog – New Editor Introduction

Top of a typewriter that says "writer's blog..."

Hello! I’m Catrin, and I’ll be taking over as Methods blog Editor.

I’m a first year PhD student at Cardiff in the School of Social Sciences. I’m a museum and heritage geek with an academic background in Social Anthropology. My research looks at how heritage buildings can contribute to active citizenship in Wales.

As per the Welsh stereotype, I’m a choral singer in my spare time. I also enjoy writing poetry, and I’ve written poetry based on research data to communicate findings to participants.  I have worked as a tour guide and art gallery workshop facilitator, so while I might love creative methods, I’m looking forward to learning more about your research, which may be very different from mine. 

I have some interesting ideas that I’d love to try out for the blog, and please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or ideas of your own. Dwi hefyd yn siarad Gymraeg ( I also speak Welsh). Diolch!

Link to ESRC DTP profile: https://walesdtp.ac.uk/profile/greaves-catrin/

Link to Twitter: https://twitter.com/catrin_mari91/status/1529380393450864640

Link to LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catrin-greaves-401265240/

Katharine Young’s Report, Live on Welsh Government Website

Katharine Young recently completed an internship with the Welsh Government, during which she produced a report ‘Welsh-medium education through late immersion: mapping the provision in Wales‘ (click the blue title to see the report) that is now available on the Government’s website.

Katharine’s summary of the report:

“Late immersion education is a provision that allows latecomers to access Welsh medium education at stages later than the Foundation Phase. Such provision has existed in Wales for a number of decades, and in a number of different ways (through designated centres, language units, and within schools). The Welsh Government’s aim in its Cymraeg 2050 strategy is to reach a million speakers by the middle of the century. Late immersion provision is a key part of achieving this aim, as it increases the number of entry points to the Welsh-medium and bilingual sector throughout a learner’s education career.

The aim of this report was to form a picture of the late immersion education provision that exists in some local education authorities, and to understand some of the challenges and opportunities that arise as provision is planned and implemented.”

How to follow Katharine’s research:

If you would like to read more of Katharine’s work you can see her ESRC DTP Wales Profile by clicking here, and you can follow Katharine on Twitter using: @KatharineSYoung

FIVE TIPS TO MAKE YOUR PHD INTERNSHIP APPLICATION A SUCCESS

Welcome to the first of three blog posts which are informally split into: “all the things I wish I knew before I applied for my PhD internship”. These short memo’s are intended for those of you who may have never heard about doing an internship during your PhD, to those who may have even started applying!

Structure of the series:

  1. Tips to make your internship application a success!
  2. How a PhD internship could benefit you!
  3. Concluding thoughts: i.e. = “would I recommend doing an internship during your PhD?” 

Hi, I’m Jodie; a third year PhD researcher (eeek!) in the School of Social Sciences (SOCSI) at Cardiff University. My thesis is investigating the impact and harm(s) of online anti-LGBTI+ hate speech.

My internship was a 3-month ESRC Wales DTP funded post at The Welsh Government (January – April 2021), and my project was titled: ‘Using the Understanding Society Study to explore societal changes during the COVID-19 pandemic’.

Now, you may have noticed that this project does not appear to be related to my PhD topic – and you would be exactly right – it didn’t. This may be more common than you think and sets up my first tip to think about how to ensure your application is a success…  

  1. Think about what YOUR motivations are for applying

Your motivations are going to be personal – I get that, but when you apply for an internship, you are going to have to convince others that these are relevant reasons to pause your PhD. The most important are likely be your supervisors, as they need to ‘sign-off’ your leave when your application is successful!

Therefore, I would highly recommend talking through the opportunity with them.

When I first heard about my project from a lecturer, I had recently transitioned into the second year of my PhD. At the time, I was finding it a challenge to study isolated in the midst of the pandemic and I found discussing the reasons why I wanted to pause my PhD project really beneficial. My supervisors really helped me to articulate my motivations (so important for my application form), as well as raising some really crucial things I had not even thought of!

For example, are you just about to start up your methods write up, after months of data collection – is this really the time you should be thinking about pausing your PhD? Is the internship related to your topic? What do you think you would gain from putting your PhD on hold?

What I’m trying to ultimately get at here is… what value do you expect the internship to add?

For me, the value was not related directly to my PhD topic… but more that I would gain valuable experience in social research in another sector; I was keen to learn how research was conducted in an industry setting rather than an academic one. I also wanted to develop my communication skills outside of academia; learning policy appropriate language and report writing skills. Lastly, given my love for data, I was eager to advance my analytical skills and acquire appropriate presentation skills for a business setting.

Point being – assess the benefits of pausing a significant amount of time out your PhD. 

  • Allow sufficient time for the application process 

It is not quick!

To give you an idea I have noted some key points in my application process:

Also – side note – in most cases, you cannot apply for an internship in the first 3-months of your programme or the last 3-months. If you are keen to do an internship, make sure you have thought about the right time to apply and checked any guidance you may have to adhere to!

  1. Plan, draft and re-draft your application form!

These were my go-to steps during my application process:

  1. Prepare for your interview

After the usual discussions of the placement, your skills/experience etc., there is a section for you to ask questions! This is your opportunity to ask as many relevant questions as you can, so that you can try and find out whether the prospective placement is the right choice for you.

