Laura (she/her) is a Lecturer in Criminology and PhD researcher at Birmingham City University. Her research focuses upon desistance from serious offending and the importance of the community in this process. Her teaching interests include: Policing, vulnerabilities, ethics and qualitative research methods. Laura’s PhD is entitled ‘Informal support arrangements for those released from custody, who have been convicted of sexual offences against children’ and explores the contribution made by informal supporters (friends, family members and partners) to the desistance for those with convictions for sexually offending against children. Twitter: @LauraCrimRiley

Stops And Starts: The Growing Pains Of The PhD

Get insights from a PhD candidate’s reflective diary on the process of starting, struggling with, and ultimately completing a doctoral research project. Discover the trials and tribulations of getting ethical approval, recruiting participants, and navigating the pandemic while working towards a degree.

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15 Years in Academia: 10 Things I’d Do Differently If Starting My PhD Again

This article reflects on the author’s 15-year academic journey, detailing the lessons learned from disorganised PhD student to effective work habits as a postdoc and assistant professor, and applying these lessons to their current role at Paperpile. Suzanne offers practical advice on academic writing, productivity, and professional development, emphasizing the importance of daily writing practice, systematic note-taking, reflection, goal setting, and the use of digital tools like reference managers. She shares these insights to help current PhD students avoid similar pitfalls and develop productive habits early in their academic careers.

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