Meet Dr Andrew Johnson
Andrew, Senior Lecturer in Product Design, discusses his research in the field of digital design and fabrication, plus his role as a PhD supervisor.
My research interests relate to anything and everything to do with topics of additive manufacturing and 3D printing – specifically using additive and digital design technologies to support the design and development of future body armour. I am influenced heavily by a desire to push the limits of design, technology, and our own thinking of what’s possible.
As a supervisor I expect my PhD students to engross themselves with their research area… when at work! It’s important for to find an appropriate work-life balance. Taking time away from the PhD is critical, so be sure to hang on to your hobbies. As a supervisor I will do all that I can to help support your doctoral development, but also provide you with a platform to discuss personal issues if you wish to. When providing feedback, either on written work or oral presentations, I will provide an honest assessment – this is an opportunity to further develop your doctoral practice and researcher independence.
Supervision style varies between different PhD students. At the start of the PhD, we’ll openly discuss supervision styles to see what works best for all parties. To begin with I often tend to have short weekly updates that are led by me, especially while the student is settling in. As the PhD progresses through the months and years, the student begins to take ownership of these meetings.
Within my own research area there are always opportunities to engage with other departments, such as engineering and materials science. In most circumstances this is using specialist facilities, and thus meeting staff and other research students in those departments. On other occasions you may have the opportunity to provide short-term support to other research projects; for example, two of my current PhD students will shortly be spending two weeks on secondment at a Turkish university as part of a knowledge exchange research project. Collaboration opportunities aren’t just within the school, or even the university – they exist much further afield and are welcomed.
Publication of your work is very much expected unless there is a need to protect intellectual property. It’s important to share the findings from your work with the scientific community and one of the best methods to do this is by publishing research in high quality journals. Loughborough’s Doctoral College has a range of professional development courses to enrol on as part of your PhD. Not only do these provide you with great opportunities to upskill yourself, but you can also meet PhD students and academic staff from across the university. There are also opportunities for you to support teaching sessions, providing you with great first-hand experience.
As a researcher I’m always looking to develop my own practice, which naturally filters down into how I support my doctoral students. Sometimes this is through undertaking a development course at Loughborough, external courses with bodies such as the ‘Advance HE’, and even learning from my very own PhD students.
My advice is that undertaking a PhD is a big commitment. If you want to undertake a PhD for the ‘Dr’ salutation, then it’s probably not the right path for you. You must WANT to push the limits of current knowledge. The process of undertaking a PhD opens your mind up to a different way of thinking, seeing ‘problems’ as opportunities, and then establishing and executing a plan to overcome the issue.