portfolio: training, workshops & events

Training

Postgraduate Researcher Training
  • The Messy PhD workshops, University of Exeter, 2021 – present
  • Webinars with Charlesworth Author Services, 2019 – present
  • ‘The Sane and Successful PhD: Peer directed workshop’, White Rose BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnership in Mechanistic Biology, 2021
  • Public engagement of research (co-trainer), University of York, 2021
  • Full-day public engagement and blogging workshop, University of Muenster, 2020
Organiser/facilitator: How to Thrive & Survive in your PhD (2020)

I oversaw and organised this year-long series of peer-led fora, which offer ‘insider’ perspectives and advice to PhD students about various aspects of PhD life. I have organised 7 of these forums online during the Covid pandemic, including focused, themed sessions on fieldwork, health & wellbeing in the PhD and public engagement. [see website for more information about the project].

As a result of my role in overseeing this project, I have also presented at various conferences on postgraduate student wellbeing/researcher development, organised by Higher Education bodies such as Advance HE and Vitae.

Public engagement events

3 Minute Thesis, University of York (2019 – 2021)

Event & training
Worked with the Research Excellence Training Team at the University of York to prepare for the University’s 3MT competition including event promotion and assisting in training the finalists.

Judging
Invited to sit on 3MT judging panels for:
– Vitae UK finals, 2022
– Vitae UK quarter/semi finals, 2019, 2020, 2021
– University of York 3MT finals, 2019
– European Doctoral Summer School 2019 (collaboration between the Universities of York, Muenster and Maastrict)

Co-organiser: Telling Feminist Stories: Research & Activism (2019)

Coordinated an afternoon of short talks open to the public, organised in conjunction with York International Women’s Week 2019 and with the Centre for Women’s Studies. Funded by UKRI and Vitae. [Visit the event website]

Co-ordinator: PhD Spotlight Competition/York Talks (2019)

Worked with the Building Research & Innovation Capacity team at the University of York to coordinate the applications, liaise with the competition finalists, and handle event promotion and logistics.

Academic conferences and workshops

Organising committee: Traversing Boundaries: Interdisciplinary Social Research (2017)

I was one of four organising committee members who organised the Department of Sociology’s annual post-graduate conference at the University of York. The conference featured three keynote speakers, and was very well attended by university faculty, and students and researchers from around the U.K.

Organising committee: Sisterhood in Action annual departmental conference (2017)

Organised with/by the Centre for Women’s Studies, University of York, SiA brings all researchers from the centre together for a day-long conference. It provides a safe, supported space for students to present and discuss their research with each other, participate in themed small-group discussions and discover opportunities for collaboration.

Team member: Feminist Research and Careers Skills (FRACS) (2016-2017)

FRACS is a supportive programme offered by the Centre for Women’s Studies to all its students, and includes research seminars, workshops, and other research and careers-related events.

As a team member, I organised and facilitated extracurricular events including:

  • “Reflexivity in the Research Process” workshop
  • ‘Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Women’s Studies Degree” workshop
  • Study groups on Celebrity Feminism, Bodies and Auto-ethnography

Other events

Organiser: Once Upon a Body: An Evening of Poetry and Prose Readings (2018)

I organised this poetry reading event as an independent initiative, in conjunction with York International Women’s Week 2018.

Co-facilitator: Rewrite Your Body Story: A One-Month Online Course (2018)

I co-created and facilitated an online body-positive course that was shaped around storytelling, writing and creative exercises, and weekly conference coaching calls with co-facilitator and life coach, the late Kate Bartolotta.

Facilitator: Stretch. Love Breathe – A Body-Loving Yoga Workshop (2017)

An independent workshop I designed and organised for the University of York Yoga Society & York International Women’s Week 2017. I worked with a yoga teacher to offer a two-part workshop, which comprised a creative, artistic body-focused activity, followed by a yoga practice.