My top questions were whether I would be able to connect with other staff outside of my ‘team’ in the Welsh Government; what the expected outcomes of my project were; what my working day would look like (flexi-time may be good if you often utilise the flexibility the PhD offers), and most importantly I asked how working online would work. As I was unable to enter the Welsh Government building due to the pandemic, I discussed with them how I would be supported, whether they would provide me with training/equipment.  

  • Research the internship host!

Research never ends! I used the Welsh Government website, social media platforms and asked other students about their internship experiences (the good and bad), to gather information about what my internship may entail and the ethos of the workplace – LinkedIn was really helpful for me actually! Anything you can learn before you start will be beneficial!

I hope this post has started making you think whether a PhD internship is the best fit for you and how to ensure your application is a success!

For now, keep an eye out for the next post which will cover ‘Why a PhD internship will benefit you!’

Jodie

If you would like to contact me to ask anything about my internship experience or even to chat about PhD life/research – you can find my contacts below.

Email – lukerjr@cardiff.ac.uk

Academic Twitter – @jodie­_luker

Academic Instagram – @phd_hate_harms

Reflections on an Internship with Wales Centre for Public Policy

In this blog post, Aimee Morse discusses undertaking an internship during your PhD.

Finding an internship

There are numerous internships on offer with various organisations. The DTP works specifically in partnership with several organisations across Wales who have developed internship opportunities and the UKRI run internship programmes in partnership with organisations across the UK.

Internships are advertised in the monthly DTP newsletter, so keep an eye on the section if you’re keen to apply for one. This is how I found out about my internship with the Wales Centre for Public Policy, so it’s definitely worth reading!;You can also speak to your supervisors regarding internships in your research area. My supervisors mentioned colleagues in other organisations running internships, though they always encouraged me to choose the right one for me, at a time which worked for me.

How I knew the internship was for me

First and foremost, I talked it through with my supervisors. We discussed how I would make the internship work best for me. I chose to conduct a project in a similar field to my PhD research topic; however, it may be possible to choose something in a different field that may still complement your PhD theories and/or methodologies.

I had to make sure the internship would not clash with my PhD fieldwork commitments, and felt that three months would be the best length. My internship fell right within the 2021 lockdown; however, this did not affect my experience and I was surrounded (virtually) by a team of supportive colleagues who were always on hand to answer questions and share their thoughts on my work. Having a short, interesting project to focus on throughout that time really helped my overall approach to my PhD; submitting a completed report allowed me to return to my PhD work confident that I could overcome the stops and starts of the last 18-months to complete my thesis too!

Compiling a successful application

I have now completed two internship applications, and in both setting aside ample time to complete the application process was crucial. Some, such as the UKRI Globalink Exchange Scheme (which I was unfortunately unable to complete given international travel restrictions), may require you to access application portals through a supervisor or institutional account (Je-S in this case). If this is the case, schedule in a meeting with your supervisor to ensure you can get the application uploaded on time!

I would recommend speaking to potential supervisors from the organisation offering the internship. Discussing project ideas with them allows you to understand what they expect of their interns, and whether your work will be a good fit with theirs. This also provides you with an opportunity to talk through their application process and the documents you will be required to submit. Getting to know a potential supervisor in an initial call can also help during the interview process and as you settle into your work with a new organisation, as you won’t be faced with a screen or office full of completely unfamiliar faces.

My experience at the Wales Centre for Public Policy

It was really interesting to learn more about the work of the Centre and how they support policy-making and public service delivery across Wales. Though it was strange not to set foot in their offices, I was made to feel welcome by the team and their support made the virtual experience well worthwhile. Working with the Research Team allowed me to develop my current competencies and consider how I can best apply them in a new team context.

During my time at the Centre I researched agricultural policy in Wales and explored how collaborative working can help farmers achieve their sustainability goals. This involved telephone interviews with farmers and partners of a Sustainable Management Scheme funded group in north Wales. Conducting this research, and producing several outputs, boosted my confidence in delivering on short-term projects. I’d recommend exploring the different dissemination options available for your work – before my internship I had never considered producing a podcast, but thanks to the team and my podcast participants I now have a podcast episode to complement my written outputs!

Your internship experience will vary depending on the organisation with which you are working. However, overall, you can expect to:

  • Develop your competencies, particularly in relation to working in a team.
  • Develop networks with policymakers, practitioners and other researchers.
  • Gain an understanding of how your research might be used in ‘real-world’ situations.
  • Finish your project with at least one output, such as a report, which may contribute to your PhD or be used and referenced by your internship host organisation in their work.

I would strongly encourage you to consider completing an internship as part of your PhD. If you have any questions about my own internship experience, you are welcome to get in touch with me (aimeemorse@connect.glos.ac.uk / @06aims on Twitter)

Aimee has also written a report detailing the specifics of her time with the Wales Centre for Public Policy, which you can read by clicking here.

Breakfast Briefing Event – Putting PhD Power into your Business

Join us for talks from businesses that have worked closely with social science doctoral researchers to increase productivity, realize strategic goals, and build support the development of talent and skill in Wales.  The ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Partnership trains social scientists, as one of 14 prestigious research networks across the UK. Collaboration with partners in the private, public and third sectors is central to our mission.  Non-academic organisations, no matter how big or small, can have a genuine stake in a social science research project and a role in producing the next generation of leading social scientists.

