On June 23rd 2025, we will celebrate International Women in Engineering Day… …a day to celebrate the achievements of women in engineering and encourage more young women to study engineering, as less than 1 in 5 engineers in the UK are women today. This year, INWED has “Together We Engineer” as the main theme, and…>
Written by Eva Lantsoght
Dr. Eva Lantsoght is a Full Professor in Civil Engineering in Ecuador and Associate Professor in the Netherlands. Her blog PhD Talk addresses the mechanics of doing research, PhD life, and general academic matters. Find her @evalantsoght or at evalantsoght.com.
AI in higher education – where are we now?
It has been a bit less than a year since I wrote a blog post on how generative AI can be used in higher education, with a focus on applications for teaching, research, and admin. I was a relatively early adopter of ChatGPT and have had my subscription to the service for quite a while….>
What NOT to do as a new PhD student
Starting a PhD can be daunting, and you may see lots of advice telling you what you should be doing. However, there are things to avoid so you don’t lose yourself in your work and burn out. Learn about what to avoid when starting your PhD with our article.
Sustainability in the lab
In another year of record-breaking events caused by climate change, it is imperative to think about sustainability for all aspects of our lives and work. As scientists, there are a number of changes that we can make to make sure we develop more sustainable practices in our lab. In this article, I am giving practical…>
Sustainable global collaborations
Post-pandemic, global collaborations are more important than ever – but our increasing interconnectedness may be at odds with our sustainability goals. This post looks at how to develop sustainable global collaborations.
Opportunities for higher education using generative AI
Generative AI is developing rapidly. Find out how academics can leverage the tool to improve their daily activities and understand its implications.
Staying on track during the semester
You have developed a plan for your semester, see how can you make sure you stay on track as the going gets tough with our top tips!
Inspiring future STEM leaders
On STEM Day, we have an incredible opportunity to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators. It’s a day for children to dive headfirst into the fascinating world of STEM.
Nurturing mental health in academia
As faculty members we need to both promote mental health awareness, as well as protect our mental health and the mental health of our students and researchers.
Ten planning tips to start the semester off right
In the first week of every semester, I reserve a day to clear the decks and set myself up for success. In fact, I have developed a checklist for everything that I need to do at the beginning of every semester (and have updated this semester’s start task list over time).