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Career Development

How to encourage professional networking as a PhD supervisor

Being a PhD supervisor is just one of (many!) responsibilities we have as part of our academic commitments. Supervising doctoral students goes beyond providing intellectual support and critical feedback about their research. It is also about helping them to develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in the post-doctoral…>

How to get job experience before starting a role

How to get job experience before starting a role If you are a recent graduate undertaking a job search, you will soon become familiar with current opportunities in the labour market. You will also come to appreciate that the majority of employers will be looking for candidates who have prior…>

Mentoring beyond the PhD

Helping academic skills transfer to non-academic careers Thirty years ago, I started training graduate students. I realise now that I had no idea what I was doing. That’s not a big surprise: like virtually all new professors, I’d been taught how to design an experiment and write a thesis, but…>

Managing lack of feedback when job searching

Job searching and making multiple applications in a competitive job market can feel overwhelming at the best of times. This can be added to by frustration when you don’t hear back from recruiters or prospective employers. Producing tailored applications and preparing thoroughly for interviews can be time-consuming. Not receiving feedback…>

What DO academics do in the Summer?

“It must be nice to have your summers off” – and other things we don’t know about each other If you’re an academic, I bet you’re like me: thoroughly tired, if not driven to hair-pulling and teeth-gnashing, by the well-intentioned comments you get about your summers. Supposing I had 10p…>

How career mentorship helps growth and development

The opportunity to receive mentorship from another professional or peer can create a valuable activity for continuing professional development and growth by offering a varied and hands-on approach to learning. Typically, a mentoring relationship can enable individuals to benefit from real-world/industry insights, shared experiences and individual and personalised guidance. These…>

The Teaching Tightrope: Presence Versus Pressure

By creating safe, supportive spaces, educators can spark student participation that feels engaging, not overwhelming. Whether online or face-to-face, presence should empower curiosity and trust, not anxiety. In this article, I offer tips and strategies to help you achieve this balance, so students connect, contribute, and develop deeper critical thinking skills.

The future of women in engineering

On June 23rd 2025, we will celebrate International Women in Engineering Day… …a day to celebrate the achievements of women in engineering and encourage more young women to study engineering, as less than 1 in 5 engineers in the UK are women today. This year, INWED has “Together We Engineer”…>

How to keep motivated halfway through the year

Did you know that World Productivity Day is on 20th June 2025? It is not about taking on more things and cramming our schedules even more. Reminding us that efficiency is key as well as looking after our wellbeing. This is an opportunity to set new goals, to reflect on…>

Keeping your team motivated in challenging times

In the current climate of Higher Education, many professionals, such as academics, researchers, and support staff, are navigating significant change. Whether it’s restructuring, funding pressures, or shifting institutional priorities, uncertainty can understandably affect morale and motivation across teams. Keeping your team motivated requires expert leadership. But even in the most…>