In this session you will hear from Dr Charlotte Beale, Head of Economics for Dŵr Cymru, Dr Michael Evans, Rail Projects Officer for Transport for Wales, and Professor David Egan, Welsh Government, on how their organisations have worked closely with social science researchers.  You will hear how supporting a collaborative studentship or hosting a work placement can add value, whilst giving a PhD student the opportunity to gain critical knowledge and skills for work in industry.  Professor John Harrington, Director of the ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Partnership, will advise on how to set up an arrangement which directly benefits your organisation.  The session includes the opportunity for you to put forward any questions you might have on collaboration to a panel of supervisors, doctoral students and businesses.

Join us on Wednesday 20th October 2021 for what promises to be an enlightening and informative session.  To register for this briefing, which will be held on Zoom, follow this link Breakfast Briefing – Putting PhD Power into your Business Tickets, Wed 20 Oct 2021 at 08:30 | Eventbrite

Welsh Government Internship Opportunities

Deadline: Friday 5 August 2022

The Wales DTP is pleased to offer three internship opportunities with the Welsh Government, working on specific projects covering a range of topics including Education and Net Zero.

The internships are open to any ESRC Wales DTP funded student (except those within 3 months of the start or end of their studentship).  It is anticipated that the internships will be conducted remotely, commencing in Autumn 2022, for a period of 3-6 months (full-time or the part-time equivalent).  Successful applicants will get an extension to their PhD equivalent to the duration of the internship.

These internships will offer opportunities to create impact by contributing to the work of government, the chance to build relationships outside of academia, as well as the ability to develop research skills in a policy environment.

Full project descriptions are available in the attached documents:

Please submit your completed application form to enquiries@walesdtp.ac.uk by 12:00noon on the day of the deadline.

Open consultation on the ESRC’s review of the PhD

Montage of faces

The ESRC has launched an open consultation to inform its review of the PhD in the Social Sciences. They seek views on current doctoral study from within and outside of the social sciences from all members of the research community, learned societies, government, business, third-sector organisations and others who have an interest in the future skills needed by social science PhD students. The findings of this review will directly inform the ESRC’s strategy for doctoral training and for recommissioning its Doctoral Training Partnerships in 2022/23. The consultation is open until 16 September 2020.

Outdoor Learning Research Goes Global

children reading outdoors

Research from Wales DTP researcher, Emily Marchant (Human Geography, Swansea University), on the benefits of outdoor learning has been published by media outlets around the world.  The study found that an hour or two of outdoor learning every week engages children, improves their wellbeing and increases teachers’ job satisfaction.  News outlets including The Conversation, Metro, CBS Boston, the Mother Nature Network and others shared findings from the study.

Wales DTP student wins Swansea University Three Minute Thesis

Fireworks

Congratulations to Wales DTP student Darren Scott (Digital Economy and Society, Swansea University), winner of Swansea University’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) at the annual Postgraduate Research Showcase.  Darren had just three minutes to summarise his research in an engaging way, and talked about how inactivity could be tackled through the use of fitness apps and wearables.  Darren will go on to compete in the regional heats of the competition, with the hope of being crowned overall UK champion.

Wales DTP Appoints Seven New Postdoctoral Fellows

ESRC Wales DTP Flag

The DTP offers its congratulations to the seven fellows recently appointed as part of the 2019 ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships Scheme.  Each of the fellows will be associated with a DTP pathway: Human Geography for Diana Beljaars (based at Swansea University) and Jen Owen (based at Cardiff University); Politics and International Relations for Katarina Kusic (based at Aberystwyth University); Environmental Planning for Carla De Laurentis (based at Cardiff University); Linguistics for Lauren O’Hagan (based at Cardiff University); Management and Business for Joey Soehardjojo (based at Cardiff University), and Psychology for Hikaru Tsujimura (based at Cardiff University).

Success for Research Placement Programme Led by Michael Scott Evans

Nuffield Research Placements

Wales DTP student Michael Scott Evans is director of the Nuffield Research Placement programme for the School of Psychology at Cardiff University, which aims to engage with the local community by inspiring and supporting sixth form students aged 16-17 from relatively disadvantaged communities with hands-on experience of a professional research environment. Continue reading

Wales DTP Website Updates Wednesday 26 April

Keyboard

We will be carrying out some updates to our website on Wednesday 26 April. These will primarily affect logging in (for example to make a booking for one of our events, or to update a profile) although the whole website may be down briefly between 9am – 11am. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes. We will have things back to normal as soon as possible.

WISERD Winners

Swansea beach

Wales’ largest social science conference took place at the new Bay Campus at Swansea University last week.

The seventh annual WISERD conference brought together practitioners, policy makers and social scientists with over 70 papers being presented this year. The Wales DTC sponsored two competitions. Continue reading

Have you got something you want to tell us?

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We are always keen to hear news from Wales DTC students, and to share it with others on our website, in our newsletter, and via our social media accounts. If you have something to tell us – maybe you have been on an overseas visit, published a book, been awarded a prize or completed an internship, for example, or just had a turning-point in your PhD – then please get in touch and let us know. Continue reading

Guidance on “Purdah” for the May 2016 Elections

Ballot

On Thursday 5 May 2016, elections will be taking place to the National Assembly for Wales as well as the Scottish Parliament; the Northern Ireland Assembly; some local authorities in England, including for the directly elected Mayors of London, Bristol, Liverpool and Salford; and for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales (excluding London and Greater Manchester – subject to legislation). Continue reading

Could You Be a Wales DTC Student Rep?

