Xiaohongshu
PhD student Hanna Lewicka reflects about her experience at the Community Research Initiative's Research Consultancy Training - and how an event from her Students' Union inspired her to think about research skills and collaborations in new ways...
Like many PhD students, I started my PhD thinking my path would stay firmly within academia. My days revolve around experiments, data, and publications. But recently, I began exploring a question: How can my research skills make an impact beyond the lab?
That curiosity led me to the Students' Union Community Research Initiative and research consultancy training. For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, research consulting is essentially applying academic skills, critical thinking, data analysis, literature review, and problem-solving to real-world challenges faced by organisations.
What surprised me most was the people. I met researchers from a wide range of disciplines, all motivated by the same idea: using their expertise to create meaningful social impact. Hearing their perspectives made me realise how transferable PhD skills really are, and how valuable they can be outside traditional academic pathways.
Another highlight was engaging with inspiring charities and community organisations. These groups are tackling complex problems but often don’t have access to the research capacity that universities take for granted. One particularly inspiring moment was meeting Maya, the founder of The Power Project. Learning about the organisation’s mission and vision made the impact of community-driven work tangible. Our conversation motivated me to explore volunteering opportunities with the organisation and to think more seriously about how I can contribute my research skills to causes aligned with my values.
My own PhD focuses on developing more sustainable and carbon-efficient bioproduction, so the idea of applying my work to broader sustainability and social challenges resonates with me. Experiences like this have shown me that a PhD is not just training for an academic career!
It’s a chance to meet inspiring people, see your skills in a new light, and realise that the impact of your research doesn’t have to stop at publication.
For any PhD student curious about life beyond academia, I’d encourage you to explore research consultancy or community-focused initiatives. It’s a chance to meet inspiring people, see your skills in a new light, and realise that the impact of your research doesn’t have to stop at publication: sometimes, stepping outside the lab is exactly what reminds you why your work matters in the first place!
About the Community Research Initiative
We are a part of the Students' Union Social Impact Team. We bring people together across the student-community divide to explore the possibility of creating socially impactful research with and for the community. From discovering new ways of working to co-creating research with local communities, we are here to walk with students through their community research journey.
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