Tag Archives: University

Contemplating What’s Next – My thesis is nearly done!

6 Replies

I’m nearly there. My PhD thesis is with the copy editor for the second time. I know there will be yet more typos to fix and references to correct. I know my supervisors will make a few more suggestions, but I’m nearly there. In a few weeks my PhD Thesis will be in the examiners hands.

It’s almost six years since I started my PhD journey and eight since, in contemplating what’s next, that I commenced an academic journey. At that time I was exiting my career as a partner in a global consulting firm and I had to think about what I’d do next.

With the benefit of some wise counsel from two colleagues and after reading Herminia Ibarra’s Working identities I had a plan. I didn’t want to pursue the non-executive director route or remain in the corporate space. I thought I’d be an academic and explore a completely new path.

That was the and this is now.

All of those years later, I am close to completing that journey and I’m feeling a bit lost. What’s Next?

Continue reading →

So it’s been 6 months and where am I – my PhD

2 Replies

2016-08-07-11-54-30

Menotti’s Coffee Shop -Venice Beach, LA

I have just submitted my first milestone document in the PhD program at my University; a document that took many weeks (months actually) to prepare that I doubt will ever be be looked at!

The document is a compliance step, due 6 months into the program. It is the first of two important milestones along the way to moving from being provisionally accepted into the program as a PhD candidate.

My lodged (and I suspect now filed completely unread) document  included a

  • basic Research Proposal  (which has raised more questions with me than it has answered),
  •  Gantt Chart of how my PhD journey will look (my I have a lot to do),
  •  Data Management Plan (I can’t tell you how often the message of back up and safe storage has been rammed home. It’s a message I don’t need having nursed my laptop with a failing hard drive to the end of my Honours Program), and
  • minimum resources document (the minimum resources the Uni will provide – generally pretty good including unlimited fast internet access on campus, 24/7 IT support and I think the world’s only steam powered desktop – it’s still running Vista!).

The  process while procedural provided me with the opportunity to order my thoughts and get feedback from my supervisors. Continue reading →

It’s time for Study!

1 Reply

 

2016-02-29 18.21.54

In recent weeks as our time away recedes to a very lovely memory its been back to study. Days spent walking the Island of Ortigia with the only concern being where to find a coffee have been replaced with meetings with my Supervisors, the research librarian  etc, all part of the early stages of my PhD.  Sure I have high levels of motivation but these are matched by even higher levels of anxiety.

Its time to settle down Continue reading →

Setting sail for my next challenge

6 Replies

image

It’s now nearly three weeks since I checked my email after waking early to see that I had received my results for my Honours. It was a genuine feeling of pleasure and exhilaration to see that I’d achieved my goal of First Class Honours. It seemed surreal to have received my result in Florence, where so many scholarly activities had taken place.

Basilica - Duomo Florence

Basilica – Duomo Florence

Most importantly achieving the grade level made entry into the PhD program at my preferred institution highly likely. In the following days as we continued to enjoy the amazing sights of Florence, I waited somewhat anxiously to hear about my scholarship application.

Much to my delight an offer arrived.

This post is not, however about my receiving the offer that I’d wanted or to show-off about my results. That said I’m pretty chuffed. This post is actually about setting sail for the next challenge.

“What’s Next” is truly before me now.

Working Identity - the most important book I have ever read

Working Identity – the most important book I have ever read

As I considered “What’s Next” nearly three years ago, I realised that I wanted to do something different. At that stage I wasn’t quite sure what that would be. In my mid-fifties I knew it was not going to be time to sit in a comfy chair with my feet up. I also knew that I was not going to leave my firm to continue in a similar vein, Continue reading →

Verona – A student for a day

Leave a reply

I arranged to have a day with a contact that I’d established at the University of Verona. It was an opportunity for me to discuss my research interests and increase my academic contacts.

Verona is just over an hour by train from Venice. I was met at the station by hosts from the University of Verona, so parted company with my favourite person so she could visit Cos (I think her mission is to visit every Cos store in Italy on this trip!) and site seeing while I went to the University.

My very generous hosts arranged a short discussion with a couple of other research fellows before we departed for a visit to a local business actively involved in the wine making process. In this region grapes are dried before processing.

Drying racks

Drying racks

From there it was an opportunity to discuss the life of a researcher in Italy and then onto a family wine company where I was able to learn about a local family business. It was interesting to hear the story given this is my particular areas of research.

It was a very worthwhile day made the better for the opportunity to meet both senior staff and fellow students. I’m quite envious of the study program that they are undertaking but on reflection perhaps not suited to a fifty something as he contemplates “what’s next”.

This is what I missed in Verona, but I’m not complaining as I had a very interesting day.

Garibaldi

Garibaldi

Roman Arena - Verona

Roman Arena – Verona

image