After almost three months back home, it’s nice to sit down and try to put into words the adventure I experienced at the beginning of this year.
I always wanted to have an experience abroad, and I never had the chance to do an Erasmus exchange during my undergraduate or postgraduate studies. So, I guess it was now or never — my last chance to try visiting a university overseas. A new adventure, and at the perfect time for my PhD, just before I dive into the you-know-what document.
I remember my last week in Portugal before I travelled to the UK. Let me get as much sunshine as I can before I never see the sun again for three months, I thought.
At least that’s the perception that we, Portuguese people, rooted by the sea and under the sunshine, have of the UK. To my surprise, though, the sun was shining on many days during my stay. As I told my colleagues at the SCU, “I’m going to be an ambassador for the good weather in the UK.” But, as they keep telling me, I was very lucky, it’s not always like this.
Weather talk aside — always the first topic to break the ice — my experience in the UK gave me three incredible things. I developed more confidence as a PhD student in science communication, had the chance to meet incredible people and, I’m now a fan of musical theatre – how many Wicked shows are enough?
Let’s focus on the first two topics here, which are most aligned with the purpose of this blog post.
I’m a PhD student in Science Communication, based at one of the leading biomedical research institutes in Portugal — the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra. My project sits at the intersection of health communication and information design. I’m using a participatory approach with clinicians, patients and families to create illustrated educational materials about autoimmune encephalitis. This group of rare but treatable brain disorders is still widely unknown. In fact, there is a lack of credible, accessible, understandable and relatable information available to patients and families living with this condition, especially in Portuguese. With this project, I’m aiming to help change this, while also contributing to research on how scientific designers and illustrators can use collaboration with end-users to design better and more effective communication methods.
Coming from a neurobiology background, switching to science communication meant learning an entirely new set of research tools, knowledge systems, and ways of thinking about reality — ontology and epistemology were just words that I had never heard before. Although I am well supported by an interdisciplinary group of supervisors, I wanted to learn more and have the experience of being embedded in a science communication research group. And the opportunity at the Science Communication Unit gave me just that.
At the SCU, I was hosted by Dr Margarida Sardo and Professor Clare Wilkinson, who provided incredible support by not only discussing and providing feedback on my project, but also mentioning the different opportunities that were open to me during my stay. These included participating in other projects and attending classes from the MSc in Science Communication at UWE Bristol. Having previously taken a Continuing Professional Development module with the team, I was unsurprised by how interesting, dynamic, and practical these classes were (after all, it’s a communication Master’s). However, the incredible and talented group of students I joined as part of the programme, who made me feel so welcome from day one, were another highlight of the stay.
I also got to explore and be inspired by UWE’s different campuses. I was mostly based at Frenchay (home of the SCU), but also spent time at Bower Ashton, the hub of the creative studies, and Glenside, with its picturesque buildings.
Since the best is saved for last, during my stay I met fantastic researchers, staff, and fellow PhD students. Most of my days were spent in SCU 2C010 with the best company, such nice and funny people: Ria, David, Achintya, Henry, Jane, Jelena (and, towards the end of my stay, Guidiana, also a visiting PhD student starting her own adventure).
Time flew during those three months, and I already miss it.
See you next time, SCU@UWE!
Ana Vasconcelos, visiting PhD student from the University of Coimbra, Portugal