Programme FSW PhD & Postdoc Day 2023

Time 

Session 

09:00-9:30

 Registration  

09:30-9:45

 Speech David Gijbels   

09:45-10:45

 Keynote Guido Vanheeswijck

Ready to travel back in time and see what 'doing a PhD' looked like for someone who recently retired after a successful academic career? We asked renowned emeritus Guido Vanheeswijck (Faculty of Arts & Philosophy) to look back at his career and to enlighten us about how the dynamics of doing a PhD have changed over time. From a critical perspective, Guido will share some wise lessons to keep in mind as academics. To PhD or not to PhD? That is the question.

10:45-11:00

 Coffee Break 

11:00-12:15

Parallel sessions (1.15h) 

1.       How to pimp your (non-)academic CV (Michelle Symons)

With your PhD (almost) in hand, what benefits do you add to the job market? Which hard and soft skills should you emphasise on your (non-)academic CV? In essence, how can you persuade your potential employer of your qualifications that you developed during your doctoral trajectory? We attempt to optimise your resume using a compilation of tips from researchers who moved into the (non-)academic world after finishing their PhD!

2.       How to boost your international career (Tim Berckmans)

As certainly a wise scholar once said: “academia knows no boundaries”. Well, so shouldn’t you! Tim Berckmans of the central International Relations Office will present an overview of all the possibilities for PhD students to spend some time abroad during their studies.

12:15-13:15

 Lunch 

13u:15-14:45

 Plenary Session: Anouk De Ridder 

Whether you're just getting started or are a seasoned veteran, you probably know that doing a PhD can sometimes be a massive struggle. But no worries – help is on the way! We called Anouk De Ridder, who successfully defended her own dissertation in April 2022. After getting that PhD, she apparently still had some writing energy left. In November 2022 her book about PhD life, 'Not that kind of doctor', hit the bookstores. During this session, she reveals the PhDo's and PhDon'ts that you need to know in order to survive your PhD, whether you're just getting started, or are already applying for your next job. #Lifehacks!

14:45-15:00

 Coffee Break 

15:00-16:15

Parallel sessions (1.15h):

1.       How to train your media skills (Peter De Meyer)

Of course, getting your research published in a scientific journal is very important. But hey, an article in the newspaper or a short interview on the radio is also of huge value to your career. Maybe you are a little bit scared of reaching out to the media? Peter De Meyer, spokesman of UAntwerp, will give you tips & tricks to catch media attention and to communicate with journalists.

2.       How to create a flawless application for ethical clearance (EASHW) 

Most people do not want Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and more) to collect and use their data for whatever purposes. What about our practices as a researcher? Can we collect whatever data online and offline for research purposes? The simple answer is: yes we can. However, as academic researchers we do follow ethical guidelines to ensure that both participants and researchers do not feel forced to do things, do not feel fooled or manipulated and do not feel trapped/limited in their freedom. In this session, we will start from some basic principles of research ethics. We then look at the application procedure: what you need to prepare to get ethical clearance in less than two weeks’ time.

16:15-16:45

 Research speed date  

As PhD students and postdoc researchers, we are all in the same (academic) boat. This not only means that we can relate to each other's misery, but also that we can learn from and serve as an inspiration for each other. Therefore, we organize a little research speed date during which we can share our research experiences that might inspire others. To kick off, PhD researcher Sofie Apers will first share her innovative research method for which she won the SHARE Award for Best Methodology at the RICOMET Conference. Then, inspirational questions will be presented at different locations in the room to spur conversation among those present. So join this session to bring out our academic best by inspiring each other with all the amazing things we are doing in our research!

16:45-17:00

 Closing