ESRC Wales DTP Flag

The Wales DTC is seeking enthusiastic students to take up the role of DTC Student Representative for each of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff (2 Student Rep positions available) and Swansea Universities.  As a Student Representative you will be a conduit for comments/ideas from your fellow ESRC funded students across the academic schools and pathways in your institution (talking to people in coffee breaks, at events or communicating via electronic media are ideal). You will relay feedback to the DTC, both positive and negative, about the PhD student experience and help us identify training needs, areas where we could develop better information and guidance, and other potential future DTC support. It is important to us that we are able to hear your comments and proposals in order to help enhance your research training and overall PhD student experience. Continue reading

New three-month internship opportunity

Internship with Children's Commissioner

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales and her team promote and safeguard the rights and welfare of children and young people in Wales. There is an opportunity available for a three-month internship at the Commissioner’s offices in Swansea, with some travel for fieldwork, and the possibility of an element of home-based working. Continue reading

Wales DTC WISERD Winners

The Wales DTC supported two competitions at last week’s WISERD Conference. The Learned Society for Wales sponsored a cash prize of £200 for the winner of our student poster competition, and we awarded a selection of recent books from two leading social science publishers (up to the value of £150) in our new “3MEI” three-minute engagement/impact session. Continue reading

ESRC Writing Competition

writing competition graphic

What will social science have achieved over the next 50 years? Write up to 800 interesting, engaging, thought provoking words on “The World in 2065” to enter this enter this writing competition aimed at the next generation of creative social scientists.

Continue reading

Wales DTC Director elected as Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

ESRC Wales DTP Flag

The Academy of Social Sciences announced on Friday that it has conferred the award of Fellow on Wales DTC director David James and other leading social scientists. David James, who is also a Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, is recognised in the Academy’s announcement as “an exceptional educational theorist with particular interests in learning cultures and school choice, identity and social class.” Continue reading

Guidance on ESRC “purdah” prior to the 2015 General Election

Ballot

On 7 May 2015, the General Election will take place across the UK.

As a non-departmental public body the ESRC is bound by purdah during a pre-election period. This period commences when parliament is dissolved and ends when a new government is formed (not when the polls close). During this time the ESRC is unable to engage in any activities that might in any way influence the outcome of the election and must avoid competition with parliamentary candidates for the attention of the public. Continue reading

Collaboration, Compromise and Cultivation

Aberystwyth

Heather Norris is a full-time PhD student at the University of Aberystwyth, in the Law and Criminology Department. Heather was awarded a departmental scholarship in September 2012. Her PhD study has the working title The Impact of Restorative Approaches on Happiness, School Engagement and Self Esteem. This essay was awarded the Wales DTC prize at the Wiserd Conference 2014. Continue reading

Student Reps Sought for the Wales DTC

ESRC Wales DTP Flag

The Wales DTC is seeking enthusiastic students to take up the role of DTC Student Representative for each of Aberystwyth, Cardiff and Swansea Universities (a rep for Bangor has recently been appointed).  As a Student Representative you will be a conduit for comments/ideas from your fellow ESRC funded students across the academic schools and pathways in your institution (talking to people in coffee breaks, at events or communicating via electronic media are ideal). You will relay feedback to the DTC, both positive and negative, about the PhD student experience and help us identify training needs, areas where we could develop better information and guidance, and other potential future DTC support. It is important to us that we are able to hear your comments and proposals in order to help enhance your research training and overall PhD student experience. Continue reading

ESRC Media Training Dates

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New dates for the popular media training offered by the ESRC have been announced. These events are specifically aimed at PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to equip them with the skills to disseminate to the public, understand how the press works, and how to survive radio and TV interviews. Continue reading

Report from the ESRC First Year Student Conference

East Midlands Conference Centre

The ESRC funded first year student conference is a one day event held annually. It aims to inform and engage new PhD researchers with opportunities available to them as a part of the ESRC community.  The most recent of these events was held on Wednesday 27th November 2013 at the University of Nottingham Continue reading

ESRC Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology Fellowships

River Thames and Millbank by night

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is hosting a new fellowship scheme in collaboration with the ESRC. Fellows may work on a policy topic grounded in the natural sciences or technology, where social science research evidence has a key role to play, or on a more substantive social science topic of relevance to public policy. The scheme is designed to give students first-hand experience of working in science policy and a wide understanding of the work of Parliament. Continue reading

The Judicalis Group

Judicalis

The Judicalis Group (judicalis.org) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit, international consortium of academics and professionals founded in May of 2013 by several UK based PhD candidates in order to provide a platform for new academics to present expert views through blogging.  The blogs cover, inter alia, the topics of law, society, politics, security, international relations, diplomacy, and crime. The Judicalis Group also archives open-access publications on these topics and is working towards developing a working paper series and a strong social media presence. Continue reading

The College of Policing

Green Pegs

The College of Policing is the professional body for the police with the aim of using knowledge of ‘what works’ to support evidence-based policing. It has recently announced a partnership with the ESRC to work with a consortium of universities on a ‘What Works Centre’ for crime reduction. The College is also running an ‘Evidence Base Camp’ to which it is keen to invite social science students. Continue reading

