I’m Lubena Mirza, a first-year PhD student about to begin my second year. Introducing myself as a first-year always feels a bit strange because my inner voice often asks, “Still?” There have certainly been ups, downs, and delays, but I’ve learned that the PhD journey is a multi-faceted one: there’s the journey in your mind, and the one you’re actually on. Sometimes, when you go off track, it feels like lost time, but looking back, I realize that the stepping stones I took may have been different from what I initially anticipated. Along the way, I learned new things—not only about my subject matter, but also about myself.
So, when the opportunity arose to host a webinar for PhD students about navigating our individual journeys, I knew I had to be involved.
I had the pleasure of collaborating with Amirah Mohammed, who is an absolute gem. She came up with the fantastic title, “Candid Conversations: Navigating Life from Behind the Research.” Both Amirah and I work part-time while pursuing our PhDs, but we managed to find time to work on this project together.
One of the biggest challenges was selecting panellists. Given the holiday period, we were concerned that people might not have enough time to consider joining as panellists. Thankfully, we received a great response, which made the selection process difficult—but also motivating and encouraging. It was inspiring to see so many people eager to share their stories, and we were able to connect on shared experiences and values in the limited time we had.
Our panellists—Suruthi and Victory—were both stars in their own right. Each was free to share as much or as little as they felt comfortable with, and both are open to being contacted by PhD students who may have further questions.
With their help, we were able to uncover valuable and inspiring insights. We had a fantastic turnout, and although many of us were meeting for the first time, the connection felt immediate. People listened to the panellists’ stories, shared their own experiences, and asked questions. Our goal was to provide a space where PhD students could ask questions they might not typically have the chance to ask, or get answers they wouldn’t easily find elsewhere.
This event truly reflects the mission of the Inclusive Research Network and YCEDE Project: to create a safe, equitable space for PhD students.
There were several key takeaways: people are always willing to share their experiences to help others, and support can be received when it’s offered in a respectful, safe space. If we repeat this or host similar events, we’ll aim to give panellists more notice, as well as more time for everyone to participate.
I liked this: “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
— Michael Jordan, former professional basketball player
Finally, a big thank you to Amirah, our panellists, and Ade and Asha for their support.
Lubena