Steven

Finally bought a copy of Rob Nixon's 'Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor' after four years of taking it out of the library. I've found elements to be a strong transferable foundation for much of my writing that centres on Victorian industrialisation and the working classes.

Looking forward to attending this doctoral open day at the British Library in a couple of weeks.

Getting to, and leaving, work when it's light has felt like a miracle this past week or two.

First one for a while. If anyone uses Hevy, it'd be great to have some form of community over there! Peer pressure works on me for this kind of thing.

Rewatching Twin Peaks and i'd completely forgotten about Log Lady. What an icon!

Hayao Miyazaki's The Shining would be perfect in so many ways. Not sure if it counts as a literary classic, but definitely a cinematic one.

You know when you're trying to put an argument together and then something you're reading just clicks with something you read months ago and now it all just falls perfectly into place? That.

Today is a good day for writing about William De Morgan.

Professorial Inaugural Lecture: Why does Pre-Raphaelitism matter now? Birmingham City University invites you to Professor Serena Trowbridge's Inaugural Lecture.

On March 20th I’m giving my professorial inaugural lecture at the Birmingham Midland Institute, ‘Why does Pre-Raphaelitism matter now?’ All are welcome!
www.eventbrite.com/e/1977877529...
Or livestream
www.eventbrite.com/e/1982061148...

#preraphaelite

New stove as winter leaves us. I may have to migrate away from the study on WFH days...

Sometimes it feels like my job is just moving books from one pile to another

Nothing says Valentine's Day like a pint down the pub before going to Lidl.

Yesterday morning, I attended 'The Beginning Thesis Writer' with Jenny and Millie @leedsunilibraries.bsky.social. It was a great space to reflect on writing processes with other PGRs and I'm ready to start tackling my Introduction chapter after my latest supervision meeting this week. #PhDSky

Organising committee 😎😎😎😎

Aaah! You'll definitely smash it then! Hope not goes well

Your mentor will get that they're challenging, too.

You'll be absolutely fine. Are you an ECT? If they're challenging but you're consistent with behaviour/classroom management, you'll have nothing worry about. When I was mentoring i'd much rather see my mentee acknowledge behaviour and address it than pretend it was all fine.

Best of luck! Is it your HoD or a member of SLT?

Studying De Morgan, studying Law, studying the street.

It is another thing for them to worry about. Another thing for them to feel they have failed at if they've not accessed their tutor as well as not completing their homework.

Where are the humans? Why are we investing in destructive technology and not in our children in effective & meaningful ways?

Many of our poorest students are also in household where there is food and fuel poverty; some live in households where there is drug use or domestic abuse. An AI tutor will not help these students.

A vast amount did not have access to the internet. How will these students access an AI tutor?

Many students did not have a suitable device at home. They completed GCSE work on their mobile phones or at KS3, completed work by hand and their parents emailed me photographs.

When COVID hit, it really demonstrated the disparity between access to technology amongst my students.

Many shared a family laptop with their parents who used it for work and siblings who needed to study. Two of my students could only access their family computer during their turn at 2am.

I don't subscribe to the Telegraph so can't read the article, but this is awful on so many levels. Students need human connection, care, and empathy. They need an adult who understands their needs. Also. How will the poorest students access these tutors?

Last call! ASLE-UKI online seminar on Eighteenth-Century Literature & Environment. Thur 29 Jan, 15:00-19:00 GMT. With me, Eric Gidal, James Metcalf, Nicolle Jordan, Alessio Mattana, Annette Hulbert, Jodie Matthews, & Tobias Menely. Register FREE at asle.org.uk/events/semin...

Graphic reading 'Postgraduate Research Conference 2026, Save the date, 9 June 2026 Leeds Beckett University, Rose Bowl'

🗓️Save the date! Our annual Postgraduate Research Conference is back on Tuesday 9 June!

Organised by our LBU students - open to ALL PGR students at any university.

Share your research, hear our inspiring speakers, and learn from each other.

Booking info coming soon!

#PhDSky #Research #Leeds

- Transfer documents are almost ready for review
- Two hikes done (West Yorks and Bergen)
- Weights aren't heavier yet
- On the waitlist for Historical European Martial Arts lessons in Longsword combat

Not bad for 18 days in so far.

I was like that until I joined my first Shut Up and Write session that the uni library puts on. I found the structure really helpful (and the peer pressure!)

If your uni runs them, I'd recommend joining. If not, I think there are lots around online to join.

I don't have a goal in terms of word count but with the rest of the week reading and taking notes, I can happily get a couple of thousand out. They might not make it into the final thesis but some might lead to other potential projects / articles - who knows!

0 words last Thursday, though. 😬

Mine will vary because of work but on thesis days it's very much: shower, second brew and maybe breakfast, sit down at the desk, stare blankly, have another tea 😂

Thursdays tend to be my writing days with the rest of the week reading and making notes. I find that helps give something to aim towards