Following the success of last year’s Sheffield Institute of Policy Studies (SIPS) PhD Student Poster Event, this opportunity for doctoral students to showcase their research has not only become an annual fixture in the SIPS calendar, it has also been extended across the Faculty of Development and Society at Sheffield Hallam University and showcased the breadth and quality of policy research in the Faculty.

PhD students from a variety of different Departments and Research Centres (including the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Law and Criminology, the Sheffield Institute of Education, and Psychology, Sociology and Politics) all participated in this multi-disciplinary event.  Students were encouraged to invite both internal and external contacts to further develop their research networks, identify opportunities for future collaborations and disseminate their research to a wider audience.

The SIPS PhD Student Poster Event provides doctoral students at various stages of their studies with the chance to present their research project in a friendly, constructive and supportive environment.  This year’s event, which took place on 18 April 2018, included a diverse range of projects, covering crosscutting issues such as Brexit, adolescent identity development and community self-help strategies.  Following a networking lunch, Jill Dickinson, Senior Lecturer in Law and Law Apprenticeships Lead from the Department of Law and Criminology, welcomed everyone to the event.  Delegates were then invited to view the poster displays and ask PhD students about their research, any emerging findings and future plans.

This year, the programme also incorporated a formal conference-style element where volunteers could formally present their research to the whole audience to encourage further cross-disciplinary debate and discussion. This year, both Edward Noon and Sophie Negus presented interesting, clear and concise summaries of their forthcoming research.

Whilst delegates were treated to a well-deserved, afternoon tea, the posters were judged by a team of academics from across Sheffield Hallam University: Professors Julia Hirst, Ed Ferrari and Madelynne Arden.  The judges awarded three prizes for the following categories: academic originality and significance, visual impact and innovation, and implications for policy and practice.  All delegates were also invited to nominate one of the posters for a ‘Delegates’ Choice’ prize.  Professor Paul Hickman, Director of SIPS presented the prizes.

The winners were:

Ian Guest – Sheffield Institute of Education

Suzanne Hodgson – Psychology, Sociology and Politics

Joe McMullan – Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research

Sophie Negus – Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research

Feedback from the event has once again been very positive.  One PhD student, Suzanne Hodgson, commented:

“Sometimes in the sludge of the PhD process you can feel as if you aren’t progressing and will never finish. However, events like this provide an opportunity to reflect on the previous 12 months and see how far you have come“.

Professor Paul Hickman, in closing the event, reflected on this year’s success:

“What an enjoyable and high quality event, which showcased the breadth and quality of policy oriented doctoral research in the Faculty. I was really impressed with the posters and the two presentations. Well done to everyone involved in putting the event together and I am already looking forward to next year’s event!“

The team of staff and students have already begun planning next year’s event and are looking forward to receiving abstracts from students across the Faculty of Development & Society.  Please watch this space for further details, and hope to see you in 2019!

Many thanks to the following for kindly sponsoring the Event: the Sheffield Institute of Policy Studies, the D&S Graduate School, SHU Doctoral School, Oxford University Press, Palgrave Macmillan and Blackwell’s.

For further information about the event, please contact Jill Dickinson, jill.dickinson@shu.ac.uk.

For further information about SIPS and any upcoming events see https://sheffieldinstituteforpolicystudies.com/ and on Twitter @SIPS_SHU