Category: Student Showcase

  • Journeys with Mindfulness – Chloe Asker

    Chloe’s doctoral research (funded by the SWDTP) was based on the lived experiences of and ‘journeys’ with mindfulness. As part of the research Chloe worked with a group of participants, tracing their experiences of mindfulness as both a meditation practice but also as a way of living. Over the course of two mindfulness courses and follow up interviews, she witnessed the transformative effect that mindfulness had on their lives.

    Frustrated with the unreadability of a 100,000 word PhD thesis, Chloe was keen to create something accessible that could communicate the transformative experiences that the participants had shared and decided on a zine based on a chapter of her thesis. 

    To make the booklet interactive and mindful in its format, the zine includes a colouring page in the centre fold, along with three illustrated postcards.

    Journeys with mindfulness is free to download here as a pdf, or you can read it on issu here. You can also request a printed copy of the zine and postcards here (these are free with a postage contribution).

  • How do we ensure a just transition to a climate resilient Bristol? – Dr Alice Venn

    Alumni Dr Alice Venn and colleague Dr Alix Dietzel have recently wrapped up a yearlong study focusing on just transition to a climate resilient city of Bristol. Their findings were widely covered in the UK media, including the BBC, Bristol Cable and the Independent.

    Their project sought to find out what happens once a city sets out to pursue such a transition, as Bristol did in its One City Climate Change Plan. They wanted to know: is a just transition being interpreted and how is it being pursued? Who is involved in this process ‘on the ground’? Is their decision-making fair and inclusive? What are the barriers and what are the opportunities to just transition?

    They found an alarming lack of diversity in decision making, very little room for critical debate, and confusion about how to achieve the One City Climate Change Plan’s ambitious targets in an inclusive manner.

    Watch the recording below or read more here

    Click here to view.

  • “Why Big Boys Don’t Cry” Tedx Talk – Gareth Griffith

    Gareth Griffith talked about mental health in a sell-out TEDx event with over 200 attendees at the Bristol’s SU building. The theme was ‘Finding Space’ and Gareth reports he was “equal parts excited and terrified” to speak at @TEDxBristolUni.

     “Talks are all incredible, it was a truly inspiring day with truly inspiring people. Thanks again to everyone else who came and made the day what it was. Let’s keep #findingspace to talk about mental health” 

    Click here to view the Ted Talk

  • Gender, War and the Armed Forces – Hannah West

    Congratulations to Hannah West (University of Bath, Security, Conflict and Human Rights) on being invited to join the Advanced Command and Staff Course at the UK Defence Academy (as shown above) for their module on Gender, War and the Armed Forces. This gave Hannah a platform to speak about her research at their end of course workshop.

    Hannah said: “As an ex-military researcher it was stimulating to return to a military environment and share a critical perspective with the audience, provoking interesting debates around the gendered character of the military institution.”

    Hannah’s also been utilising her creative side to produce a pair of videos based around her research and experiences.

    ‘Uniformly Served: Veterans in Conversation‘, which was funded by the SWDTP Impact Fund, involves eight local veterans, including a cross-section of ages, former ranks and services and captures conversations between them about their gendered reflections on military service.

    ’She’ll Hold Her Own’ is a music video that captures Hannahs reflections on the gendered experience of military service and explores her reflections on her gendered experiences of military masculinity and femininity. 

    Both videos as well as more information  and lyrics are available at Hannah’s blog: https://hannah-west.org/ 

  • University of Bristol School of Psychology Graduate Awards – Jessica Armitage

    Congratulations to Jessica Armitage for winning both available prizes awarded by the University of Bristol’s School of Psychological Science to those graduating from their MSc in Neuropsychology and MSc in Research Methods programmes.

    Taught Component Prize is awared to the student with the best taught component average mark across the Neuropsychology and Research Methods programmes. 

    Research Project Prize is awarded to the best research project across the Neuropsychology and Research Methods programs.

