News & Events

SRN Midlands Research Day on Emotionally Demanding Research was held at the University of Birmingham on 8 December 2025 and organised by Adam Chen (Psychology, Birmingham).

The event was well-attended by more than 30 PhD researchers, ECRs, and senior academics who were looking to gain insights and practical tools for navigating emotionally demanding and sensitive research areas. The Research Day included a panel discussion with Dr Sarah Rockowitz, Dr Laura Stevens, Dr Saba Hussain and Dr Barbara Sandland, chaired by Madeleine Ingham. The panel reflected on the years of experience from these academics and provided insights into how they navigated the field. They spoke earnestly about the challenges faced at institutions, in fieldwork and within themselves. This was followed by two more sessions led respectively by Dr Amy Burrell on managing emotionally demanding research, and Dr Katharina Karcher on reflexivity. The day concluded with a session during which attendees presented their research and reflected on the emotionally demanding aspects of their work. This was highlighted as a useful opportunity for students who have just started their PhD. This session also facilitated discussion between attendees who had similar research areas and methods.