Dr Antonia Porter - Life as a SeNSS Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
What do you actually do on a daily basis?
As a post-doctoral research fellow, I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to dedicate a whole year to develop my research to date. I am also pursuing new research avenues, fostering new networks and working relationships and trying hard to build on my portfolio of publications. This is a rare chance in academia to prioritise research and to have the space and time to present my findings to a broad range of audiences in a variety of media.
How does this differ from being a PhD student (if, indeed, it does)?
Being a PhD student requires self-motivation and commitment. Being a post-doctoral fellow demands this in abundance! No longer a student and part of a lively cohort of supportive post-grads, I am the only post-doctoral research fellow in my department working on my own project. I have self-imposed deadlines and expectations about what I can achieve this year. I am privileged to be under the mentorship of two inspiring professors in my field (one based at my home institution and one based externally) but the relationship is one of having a senior colleague, and not one of tutor and student. In short, it’s down to me to get as much out of this year as I can!
What do you most enjoy, and why?
I have relished setting my own deadlines, identifying and attending training courses and reading widely but what I have enjoyed most, is being able to say yes to people! During my PhD I was incredibly focused on completing my thesis. These days, I am looking for opportunities to develop my network and to make connections with others working in my field. I am seeking out opportunities to present to and to write for a variety of audiences. I am coming out of my ivory tower(!) and I have found that it is not as scary as I had led myself to believe! This is a year to become part of the conversations happening in my field and I am gaining confidence as I go.
What is most challenging, and why?
Fitting it all in! As I have a variety of activities I can be getting on with at any one time, it has sometimes felt like I am spinning plates. If I am not carrying out focus groups, I ought to be working on my monograph. If I am not writing a book review, I might have attended a conference/ seminar/ roundtable- you get the picture!
Has being a PDF been what you expected it would be?
I am still new to PDF life but so far I have found the experience very motivating and enjoyable. There is still so much more I have to do this year but I hope that, when I look back, cumulatively what I have achieved will stand me in good stead for my next steps, wherever they might take me!