Research Week 2024 highlights

This year’s Research Week took place online from Monday 18 March to Thursday 21 March 2024.

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust Research Week runs annually in collaboration with the University of Essex. The aim is to create a community for our researchers, developing links across our doctoral research programmes and wider research community.

This year, Research Week ran from Monday 18 March to Thursday 21 March 2024 – encompassing a range of targeted skills sessions, keynotes from our own faculty and external speakers, and an all-day Doctoral Conference. Held online via Zoom, the events attracted over 165 students, staff and research enthusiasts from the Tavistock and Portman, the University of Essex and beyond.

Throughout the week, our academic and professional services staff offered workshops covering a variety of practical research skills – from conducting advanced literature searches and working on ethics applications, to preparing for Vivas and writing for publication.

On Wednesday 20 March, the Doctoral Conference provided a platform to hear from our current students and alumni about their work and the impact it has had on research, policy and practice. Five students presented on their research – offering inspiration for those beginning their journey.

The day also included a keynote from Dr Michelle O’Reilly, Associate Professor at the University of Leicester. Dr O’Reilly presented on the benefits and challenges of doing qualitative research with children and young people, providing practical tips for planning a research project and outlining the benefits of practitioner research.

Dr Louise Grant, who leads our professional doctorate in Advanced practice and research: social work and social care (D55), and oversaw the week’s events, commented: “We were delighted to have so many join us for this interactive Research Week. The feedback we have received so far suggests that participants appreciated the variety of sessions offered.”