Any graduate knows that where you think you’re going after uni is not always where you land. In some ways, the further up the degree chain you go, the more complicated your options can become. Helping Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students explore career pathways and create pivotal connections beyond academia is a key driver of UQ’s Graduate School industry placement program.
While many students enter advanced degree programs thinking they will go on to be university researchers, the vast majority of them will not – at least not at first. And the fact is that, even if they do, real-world experience and understanding plays a significant role in good research. Never mind the direct benefit to industry from having gifted young scientists work, learn and grow with them.
Through UQ’s HDR placement program, students secure temporary posts with industry, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) relevant to their field of study and professional interests for 12 weeks. The placement is independent of their thesis, which they receive an extension on completing. They can also receive scholarship support to help them with the additional costs that come with placement and extended completion.
Ashleigh Shannon, PhD candidate from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, found out quickly that any costs were far outweighed by benefits. “Towards the end of my PhD candidature, I began to ask advice from people around me regarding potential career paths and upcoming opportunities. I was familiar with Vaxxas and genuinely interested in their work. By speaking with a postdoctoral researcher involved in nanopatch research, I was able to find an opportunity for a placement with Vaxxas.
As a PhD student, you may be advised that there are many alternative career paths to research/academia. However, it is difficult to know what you will actually enjoy, and it can be overwhelming trying to decide when you have little or no experience in other areas.
The placement has given me the opportunity to gain experience in applied, translatable research, while helping me establish the right pathway for my future. A Vaxxas industry placement set me up with a job and I am extremely grateful.”
HDR candidates can apply for a UQ Industry Placement Scholarship that provides a three-month extension on their student living stipend and comes with tuition offset and a three-month extension to their thesis submission date*. The scholarship is open to both Australian and international students.
Professor Jonathan Corcoran, Deputy Associate Dean (Researcher Development) shares, “The 60-day Industry Placement is a terrific opportunity for our PhD students to gain practical experience and apply their research skills outside of the university environment. Placement experiences are known to help develop industry-focussed skills, broaden professional networks, and expand future career prospects.”
HDR students bring with them new knowledge, enthusiasm, fresh ideas and perspective, including on potential – and valuable - research linkages for a business or organisation. They’ll ask questions and sometimes foster shifts toward new ways of looking at both challenges and opportunities.
For more details of the program and how you might get involved, contact sci.advancement@uq.edu.au . If you’re an HDR looking to start a placement, visit https://cdf.graduate-school.uq.edu.au/hdr-placements
*Eligibility applies. Refer to https://scholarships.uq.edu.au/scholarship/uq-phd-industry-placement-scholarship
