Date: 13/10/2025
Author: Amruta Bagwe , University of Southampton,
Bio:
Amruta Bagwe is a final-year Postgraduate Researcher in the Department of Economics at the University of Southampton, funded by the ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP). Her empirical research addresses critical issues affecting young people in India, including youth unemployment, child labour, and child marriage. She applies advanced quantitative techniques to national and state-level survey data to establish causal inferences within these domains.
How would you define your success in a PhD?
Curiosity often sparks promising PhD research, while tenacity—whether innate or developed—is essential for navigating the demanding journey of doctoral study. Persistence, too, plays a crucial role in making consistent progress. But are these qualities alone enough to make someone a ‘successful researcher’? Perhaps success can also be defined by key milestones. For instance, if during your PhD, you complete all progression reviews without reassessment, publish your research, present at conferences, defend your thesis within four years, secure employment before graduation, and finally toss your graduation cap, would that make you feel like a winner? Or perhaps being recognised among your peers as one of the top doctoral researchers is the ultimate validation? Conversely, could the absence of any of these attributes or achievements prompt a diminished self-perception regarding your identity or efficacy as a researcher? These questions can be answered from many angles. As a final-year PhD student, I’d like to share my perspective on what success has come to mean to me.
Failure or failed to give up?
You begin your journey as a researcher, much like a diamond in the rough, gradually shaped into a refined gem through years of learning and perseverance. From presenting a one-page proposal during your PhD interview to ultimately producing a whole thesis, the journey is marked by highs and lows. Life as a PhD student often resembles that of a circus performer—constantly juggling learning, experimentation, and output, all while maintaining balance on the ever-turning wheel of life, often with a composed smile. Unlike the performer who receives applause after each act, researchers labour for months or even years before their efforts materialise into tangible outcomes. Some weeks are spent simply ruling out ineffective methods, with no visible progress to show. However, when your work is finally shared at conferences, seminars, or doctoral events, the stress and setbacks fade into the background. A simple “well done” from supervisors becomes hard-earned praise. For me, the delayed gratification—the long lag between effort and results—was particularly challenging. To stay motivated, I developed a habit of tracking daily and weekly accomplishments. Finishing the day’s tasks became another brick laid in the foundation of my research. Even when setbacks occurred, such as discovering a critical error that required another month to resolve, I came to see those failures as necessary detours. Perhaps they were essential in guiding me toward more effective paths and, ultimately, more meaningful outcomes.
Insights from the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition hosted by the Doctoral College at the University of Southampton. The challenge was to distil my thesis into a compelling three-minute presentation, framed by an engaging research question, a clear methodology, promising results, and a memorable conclusion—all delivered with just one static slide. The competition consisted of two university-level rounds, with the final winner advancing to represent the University at the national Vitae 3MT Competition. After three years of research and solid findings, I finally felt ready to take part. With creativity, careful preparation, and thorough research on the competition guidelines, I entered the first round in the Faculty of Social Sciences—and was thrilled to be announced the winner. I received warm congratulations from my Department of Economics for being selected to represent the faculty. The next round, as expected, was far more competitive. Each participant demonstrated excellence in presentation, clarity, and impact. Although I wasn’t among the final winners, I was deeply encouraged by the recognition and positive feedback I received from my department.
Winning the first round brought a sense of contentment, but I had to remind myself that it didn’t fully capture the years of hard work and progress I had made in my research. In contrast, the outcome of the second round introduced a sense of doubt. I had to reassure myself that the competition was intended to be a platform for communicating my research, not a definitive measure of its value or impact. Rather than framing the experience in terms of winning or losing, I chose to see it as an opportunity for growth: a chance to step beyond the familiar confines of my research environment, learn new skills, and acknowledge and value research in other fields that often remains outside our immediate exposure. This shift in perspective led me to explore the broader research landscape at my university. I discovered that the variety of research conducted by 2,325 Postgraduate Researchers at the University of Southampton represents just under 2% of the 119,550 doctoral researchers across the UK, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 2023–24 data. And each research journey, regardless of competition outcomes, deserves recognition. Together, the efforts of all these researchers shape lives at both individual and societal levels.
Research as your success
It is easy to become fully immersed in the world of research, to the point where it begins to feel like a parallel universe, one filled with excitement, exploration, and enlightenment. Emerging from that world with a productive outcome is undeniably a proud moment in a researcher’s journey. But if we turn the lens around, can we also see how much we’ve grown, not just intellectually, but personally? Has the rigour of research shaped us into more resilient individuals? I vividly remember a period marked by poor health and personal loss, which struck my PhD routine like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, I was pulled out of that immersive research space and thrust into a state of emotional turmoil—a body that needed rest, a mind eager to work, and a heart caught in between. Yet, amid that upheaval, I managed to continue working part-time as a research assistant and even doubled my research output to compensate for the time I had taken on leave. It became clear to me that the demanding nature of PhD life had not only honed my intellectual skills but had also trained my body and mind to withstand unexpected challenges. It was a testament to how the discipline of multitasking and perseverance in research had prepared me to adapt, endure, and continue nurturing my curiosity, even in the most difficult times.
Success + failure = mature researcher
Looking back, my entire PhD experience has been a mosaic of achievements, shaped equally by moments of encouragement and challenge, and by attributes like curiosity, tenacity, and persistence. But it wasn’t until I participated in the 3MT competition that I truly recognised this. I’ve come to appreciate that success teaches humility—it keeps you grounded and guards against complacency. At the same time, failure cultivates gratitude—it deepens your appreciation for the effort invested and the lessons learned. Both are essential for growth as a researcher. Approaching the PhD with pragmatism and optimism can make success feel less like a distant milestone to be relentlessly pursued, and more like a quiet affirmation of resilience—a simple treat for making it through the day.
So, if you’re considering taking on a demanding research challenge,
I say this: Win or lose, make it count!
