Have you ever wondered how your academic knowledge can make a tangible impact on the world? Do you have an idea that can reshape the society we live in? Are you keen to explore the different ways in which multi-disciplinary collaboration can benefit you?
If your answer to any of the above questions is yes, then LSE has just the right thing for you.
LSE is organizing a virtual interdisciplinary student research conference on 17 June 2021. This conference is an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your investigation and research, build effective communication and presentation skills, and network with like-minded, passionate students from other degree programmes. All LSE undergraduate and taught master’s students and recent alumni are invited to submit an abstract for this year’s conference. You can submit an abstract to present a paper, poster, creative show and tell, or performance.
I’m a taught student – why should I engage with research?
1. Explore different career directions
Whether you are already building skills for a specific career or just beginning to explore the different directions your degree can take you, research is an excellent way to gain valuable insights into the industry.
Dominic, a third-year BSc Social Policy and Economics student, has been involved in various research projects at LSE and beyond and shares some of the benefits of engaging in research:
“Although all research shares a similar approach to systematically applying methods to generate new insights, it is important to note the breadth of research. Hence beyond discovering that research is something I enjoy; my research experience has additionally been helpful for identifying subject areas of interest and research skills I enjoy using. Understanding what different types of research involve and my own preference has provided a helpful awareness when assessing careers.”
2. Learn to publicly advocate your work
Showcasing your work helps you build strong presentation and communication skills – two of the most valuable skills for any job role. This conference provides you an excellent platform to share your ideas, advocate your claims and pitch your work to the world. Check out LSE LIFE’s Moodle resources for developing your communication and presentation skills. When you got it, flaunt it!
You may also be interested in using the Student Idea Showcase: Shaping the Post-Covid World to practice using innovative, visual and engaging methods of presenting your work.
3. Build transferable skills for your resume
You might build new technical and soft skills while doing your research which will be of great value to your CV. These include learning a new programming language, data management, design of experiments, survey development, or other industry-specific skills.
Dominic explains:
“There is always scope to learn new methods and ways of researching within a particular field or with a particular population. Technical skills are valued by organisations and have been helpful in opening new project opportunities, and from these further opportunities to learn additional skills. Also, research projects will often be collaborative and research experience is a unique opportunity to build these group working and stakeholder management skills. Additionally, you will be managing deadlines, demonstrating data security and ethical awareness, and strong problem-solving skills.”
Explore the LSE Careers blog for tips on writing an impressive CV!
4. Contribute to the world’s knowledge pool and make a real impact
Albert Einstein, Florence Nightingale, Amartya Sen, and many other change makers began their journey with a simple presentation of ideas. If you have a keen interest in a subject area or an idea that you believe can change the world we live in, then research is the best way to explore how you can develop this further to create a rippling effect throughout the world.
Dominic concludes: “Having research experience can be highly empowering!”
What makes this research conference unique?
This conference will provide a platform for taught students from diverse backgrounds but similar interests to collaborate for research. The interdisciplinary nature of projects will help you explore beyond your field and gain a different perspective on your work.
Research and investigation go beyond just papers and essays into many other forms of discussion and expression. With this in mind, the conference allows students to go beyond traditional methods and showcase their research in the form of posters, performance, and creative expression.
Support to develop your submission
Another unique feature about this conference is the support and feedback that you will receive through every stage of your application – even abstract writing! You can find more information about the below on the conference webpage.
- Abstract writing workshops will delve into the process of writing an abstract, offering tips and tricks on how to write about your research engagingly.
- Workshops will include practice exercises to help get you started in abstract writing.
- PhD one-to-one chats give you the chance to discuss your ideas in an informal setting with a current LSE PhD student who has expertise relevant to your area of research.
- You will also receive feedback for your application from the selection committee, consisting of academics from varied backgrounds.
And finally, if your work is selected for the conference then you can get a lot of constructive additions to your work after your presentation.
So put on your thinking cap, roll up your sleeves and get on with research! Visit the conference webpage to find out how to submit your abstract. The deadline for submissions is Sunday 25 April.