Name: Dr. Katheryn Margaret Pascoe 

Where you are from: Aotearoa New Zealand 

PhD University: University of Ulster 

PhD topic area: Social Work and Social Policy 

Current job title and company: Lecturer in Social and Community Work, University of Otago

Current location: Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand

 

How would you describe to your granny/granddad what you do for work? 

My current role is a combination of teaching, research and service to community. I support the training and development of students seeking a career in social work, teaching into both Bachelor and Master level professional degrees. Within the education space, I also supervise multiple postgraduate students, providing support and guidance for the completion of their own research projects. 
My research combines a focus on the local context, exploring issues associated with the policy and practice of social work in Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as international collaborations in the areas of community development, social work education, and wellbeing. Additionally, I am involved in several advocacy groups and professional associations including the Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research association, through which I will be supporting and hosting an international conference in Dunedin, New Zealand in November 2024.  

 

What hard skills does someone need for your job? 

The critical, analytical skills developed during my PhD have been essential for engaging in curriculum developments, advocacy, and research. Additionally, the ability to interrogate theory is central in the development of new knowledge and illustrating the connection between theory and practice for our students. Lastly, clear and concise writing for a range of audiences is undeniably relevant to every element of the role. Regardless of how great an idea is, or how substantial your research findings are, communication remains key.  

 

What soft skills does someone need for your job? 

As a lecturer, we are not only supporting students in our class to master the content and core skills for practice, but we are also supporting their overall growth and journey into their profession. This means it is important to understand the intersectional identities all our students bring, to actively listen to their needs and respond appropriately. There is no one-size-fits all approach to education, therefore, hearing the voices of the students is central to creating a space of learning and engaging in dialogue. Additionally, relationship building with communities, colleagues, decision makers and stakeholders is essential for meaningful social research, and investing time into making connections and getting to know the people that your research may affect or is affected by, is important. 

 

In 10 years' time, what job/position do you see yourself in?  

I am likely to stay within the academic environment, as it provides me with the opportunity to balance both my passion for education/student development with advocacy and research. 

 

What advice would you give to someone starting out in your industry? 

During my PhD, I took every opportunity to engage in tutoring, marking, and assessing dissertations to better understand the expectations and culture of Higher Education. There is a process of socialising into the industry, and taking steps into the teaching space provides you the opportunity to gain some experience, upskill and reflect, alongside enhancing your CV for future roles.
I was able to first take an “Introduction to teaching” micro credential at the University of Ulster, that I then built into a PG Cert Teaching in Higher Education qualification during my first full time lectureship role at Cardiff Met University. I have since continued my study towards a Masters Teaching in Higher Education and have found this invaluable. 
As a PhD candidate, we are actively involved in learning how to research and write, but there are far fewer structured, intentional opportunities to learn how to be an effective teacher, therefore, when these trainings become available, jump on them! 

 

What advice would you give to someone in the heart of their PhD? 

Balancing our research with our wellbeing is essential, and remaining connected to fellow PhD candidates, colleagues, friends and community helped my mental health beyond measure. Completing my PhD during the pandemic meant many of my social connections moved online, but I also developed strong relationships with my neighbours, drinking endless cups of tea in the front garden. Knowing the PhD journey can be a particularly stressful time, often it was my relationships and networks that spurred me on and offered me comfort. Being the first in my family to do a PhD, and first in my family to live overseas, meeting other international PhD researchers build a sense of belonging and helped me understand I was not in this journey alone. 

Maintaining motivation and a sense of progress when you are in the heart of your PhD can be challenging. I encourage all PhD candidates to start writing early on in their journey and to set yourself tiny tasks to support your writing goals. Rather than focusing on “Writing my theoretical framework,” break this down into smaller chunks such as: Identifying seminal authors and key texts, drafting an outline, writing the introduction to the chapter, summarising the core principles etc. Like running a marathon, writing your thesis requires training to build towards that final 80,000-100,000 word document, and making writing a regular habit will help maintain motivation as well as support you in seeing progress. Joining an online writing group or virtual writing session can help establish regular routines. If you are predominantly working from home, you may find this earlier UniAlliance Blog useful  
 

Where can people reach out to you?

Orcid

ResearchGate

Twitter/X (who knows anymore?!)