Annual Research Student Conference
2017 – Crossing Paths: the problems aren't within-discipline, so why is the research?
The next Research Student Conference will take place on 9 October 2017, with the theme of Interdisciplinary Research, in Elm Grove Conference Centre, Roehampton University. This annual conference is intended to offer a platform for graduate students to present their research, to network and to engage with academics from different departments. It will offer a fresh perspective on the world of research and give postgraduate research students an opportunity to experience firsthand the thrills of presenting and participating in a research conference. Topics of interest include: the integration of techniques, theories, perspectives, concepts and/or data across academic disciplines; pros and cons of interdisciplinary research; combined methodology; working between 'academic' and 'non-academic' disciplines.
2016 - Does your RESEARCH have IMPACT?
If there is one thing that all researchers have in common it is this: your work needs to have 'impact'. The need to achieve impact applies to all academic disciplines and university departments, raising issues that every researcher needs to consider: What does 'impact' mean? How can you achieve it? And whether you are writing your project proposal, finalising your thesis or submitting a paper, impact is a key issue that will be used to evaluate your research.
2015 - Limits and Margins
'Limits and Margins', the next Research Student Conference will be held on 10 September 2015, in Gilbert Scott Lecture Theatre at Whitelands College, University of Roehampton. As researchers, we may sometimes feel constrained by the parameters of our disciplines and the associated theoretical and methodological frameworks. Perhaps, though, it is those very limits, which challenge and push us to infringe upon boundaries and work in the margins. What are the consequences of our choices? How do our choices impact the research process? Is it really possible to violate authorised boundaries? Have limits and boundaries changed over time? What can't research do? And what about those who participate in research – is it them who are marginalised and forced to work on the periphery?
2014 - Theory or Practice?
'Theory or Practice? A Graduate Conference' was held on 9 June 2014, in the Portrait Room, Froebel College, University of Roehampton.
To what extent does theory underlie practice? Does practice influence theory? Is one more important than the other? These are the questions that we addressed with this years' conference. By bringing together research from arts and humanities as well as life sciences and social sciences we investigated the links and allow common themes to emerge. This successful event highlighted research students in four panels of discussion, 'Awareness & Learning', 'Money & Power', 'Comparative Culture' and 'Social Justice'.
2013 - Making a Difference
The 2013 Research Student Conference - 'Making a Difference' - was held on Friday 7 June 2013, and looked at the difference that early-career researchers hope to make, and can show they can make, as a central concern both to the success of the researcher and to the wider university. This raised pressing questions, and common connections, between research students at the threshold of contributing their work to academia, industry or public life. What goals or transformations do we seek to bring about? How can these be measured, and what problems are presented therein? Why do we seek to contribute this research, and what differences do we hope to see within our fields?
Find out more about the conference, including presentation abstracts, here.
2012 - Communication in Context
The 2012 Research Student Conference - 'Communication in Context' - was held Tuesday 19 June 2012. In this so called 'communication age' we were interested to see how communication is viewed across disciplines. By bringing together research from arts and humanities as well as life sciences and social sciences we want to investigate the links and allow common themes to emerge.
View the conference programme, abstracts, and biographies here.