Placements Profiles and Experiences

Samuel Bruning

Research Assistant for Dr Jason Klocek (Spring 2022)

I undertook a School of Politics and International Relations' Paid Placement working as a research assistant for Dr Jason Klocek, one of the Assistant Professors within the School. Throughout it, this opportunity both proved useful experience in academia, and a great chance to learn more about a new area of politics and international relations.

My role saw me work to identify religious civil society actors in Uzbekistan, with the aim of it serving as a case study, as part of a paper Dr Klocek is writing with a colleague. The research had two main steps: firstly, I worked to identify relevant academic and practice-based sources that may have actors within them. Then, I went through the available resources to identify the relevant civil society actors. This process taught me lots about systematic research, and how we put it into practice.

I also developed resilience, given that some weeks of research would produce little results, with others producing more results. This variation helped provide me with a realistic sample of how academic research can often either not provide the results expected, or take a while to find them.

It helps to set yourself a consistent time to complete tasks. This makes completing work more doable, because you have a dedicated time slot for it each week.

Finally, engaging with the content of the work is also important. It’s fascinating to learn about a new area or subject, as I did with religion in Uzbekistan. In being engaged, work is not a chore.

Phoebe Turner

Research Assistant for Dr Tyler Kustra (Spring 2022)

I was a research assistant for Dr Tyler Kustra assisting his project studying the responses of governments subjected to economic sanctions. My role was to collect and organise the existing research on the topic.

I enjoyed the exposure I got to different perspectives on the research topic. I am very interested in sanctions and undertook a dissertation studying their impact on Iranian foreign policy. I was introduced to interesting viewpoints and nuances, and I developed an appreciation for the different methods and variables used to measure the same concept.

The placement has improved my employability on top of the knowledge I gained on the subject. I am confident creating and handling databases now. I have been able to discuss this experience in interviews, including for my new administrative role in the NHS. I worked independently with some progress checks, which shows future employers that I am trustworthy, competent, and reliable. These are all valuable skills for graduating students to demonstrate, regardless of the industry, profession, and role.