Our blogs cover a whole range of topics, to help early career dementia researchers (ECRs). Our contributors share information about their research, from social care to basic science, share advice from their own experiences, careers tips, what they learned from recent training events and conferences and much more. We have a small team of ECR staff bloggers who write each month, on a whole range of topics and every year we add more people who discuss their experiences of studying at particular places or on different topics. In addition to our staff bloggers, we welcome one-off contributions, and curate and link to content from other great sources, including our charity partners, the LSE Impact Blog, Nature Careers and where ever great support can be found.
To help find what you're looking for, you can browse through the articles, or use the filters on the right to find blogs by a particular person, or on a particular topic.
We are always on the lookout for new contributors, so if you would like to write for us, just head to the forum to drop us a line, or email dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk
All of our blogs (since April 2020) come with narrations from the writer. You can listen while you read along on our website, or enjoy our blogs on the move via your podcast app. Look for Dementia Researcher Blogs, or visit one of these platforms, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify and Goodpods.
Blog – The Hidden Work of Finishing a PhD
Emily Spencer reflects on the final PhD stretch, hidden thesis tasks, conference pressure, rejected funding, and finding focus before submission
Blog – Life After the PhD: My Fellowship Application
Emily Spencer on the strange clarity that arrived when her PhD funding clock started ticking, and why a fellowship application suddenly made sense to her.
Blog – Motherhood, PhDs, and the Funding Gap
Emily Spencer reflects on motherhood during a PhD, exposing funding gaps, maternity pay uncertainty, and why research systems must better support parents.
Blog – Learning to Let Good Be Enough
Emily Spencer reflects on perfectionism during her PhD, asking if striving for excellence can sometimes limit progress and wellbeing.
Blog – Battling Disconnection
Doing a PhD can feel lonely, especially alongside parenting and pressure. Emily Spencer shares how disconnection crept in and what helped her feel less alone.
Blog – Time, Work, and a Two-Year-Old
Juggling a PhD, new job, and parenting a fearless toddler, Emily Spencer reflects on time, balance, and how motherhood shapes her life and work.
Blog – Rethinking Balance in Research
PhD student Emily Spencer reflects on boundaries, wellbeing, and work-life balance in research, and how rethinking priorities can bring real change.
Blog – Letting Go of Mum Guilt
Emily Spencer reflects on mum guilt and explains why adding an extra childcare day will help her work and support her energetic toddler’s wellbeing.
Blog – The Exhausting Reality of Data Collection
Emily Spencer shares the day-to-day challenges of research data collection in dementia studies, from rushed paperwork to long hours and mental overload.
Blog – Staying Ahead of the PhD Panic Curve
Emily Spencer shares how she's managing ethics delays, childcare, and deadlines in her PhD and staying ahead of the PhD panic curve.
Blog – Retreat, Regroup, Rewrite
Emily Spencer shares how a writing retreat helped her find rest, focus, and confidence during a challenging stage of her PhD journey.
Blog – Balancing fieldwork and family
Emily Spencer shares candid reflections on managing PhD fieldwork alongside family life, offering insights into balancing research and parenthood.
Blog – Writing, Parenting, & Everything Else: Making things Work
Emily Spencer shares her latest reflections on juggling academia, parenting, and life—finding balance, facing challenges, and finding time for conferences!
Blog – Productivity, Focus, and Parenthood
Emily Spencer explores productivity and focus in her latest blog, as she continues to work on balancing PhD work and parenthood challenges.
Blog – Battling Perfectionism and Building Resilience
Battling perfectionism? Read Emily Spencer's inspiring blog on parenting, academia, and building resilience. Find balance, ditch comparison, and thrive!
Blog – Unexpected Snags and Small Wins as a PhD Mum
Navigating the highs and lows of PhD life as a new mum! Read Emily’s latest on balancing academia and parenthood—unexpected snags, small wins, and resilience.
Blog – The Best of Both Worlds
Emily Spencer reflects on her decision to return to work after 9 months of maternity leave, navigating challenges of academia, finances, and parenthood
Blog – Pain, Perception, and Childbirth: Can a Woman be Believed?
Emily Spencer explores how dismissing women’s pain in childbirth parallels the disbelief faced by people with dementia in healthcare settings.
Blog – Identity revisited: Becoming a parent
Emily Spencer's journey into motherhood shows it's not one-size-fits-all. Embrace your identity and grow into the role of parenthood in your own unique way
Blog – Life after Maternity Leave: Planning a Return to Work
Emily Spencer shares insights on returning to work after maternity, from tackling London's rental market to planning childcare, all while pursuing a PhD
Blog – The illusion of choice when starting a family
Explore Emily Spencer's insights on balancing motherhood and academia, and the tough decisions involved - more family or postdoc planning next?
Blog – Maternity Leave Priorities
Update blog from Emily Spencer sharing the highs & lows of maternity leave, from cinema trips to academic rejections. #MaternityLeaveChronicles
Blog – PhD Finances & Maternity: A Reality
Emily Spencer explores maternity & PhD life, discussing the financial strain of childcare, the implications of stipends, and the need for better support systems
Blog – ‘Winding down’ Preparing for maternity leave
Discover how Emily Spencer expertly manages her academic PhD challenges while gearing up for maternity leave.🌟 #ParentingInAcademia
Blog – Who am I? Navigating identity as a parent
Explore Emily Spencer's journey as she intertwines PhD pursuits with new motherhood, challenging norms & reshaping identity. 🌟 #ParentingInAcademia
Blog – The path less travelled
Explore Emily Spencer's journey from a bookish child to a PhD student at UCL, balancing research and impending motherhood, on her blog 'The Path Less Travelled'

