I’m delighted that two of my PhD students in Film, TV and Media have been awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Postgraduate Research Scholarship at Southampton Solent University in two consecutive years.

This fully funded, three-year scholarship covers tuition fees at the Home rate and provides a UKRI-standard annual stipend. It is open to full-time applicants worldwide, including international candidates. I’m incredibly proud of both students and their hard work, resilience, and commitment to research.

Advice for aspiring PhD applicants

One important lesson I’ve learned through supervising prospective doctoral researchers is that the pre-doctoral research development process matters enormously.

Applicants should be open to refining their research proposals and engaging constructively with feedback from prospective supervisors. A strong proposal should clearly articulate:

The research questions and methodology

The key scholars and literature informing the study

A realistic project timeline

The originality and potential contribution of the research

Why the chosen university and supervisor are the right fit

A successful PhD application is not simply about presenting an interesting idea, it is about developing it into a rigorous, feasible, and meaningful research project.

Applying for a PhD is a conversation, not just a submission.

Congratulations again to both my students. I look forward to seeing their research develop and the contributions they will make to their respective fields.