Postgraduate News

PhD Student Lecture Series

After the PhD away day, it was decided amongst the PhD students that we should showcase our own research contributions to the department through a PhD lecture series. After approaching PhD students in our department, Alex Simpson, Piotr Maron and Holly Steel all offered to contribute to the first "PhD Open Lecture Series" which all are welcome to attend. We also intend to have all lectures chaired by PhD students. 

The point behind this was to try and give ourselves experience of giving lectures beyond the seminar experience we get through leading seminar groups. It also demonstrates to the department and the wider university how active, diverse and - most importantly - interesting our own research contributions are.

Depending on the success of this term's lecture series, it may be feasible to add extra lecture slots in. Currently, though, the endeavour is incorporated into the Sociology PhD curriculum along with our PhD seminars in which we spend time with academics in the department who offer advice on topics such as the REF, authoring articles, and preparing for Confirmations. 

I hope over the academic year that those PhDs involved more generally in social sciences across campus might like for their own work to be show-cased in the PhD Open Lecture Series. If they are interested, they can email me at rgw511@york.ac.uk.

PhD Academic Development Away Day

On Friday 4 July most of our PhD students met at King's Manor for a PhD Academic Development Day.  There were 4 sessions involving:

• Research Speed Dating
• Methodology and data collection issues
• Preparing an academic CV and career
• PhD Training and events for the next academic year

Thanks to the Department Research Committee for sponsoring this event and we shall be back to ask for more funding next summer.

European Sociological Association PhD Summer School at York University,UK July 2014

The European Sociological Association PhD Summer School will be held at York University July 27th-29th 2014.

PhD students from all over Europe will come to York to debate 'A Sociological Imagination for the 21st Century', to network with other scholars, and to give oral presentations of a draft article related to their PhDs.

The Summer School is Directed by Prof Ellen Annandale from York. Other teachers are: Prof Maria Carmela Agodi (University of Naples), Prof Ricca Edmondson (National University of Ireland), Prof Robert Fine (Warwick University) and Prof Tally Katz-Gerro (University of Haifa).

Students will be funded by ESA. To make an application to attend the Summer School (deadline March 17th) see the information on the ESA website http://www.europeansociology.org

st Century', to network with other scholars, and to give oral presentations of a draft article related to their PhDs.