"I can loudly say everything was enjoyable. Faculty, the staff, colleagues, and friends kept challenging me to do better with my teaching, research, and academic networks. The School constantly opened spaces for my career development, pushed for both by my supervisors and the faculty I had the chance to work closely with."
Why did you choose to study your course at Queen Mary?
I was an economist with a masters in economic history looking to conduct research about the history of business groups in an emergent country, and I needed a pair of mentors that understood the interdisciplinarity of business history and give me new perspectives. I found them both at the School of Business and Management (SBM). Also, the School offers the opportunity to use mixed methods in doctoral research; there are specialists in all the possible qualitative and quantitative methods. Finally, the chance to be part of a research centre and actively participate in it was unique.
What aspects of your degree did you find most enjoyable and was there anything that surprised you in your studies?
I can loudly say everything was enjoyable. Faculty, the staff, colleagues, and friends kept challenging me to do better with my teaching, research, and academic networks. The School constantly opened spaces for my career development, pushed for both by my supervisors and the faculty I had the chance to work closely with.
How did Queen Mary support you during your studies?
Queen Mary offered me a fee waiver that covered all the years of study. The opportunity to teach at SBM provided the funding needed to cover my maintenance costs in London. The yearly grant for SBM doctoral studies was key to cover conferences. Also, Queen Mary provided me with software vital for my research.
Can you describe your career path to date and touch on your current role?
Before arriving in the UK, I was already part of the faculty of a university back in my country. The decision to pursue a PhD was to continue my career as an academic, which I started right after my PhD. The only difference is that I did not come back to my country, I moved to another Latin American university.
Looking back, how did your time and study at Queen Mary help with your career and development?
It helped me to grasp the importance of publishing and to create global networks.
What were the challenges and highlights of studying for your PhD?
Everything is a challenge in a PhD! It has an impact in ALL aspects of your life. No one shares the same experience, so keep a good network of friends and colleagues and confide in your supervisors. Be open to laughing, crying, shouting, feeling isolated, wonderful, bored, and everything else that comes to your mind!
What would your advice be to students interested in studying the course you did at Queen Mary?
Be open to new ideas and as active as you can in the department.
What are some of your fondest memories from your time at Queen Mary?
The meetings with my main supervisor; she mentored me, while also being a wonderful friend. Also, she always saw me as her colleague. The work experience as web editor for the Centre for Globalisation Research (CGR) and TA of a module in the MSc. I learned lots from both "bosses". My close friends with whom I shared good laughs, global food, and lengthy discussions about research; my students, to whom I owe moments of gratitude for giving me their time to share my knowledge.