Postgraduate Research Festival

Faculty PGR Representatives, assisted by The Doctoral Academy, successfully hosted a two-day Postgraduate Research Festival on 23^rd & 24^th June, attended by a total of 180 PGRs and Staff. The event was an opportunity for doctoral researchers from all faculties to showcase their work to a wide audience.  The programme also included careers workshops, and PhD alumni reflecting on their career paths across a range of sectors.  Speakers from Government Analysis Function, the Brilliant Club and Spin-Up Science offered insights into the valuable skills PGRs can bring to organisations outside of academia, and about opportunities for doctoral researchers looking beyond the Higher Education sector.

PGRs put judges through their paces with a poster competition and the University’s Three Minute Thesis final.  Professor Julie Sheldon, Dean of The Doctoral Academy said she was “impressed with the enthusiasm and competitive atmosphere the PGR Community brought to the contests.  The PGR Reps, chairs, hosts, speakers, and attendees did a wonderful job of creating an event which celebrated the University’s PGR research culture”.

Professor Ian Campbell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive addressed the closing session saying “The level of engagement has been terrific, lots of people have enjoyed coming together as a community and being able to share their research with a broad audience.”  Reflecting on the events and difficulties experienced over the last 15 months, the VC urged PGRs “never lose sight of your dreams, remember why you started the PhD, Prof Doc and MPhil, in the first place and you’ll achieve your dreams”. 

POSTER COMPETITION – early stage PGR category:

Winner Alexandra Thomas, PBS, “Wildlife Forensics: Moving on from what is it to who did it?”

Runner-up Molly McCarthy, PSY "Configuration and utilisation of the clinical pathways by patients attending A&E in suicidal crisis" 

People’s Choice Winner, Daniel Bannell, SPS, “Motivate Rheumatoid Arthritis- a remotely delivered multi-component physical activity intervention”

POSTER COMPETITION – later stage PGR category:

Winner: Nusrat Jannat: CBE, “Development of bio-based unfired earthen material to improve indoor thermal comfort”

Runner-up Richie Kirwan, BES, “Protein interventions augment the effect of resistance exercise on lean mass and strength in older adults”

People’s Choice Winner Valeria Carini, PBS, “When 2+2=5: the breakthrough of using liquid polymer hybrid nanoparticles as anti-infective delivery systems”

All posters can be found on the festival webpages: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/the-doctoral-academy/researcher-development/doctoral-academy-conference

THREE MINUTE THESIS COMPETITION

Winner: Valeria Carini, PBS, “When 2+2=5: the potential of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles as efficacy-enhancing, anti-infective delivery systems”  Valeria now goes through to the UK Quarter Final of national completion.
Runner-up: Katie Taylor, HSS, "I am an American Citizen": how The Brownies' Book created African American children's literature in the 1920s

People’s Choice Winner: Vera D'Aloisio, PBS, “Innovative peptidic treatments to tackle migraine”