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This year's Doctoral Research Conference took place on 18 June 2025. Over 250 doctoral researchers gathered to celebrate the excellence and diversity of doctoral research being undertaken across the university. It was a highly entertaining and fun afternoon and provided an excellent networking opportunity for doctoral researchers to meet colleagues from different disciplines.

We enjoyed a vast range of presentations from doctoral researchers ranging from three minute thesis talks, poetry and bedtime stories along with a keynote presentation from Dr Mark Dallas, Academic Champion for Public Engagement with Research.  We also enjoyed an exhibition of research posters, objects, images and research life in pictures.

We would like to thank everyone who was involved and to congratulate the prize winners.

A full recording of the 2025  conference will be available to view in the Doctoral & Researcher College Blackboard organisation in due course.  A short highlights film will also be available soon.

We look forward to seeing you at next year’s Conference which will take place on 17 June 2026.

Research for a better world competition

This competition aimed  to reward doctoral research projects that are changing lives, helping shape our understanding of the world and addressing local and global challenges. 

Category: Global research,

Steve Gomersall, Institute of Education, "How technology can be integrated into the classroom in low-resource settings and crisis situations"

Category: National research

Seada Kassie, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, "BRIDGE-ing the gap to restore personhood: A culturally grounded dementia care education framework for United Arab Emirates"

Three-Minute Thesis Competition

Shortlisted doctoral researchers had three minutes to give an engaging talk with one slide.

• Judges’ Choice: Vic Pickup, School of Humanities, Sorry not sorry: "The invisible women behind Mills & Boon" 
• People’s Choice: Hillary Chanda, School of Built Environment, "The charcoal–solar paradox" 

Research in an Object Competition

Students were invited to submit an object that connected with their doctoral research.

• Judges’ Choice joint winners: Gaia Mortier, School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science, "Thylacine louse egg"
• People’s Choice: Abiola Ayodeji, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, "Who eats what and where?"

Research Poster Competition

Doctoral researchers were invited to submit a poster on any aspect of their doctoral research.

• Judges’ Choice: Rebecca Matthews, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, "The ‘Gold Standard’ birth: How unmet birth expectations shape maternal mental health"
• People’s Choice: Annabelle Brenes, Henley Business School, "Lights on: The economic impact of special economic zones in Central America, Colombia and the Dominican Republic"

Your Research as a Bedtime Story Competition

This light-hearted competition required researchers to strip their research story down to basic components and communicate it in language that is accessible from ages 5 to 100.

• Judges’ Choice: Samuel Clark, School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, "The village that laughed back"
• People’s Choice: Kimberley Perry, School of Biological Sciences, "Tommy the tumour cell and the overcrowded castle"

Poetry, Rhyme & Rap Competition

Doctoral researchers were invited to submit a poem, rhyme or rap which offered an insight into the everyday life of a doctoral researcher and the doctoral experience.

• Judges’ Choice: Harry Simmonds, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, "Hear the wheat strands"
• People’s Choice: Philip Gilfus, School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, "My journey to an odd realisation"
  
   

Research Image Competition

Doctoral researchers were invited to submit an image that offered a visual perspective on their doctoral research.

• Judges’ Choice: Andre Parise, School of Biological Sciences, "Fungal Sun"
• People’s Choice: Andre Parise, School of Biological Sciences, "Fungal Sun"

Research Life in Pictures Competition

Doctoral researchers were invited to submit a picture/ pictures that offered an insight into the everyday life of a doctoral researcher.

• Judges’ Choice: Hillary Chanda, School of Built Environment, "Encounters of solar adoption research"
• People’s Choice: Seada Kassie, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences "Paws, papers and progress"