PhD student Gemma Cooper was selected by the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, to attend the Life Beyond PhD Conference at Cumberland Lodge from 12 - 16 August 2024. This prestigious annual conference brings together postgraduate doctoral students from a range of disciplines to explore academic research, and develop collaborations and public engagement skills.
Of the experience, Gemma said, "Attending the Life beyond the PhD conference at Cumberland Lodge was an unforgettable experience. The conference took place on the Windsor estate, and the breathtaking surroundings added an extra layer of magic to the event.
"The conference covered valuable topics like communication, presenting for different audiences, and social media strategies for research. A memorable session focused on writing skills, where we explored different styles of writing about our research - I even managed to describe my PhD in the form of a haiku, which was a challenge! A personal highlight was delivering an impromptu, inspiring talk about the benefits of being a night owl, which I managed to pull off with just 5 minutes of preparation.
The event was geared towards collaborative working. This was especially evident in a role-play session where we were split into groups with different roles and tasked with finding a solution to a proposed dam. Different groups, each representing stakeholders like engineers, environmentalists, and local residents, had to come together to discuss solutions. One group played activists and staged enthusiastic protests, which made the session very energetic and interactive. Our group (the scientists) came up with the fun idea of using a beaver-built dam as part of the solution! It was a fantastic session that brought together a lot of the skills we learned throughout the week and was highly engaging.
I gained an amazing group of friends, all with very different backgrounds and interests. Overall, the conference was a unique experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally."
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