My research means seeking out people who have walked dark and lonely paths, and breaking down the barriers between us

Stories of adoptive mothers, surrogates and egg donors often go untold, but my writing project is documenting their extraordinary experiences

Studying composition can be a solitary business, but my interactive soundscapes bring people together

I love my PhD, not because it will further my academic career, but because it has brought me close to extraordinary people and taught me about myself

Trapped in violent marriages, many Scottish women were then let down by hostile and uncaring professionals. I want to understand why

I can empathise with the rogues of the 1700s, and their stories give me a new perspective on present-day crime

I thought a PhD wouldn’t suit me or I’d find the lab work tedious. But it’s actually been a great adventure

Working long hours (and making a full English breakfast in eight minutes) has proved invaluable to my political science research

I’m a bug person in a bird person’s world, but my work might just solve the mystery of the disappearing common scoter

In analysing 100 years of oral histories and autobiographies, I get to challenge long-held prejudices about family life

I spend long hours in front of computers in a sleepy German town, learning the dark arts of quantum chemistry - but I wouldn’t have it any other way