Introducing the Sussex Research Hive Scholars for 2021/2022
The Research Hive is a dedicated space within the University of Sussex Library, created especially for researchers. Supported by SAGE Publishing, it allows researchers the possibility of engaging with other members of the community at the university.
Each year three doctoral researchers are selected to be Research Hive Scholars, to provide additional support to the community through events, activities and communication.
Nathali is a 4th year doctoral candidate in International Development, at the School of Global Studies. Her aspirations for Hive events is to promote arts, counter-histories, and different forms of wellbeing to help nourish the "neglected", more creative elements of our identities as doctoral researchers. She’s also interested in co-organizing interdisciplinary in-person and virtual events to support and respond to the emotional, as well as academic, needs of diverse groups of in the doctoral community here at Sussex.
Jamie is a 2nd year PhD researcher in the School of Psychology. Being an LGBTQ+, ethnic minority, first generation student has played a significant part in shaping the way she speaks, writes and thinks about cultural experiences in academia. Her aspiration for the Hive is for it to be an inclusive and accessible space, where all Sussex researchers feel welcomed and at home. There’s a place for everyone at the Hive!
Erin is a 2nd year part-time PhD researcher in Media, Arts and Humanities looking at the patients of the Sussex County Lunatic Asylum in the 19th century. Her focus as a Hive Scholar is to represent part time researchers who are having to juggle their PhD along with other responsibilities (such as full-time employment, childcare, etc) along with researchers with disabilities and additional requirements.
This year, the Hive Scholars are mostly back on campus, and being able to interact with other researchers and support those who have felt isolated because of the pandemic, has been a focus of the activities organised so far. A pub quiz has been hosted, focusing on general Brighton trivia, as well as such gems as “How many cookies has Cookie Monster eaten on Sesame Street?”. This event was held in the second week of the semester, and for some, it was lovely to meet with fellow researchers again in-person; whilst for others, who started their PhDs during the pandemic, it was an exciting new experience!
To celebrate Black History Month in October, two blog posts were published with book recommendations from black authors. (Here and here).
An interdisciplinary conference is in the beginning stages of planning, and this will focus on methodology. Our hope is to bring together scholars from various disciplines to share methodology tips and techniques, and to build up the general research community’s collaboration at Sussex.
Acknowledging and celebrating the diversity of the Sussex research community is paramount and the Hive is an inclusive space for all LGBTQIA+ researchers of all sociocultural backgrounds. We stand in solidarity with our trans and non-binary colleagues and students.