Doctoral students gathered earlier in May to mark Doctoral Research Week. The Doctoral Research Symposium, held on May 5 and 6 at Bloomberg Nursing is an opportunity for 2nd year PhD students to gather with their peers, present their research plans, and receive feedback on those plans from both their fellow PhD students and Bloomberg Faculty.
“The symposium is a great opportunity for us to get together as a community,” states Margaret Saari, PhD student. “It’s very easy for us to get siloed in our cubicles, working on our research and not building connections with our peers. This event helps us integrate as a group, celebrate our accomplishments, and share our research knowledge and expertise.”
Organized by Professor Emeritus Judy Watt-Watson, with the assistance of PhD student and TA Heather Thomson, the two-day event also integrates presentations and panels from successful graduates and faculty, addressing questions and opening dialogue on subjects of concern to current students. This year, topics included “Post-Doc or Not?,” a panel discussion on Nurse Leadership with mentors from partner hospitals, and a career planning session. “This event is really a benchmark for PhD students,” says Alexandra Harris. “We get to discuss our research plans with our peers before moving forward with defending our proposals, and finally embarking on our doctoral research. Events like this really help with maintaining momentum while celebrating our successes to date.”