Hello Everyone

I wanted to know if anyone on this forum is registered at Durham University.

Thanks for replies

MarieC

I was a post-doc there a few years ago. I don't know if you're planning to go or are there already. There's some very good research going on there, however, some of the senior academics can be interesting characters to work with or for (true of a lot of places though). If not there already, check out thoroughly before you accept or go. Ensure you can work with the people you're introduced to.

What school or faculty?

Hi Mac Beef.

Thanks for the reply. I am not there but I have applied. I am an overseas student. The faculty is Biological Science and Biomedical Science. I have interest in the Plant Sciences research that they do. Were you in this field? Look forward to your reply.

MC

======= Date Modified 03 Aug 2011 23:28:52 =======

No, I wasn't in your field though it was a Science-based discipline. For reasons I'll not go into, I'll not say what I was doing.

I know it's probably difficult you being an overseas student, but I would normally suggest people go to visit the department and meet the people they're going to be working before they accept or reject to ensure you can work with them.

Hi Marie, I'm at Queen's Campus, School of Medicine and Health!
Slightly worried now Mackem!

======= Date Modified 03 Aug 2011 22:12:25 =======

Not at all, as the people I dealt with have all gone now. Besides, Stockton is another world. ;-)

I was at the South Road Campus in Durham itself. As I was a home based researcher there for one year's post-doc, I never got too deeply involved. That is as much as I'm saying, except to say that the cultural differences for someone who's gone through the new Uni. route can lead to some interesting juxtapositions. :-)

Arhhh :-) Makes sense. Yeah it does feel like another world sometimes, not only in comparison with Durham main campus but even in comparison to civilised society ;-)

(up) :-)

You'll have probably found there's the established Durham set up and then there's Stockton out on a limb. That might not be a bad thing, being away from the centre and left to get on with things. That said, I had no reason ever to set foot on Stockton campus as the job I was doing required no interaction with them, so I'm in no real position to judge.

The advice I'm trying to give to Marie is just to make sure she can work with the academics and others she'll be with for the next few years. I personally found my situation with the senior academic having too much of a hands on approach not for me, smothering if you like (not in a nice way) and I felt constrained. I could not take proper ownership of the project and give it my best. I also perceived a sort of tunnel vision in some people, though that may be a little unfair description of some people's focus.

It was a situation I was warned might happen in that the culture and expectations of people can be slightly different depending on the senior academic leading in a given field. That perception may in part be because of me coming from a New University / Old Polytechnic into an older, established institution.

To be fair, however, different situations suit different people. Durham has produced some ground breaking research and the data and published information put out by them in some cases has been top class. That includes the senior academic who was in charge of me to be fair to him.

It's a few years ago now and I learned some valuable lessons in life from that (judge situations properly before becoming involved being one, also the art of diplomacy). I guess if I'd done my PhD there (and I did have an offer before I opted for the New University), my development may have been more in tune with the culture of the place. Instead, I found myself in at the deep end as a post-doc.

I'm trying my best to take a balanced view of my time there and be fair as I can.

Noctu, you probably feel differently out at Stockton and the set-up in your department may be one that suits you. It just didn't work for me at Durham and it's just one of those things. That's one reason it's important to know the people you're working with.

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies.

Mac Beef. I don’t think I would have the same problem you had with your supervisor. I did research my prospective supervisor. He is new to this university and has just started teaching there in June. I believe he is knowledgeable in his field of research and he has had several research students who were not from Durham University. I have read some of their online thesis. In addition, the project has two other supervisors who are linked to other institutions/industry and who have good reputation in their fields.

Overall, I think the university has a good reputation from what I have read. I was drawn to the school because of the research they do in Plant Sciences. Few universities specialise in agricultural science research. I admire the agricultural research done at Durham as well as places such as Newcatsle University and Harper Adams University. As a student from a developing country, I have an appreciation for this as the research will address the global food security challenges we face.

I wanted to know more about the collegiate system they have and in general about living in the North of England.

MC