Where did you go and what did you do?
I decided to do my PIPS with an organisation involved in policy-making and public engagement. I was able to connect with Yorkshire Cancer Research, which is a charity that aims to save lives in Yorkshire and beyond.
I joined the Research, Services and Policy team for three months in Harrogate. I was initially involved in evidence-gathering for an internal policy regarding the link between obesity and cancer. I was then able to write a review that will eventually inform decisions on the charity’s wider policy.
I was fortunate enough to also assist the Active Together team in preparing to deliver their services at their new centre – located in Hornbeam Park. The services will be offered to people with cancer; they will receive free fitness, nutrition and wellbeing support to prepare for, respond to and recover after cancer treatment. I was able to contribute ideas and suggestions, as well as feedback for the standard operational procedures of the service.
What made you want to do that particular placement?
I have always enjoyed taking part in public engagement events within the university and I wanted to continue gaining more skills in this area. Alongside those, I also really enjoy learning about science communication and thus I looked for roles that had all three aspects involved. I got in touch with Yorkshire Cancer Research and learned more about the role within the Research, Services and Policy team. The role seemed an exact match of what I envisioned my PIPS to look like so I interviewed with them and secured the role.
How did you go about finding and planning your PIPS?
During the second year of my PhD, I made sure to regularly search for any available PIPS opportunities as new ones are continuously being posted. My aim was to do the placement between second and third year because I found that timeframe to be the least disruptive to my experiments. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted but finding an exact match was difficult as times. I also decided to reach out to organisations that did not necessarily advertise PIPS roles. After a discussion with my supervisors, I reached out to Yorkshire Cancer Research. I sent an email inquiring if they were willing to be a host and a few weeks later they invited me for an interview. It seems daunting in the beginning to email, but once the first email is sent it gets easier. I made sure to ask a few other organisations as I wanted to make sure there were alternatives.
What have you gained from doing your PIPS?
The PIPS gave me the opportunity to work in a non-academic role, yet I was able to use all the skills I have acquired through academia. It was a great chance to use skills like problem-solving, attention to detail, prioritising and multi-tasking outside the lab. I worked within a big team that required me to have good communication and co-ordinating skills. The variety of tasks within the role meant I had to learn when to use scientific jargon and when to write in layman’s terms, which was not always easy to accomplish. Overall, I have learned how to apply my skills in a professional setting and gained so much experience in policy-making.
How would you sum up your PIPS experience?
The experience has been invaluable to me. I was able to connect with highly experienced people and learn to work within a completely different professional environment. The PIPS also allowed me to see a potential future career after the PhD and I am very grateful I had the opportunity to work within such a meaningful organisation such as Yorkshire Cancer Research.
What advice would you give to other PGRs about PIPS?
The number one advice I would give is to look beyond the advertised PIPS opportunities. If there is a role you have in mind, but you can’t find any being circulated or not fitting your requirements, then consider reaching out directly. You’ll be surprised how much is available out there and they can be accessed by doing something as simple as emailing. I would also urge anyone who was an organisation or a company in mind to reach out to them. Building professional links is essential and those contacts can be proven very important once you are in the job market.