My PhD and Me;

My PhD and Me;

This is the only post I will ever write that sounds like it could be diary entry (I promise).

I think that it is important to explain where I have come from and why my experiences are important to the work I do.

I also want to talk about PhD in a vague sense for anyone that is looking to embark on one.

I studied architecture at Plymouth University and loved the experience; it had its ups and downs, but for me the experience developed and pushed me as a designer. It made me think of questions that still intrigue me now and is also where I developed my fascination for materials.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs;

After university I took the standard route into architecture and got a job in London.

My first job was at an architectural firm that dealt with large urban developments and to be honest I hated it. Nothing about the firm used any of the skills I had learnt at university.

I left this job and went to another firm; this time a much smaller one, thinking that this experience would feed my hunger for architecture but this didn’t work and I carried on this trend of searching for a different firm.

I finally discovered that I was interested in the materials in architecture and how they relate culturally and physically. I hated the way materials were an afterthought in buildings and not a key design force.

I found a job that fitted this need and I was to become a materials researcher at an architectural firm which had the perfect balance of working on design and materials.

How did the PhD happen?

The PhD is an interesting story, I was speaking to my tutor from university and he recommended that I speak with my now supervisor, I then  emailed her about doing a PhD.

At the time I was in fact applying to masters’ courses for architecture and had been interviewed/accepted places.

However a week before I was meant to start the masters’ course, I was offered the PhD. I flew over to Belfast to meet everyone and check it out, I knew this was where I needed to be and I accepted the place.

PhD , PhD……….

I started the PhD a few weeks later after visiting Belfast for only the second time and it was crazy; I felt like they must have made a mistake, I shouldn’t be here it was typical imposter’s syndrome.

It was also a kind of learning that I had never experienced before; it was so free and driven by me, which was exhilarating as well as being completely daunting.

There was no road map as I was in control of writing my own PhD question, which for a long time scared me, but I’m the kind of person that when they are worried,  I work to forget the guilt of not knowing where your going.

This worked out well and allowed for my research question to emerge organically from my work. But without the support of my supervision team this would not have happened. They held my hand when I needed it and allowed me to explore even the strangest of avenues. I think the relationship with your supervisors is the most important part of any PhD; ideally you should actually like them.