📢 A quick update from the Graduate School We’ll be closing this Bluesky account shortly as we focus our social media activity on LinkedIn. You can follow us there for updates and to celebrate PGR research, achievements and milestones: 👉 www.linkedin.com/company/open... Thanks for following us here 💙

🎓 Excited for the OU PGR Summer Conference 2026! Two days of research, connection and creativity on Walton Hall campus, 8 & 9 June - with talks, posters, keynotes and plenty of chances to network with OU PGRs. Can’t wait! 💙 More info and sign-up: university.open.ac.uk/students/res...

🧐 Today I shall be mostly conducting (Phase 4) reflexive thematic analysis of parliamentary discourse around criminalising ecocide in Britain. 💚 #phd #postgradresearch @ginnybraun.bsky.social @vicclarke.bsky.social @openspaceou.bsky.social @ougradsch.bsky.social

So cute! Great to see these little guys on campus - it will make getting supplies easier for research students on site 👍

Thesis status: I wish to boil my head

@ougradsch.bsky.social proud of our PGRs at MoonNight in Milton Keynes tonight.

Loving autumn on campus at Walton Hall at @openuniversity.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social

Happy eve of ‘Servoween’. This week I’ve been focused on, and inspired by Social Ecological Theory. This reminds us of the interplay between individuals, communities and societal systems. Have a good rest of the week everyone 🎃 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #research #psychology

Service co-design practice and research week-notes 131. The one when it’s the anniversary of the birth of John Loud who was the originator of the ballpoint pen. Talking about writing it’s also Academic Writing month. Have a good week 😊 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research #psychology #phd

Despite my social battery running very low, I’ve had an enjoyable & engaging day at the #OOCDTP cohort event in Oxford! I’ve met some lovely people & I’m looking forward to seeing my #PhD through to completion alongside them! @oocdtp.bsky.social @ougradsch.bsky.social

At #UKCGE EDI conference. Just been hearing about Black PhD Collective which looks like a great resource for Black PGRs. @ougradsch.bsky.social www.blackphdcollective.com

A big warm welcome to Thursday. This week I’ve been focused on service design, change and memory theory. It’s also the birthday 🎂 of Elizabeth Loftus who I continue to be inspired by. I wrote about her work a while back www.robertsbrain.co.uk/post/my-insp... @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design

This is fabulous & one of the many reasons I’m really proud to be an @openuniversity.bsky.social student! @ougradsch.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social #NeverTooOld

Congratulations to PhD graduate Angelo Pinto on the publication of his book The Symphony as a Novel: Mahler's Tenth. www.lim.it/en/essay/693... @ougradsch.bsky.social #PhD

Nothing like a lunchtime walk to blow some cobwebs away and get a run up to Friday afternoon. @ougradsch.bsky.social

OU PGR coffee in the Common Room and online in the Community Team at 11 today ( and every Thursday). If you'd like to say hello drop by. @ougradsch.bsky.social

Loving autumn on campus at Walton Hall at @openuniversity.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social

Joining my first undergraduate tutorial for the @openuniversity.bsky.social @ougradsch.bsky.social #PhD Teaching Scheme. A happy coincidence that the module I’m assigned to is #A340 - The Roman Empire, & I’m dialling in from the Eternal City itself - a great talking point! @drginamay.bsky.social

Service co-design practice and research week-notes 127. Today is world teacher’s day, and so to all those education heroes 🦸‍♀️ out there hope you have a particularly fabulous day 🍎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research #psychology #designleadership #servicedesign #codesign #ux #cx #hcd

We're excited to welcome our Oct #OUGradSch25 PhD cohort to campus today! We can’t wait to hear about their research journeys. On Fri, we’ll also welcome Professional Doctorate students. Also welcome to the first PhD by Distance Learning cohort! @oulibrary.bsky.social @openuniversity.bsky.social

Service Co-design week-notes 126. The one where we took a little holiday. It is also today the anniversary of the birth of John H.Harvey who gave us attribution theory. Very applicable to service design. Have a good week 😊🤩 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #research #psychology

A big warm welcome in Thursday. This week in both practice and research I’ve been thinking a lot about behavioural design in service design. When used positively it can be so empowering. Have a good rest of your week being inspiring and being inspired 😊🤩 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research

It was an absolute joy to attend this morning's @openuniversity.bsky.social graduation! Congratulations to all who graduated - including our very own #GraceRichards We’re very proud of you! #OUFamily @ougradsch.bsky.social #SPS #OUSTEM 🍾🥂🍾

Did you know the Library has a dedicated common room for postgraduate researchers? Available 24/7, it’s the ideal spot to: 💻 Work in a relaxed space ☕ Recharge with a coffee (or a nap, we won’t tell)😴 ⚽️ Have a game of table football Take a look 👉 youtube.com/shorts/kW31K... @ougradsch.bsky.social

Too good not to share, thanks @geologyclare.bsky.social ! @ougradsch.bsky.social #AcademicSky #PhD #ResearcherDevelopment www.youtube.com/watch?v=whre...