Research Associate job with DECIPHer

Cigarette

DECIPHer are currently recruiting a full time Research Associate to work on a research project funded by the Welsh Government to investigate childhood exposure to second hand smoke in cars. The successful applicant will prepare, set up, conduct and record the outcomes of fieldwork with children in schools, for a cross sectional survey examining smoking in cars carrying children in Wales. They will be responsible for preparing questionnaire packs for students, liaising with schools regarding data collections, collecting smoking questionnaire data and saliva samples in primary schools across Wales. Continue reading

Understanding the UK’s Counter Terrorism Network

Swansea beach

The prosecution of ‘terrorists’ in the United Kingdom lies with the police supported by the Security Service (MI5) and other agencies. To do so successfully the UK has seen the formation of an integrated Counter Terrorism network since the events of 11th September 2001. This network seeks to investigate terrorism in all its forms including the threat from ‘cyber’ attack and the contemporary terrorist’s use of the internet both as a radicalization tool and a communication method. This seminar with Wynne Jones, on Tuesday 9 July 10.30-12.30 at Swansea University, aims to inform researchers of the composition of the UK’s investigative network and to highlight the issues around modern day terrorist and counter terrorism policing. The venue is the Richard Price Building, Room G38. Continue reading

Feminist Research Conference

UEL Docklands Campus

The Feminist Research Conference at the Docklands Campus, University of East London is a one day conference taking place on Tuesday 23 July. It is designed for researchers, academics and PhD students with an interest in feminist theory for research, and will include academics whose research work has covered various perspectives on feminist theory. In addition, there will be breakout groups where participants can choose to take part in discussions on women and the economy, intersectionality and reflexivity. Continue reading

Are you researching Higher Education?

Celtic Manor

The Society for Research into Higher Education ‘Newer Researchers Conference’ takes place on 10 December at Celtic Manor, Newport. Abstracts are invited that engage in Higher Education research associated with a number of themes detailed within the call for papers, echoing the theme of the SRHE Annual Research Conference ‘Experiencing Higher Education: Global Trends and Transformations’. The call also describes the types of submission sought. Abstracts of 400 words must be submitted by Monday 15 July, online, via the SRHE website. Continue reading

Understanding Society Research Conference (register by 5 July)

Understanding Society Logo

The Understanding Society Research Conference is an international conference presenting new research based on longitudinal data (including Understanding Society which is primarily funded by the ESRC and based at the University of Essex). It will bring together people from different disciplines, presenting papers on aspects of sociology, economics, politics, social psychology, research and survey methods, and other studies. Continue reading

Transdisciplinary Research: What, Why and How?

ULU, Bloomsbury, WC1

The Vitae-funded SHARE (Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Researcher Education) network will present a one-day session on Friday 12 July, exploring both why and how we should and can encourage, support, and maximize the development of inter-disciplinary, cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research. The event will be hosted by University College London and will include presentations given by academic staff at various stages of their careers, research developers, and representatives of the Research Councils. Continue reading

Voluntary Sector Studies Network (VSSN) New Researchers session

3D Social Networking

The Voluntary Sector Studies Network (VSSN) New Researchers Network is for those working, studying or researching in the third or voluntary sector. There is a New Researchers’ Session taking place at the NCVO/VSSN Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference, which takes place at Sheffield Hallam University 10-11 September. Continue reading

Summer School in Corpus Approaches to Social Sciences, Lancaster, 16 – 19 July

Chancellors Wharf at Lancaster University

The ESRC Centre for Corpus Approaches to Social Science (CASS) has issued a call for participation for the first ESRC Summer School in Corpus Approaches to Social Sciences which is taking place at Lancaster University from 16 – 19 July 2013. The event is aimed at junior social scientists, especially PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, in any of the social science disciplines. The summer school will be of interest to those with an interest in the analysis of social issues via text and discourse, especially on a large scale. Continue reading

Translations, Cardiff, 27-28 June

Translations: Exchange of Ideas is an interdisciplinary postgraduate conference in Cardiff June 27 – 28. Doctoral researchers from the humanities and social sciences are invited to attend. Organised by and for doctoral students, this conference will encourage participants to consider how the theme of translation relates to their own research and how their work relates to other researchers both within their subject area and in different disciplines within the humanities and social sciences. There will be a number of panels with presentations on topics such as literature, space, art, translation practice, and colonialism. Continue reading

Manchester Methods Summer School

University of Manchester - Whitworth Building

The Manchester Methods Summer School will be held at the University of Manchester 17-21 June. Participants will select a single course for the duration of the school. Each course will deliver four days of content to a five-day timetable (Monday afternoon to Friday lunch-time). The fee for external students is £500. Continue reading

British Educational Research Association Post Graduate Forum

Marlborough College

BERA are holding a series of events which are symposia are for early stage postgraduate researchers in education – from those finishing a Master’s and looking to progress beyond, to those in the early stages of doctoral work. The aim is to provide a safe but critical ‘space’. Participants will give 15-minute presentations about their research followed by constructive feedback and discussion sessions with their peers. Continue reading

Workshop on Quantitative Narrative Analysis

Glamorgan Building

This two-day workshop illustrates a quantitative social science approach to texts developed by the author, Quantitative Narrative Analysis (QNA). The speaker is Roberto Franzosi, Professor of Sociology and Linguistics, Emory University. It takes place 5-6 June, and is hosted by the Cardiff School of Social Sciences in the Glamorgan Building, Cardiff; there are 15 places available for attendees from outside Cardiff. Continue reading

Strategy in the 21st Century – Call for Papers

Aberystwyth

The Security Research Group (SRG) at the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, invites PhD students, and Masters students interested in further research, to present a paper at the postgraduate workshop ‘Strategy in the 21st Century’ on 6 August 2013. The event’s keynote address will be given by Professor Mark Webber, Birmingham University. Continue reading

Early Bird WISERD Conference Rates Until 10 17 May

Updated: Early bird booking extended to 17 May.

