Departmental research activity
Departmental research activity is usually quite diverse, sometimes with numbers of distinct disciplines contained within the same department. Academics engage with research in different ways with different research approaches, questions, methods and outcomes. Given the range of research activity that is undertaken, most departments develop the overall capacity of their research groups and students with formal and informal seminar discussions, conference attendance, lunchtime chats etc. In addition, components of research activity are counted by the university and this audit is related to the ongoing funding for research across the university. In departments where there are a number of research students, the overall research output is usually higher. This is partially due to the impetus for research that is developed when there is an active internal research culture.
Candidate
Make sure that you participate in as many relevant research seminars and conversations as possible. Creativity theorists suggest that real innovation occurs when individuals cross normal boundaries and connect research areas from different fields. In practice, this means that you should take opportunities to attend seminars beyond your own research group and department. The most important collaborator in your research will probably be your principal supervisor. However, it is important to seek out ideas and discussions beyond this regular support, and also to contribute to others’ research questions. It’s important to remember that major findings are usually not developed in isolation, but through the generation of ideas with others.
Principal supervisor
Research students have often had only limited experience of a research culture prior to their commencement. Your own research field, the way that you go about your research, the day to day management of it, the manner in which you seek collaborations and discussions, will all be rather new to students. Part of your role is to model your own research practices for your students and to introduce them to other scholars in the area. This is an important component of introducing students to the ways in which academics engage in discourse surrounding research issues.