That's Me! Blog

What is it like to work as a research associate?

Final year PhD student at Birmingham City University, Abigail Shaw, reflects on her role as a research associate on the...

Giving Voice to Global Majority Doctoral Researchers

Researchers on the ‘That’s Me!’  project at Birmingham City University hosted an event titled "Giving Voice to Global ...

Huafeng's experience as a research assistant

Huafeng Lu, postgraduate researcher at Birmingham City University, describes her experience as a research assistant wor...

Navigating the PGR Journey: A Whirlwind of Growth

Postgraduate researcher Nsikan opens up about the realities of PhD life, sharing honest insights, personal triumphs, a...

An Exchange of Cultures for Global Majority Postgraduate Researchers

Lerelle Wilden-Lewis , a PhD researcher in Media, shares her experience putting together a cultural exchange event fo...

My journey to PhD study at Birmingham City University

Roo has studied at BCU all the way from her BA, MA, and now her PhD. After a five year break from university education,...

Words of wisdom from a final year PhD researcher

Patience Domingos has studied at BCU since 2000, completing two bachelor’s degrees, a Master’s and is now studying in h...

Balancing a PhD with home life

 Are you thinking about studying a PhD, but wondering how you will juggle it with your already busy life? Ruth Awara, a...

Studying for a PhD whilst freelancing

Sarah Bristol Abbott, a current PhD researcher, shares words of wisdom on how to balance freelancing whilst studying fo...

Discover stories of PGR researchers working on the That's Me project in our IAMBCU postgraduate researcher stories. 

Emmanuela Enweonwu

Through her research into international human rights and law, Emmanuela is committed to advocate for change for vulnerable women and children in Nigeria . Navigating personal challenges along the way, she has worked meaningfully with the research community at Birmingham  City University during her PhD to make a true difference for individuals.    

Sarah Bristol-Abbott

Before her master’s, Sarah didn’t think she was destined for success. Studying at BCU has given her the confidence to be her most authentic self and start a business that makes a difference to marginalised communities.

Melisa Oleschuk

Passionate about the empowerment of people and the protection of human rights, Melissa felt studying a PhD would provide her with the knowledge for a career contributing to a better society. After completing her undergraduate degree in Law and postgraduate degree in International Human Rights, she is now studying for her PhD, exploring the translation of international human rights provisions into domestic legal change. 

Jess Wythe

When Jess started her undergraduate studies as an Education student at BCU, she didn’t have the confidence to believe she was good enough to study at postgraduate level. Now, her doctoral research is making positive changes to Special Educational Needs policy and practice and her confidence in her work and ability grows every day.

Abigail Shaw

After being released from prison in her late teens, Abigail became a mother and realised she needed to provide a better life for her new family. After several attempts at college, she discovered an Access to HE (Higher Education) course, which led her to study Criminology at BCU at undergraduate and master’s levels. She has overcome every challenge life has thrown at her and is now a PhD researcher at BCU focussing on the experiences of black women in the criminal justice system.  

Roxanne Korda

Roxanne was previously a secondary school physics teacher, having studied physics and philosophy. Roxanne wanted to explore the possibility of conveying concepts of science through theatre and performance, so she decided to pursue a Master's in Music and then a PhD at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Daniel Blanco Albert

Daniel found his home at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire after deciding to move from Valencia to study his passion for music and performance. He has been connected to Birmingham City University throughout his Master’s degree and PhD for a decade now and loves to work collaboratively with other creatives in the city to form unique operatic performances.

Lerelle Willden-Lewis 

After facing personal challenges that interrupted her first attempt at another university, Lerelle decided to study at BCU and graduated with a first-class undergraduate degree followed by a Master’s with distinction. Encouraged by her dissertation supervisor and driven by a passion for research, she began a PhD exploring marginalised queer people’s use of dating apps, while also becoming a foster parent. Her journey reflects resilience, academic excellence, and a commitment to making digital spaces safer and more inclusive for under-represented communities.

Huafeng Lu

With a background in architecture, Huafeng had always been passionate about creating high-quality spaces. She wanted to push her knowledge further by pursuing a PhD, making a true difference by promoting greater social inclusion and sustainable urban development in smart city planning. 

Nsikan Oghenemega Umoh 

As Nsikan advanced through her studies, earning both a BSc in Accounting and an MSc in International Business, she found herself increasingly drawn to research. This passion led her to pursue a Business PhD at Birmingham City University, where she has been supported by a vibrant academic community and inspired to explore her interests in human behaviour and its impact on organisational performance.