The WISERD 2013 Conference will be held on 25-26 June 2013 at the University of South Wales. Keynotes include: Professor David Martin (Southampton); Professor Lindsay Patterson (Edinburgh); and Professor Laura McAllister (Chair of Sport Wales). The Wales DTC will be running a workshop on “Writing for Publication”. This workshop, which is free to all Doctoral students attending the WISERD Conference, is aimed those who are new (or relatively new) to writing for publication.  It will combine some input with workshop activities and will be led by Professor David James, Wales DTC Director, who has a senior editorial role in a major international journal.  Continue reading

Early Bird WISERD Conference Rates Until 10 May

The WISERD 2013 Conference will be held on 25-26 June 2013 at the University of South Wales. Keynotes include: Professor David Martin (Southampton); Professor Lindsay Patterson (Edinburgh); and Professor Laura McAllister (Chair of Sport Wales). The Wales DTC will be running a workshop on “Writing for Publication”. This workshop, which is free to all Doctoral students attending the WISERD Conference, is aimed those who are new (or relatively new) to writing for publication.  It will combine some input with workshop activities and will be led by Professor David James, Wales DTC Director, who has a senior editorial role in a major international journal.  Continue reading

Report from the Spotlight on Social Sciences conference

Light

‘Spotlight on Social Sciences’ is an annual conference organised and run by and for postgraduate researchers from all subjects within the social and economic sciences. It took place on Thursday the 14th of March, 2013 at Cardiff University. In total, 50 PhD students attended the conference with delegates and presenters from Cardiff University, University of Bath, Bangor University and Cardiff Met. Dr. Katie Featherstone from the School of Nursing & Midwifery Studies opened the conference with an interesting keynote on ‘Risky relations: what is family in the context of genetic risk?’ Continue reading

Report from the Tyndall Centre PhD conference

3rd Tyndall PhD Conference

Two Wales DTC students Sam Hubble and Erin Roberts (along with fellow PhD student Catherine Cherry) helped to organise the very successful Tyndall Centre PhD conference ‘Climate Transitions: Connecting People, Planet and Place’. 80 delegates from institutions across the UK and further afield attended the conference – held at Cardiff University 3rd-5th April. Continue reading

dot.rural internships

Loch Maree, Scotland

Applications are being invited for 10 week internships this summer at the dot.rural Digital Economy Hub, based at the University of Aberdeen, and applications are particularly welcomed from PhD students. The deadline for applications is 26 April 2013 and decisions will be announced on 17 May. Internships will start between 18 June and 30 September. Continue reading

Bangor ERP Summer School: Exploring the Human Mind with Brainwaves

University from Bangor Mountain

The School of Psychology at Bangor University is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and in celebration are organising a Summer School on the investigation of the human mind with event-related potentials.

Attendees will learn how to conduct, analyse and interpret event-related potential studies in psychological domains like memory, development, mindfulness, language, and perception and cognition. The emphasis will be on practical sessions and hands-on experiences with the analysis of event-related potentials like the treatment of artefacts and eye movements, filtering, segmentation, averaging, baseline correction and data measurements. Continue reading

Cardiff policy café: What and who needs funding in Wales?

Glamorgan Building

The aim of the Cardiff policy café is to bring together researchers, policy-makers and practitioners to encourage reflection and debate about research, policy and practice in diverse fields of social and public policy activity. The events are monthly, and the next one will take place on Tuesday 23rd April, 5.30 – 7.00, on ‘What and who needs funding in Wales?’. The venue is the Committee Rooms in the Glamorgan Building at Cardiff University. Cheese and wine will be provided. Continue reading

BSA Pre-Conference Postgraduate Forum

Covent Garden

As part of the British Sociological Association‘s annual conference there is a pre-conference postgraduate workshop on Tuesday 2nd April (the conference takes place from Wednesday 3rd April to Friday 5th April) at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Professor David James, directors of the ESRC Wales DTC is one of the keynote speakers; the others are Dr Matthew Waites and Professor John Solomos. Continue reading

Meeting Emerging Global Policy Challenges

Global Vegetation

The UK Social Policy Association and the Development Studies Association are to convene a joint conference to be held at the University of Bath on 26th & 27th April 2013. It is to be hosted by the Department of Social and Policy Sciences at the University of Bath with the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of York. Continue reading

Geographers Gather at Gregynog

Gregynog Hall

Human Geography students from across Wales came together this week for the annual Wales Human Geography Postgraduate Conference at Gregynog. This is an opportunity for all first and final year PhD students from Aberystwyth, Cardiff and Swansea to present their research as well as meeting and networking with peers from across Wales in the beautiful rural setting of Gregynog Hall. Continue reading

PhD Comics: ‘The Power of Procrastination’

PhD Comics Poster

Join Jorge Cham, the man behind the hugely popular PhD Comics, for a fun and informal talk about his experiences in bringing humour into the lives of stressed out PhDs! The talk, which takes place at Cardiff University on Wednesday 17 April at 4:30pm in the Julian Hodge Building, will also examine the source of PhD anxieties and explore the guilt, the myth, and the power of procrastination. Continue reading

Retail Research Masters Dissertation Opportunities 2013

Shopping Centre

The ESRC is increasing its engagement with the retail sector, and one element of this is the opportunity for academics and Masters’ students to work on retail research Master dissertation projects with major companies such as Boots, British Gas, Camelot Co-operative, E.ON Energy Solutions, and Experian on projects which are important to the retail industry.

