Student Stories

Students from across Welsh institutions have shared their ‘stories’ about their experiences as postgraduate researchers. Some of these stories discuss the challenges students have faced throughout their doctoral journeys, and how they maintain their wellbeing during this time. They offer advice and tips and are a good reminder that you are not alone.

Students from across Welsh institutions have shared their ‘stories’ about their experiences as postgraduate researchers. Some of these stories discuss the challenges students have faced throughout their doctoral journeys, and how they maintain their wellbeing during this time. They offer advice and tips and are a good reminder that you are not alone.

Caitlin Tanner

Caitlin is a second-year PhD student at Swansea University where she is researching the experiences of deaf nurses within the U.K. Caitlin was born bilaterally profoundly deaf and worked as an ICU nurse during the Covid-19 pandemic. Caitlin has shared with us some of the challenges she has faced during her studies, and how she has overcome them.

Chadaphorn Punkumkerd

Chadaphorn ‘Som’ Punkumkerd is in final year Mathematics PhD student at Swansea University where her research is funded by the EPSRC (a UKRI DTP). She was born and raised in Thailand, before moving to Swansea for her studies. Som has shared with us what she does to relax outside of her doctoral studies.

Veronika   Bulochova 

Veronika is studying for a PhD in the Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Her research considers factors influencing food safety compliance in food service establishments. Veronica’s story discusses the challenges of being a parent and undertaking a doctorate, showing how a ‘bring your child to work day’ helped her daughter to understand the process involved.

 Elin Thorkilsden 

Elin is a second year Psychology PhD student at the University of South Wales. She has shared with us some of the challenges she has faced while studying for her doctorate, and the strategies she uses to help manage her mental wellbeing.

 Kirsty Usher 

Kirsty Usher is a second-year PhD student at Aberystwyth University. The title of her project is ‘Building Temporary Communities: The Mobilities, Geographies and Working Practices of the Festival Rigger’. She is currently doing an internship with the Welsh Government, as part of WGSSS scheme through ESRC. Kirsty has shared some tips and advice for student parents or carers.

  Lucy Henderson 

Lucy is a third-year PhD Theatre and Performance student at the University of South Wales. Lucy is a remote student, which she explains can be isolating. In her story, Lucy has shared with us a few of the things she does to help overcome the challenges of being a distance learner.

  Bryony Weavers 

Bryony is a second year PhD student at Cardiff University where her research looks at families where a parent has depression and the impact this has on both the parent and children over time. Bryony has shared with us how her four-legged friends help her with her wellbeing.

Nikki Saddington 

Nicky is a second year student at Cardiff Metropolitan University where she is conducting a study which focuses on wellbeing amongst doctoral researchers. Specifically, it explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the research spaces used by doctoral researchers in UK Higher Education (HE) and how these changes affect their well-being and identity. In her student story she discusses doing a PhD as a middle-aged student, and embracing the challenges associated with the menopause.

 Simone Hatchard

Simone is a research student in the Centre for Criminology Research at USW. In her student story, she talks about her tips for shaking off imposter syndrome and managing well-being while undertaking her doctorate

 Emily Wilkinson

Emily’s doctorate ‘Desire Lines: Pathways for Creative Practice in the Therapeutic Landscape’ is based at Aberystwyth and Exeter universities, funded by the SWW-DTP. She is an artist, poet-writer and researcher based in North Wales. She is also a walking guide, yoga teacher and coach. In this student story, she explains how she is trying to adopt a wellness mindset and how being neurodivergent allows her to fully embrace her multisensory world.

 Jenny Woods 

Jenny is a first-year PhD student at Bangor University where she is studying sustainable food packaging. Jenny has shared with us what a typical day in her life looks like.

Luna (He Jiang)

Luna is in her second year of studying for a Doctorate in Education at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. In this video, she shares what she gets up to during a typical day as a doctorate student living in Swansea.

 Maryam Awawden 

Maryam is a PhD student at Bangor University and has shared with us what a typical day in her life looks like.

 Olatunji Offeyi 

Olatunji is a Professional Doctorate student at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. In his video, he shares what he enjoys doing his outside of studies: cooking, gardening and travelling with his family.

 Lucy Panesar

Lucy is a PhD by Portfolio student at the University of South Wales. She studies part-time and enjoys walking – whatever the weather – to help start her day.

  Olivia Molina-Nieto 

Olivia is a PhD researcher in Bilingualism and Cognitive Neuroscience at Bangor University. Her research investigates the relationship between bilingualism and emotion, that is, whether our brain processes emotions differently in our first and second language. She has shared with us what a typical day in her life looks like.

Charles Roberts

Charles is a 3^rd year PhD researcher at Aberystwyth University studying history and Welsh history with the topic being the effects of the Spanish Flu of the 1918 pandemic on the whole of Wales.  On the video, he discusses fitting in his PhD whilst looking after his farm in rural Wales and carrying out talks with his local historical society and teaching 1^st-year students