Unsurprisingly, answers to this question centred on university closures and loss of time in the lab since the start of the first UK national lockdown on 23 March 2020. For those approaching the end of their PhDs, this disruption had huge implications for writing their thesis and obtaining publications. For many, this loss of lab time also involved culling animal stocks, mass freezing whole cell lines, and early termination of long experimental procedures without any usable data. Overall, the nationwide-closure of research laboratories introduces a large amount of uncertainty and pressure on the future of PGR research projects.
PhD students at earlier stages of their project appear to be in a slightly less pressurised situation than those nearing the end, as they have more time to reconfigure the future plans for their projects. A second year PhD student responded: “I spent my time during lockdown analysing the data I had already collected, but was unable to generate any new data. This has had an impact on my short-term research plans and will likely mean I need to rethink the long-term goals of my project.”
Further, many respondents noted that the disruption to their projects extended far beyond the period in which labs were closed. This was for multiple reasons, including restricted access to labs upon reopening, time spent re-populating animal colonies, and crucially, the inability to return to work due to personal health reasons or caring responsibilities.
We asked PGRs to share with us the ways in which they have responded and adapted to the disruptions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on their projects. Common themes included:
Prioritising important experiments
Running multiple experiments at once
Drafting short-term and long-term contingency plans to prepare for any future university closures
Many of the PGRs we spoke to told us they spent a large proportion of their time during lockdown reading, analysing data, developing new skills and writing up, to try and mitigate for time lost. A first year PhD student said: “Time away from the lab allowed me to read more literature, which meant I could better assess where the gaps were for novel work... In some ways, lockdown has actually improved my project and will hopefully lead to my first publication.”
Several noted that lockdown gave them time to complete tasks outside of their original plans. One first-time Post-Doctoral researcher said that they “used the time in lockdown to analyse data [they] had not yet touched and re-analyse data in a different way to gain new insights and ask different questions of the research."
Another respondent spoke positively about changing his in-person clinical studies to online events. Despite initial challenges, the online setting ultimately allowed them to recruit a much broader patient cohort, particularly from outside of London. The respondent went on to say: “The realisation that some focus groups and small clinical trial activities can be held remotely has been hugely beneficial and this is something that we as a lab will continue beyond the pandemic”.
How can PGRs be better supported as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt the trajectory of their projects?
The responses to this question were varied, highlighting the unique experiences of PGRs during the pandemic. Many spoke highly of active and helpful supervisors, who maintained regular contact with their group members through virtual lab meetings and coffee breaks. Unfortunately, others said that contact with their supervisors was minimal, and that this lack of support added to their feelings of isolation and loneliness during the lockdown.
One of our Post-doctoral respondents felt the support from their department and university had missed the mark on several points: "My institute could have been better in providing resources on how to handle the lockdown with regards to work productivity but also mental health. I was left to look for these kinds of resources on my own.”
When asked how PGRs could be better supported through the pandemic, understandably many spoke about the availability of funded extensions. Some had been granted extensions of 3-6 months, and felt that this enabled them to complete their projects. However, others were less fortunate, and said the lack of extensions posed major challenges for both their projects and their mental well-being. Whilst understanding that it will not be possible to provide everyone with extensions, respondents felt communications around this challenging area lacked clarity and reassurance. One third year PhD student described a period of several months where they received no new information from their funders as being “left in a constant state of limbo, unable to properly plan for the future.”
In collating the responses to this question, it is clear that PGRs most require moral support and recognition. This includes recognition that this situation is largely out of their control; that they may be struggling to adapt and move forwards; and that their final theses will almost inevitably be different to that which they planned.
Emma Taylor, a PhD student in veterinary epidemiology at the University of Surrey, speaks about this below. Her video offers a number of ideas for how supervisors can support their students, including being patient, reaching out, and providing a safe space to have open conversations.
This piece was authored by Grace Cowen, a final year PhD student at the University of York. Grace interned with the Academy from October-December 2020. This article is one of a linked series where we speak to a small group of PGRs at a range of different stages of study, in a bid to better understand the challenges the coronavirus pandemic poses on the trajectory of their research projects and on their own personal well-being. You can read the other pieces below.
Mental health and wellbeing for PGRs
What have PGRs learnt during the pandemic?