What our supervisors say
Dr Sarah Parker, lecturer in English in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities talks about her research and offers advice to future doctoral researchers.
I specialise in women’s poetry of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I’m interested in the aesthetic and decadent movements of the 1890s and how women poets adapted these literary styles and forms to respond to the modern age, including events like the First World War.
I make no secret of the fact that doctoral supervision is my favourite aspect of my job. It’s an enormous privilege to watch new research in development, and to play a role in supporting the researchers of the future, both in terms of their specific academic projects but also in terms of building confidence, sharing one’s networks and offering emotional support when times get tough.
My advice for PhD students would be to follow your passion. Ask yourself: what areas of literature really interest you? Immerse yourself in previous scholarship, looking for where you might make an original contribution to the field. Allow your personality to shine through in your work. Always remember that your true worth can’t be measured in money or statistics.
I would describe my supervision style as approachable, enthusiastic, supportive – and there’s usually quite a bit of laughter in my supervisions! I’m also a big fan of having a plan, and I put a lot of emphasis on organisation and staying on schedule.
Loughborough has much to offer doctoral researchers, from the Doctoral College’s training courses to the English division itself, with its friendly, close-knit community of staff and doctoral researchers.