Postgraduate Researcher (PGR) Newsletter - April 2023
Get involved with the Postgraduate Research Festival, UoB's biggest celebration of postgraduate research, 27-28 June 2023! Applications open for the Research Poster Competition, Images of Research Competition, and PGR Talks. Elsewhere, join PGR Wellbeing events, march with your postgraduate community in the Birmingham Pride Parade, and much more!
This is your round-up of PGR news and events from the University Graduate School. We aim to support the University's postgraduate researchers by fostering an interdisciplinary community and providing a gateway to support and advice.
Postgraduate Research Festival 2023: Save the Date and Get Involved!
The Postgraduate Research Festival is taking place Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 June 2023 #UoBPGRFest. This is the biggest celebration of postgraduate research at the University of Birmingham, giving postgraduates from different disciplines the opportunity to share their research with fellow postgraduates, academics and other members of the University, and receive recognition for their work. Find out more about how to take part in our Research Poster Competition, presenting your research to the University community, PGR Talks, presenting on your journey and your work’s impact, and UGS Discussions.
Images of Research, which offers the opportunity to have your research exhibited at the Festival, is also open for submissions until 23:59 Sunday 14th May.
Learn more and take part
Have Your Say on Postgraduate Research Experience
The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) is open to all eligible postgraduate researchers at UoB until Sunday 14 May.
This is your opportunity to share your thoughts on your PGR programme and overall experience. Your honest feedback really is valuable, and the more responses we can get, the more it will help us to improve the experience of current and future PGRs.
Fill in the Survey
PGR Wellbeing Workshop
Join the University Graduate School and Bloomwise, a mental health consultancy set up by two UoB PGRs, for an in-person workshop on ‘Mental Health and You’. Find out ways in which your everyday environments can become more welcoming for people from every walk of life, with actionable steps. Plus keep an eye on our Eventbrite for details of an online workshop on ‘Stress Awareness and Management’ in June.
Friday 5 May 12-1.30pm, Westmere House Seminar Room
Book your place.
Online PhD Coaching
All PGRs are also invited to online group coaching sessions from the PhD Life Coach, Dr Vikki Burns. Sessions are confidential, and cover common topics such as imposter syndrome, confidence, procrastination, and self-worth.
10:00 on Tuesdays and 14:00 on Thursdays every week (excluding the main vacation periods).
Find out more here.
Postgraduates in the Birmingham Pride Parade
Join the University Graduate School to celebrate Birmingham Pride, the UK's largest two-day Pride festival! The University Graduate School and UGS Scholars are warmly inviting LGBTQ+ postgraduates and allies (a supporter of LGBTQ+ equality) to march with us in the Birmingham Pride Parade, 10.30am-3pm on Saturday 27 May.
LGBTQ+ identifying postgraduates are welcome to join us, as well as LGBTQ+ allies. The Pride Parade is free to attend and will be a relaxed, informal opportunity to meet new people and march for equality and justice for LGTBQ+ communities.
Find out more about the Pride Parade and join us.
Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School
The Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School (PESS) is an intensive week-long programme, where participants work together in small inter-disciplinary teams to create an innovative business solution to solve a real life strategy challenge being faced by an industry partner.
PESS will take place on campus Monday 3 July to Friday 7 July 2023.
Registration for PESS 2023 is now open!
Virtual Consultancy Challenge
The Virtual Consultancy Challenge is an online training programme and team competition for UoB Postgraduate Researchers from all disciplines to solve a real-life challenge for their client.
This opportunity entirely online and fits around your existing commitments: you’ll meet your client, in a webinar, complete online training modules and submit a team video pitch of your solution. The online programme will be available from Tuesday 9 May.
Find out more and register your place!
Preparing for Your Thesis Submission
Led by Research Student Administration (RSA), this supportive, informal event is for any PGR planning to submit their thesis in the next 12 months. Drop-in to meet a range of postgraduate services who support thesis submission, and get your questions answered.
Wednesday 24 May 2023, 10.00 – 14.00 in Room G08, University House (O3 Edgbaston campus map)
Find out more about the services and information on offer.
Three Minute Thesis Final
Save the date! Researchers and staff are warmly invited to join the University Graduate School for the Three Minute Thesis Final 2023!Our Three Minute Thesis finalists will compete to deliver the best research presentation in three minutes with just one slide!
Wednesday 17 May 3-5pm, Teaching and Learning Building, Lecture Theatre 2 (102).
Find out more about 3MT
PGR Writing Summer School
This annual event led by the Research Skills Team gives you the opportunity to consider your writing from a range of perspectives; practise your writing in the context of your own work; increase your confidence in your writing; and network with other postgraduate researchers.
This year, the Writing Summer School is happening online.
10-14 July, Online.
Find out more about the Writing Summer School