The first day of the Masters Development Programme was held in January, before the Scholars returned to their courses after winter break.
The Development Programme is a key part of the Martingale Scholarship, offering Scholars tailored support, training and skills throughout their postgraduate studies.
The first event focused on the key areas of building confidence and communication skills. The day started with a session delivered by actor and trainer Jamie Satterthwaite. Jamie worked with the Scholars on vocal coaching, breathing techniques and tips for presenting confidently.
In the afternoon, Dr. Anna Ploszajski held a storytelling session with the Scholars. Anna shared how storytelling and narrative can be used as a powerful tool, for everything from interviewing for PhD placements or job opportunities, to presenting on an ongoing research topic.
The day concluded with a session on imposter syndrome, held by Dr. Charlotte Hallahan from The Brilliant Club. Charlotte recounted her own experience in postgraduate education. She shared a number of practical strategies and exercises for tackling imposter syndrome and building self-confidence.
Matt Garraghan, Programme Manager at Martingale shared “It was fantastic to kick off the Masters Development Programme with such a great event, and to bring all of the talented Scholars together for this first time since the start of their Scholarship. Supporting Scholars is at the heart of what we do at Martingale, and I can’t wait to continue working with this cohort as they progress along their postgraduate journeys.”
Many thanks to our partners, UCL, who hosted the day in the UCL training centre in London.
The next development day will be held in April. After a day of training and activities, the Scholars will have a private audience with Professor Emma McCoy, followed by a public lecture in the Royal Institution. Read more about the event, ‘Do Data Deceive or Inform’ here.