  • ESRC Better Lives Writing Competition Finalists – Niall McLoughlin and Celia Robbins

    The SWDTP had not one, but two finalists in the ESRC Better Lives Writing Competition 2018-19, with Celia Robbins and Niall McLoughlin both making it to the last 12!

    Celia Robbins entry “Tilting at windmills in a climate-changed world”, delves into the polarising opinions caused by wind turbines and how important it is to look into the causes of these attitudes with the need for renewable energy becoming more pressing.   

    Niall McLoughlins article “How psychology can help communities cope in a changing climate” deals with the  effects that flooding has on its victims from a psychological perspective and how the levels of public engagement could help people to cope with the trauma.

    To read their articles along with all the other finalists, view the competition booklet on the ESRC website. 

  • Young Feminisms Event – Rosie Walters

    Congratulations to University of Bristol Politics PhD student Rosie Walters! Working with the Gender and Development journal, she organised and ran an amazing event on “Young Feminisms”!

    The event featured representatives from:

    • Oxfam
    • Integrate UK
    • The Association for Women’s Rights in Development

    The talk attracted over 90 staff and students from the universities of Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Oxford and UWE. On top of that, hundreds more have watched the video of the event on the Gender and Development journal Facebook page!

    Congratulations again Rosie, keep up the great work!

  • 14 Days, 11 Interviews, 6 Countires, 1 Researcher – Nasrul Ismail

    In what can only be described as a feat of endurance, Nasrul Ismail (Health and Welbeing, UWE) conducted 11 interviews across 6 countries in 2 weeks during March 2018. Nasrul used his Overseas Fieldwork Allowance to “undertake primary, in-depth, qualitative research interviews” essential to his PhD- which considers the effects of austerity on prisoners. He met with representatives from multiple different organisations, including the World Health Organisation; the European Court of Human Rights and the Irish Probation Service. Nasrul also met with three stakeholders in-between conducting interviews. 

    The OFA funding allowed Nasrul to realise his ambition to conduct all 11 interviews face-to-face and in thecities in which the interviewees were located. 

    Nasrul’s work is a perfect example of the fantastic opportunities presented by OFA. He received manyoffers for future collaboration, including: the offer of an internship in Vienna; offers to present guest lectures and an invitation to deliver a keynote speech at the 2nd International Correctional Research Symposium, Prague, in May 2018.       

    It looks like Nasrul is going to be kept pretty busy!

  • Ede and Ravenscroft Best Research Student Prize – Hope Christie

    University of Bath Psychology student Hope Christie won the Ede and Ravenscroft Best Research Student Prize at the University of Bath!

    Hope delivered a presentation about her research at an open event at the university of Bath. The competition was fierce as Hope reported that the other finalists had also delivered “amazing presentations”.

    As well as a fantastic experience and prestigious title, Hope’s victory will be reported to the University of Bath Senate. Well done Hope! 

  • PsyPAG Rising Researcher Award – Tamsyn Hawken

    Tamsyn Hawken (Psychology, Bath) has won a Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group ‘Rising Researcher’ Award.

    In order to win the award, Tamsyn had to demonstrate multiple skills. First, she had to give evidence of her unique approach to her research questions. This includes her study utilising biomarkers of stress- you can read more about Tamsyn’s trip to Spit Camp further down the Student Showcase page. Then, she had to demonstrate the long-term impact of her research on the field and identify personal characteristics that have helped her to overcome personal adversities and research difficulties. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the stress researcher chose resilience as the focus of her personal characteristics. Finally, her supervisor- Professor Julie Turner-Cobb- wrote a supporting statement.

    Tamsyn said: “I’m feeling really delighted to have received the award. It feels like a really nice way to have my achievements thus far recognised. It also comes at a very good time in terms of motivation, as I approach the final stage of my PhD this award has given me a real boost to believe in myself and the work I do.”

    As part of the prize, Tamsyn has been invited to talk about her research at the PsyPAG conference in July, where she will talk more in depth about how her resilience has supported her research. If you can’t wait till July, don’t forget to check out Tamsyn’s blog today!