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Applying to a graduate research program
As academics, we receive many queries relating to admission to PhD and Masters by Research programs. Most academics are time poor and receive dozens – if not hundreds – of emails each day. Graduate programs are highly competitive: at Melbourne Law School, only around 15 applicants are accepted each year. At an institution like Melbourne Law School, it is not necessary to have a supervisor on board before applying, but it can be useful to have early correspondence with a potential supervisor about a research proposal. So how can you make sure you stand out, especially if you don’t already know a potential supervisor? A potential supervisor is trying to assess whether…
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Planning for publication and impact
I had the privilege of speaking at the Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Workshop 2024 on understanding impact and disseminating law and society research. The workshop offered a wide-ranging discussion of publishing, impact and navigating an academic career as an ECR. If you aren’t yet a member of the LSAANZ, do consider it. As part of that workshop, with A/Prof Bridgette Toy-Cronin of the University of Otago, I put together some handouts and activities to help ECR attendees think about their publication choices and how to embed and plan for research impact. I thought those questions and prompts were worth sharing…
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Applying to a graduate research program
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Haters gonna hate: Dealing with criticism
Criticism is part and parcel of academic work. It is embedded in journal reviewer reports, conference questions and grant reports. We need criticism: it can help us to see our work in a new light, overcome road blocks, and reach our full academic potential. The problem occurs, however, when criticism is no longer constructive but destructive. So how can we deal with potentially destructive feedback? We spoke with Professor Katy Barnett as part of Melbourne Law School’s Early Career Network seminar series about how we should navigate criticism. Here are our ideas and suggestions: 1. Recognise that destructive feedback is not about you: it reflects the person’s own insecurities or…
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Applying to a graduate research program
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Academic De-cluttering
It seems like de-cluttering is all the rage at the moment. Whether it be our sock drawer or that odd cupboard with kitchen utensils, sorting, clearing and rearranging our lives can give us a feeling of empowerment and control, and help to reveal what is really important. But what about our professional lives? Are they in need of de-cluttering also? Academic careers are funny things: as we become more senior, there are more opportunities, more invitations, and more projects to get involved in. We sometimes become so busy that there isn’t a chance to think strategically about what we are saying ‘yes’ to, and why. While it may be hard…
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Applying to a graduate research program
