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Dear SCDTP Students, PGRs, and Supervisors,

We're glad to bring you this week’s edition of the SCDTP newsletter, packed with the latest news, events, and opportunities across the Partnership.

Whether you’re planning ahead for training, interested in networking with peers, or keeping an eye out for funding and development resources, this update has something for you.

Take a moment to catch up and see what’s on the horizon!

Dear all,

As part of our ongoing efforts to support student and cohort wellbeing, we were pleased to offer sponsored Instinctive Meditation sessions this year. However, despite these efforts, we’ve experienced consistently low and at times no turnout.

Regrettably, this means we will be cancelling the meditation sessions until further notice. We understand this may be disappointing to some, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

We remain committed to supporting your wellbeing and welcome any suggestions for alternative activities or resources you would find helpful.

Thank you for your understanding.

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The SCDTP Decolonial Reading Group is back, offering a welcoming space for students, supervisors, and staff to reflect on decolonial perspectives and how they relate to research and broader understandings of the world.

This student-led initiative is taking a refreshed approach. Rather than discussing a set reading, participants are invited to bring along something that has sparked reflection on decoloniality, whether it be an article, chapter, or idea.

🗓️ Next session:
Thursday 26 June 2025 , 1:00 – 2:00 PM on Microsoft Teams

Facilitated by Patience (SCDTP Postdoctoral Fellow), Sixtus, and Patricia, the group encourages shared leadership and open discussion. Everyone is welcome to contribute and suggest future topics or readings.

Join us as we continue this important conversation across our partner institutions.

(The SCDTP Decolonial Reading Group will meet every last Thursday of every month)

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Click the link below to read the latest blog by our students, Clara Girault and Oki MacPherson

📝 Contribute to the SCDTP Blog 📝

Are you interested in sharing your research or reflections with a wider audience? We welcome blog contributions from current students across the Partnership.

To submit a blog post, please email us and refer to our blog guidelines to ensure your piece meets our submission criteria.

Contributing to the blog is a great way to highlight your work and support our vibrant research community.

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🎧 In Case You Missed It: Speaking of Research – Our New SCDTP Podcast Series!

Our first official podcast series, Speaking of Research, launched on 13 May, and we’re now halfway through Series One!

Recorded during our annual conference at Cumberland Lodge in April 2025, this debut series features conversations between our doctoral researchers and Catherine McDonald from Research Podcasts. Each episode offers a compelling insight into the researchers’ projects, who their work aims to support, and the real-world impact they hope to achieve.

New episodes drop every Tuesday through 16 July, with 10 episodes in total for Series One. So far, five episodes have been released:

🎙️ Sadie 13/05/2025

🎙️ Nishit 20/05/2025

🎙️ Katie 27/05/2025

🎙️ Kezia 03/06/2025

🎙️ Yifan 10/06/2025

And there’s more to come! Here’s what’s still ahead (tentative dates):

Charlotte – 17/06/2025

Max – 24/06/2025

Elspeth – 01/07/2025

Isaac – 08/07/2025

Toby – 15/07/2025

If you haven’t tuned in yet, now’s the perfect time to catch up!

🎙️ You can listen on your favourite platform:

Spotify: Listen here

Apple Podcasts: Listen here

Amazon Music: Listen here

📢 Stay up to date by checking our website news, or follow us on BlueSky and LinkedIn for the latest episode update or related news about us.

We're delighted to share that Sudip has recently published an academic paper in Identities and a companion fiction piece in The Sociological Review.

Both works are introduced in a blog post on the Identities website, titled "Belligerent Shyness in 'Post-Racial' Talk", which explores the tensions and narratives within post-racial discourse.

The blog includes links to both the academic article and the creative story, offering readers multiple ways to engage with the research. 

📖 Read the blog and access the publications here:
Belligerent Shyness in 'Post-Racial' Talk

We’re thrilled to see Sadie Rockcliffe in the spotlight for her work on making blue spaces more inclusive for people with sight loss. Sadie recently led an inclusive open water swimming session, highlighting the need for greater accessibility in seas, lakes, and pools.

Her work was featured in BBC local news, and she also made appearances on BBC South and ITV Meridian—proudly representing the SCDTP in her hoodie!

📺 Watch the coverage: University of Brighton researchers to host inclusive swim session – BBC News
🌐 Learn more: www.AccessibleWaters.co.uk

Well done, Sadie, for championing accessible outdoor spaces through your research and outreach!

We’re looking for 6 enthusiastic student volunteers to help shape one of the most anticipated events in the SCDTP calendar — the Final Year Conference, taking place in December 2025.

The FYC is a special occasion where final-year students present their research, and the wider SCDTP community comes together to celebrate their achievements. The success of this event depends on a dedicated student-led organising committee, and we’re now recruiting for the 2025/26 team!

As a committee member, you’ll:

- Help decide the conference theme

- Contribute to the programme design and scheduling

- Identify and liaise with a keynote speaker

- Allocate presenters and organise breakout rooms

- Support event artwork, social media, and session chairing

You’ll gain valuable event management experience, build connections with students and staff, and contribute to a memorable and impactful event. Support will be provided by the SCDTP Operations Team and Suzie Everley, our Deputy Director for Student Engagement and Social Media.

🗓️ Interested? Contact us at scdtp@soton.ac.uk by 1 September 2025

✨ Hear from past committee members:

“It gave me the opportunity to develop new skills, build confidence, and connect with the SCDTP community.”
“The experience was hugely rewarding, and I was proud of what we achieved together.”

Don’t miss this chance to make your mark and support your peers,  we’d love to have you on board!

