Veronica Lamarche

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Higher Education

UB's PhD program equips you with all of the skills you will need to become an independent scholar and mentor. I am currently a senior lecturer in psychology (the equivalent of a tenured associate professor) in the United Kingdom, a position I was offered (initially as a lecturer/assistant professor) immediately after completing my PhD at UB. This was only possible because of the amazing mentoring and training I received during my time at UB. My mentors and peers challenged me to think deeply about the theoretical rationale behind my research and to aim for big and impactful questions. I had the opportunity to travel to and present at international conferences, teach my own classes, and publish my own papers. The courses at UB also provided me with an incredible breadth of knowledge, which I have continued to use in my own research, teaching and mentoring, and my work with charities. 

If you are considering a PhD at UB, make sure you find a great research and supervisory fit with your future advisor. My relationships with my advisors have continued even after I left UB, and one of the great perks of scientific research is building a large collaborative network of likeminded scholars. It is also important to remember that a PhD can sometimes push us to our intellectual and emotional limits: make sure you continuously build your resilience and intrinsic motivation for your work. Your PhD is also the best time to develop healthy work-life boundaries, including investing in hobbies that are separate from your work. At the end of the day, your PhD is what you make of it and is the first step on a path towards an exciting career.