Hmmm, is there any way you could think about, given the nature of your work, the way you are introducing academia to young people including young women? does depend on the precise research (the social backgrounds of the young people you are involved with... are any from deprived areas or does that not factor into your work?)

Magictime - did you ever think that maybe you might pick this stuff up once you start your phd? Or ask your supervisor, as he will know your specific areas best, rather than just a general chat that is offered here?

Oh and just as a note - the Willy Fogg thing, as well as being funny, was written whilst i was between supervisors for 6 weeks. So no, I didn't have anything to do. I was also in the middle of my 2nd year - now I'm at the end of my 3rd. which is why i can say funding doesn't matter. Nice to know that you're the official forum stalker of old threads though.

Hey Bug

First of all, make sure you apply for both schemes - BFWG and FFWG. BFWG is more prestigious, as it is based solely on academic merit; but FFWG have more money and give more awards (they base it on financial need and "excellent academic calibre").
I was told that - rather pathetically - it looks good if you have a top female referee (your supervisor is though, right?); and you have to show what you have done above and beyond the norm. By that, they want real evidence that you can be a future leading female researcher; and also inspire other women into the profession (they're *very* into that). Its harder in social science (my area) as its already full of women - but I tried to emphasise an area of my research that would have a real impact on/for women...

When you get to presentation stage, that's horrendous - I was in a group with a couple of microbiologists and a law student - all very 'practical' hands on type research, where as mine, although it has a practical application, is theoretical. I just had to keep reminding myself that they are trying to invest in the person, not the research. Yes the research is part of it, but its your potential that they're after.

Need any more help, let me know

Oh, and the application forms take ages. And you have to pay £20!!! And you can only apply once!

OK guys, rather than just point and laugh at the OP I'll explain the way academia works.

1) All universities care about funding - it gives them prestige and income when their staff have higher incomes
2) As such when you go for a job it is extremely beneficial to have received funding
3) In an academic career you will have to regularly apply to funding bodies for money - most especially the Research Councils
4) If you have PhD funding from a RC then you can say you already have success with external funding streams (although it is *nothing* like the real academic bidding process)
5) As such, it is useful to have RC external funding. But any PhD student worthy of becoming an academic will have a record of funding bids beyond their main funding. If you have RC funding, but that's all then its not really worth that much
6) Funding is only part of a package - if all you do is sit in a lab/library for 3 years thinking about your PhD who cares if you are funded. You will have a PhD, but you will not have the skills to be an academic

7) the most important. In a couple of years when your funding is running out, there are very few if any jobs, and the conference of your dreams is down the road but you still can't afford the train fare - trust me deary you won't care where you get the cash from.

Magictime, love, come back in a couple of years to this forum and please laugh at the ridiculousness of the pointless thoughts bouncing round your head at the moment. You clearly have far too much time on your hands right now.

Ju-ju's absolutely right in the grand scheme of things this is hardly a problem. if you have issues with having 'only' departmental funding, apply for external funding during your PhD for something else. I've received AHRC funding for a conference, and British Federation of Women Grads funding for writing up. I "only" have dept funding, but have done more than most RC-funded phd students - THAT is what people will care about.

(PS I know many AHRC/ESRC funded students who are unemployed 2 years after submission, and dept-funded students who got jobs before submission - get over it)

If as you say, this problem has occurred "all the way through" your phd, did you not think that it would thus continue right until this point, and thus plan around it?

Hey Pineapple!

Oh yes, I'm in the same position as you - I have to clear my desk space by the end of August for the newbies. I can understand why they need the space, but I've already turned into a hermit spending my life in my office (I worked out yesterday that I haven't even seen the living room of my house for nearly a week), and it would be nice to be able to go and, y'know, physically be in the presence of other people. Plus, having to work from homw is causing major probs with my housemate who seems to think that as I work from home and she has a job that I should clean up after her.
(she tried a phd and failed, but still argues that her job is harder than my phd, yes dear)

======= Date Modified 12 Aug 2009 11:18:49 =======
============= Edited by a Moderator =============
Right, ok, first with the breathing...

Next up - yes there was a small c**k up at the beginning where the admissions office sent the paperwork to the wrong person, but apart from the the problem seems to be with the graduate tutor. I presume that this is the member of academic staff who deals with all postgrad apps in your dept (ie not a university-wide thing). If so, trust me on what I am about to say: this person will have been given the role because nobody else wanted it. They probably don't want to do it but by contract they have to perform some admin, and it was their turn to do this. They have probably never done it before: they have no idea what they are doing. They don't mean to annoy you - they just don't have a clue.

The options left to you (sensibly) are:
1) call the admissions office and calmly explain the situation to the admin person - making her aware of the issues with the grad tutor (but not as a formal complaint) and perhaps suggest that the head of dept expedite the process
2) start with a different supervisor and then swap - but again, I would suggest some form of 'guarantee' for this - ask if the head of dept/school could promise that this will happen asap

I regularly repent holding my tongue... wow Ecofin you've been wrong about everything so far, well done! That takes *real* talent.

@imposter - I'm not really a Danish Blue kinda girl; but this is not an excuse for not fully researching, I do apologise and I will make those major corrections.

Well, I can tell you one thing - all these 'scholerships'(sic) will require adequate spelling skills on your part.

Right the OP has actually now changed the question so I appear like a proper nutjob, rather than him/her appearing like the lazy git they are.

Cheese. There has been very very little done in the area of cheese auditing and finance - this should be rectified; and I really do think that you're the person to do it.

Good luck (up)

At our Uni one contributing factor (often overlooked) is the way PhD students are not incorporated into the department and thus the wider academic community. We don't get networking opps, never get asked by our supervisors to assist in a publication/write a book chapter. We're there as a source of cheap labour and HEFCE funding

The best place for academic jobs (including quite a few part-time teaching posts that tend to come up at this time of year) is www.jobs.ac.uk . The 'disciplines' they use are not very helpful - and its often well worth looking at 'related' subjects that may have teaching more suited to your skills.

Alternatively, its always worth sending your CV off to the Head of School/dept at other local Universities you'd be willing to travel to - especially ex-polys who may not have the critical mass of PhD students found at Russell group etc. Saying that, they are unlikely to take you on until you already have a bit of teaching experience behind you (depending on your subject)