We're delighted to share that Sudip has recently published an academic paper in Identities and a companion fiction piece in The Sociological Review.

Both works are introduced in a blog post on the Identities website, titled "Belligerent Shyness in 'Post-Racial' Talk", which explores the tensions and narratives within post-racial discourse.

The blog includes links to both the academic article and the creative story, offering readers multiple ways to engage with the research. 

📖 Read the blog and access the publications here:
Belligerent Shyness in 'Post-Racial' Talk

📚 Explore Our Student Publications 📚 

Did you know we now have over 50 publications listed on our Student Publications page?

Take a moment to browse the inspiring work your peers are producing across the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership.

If you’ve recently published something that’s not yet featured, we’d love to hear from you! Sharing your work not only boosts visibility but also contributes to our collective impact as a research community.

Let’s celebrate and showcase your research, get in touch to have your publication added.

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🌟 UKRI Policy Internships scheme 🌟

The UKRI Policy Internships Scheme for 2025/26 is now open and the closing date for applications is 4pm on 8 September 2025.

The scheme provides the opportunity for doctoral students funded by the Research Councils of UKRI to undertake a three-month placement at one of a selected group of highly influential policy organisations. During their internship, the student undertakes training and experience on a policy topic agreed with their host partner that is relevant to both parties. The intention of the scheme is to embed students in an environment where they can engage with the process of converting research outputs into policy. These internships equip students with transferable skills and training relevant to the future career paths that the student may choose.

Full details of how to apply, including links to the online application form and guidance documents are available through the  UKRI Policy Internships Scheme webpage.

The Policy Internships Scheme is coordinated by NERC on behalf of the other Research Councils of UKRI. Any queries relating to the application process should be directed to the NERC Talent and Skills team (researchcareers@nerc.ukri.org) or the relevant host partner.

🏆 Call for Applications: BSA Phil Strong Prize for Medical Sociology PhD Students 🏆 

The British Sociological Association’s Medical Sociology Committee is now accepting entries for the annual Phil Strong Prize, offering £1,200 to support PhD students contributing to the advancement of medical sociology.

This prestigious award is open to BSA members currently undertaking doctoral research in the field of medical sociology.

🔗 Full details and how to apply:
Phil Strong Memorial Prize – BSA Website

📅 Deadline: 12pm on Friday, 1 August 2025
Please note: Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

If your research touches on themes in medical sociology, this is a fantastic opportunity to gain recognition and support for your work.

Please also feel free to share this with colleagues or students in relevant disciplines!

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🎓 C-BEAR Summer Workshop: Experimental Methods in the Social Sciences 🎓

The Centre for Behavioural, Experimental, and Action Research (C-BEAR) is hosting a five-day Summer Workshop on Experimental Methods in the Social Sciences from 30 June to 4 July 2025 at the University of Southampton.

This hands-on and interactive course is perfect for students new to experimental design—no prior experience in statistics or experimental research is required. You’ll gain:

- A solid foundation in experimental methodology

- Practical skills in designing, conducting, and analysing experiments

- Exposure to tools like Qualtrics, Stata, and R

- Insight into platforms such as YouGov, Prolific, and MTurk

Guidance on ethical and responsible research practices

📝 Cost: £300 (students can apply to use their RTSG)
📬 Apply here: Summer School Application
📩 Questions? Contact: p.spada@soton.ac.uk

Don't miss this opportunity to strengthen your research skills!

📊 Register Now: Southampton Summer Statistics School 2025 📊 

The Southampton Summer Statistics School is back! Taking place from 9–11 July 2025, this three-day in-person event is designed for both academics and non-academics working with numerical data in the social sciences. Whether you're a professional, PhD student, or post-doc, this is a great opportunity to strengthen your statistical skills in an accessible and supportive environment.

🗓️ Dates: 9–11 July 2025
🕘 Time: 09:00–16:30 daily
📍 Location: Tizard Building, Room 13/3019 (Seminar Room), Highfield Campus, University of Southampton
💷 Registration Fee: Free!

📌 Open to participants from all disciplines – no advanced statistical knowledge required.

🎟️ Reserve your place:
Southampton Summer Statistics School 2025 – Eventbrite

As these courses are not organised by SCDTP, students will need to apply for RTSG funding in advance if there are any cost implications, such as course fees or travel expenses. Please note that RTSG funding cannot be applied retrospectively, so funding approval must be secured before any payments are made.

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💡 Apply Now: NCRM’s Research Methods Rendezvous – A Unique Online Collaboration Event

The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) has launched a new and free online event designed to help researchers turn early-stage ideas into fully developed research projects.

The Research Methods Rendezvous will take place over two interactive sessions on 10 September and 29 October 2025, with a seven-week collaboration period in between.

Participants will:

- Hear presentations from fellow researchers on emerging project ideas

- Contribute to shaping and refining those ideas

- Build connections across disciplines and institutions

🔗 Find out more and apply here:
Research Methods Rendezvous – NCRM

This is an excellent opportunity for researchers at any stage to gain fresh insights, develop proposals, and explore potential collaborations.

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As we share the latest edition of the SCDTP and Network Update, we want to thank you for your continued dedication and contributions to our community. Your engagement and support make this network a thriving hub of collaboration, innovation, and shared learning.

This edition highlights some of the exciting opportunities, events, and resources available to you in the coming weeks. We hope it provides valuable insights and inspires you to stay actively involved.

Remember, we’re always here to hear from you! Whether you have feedback, questions, or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach out at scdtp@soton.ac.uk—your input helps shape the future of our community.

Thank you for being an essential part of the SCDTP network. We’re looking forward to all we can accomplish together this year.

Warm regards,
The SCDTP Team

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