Hello, I finished my PhD and started a post doc in a different area and a different country straight away (I moved to the UK). I am now at the stage where I want to publish some papers from my PhD. I have what's probably a very naive question: the papers I have published from my postdoc were published in open access journals. The research institute where I work paid for the publishing. But do you think they would pay for me to publish work from my PhD, which is in a different area? If they don't pay, where would I go to get funding to get a paper published? What do people do in this situation? I know I need to ask my line manager about this, but I just wanted to see if I'm asking a really stupid question first. I would be grateful if people on this forum cold share their experiences, Thanks.

hi shoulder
I can understand your position. Where I am now -- I have not only asked lots of stupid questions but also been "told off" for having strange publications which don't relate to the area I'm in.

I have also been struggling on papers from my phd (getting over psychological writing blocks etc.etc.)

One positive thing for me is the communication with my former supervisor who still thinks the work should be published, so that is encouraging for me. I think we are not looking at open access.

Three things you could do --

1. ask your line manager anyway - but make sure you have a solid case (solid paper, that is!) before asking. Perhaps the work could contribute in other ways for the research institute? The most he or she can say is no. And if you don't ask, you won't know.

2. talk to your former supervisor about publishing from your phd?

3. perhaps rethink your choice of journals and submit to those no-fee ones?

:-)

It's more likely that your PhD supervisors will pay if you need to pay at all. They will be on the paper too right? So it's in their interest to do so. I very much doubt your current research institute will pay, since the work is nothing to do with them and won't benefit them in any way as your affiliation remains at your PhD institution for this work.

Thinking about it, what would happen in my case? I'm on a teaching contract; the university has already told me that they won't pay anything towards any research I may choose to do. If I write a paper without my PhD supervisors (who will still pay for stuff if they are on it, but not if they are not), how I will pay for this? My only options are: pay myself, find free ones or apply for funding from a university charity we have.

Thanks for raising this - made me realise I need to think about this too.