16:00 - 17:30 SICSA EDUCATION SESSION
The session will start with a Panel Session which will aim to answer some of the questions about return to campus, covering everything from what to wear, to coffee breaks and content specific advice! We are asking colleagues to get involved by creating a quick fire presentation introducing themselves to colleagues across Scotland. Finally we’ll end with some informal break-out sessions where you can chat with colleagues. This might be general queries, offers of support, subject-specific or research related.
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16:00 - 16:30 PhD SKILLS SESSION (PLENARY) - Keeping Mentally Healthy
Doing a PhD can be lonely at times, but COVID has intensified the isolation and uncertainty experienced by PhD students. The SICSA Universities provide support through counselling, mentoring and other mental health services. But, at the moment these services are in heavy demand and access and provision are disrupted by COVID. The SICSA PhD Peer Support Network provides additional support from within our PhD community. In this plenary session the network will outline what it does, how to access it and how we can all contribute to our mental health.
16:30 - 17:30 A Choice of streams:
Coping with Covid: adapting your project to work during COVID
Based on a survey of attendees (please complete the survey), this session looks at how covid has affected PhD project plans and explore how people tackled the disruption caused by COVID. The session will look at concrete examples of problems with PhD projects caused by covid, what people did about them and how the changed project plans have worked out.
Working across disciplines as an Research Student
Research programmes and funding schemes are increasingly challenge led and interdisciplinary. Research students play a critical role at the frontline of these projects. This panel explores research student experience of working across disciplines, including both the benefits and challenges.
The Endgame: Writing Up and the Viva
PhD students are familiar with the end goal: typically, a thesis examined by viva. This session will consist on two presentations which will outline expectations and best practices within this end stage: 1) how to write a coherent thesis, and 2) how to take control of the viva process. Each presentation will last about 25 minutes, with up to 10 minutes for questions and facilitated discussion.