Retailers will be proposing projects, and students’ applications will be welcomed, throughout February and March 2013. Continue reading

Student Reps Sought for the Wales DTC

ESRC Wales DTP Flag

The Wales DTC is seeking enthusiastic students to take up the role of DTC Student Representative for each of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea Universities.  As a Student Representative you would be a conduit for comments/ideas from your fellow ESRC funded students across the academic schools and pathways in your institution (talking to people in coffee breaks, at events or communicating via electronic media are ideal). Continue reading

National Statistics Roadshow

The National Accounts Division within the National Statistics Office is holding a Roadshow event at its premises in Newport on the afternoon of Friday 15th of March between 1 and 4.30pm (times to be confirmed).  The aim is to offer students studying in surrounding universities the chance to find out more about National Accounts, and indeed more about the National Statistics Office as a whole. Continue reading

ESRC Student Internship Opportunities 2013

Palace of Westminster

The ESRC have announced internship opportunities to spend up to six months in a non-academic organisation within the public, civil society (voluntary) or private sector where ESRC-funded PhD students can work as part of a team involved with policy/practice development. Students may apply to a maximum of two host organisations, and a maximum of two projects per host (up to four projects in total).  Continue reading

NCRM Web Surveys Network Opening Conference

WWW logo

The NCRM Network for Methodological Innovation on Web surveys for the general population aims to exchange knowledge, generate new thinking and work towards resolving a shared challenge in survey research: How – and to what extent – can the web be used to survey the general population? The Network is holding an opening conference on 25th & 26th February, and, keen to involve PhD students and early-career researchers, is offering them eight funded places. Continue reading

International PhD partnering success

Karnatak University, Dharwad

The ESRC Wales DTC has been awarded around £35k in response to its bid to enhance the research training environment through international PhD partnering. Three partnerships have been set up, based on the Language Based Area Studies, Linguistics and Psychology pathways. In each case, the money supports a collaborative arrangement that is designed to be a fundamental part of the Doctoral programme.  In LBAS, a Cardiff student and supervisor will work closely with people in the Central European University based in Budapest on issues of European integration; in Linguistics, the link is with Delhi University and the research focuses on linguistic variation in English in an Indian context. In Psychology, the link is three-cornered, bringing together Doctoral students and supervisors in Cardiff, Karnatak (India) and Paraiba (Brazil) so that their research on values, emotion and action has an important dimension of cross-cultural comparison. Continue reading

Popfest “Coming of Age” Call for Papers

Population

PopFest is an annual multidisciplinary population studies conference for postgraduate students, organised by fellow postgraduates. The 21st conference ‘Coming of Age’ will be hosted at the University of Southampton from the 8th to the 10th July 2013. An informal yet informative event, PopFest aims to bring together research students from a variety of disciplines with a common interest in population. This conference provides the ideal environment for postgraduates to present their work, further their knowledge and network with others in the field. Continue reading

Tyndall Centre PhD Conference 2013 Call for Papers

3rd Tyndall PhD Conference

“Climate Transitions Connecting People, Planet and Place”, the Tyndall Centre’s Annual PhD Conference, which will be held 3rd-5th April 2013 at Cardiff University, is being organised by two ESRC Wales DTC students Sam Hubble and Erin Roberts, along with Catherine Cherry.

Doctoral researchers working in the field of climate change research are invited to participate in this conference that provides the opportunity for delegates to present their work and stimulate discussion, forge new research networks and gain insights from a variety of different perspectives from researchers working within the wider climate change arena. Continue reading

ESRC First Year Student Conference

Methodist Central Hall

Registration for the ESRC First Year Student Conference closes on 31st January, in just two weeks time. The conference will take place on 8 February 2013 at Central Hall Westminster.

The conference is designed for all first-year DTC fellowship recipients, it is hosted by The London School of Economics and Political Science, and will focus on themes and networking designed to help DTC-funded students enhance their postgraduate training and research. Continue reading

Education, Skill and Empowering the Individual in the Labour Market Lecture, Cardiff

Education, Skill and Empowering the Individual in the Labour Market Wordle

One persistent orthodoxy in debates about skills, poverty, low paid work and social mobility has been a belief that through offering poorly qualified adults access to particular types of state-funded education and training, they can be enabled to better their lot, progress in the labour market, and bargain successfully with employers for better wages and more interesting work. This belief found its purest form in New Labour’s Train to Gain (T2G) programme in England. Continue reading

Socio-Economic Differences in Children’s Educational Outcomes Seminar, Bath

University of Bath

Politicians, academics and the public generally regard education as providing the path to individual success in market economies. Yet most evidence highlights that socio-economic (dis)advantage persists across generations, regardless of an individual’s pursuit of education. Continue reading

Spotlight on Social Science – Deadline for Abstracts

Light

The Spotlight on Social Sciences Conference 2013 is a student-led, interdisciplinary conference at Cardiff University which provides an opportunity for postgraduate research students to showcase current research in the social and economic sciences, and it is open to neighbouring institutions. The conference is aimed at researchers across all the social sciences and is free for all postgraduate students to attend. Continue reading

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Christmas Tree

For our last news item of 2012, we’d like to wish all our students, colleagues, partners and other friends a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda!

