Welcome to our weekly update about news and upcoming events for the PGR community.
Well, last week wasn’t a typical week, so this won’t be the usual weekly update. Instead of focussing on what isn’t taking place, we’re going to try to think about what can take place given the social and travel constraints we are all dealing with.
We are all being provided with prompts about what we can do to keep ourselves occupied – but it is important not to get anxious about this. There are stories circulating about how many plays Shakespeare may have written during isolation or the scientific advances made by Isaac Newton in a similar situation – but don’t heap stress on yourselves by thinking how to emulate this. Staying focussed and disciplined is good, but don’t forget to be kind to yourselves. Spend time looking at the sky or reading fiction or indulging in some TV that feels like a guilty pleasure. If you’re due some annual leave, take that break (even if you can’t go where you were planning to be).
The Doctoral School team are working remotely off-site – but we are here and can be contacted by email, telephone or twitter if you want to ask questions or suggest a researcher community initiative that we could lead on. We want to support our research community and knowing what would be helpful to you is far better than us devising online activities that won’t be of interest or use. Our contact details can be accessed via the blog on https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/doctoralschool/contact-us/
You can also contact your College admin team via the usual channels – details via https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/doctoralschool/doctoral-community-2/college-support-teams/
We do have some news to pass on, so in the email this week we have:
- 3MT® Competition 2020
- SHU Online Research Image Showcase 2020
- Creating Knowledge Conference 2020
- Library Research Support
- SHU Postgraduate Research Student Society
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- 3MT® Competition 2020
Further to the launch of the 3MT competition recently, the arrangements for entry will have to be amended given the suspension of face to face gatherings within the University. Therefore, we are investigating the possibility of holding the competition virtually, with competitors submitting video entries. This planning is still in the early stages, so please bear with us whilst we finalise the details.
We therefore still welcome expressions of interest from doctoral students, with the closing date being Wednesday 15 April 2020. Please email doctoralschool@shu.ac.uk if you would like to take part and let us know your name and College.
A flyer with further information about the event and the judging criteria can be accessed via 3MT 2020 Flyer along with quotes from previous entrants about their experiences in the competition.
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- SHU Research Image Showcase 2020
An announcement about the format of the Creating Knowledge Conference will be made in the coming days, but we are still encouraging entries to a Research Image Showcase which will be displayed online.
The Research Image showcase is open to all researchers across the University, regardless of subject area, college, directorate, staff or PGR student. We welcome attention-grabbing images to intrigue, inform or excite a lay/non-specialist research audience about your research. Images may be arresting, beautiful, moving or even amusing but they must relate to your research or University life as a researcher.
Further information and the entry form can be found on the SHaRD blog via this link: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/shard/creating-knowledge-conference-2020/shu-research-image-showcase-2020/
Deadline for entries: Tuesday 21 April 2020 (5.00 pm). Submit your image and entry form by email to doctoralschool@shu.ac.uk.
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- Creating Knowledge Conference 2020
Whilst the Creating Knowledge Conference unfortunately will not be able to go ahead in the format originally planned, the Conference Planning Team are working on ways for us to come together as a research community in spirit, if not in person.
We hope to be able to share further information in the coming days, but in the meantime we are still encouraging you to submit abstracts for consideration. The deadline for submission has been extended to Tuesday 31 March and the submission links will be open until then.
Abstracts for 5 minute lightning presentation should be no longer than 250 words and should be submitted using this form before 23:59 on Tuesday 31 March 2020.
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- Library Research Support
The Library Research Support team are continuing to support research students and staff via email: library-research-support@shu.ac.uk, telephone and online Blackboard Collaborate sessions. Their next online drop-in will be 2-3pm on Friday 27 March and you can join via https://eu.bbcollab.com/guest/15c3d88bbc6e4d1aa9a68774aff80f72
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- SHU Postgraduate Research Student Society
The SHU Postgraduate Research Student Society have announced that they are postponing all their face to face events, but they have moved Focus Thursdays online. Why not follow them on Twitter via @shsuprss (SHSHU Postgrad Society) and keep up to date with their posts about positive things you can do, watch and contribute to.
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Don’t forget that as ever you can always contact us on doctoralschool@shu.ac.uk to let us know of any events that you have coming up – or any good news stories you’d like to share.
Look after yourselves and each other
Nicola, Elizabeth and Liz