The leafcutters
Leafcutter ants are an iconic image of the rainforest, with their large leaf trails making the forest floor come alive. They mimic a busy highway, moving to the sound of nature. But why all the leaves? Leaf fragments are cut…
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From monkeys to modelling – adapting from fieldwork to deskwork during a pandemic
I started my PhD in Conservation Ecology at Manchester Met in October 2019 and planned to go to conduct fieldwork in Peru soon after, but COVID… Like many others, I have had to drastically change my trajectory, postponing my fieldwork by many months. When I began my…
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Working Alone Together
My PhD involves working on an interpretation of artisanal footwear prototyping as an alternative, sustainable fashion system. Artisanal fashion is a design and production approach dedicated to the creation of clothing using traditional methods. At the heart of these small-scale businesses are…
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Sand in my Suitcase: Place Writing research at the most easterly point in the British Isles
My research is based on the area I grew up in, at the most easterly point in the British Isles. As I now live over two hundred miles away, the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly made this challenging. Due to restrictions, I was unable to travel to…
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My Friends, My Voices and Me: A Mixed-methods Investigation Exploring Commonalities and Differences of Sensory Hallucinations and Imaginary Companions with Children and Young People
My PhD aims to examine similarities and differences of young people’s experiences with sensory hallucinations and imaginary companions, and the factors influencing those experiences. Due to the limited knowledge around this subject, the research will also analyse the perspectives of parents…
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The writing-up juggling act
I recently submitted my PhD investigating pharmaceuticals as potential environmental contaminants in otters. As a mature student with caring responsibilities, the writing up process was particularly challenging, so I thought I would share my experiences and a few tips here in…
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Beginning My Research
It’s September again, and I am currently nearing the end of my Research Masters. This year I have been learning about, and researching, some topics in the field of Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. I’ve been working on a project that…
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The long trail ahead in stroke recovery
Rebecca’s image was named the Judge’s Choice in the postgraduate research category in the 2020 Images of Research competition.
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The higher the mountain, the better the view
Daniel Gallant reflects on keeping motivated in your research
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Study, stress and self-care: getting the right balance
My research is focused on how stress and alcohol (both individually and in combination) impact brain activity and cognitive performance, as prolonged stress exposure may be a potential pathway to alcohol and substance misuse. Since our brains are still…
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