Badryah Alalawi is a current PhD student in Applied Linguistics at the University of Nottingham, where she also obtained her MA in Applied Linguistics. Her research interests encompass pragmatics, intercultural healthcare communication, and politeness. Specifically, her research delves into the communication practices of nurses with diverse cultural backgrounds who utilise English as a lingua franca in Saudi hospitals. You can find Badryah on Twitter @_Badryah0_

Being Gay in Academia: Unravelling Suffocating Contradictions

This article explores the experience of a gay man entering academia in an oppressive conservative culture, creating impossible contradictions between who they are and who academia wants them to be. Professional norms of academia clash with stereotypes of what ‘gay’ looks like to produce a suffocating costume that we often feel is necessary to survive. The article advocates for representation of minority groups in academia to expand ideas of who we can be – and for PhD students to care for one another and embrace our unique stories and identities.

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Should I Complete Side Projects as a PhD Student?

‘Side projects’ are valuable additional endeavours alongside your PhD that can build your skillset, relevant connections and future employability – both in and outside of academia. This article discusses some common side project ideas for PhD students, and highlights some of the short-term sacrifices required to complete them.

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