Service Co-design practice and research week-notes 123. Apparently it’s buy a book 📕 day, not difficult for me. It’s also the anniversary of the passing of Elton Mayo (1949). Very important study 🔬on the Hawthorne effect 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #design #research #psychology #designleadership

Oh this looks amazing! @ougradsch.bsky.social

Service co-design research and practice week-notes 115. The one where it was very warm again and definitely extremely busy. Now for a little rest 🪫 today, with a sprinkle of forward planning thrown in 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #servicedesign #codesign #designresearch #ux

Heritage Open Days return to The Open University from 17–19 Sept with campus tours, new exhibitions, a choir performance, and a brand-new Archive Cinema experience! 🤩 🎟️ Free to attend – tours require booking! 🔗 Full schedule & info: www.open.ac.uk/library/libr... #MiltonKeynes #Heritage

Welcome in Thursday. This weeks inspiration is design guiding principles in the form of the double and triple diamond 💎 💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #doublediamond #triplediamond #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #servicedesignthursday

A big warm welcome to Sunday 20th July for Service Co-design week-notes 116. Apparently it’s also Moon Day 🌓 and International Chess Day ♟️Hope you have a good week ahead 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign

Scotland could soon make history as the first UK nation to criminalise #ecocide aka severe, reckless harm to nature. In our latest blog, @jodiebettis.bsky.social a Grand Union Scholar at the #OpenUniversity discusses how this bold legal move could set a global precedent:

Happy World Industrial Design Day for Service Co-design week-notes 113. Here’s a good week for us all 😊🎢 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #hcd #cx #ux #weeknotes #WIDD2025 #worldindustrialdesignday

More exciting news from @ougradsch.bsky.social and @openuniversity.bsky.social as Meng-Chin Tsai publishes a lead-authored paper, which explores planning + governance arrangements for greening + resilience in Taipei. This is one part of her thesis, which is taking shape! doi.org/10.1080/1523...

Welcome in Thursday. Hope you have a good rest of the week 😊💎 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #customerjourney #behaviouraldata #behaviouraldesign #servicedesignthursday

On Saturday, I stood on a soapbox in Milton Keynes shopping centre and talked to the public about my research! It was great to engage with people about mending and sewing, especially the kids! @ougradsch.bsky.social @soapboxscience.bsky.social #soapboxsciMK25

Interested in science? Come and hear me and other amazing female scientists talk about our research on Saturday in Milton Keynes #soapboxsciMK25 @soapboxscience.bsky.social @ougradsch.bsky.social

This Saturday, I will be standing on a soapbox and talking about my research on mending. Come along and hear about (and see) darned socks, mending communities and more! #soapboxSciMK25 @soapboxscience.bsky.social mksoapboxscience.wordpress.com

Welcome in Sunday for Service Co-design week-notes 111. Hope you are able to have a rest, and have a good week ahead 🌞 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #hcd #cx #ux #weeknotes

I'm still buzzing from a wonderful day at the @openuniversity.bsky.social Dublin graduation ceremony on Friday to receive my Doctorate in Education. Thanks to everyone who supported me along the way #OUFamily @ougradsch.bsky.social

Lovely to hear from @zdmarriott.bsky.social about her path to a PhD and publication!

Many congratulations to Elisabetta Geromel-Lister (and her happy supervisor Prof Séverine Hubscher-Davidson) for submitting her thesis 'Tracing controversies in medical knowledge dissemination'. @openuniversity.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social

Cakes and capes to celebrate #Pride2025 @openuniversity.bsky.social

New blog klaxon 📣 hope you like it - have a good Tuesday 😊 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign #customerjourneys #blog

Welcome in Thursday. Apparently it’s also World Environment Day and so I will also be seeing what I can do to be beneficial. Have a good rest of your week 😊🎢 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #designleadership #designresearch #designpsychology #servicedesign #codesign

Service Co-design week-notes 109. As it’s #cancersurvivorsday I will be reflecting on all the amazing people who have got me where I am today (post stem cell transplant for relapsed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). Have a good week everyone 🎢😊 @ougradsch.bsky.social #phd #phdlife #design #designleadership

🗣️ Talking Race: From Discomfort to Disruptive Action | GCSJ Research Festival ⏳4 June | 3:15–4:30PM From Grenfell to global discourse, from lived experience to academic insight - explore the work of OU's Racial Justice Working Group 👉 tinyurl.com/y2tmtcw9 #racialjustice @ougradsch.bsky.social

I’ve finally submitted my #PhD thesis about urban woodland #butterflies! It has been one of the most challenging but fulfilling experience of my life. The past year being especially difficult, but I would do it over again… just so happens that I never have to!! @ougradsch.bsky.social

The @ougradsch.bsky.social 'Position Statement and Guidance on Generative AI and Doctoral Education' is now available: www5.open.ac.uk/students/res... The advice is in the context of a fast-paced changing landscape. It emphasises openness re. #GenAI at all stages of the #thesis. #OpenUniversity