Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences
Research Degrees
Research Degrees
Video Presentation by Keynote Speaker Professor Barbara Pocock, Director of the Centre for Work and Life at the University of South Australia and author of The work-life collision and The labour market ate my kids.
Over 150 research students and research academics from the Education, Arts and Social Sciences Division converged on Magill Campus on the 11th of August for the 2007 Postgraduate Research Forum.
With a significant number of staff and student presentations, the 2007 Research Forum was the largest and most successful yet.
The former Dean of Research Education, Professor Bruce Johnson, who helped create and manage the forums over the last four years, said:
It was an overwhelming success Our forum is by far the biggest in the university in terms of students presenting and enrolled. It is quite a significant event on the university calendar.
The Forum, now in its tenth year, has experienced a facelift over recent years.
The new focus for the Research Forum has been to promote a research culture within the Division. It aims to give researchers, both inexperienced and experienced, the opportunity to present their research in a challenging yet supportive environment.
Students benefit academically by being challenged by fellow students and staff but they also benefit by making contact with other Higher Degree by Research students, increasing their sense of belonging Professor Johnson says. There is an emotional and social pay off as well.
The 2007 Research Forum explored twelve main themes ranging from research theories and practices to engaging research communities.
Higher Degree Research students and their supervisors presented research to small groups made up of fellow students, staff and academics. For the first time in this years forum, Honours students were also invited to present their research.
As well as promoting the strength of research at Honours level, these presentations enabled HDR and Honours students in organising their research, and becoming comfortable with presenting in front of large groups of peers and academics.
Dr Margaret Peters, Acting Dean of Research Education, said:
Division wide, this forum has the chance to bring trans-disciplinary researchers together to showcase different stages of research development, so people can see the beginning, middle and final stages of growing a research project.
Future Research Forums will be challenged by the large and increasing number of students participating, but will continue the strong focus on promoting research culture for all staff and students.
Dr Peters has identified key focus areas for future forums.
Future forum activities will focus on pre-preparation of oral presentation for researchers in the early stages of public presentations. There will also be a focus on editing and publishing activities for full papers emanating from the forums, she said. This will be in line with the Divisions research emphasis on publishing from the thesis throughout its various stages.
