Collaborative Workshop for Doctoral Students in Geography

A collaborative workshop for doctoral students in Geography from UBC, the University of Washington, and Simon Fraser University is proposed, involving doctoral students at (or near) the stage of defending a research proposal. The workshop will provide an opportunity for:

• plenary discussions, involving faculty and student presentations and extensive Q&A, focusing on issues such as research design, methodological strategies and techniques, research ethics, and preparing for the proposal defense;
• intensive "workshopping” of individual proposals in small group breakout sessions, drawing on the expertise of experienced faculty from the three participating departments;
• networking and mutual support amongst doctoral students in the three departments (including, potentially, research and writing collaborations); and
• strengthening connections between three departments of geography with distinctive strengths, orientations, and faculty resources.

A “pilot” workshop was convened in early November 2009, involving 18 doctoral students and four faculty from UBC and Washington. Very positively evaluated, this event established both practical feasibility and proof of concept for the initiative proposed here.

Jamie Peck, Geography, Faculty of Arts
Geraldine Pratt, Geography, Faculty of Arts
Steven Herbert, University of Washington
Eugene McCann, Simon Fraser University