We will be back in 2013 with more updates, news and information from 7th January. Until then, enjoy the festive season!

Social Science Research and the Welsh Government

Kimberley Horton, PhD intern with the Welsh Government

The Wales DTC ran an event, on 28th November 2012, looking at Welsh Government internships and the commissioning of research which can involve postgraduate researchers. This event examined how postgraduate research students can engage with policy, with speakers from the Welsh Government: Dr Steven Marshall, Chief Social Researcher; Dr Jamie Smith, Head of Local Government research; and Kimberley Horton, PhD intern. Continue reading

Home Office Science and European Migration Network Event on Intra-EU Mobility

The British Library

This half-day event on 12th December aims to: (1) Identify the key issues affecting intra-EU mobility; (2) compare and contrast the latest evidence and policy perspectives on intra-EU mobility in the UK; and, (3) inform ongoing and future EMN studies in these important areas of migration policy. The event will include key speakers from the Home Office and academics from leading research centres. Continue reading

Cardiff Volunteers Sought for Professional Development Planner Pilot

Vitae Researcher Development framework

Cardiff’s University Graduate College (UGC) are looking for 30 Cardiff postgraduate research students to take part in the pilot of the new Vitae online Professional Development Planner for a period of four months.

Vitae developed the Professional Development Planner to enable researchers to reflect record and plan their development against the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF). Originally in the form of an interactive excel spreadsheet, it has been improved and refined as an online tool. Continue reading

User Meetings of the Labour Force Survey/Annual Population & Crime Surveys

Barbican Tube Station

The Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey user meeting will take place on Monday 10th December. The Crime Survey user meeting will take place on Thursday 13th December. The venue for both meetings will be The Royal Statistical Society, London.

Each meeting will provide a forum for data users and producers to meet and discuss new developments and exchange information about the surveys. Continue reading

Workshop on UK Survey Data for studying Attitudes

Manchester School of Architecture

The workshop “Introduction to UK Survey Data for studying Attitudes” takes place on Thursday 6 December 2012, Basement Lab, Humanities Bridgeford Street building, University of Manchester. It is a one-day workshop that introduces the UK survey data available for re-analysis and teaching via the Economic and Social Data Service website.

The focus of the workshop will be on data related to attitudes but many of the issues covered are applicable to other areas. The day is appropriate for those with little or no experience of the data. Continue reading

WISERD 2013 Conference – Call for Papers

The WISERD 2013 Conference will be held on 25-26 June 2013 in the University of Glamorgan Conference Centre [now the University of South Wales]. Keynotes include: Professor David Martin (Southampton); Professor Lindsay Patterson (Edinburgh); and Professor Laura McAllister (Chair of Sport Wales).

The 2013 conference is the fourth annual WISERD conference, and follows on from three successful conferences, held in Cardiff, Swansea and Bangor Universities. WISERD conferences attract colleagues from across the academic, policy, public, private, and third sectors in Wales; and have become established as one of the most important events in the social science calendar. Continue reading

DTC Postgraduate Studentships 2013 Announced

We are please to announce that 49 Wales DTC Studentships are available in a range of pathways commencing October 2013. We have published a list detailing how many studentships are available for each pathway on this site. Full details of the studentships will be provided by the institutions within the Wales DTC consortium: as these are published on school and department webpages, we will be updating our list to provide links through to those details. We will be updating regularly as those announcements are made, so keep an eye on the page or follow our Twitter feed.

Cabinet Office Secondment Opportunities

The Cabinet Office (CO) is looking for two quantitative analysts with experience of handling large datasets (such as Understanding Society or the Labour Force Survey) to inform policy delivery.  This may provide an opportunity for research staff, post-docs or PhD students. An ESRC funded student would have to suspend their studentship if they were successful in obtaining this post. Continue reading

Young Scientist Workshop in Cape Town

An opportunity is available for a Research Council funded student to travel to Cape Town in the week of 5 November 2012 to participate in a “Young Scientist Workshop”. This aims to bring together young South African and European scientists to prepare recommendations on how South Africa-EU research and innovation partnerships can be enhanced. Continue reading

AHRC International Placement Scheme: Library of Congress

The Thomas Jefferson Building

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is holding three events to showcase opportunities for current AHRC/ESRC-funded PhD students, research assistants and early career researchers (ECR) to undertake short-term placements at the Library of Congress, the USA’s oldest federal cultural institution, during the 2013/14 academic year, as part of the AHRC International Placement Scheme (IPS).
Continue reading

Launch of the ESRC Wales DTC

Video extracts of the ESRC Wales DTC formal launch proceedings which took place on 10th July 2012 at the Senedd, Cardiff Bay, are now available.  The programme of  speakers included Professor David James, ESRC Wales DTC Director, Mr Phil Sooben, Director of Policy and Administration, ESRC, Professor Noel Thompson, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Swansea University, Dr David Grant CBE, (now former) Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University and Leighton Andrews AM. Continue reading