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By Anna Bedell

It's so important鈥攂ut so hard. That鈥檚 where faculty come in.

Publishing research: It鈥檚 one of the most important factors in successfully becoming a professor. It establishes credibility in your field and leads to more opportunities in academia, but it can also be incredibly difficult and time consuming鈥攅specially when you鈥檙e just starting out.

This is the position most PhD students first find themselves in. Fortunately, the Leeds School of Business鈥� PhD program offers mentorship from faculty members who provide significant support to doctoral students in their research journeys.

The Leeds PhD program focuses on developing the necessary skills for creating original research and spreading knowledge through teaching and writing. Every student is paired with a faculty mentor who offers abundant support in getting published鈥攁n activity that takes years of work.

Faculty fulfillment

After working at a school more focused on teaching than research, Sabrina Volpone, associate professor and PhD program director of Organizational Leadership and Information Analytics, realized she wanted to pursue more research opportunities.

鈥淲hen you get forty or fifty people who just love research and love publishing, all of a sudden you get this culture or climate where I can go to any one of my colleagues in any office and they can offer really insightful feedback,鈥� she said about Leeds鈥� research culture.

Volpone came to Leeds and started a research lab focusing on diversity and organizational behavior, which has become popular with both PhD and undergraduate students. She makes a concerted effort to be an approachable resource to her students; she knows the importance of faculty involvement to their success.

鈥淏eing able to help students translate what's fulfilling and meaningful for them on a daily basis to it actually occurring is really fulfilling,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen students publish a paper in their third, maybe fourth year of graduate school, it represents so much more than just a paper; it represents, 鈥楬ey, maybe I can actually be an academic.鈥欌��

Creating opportunity

Not only do the faculty love working with students, but it鈥檚 often a two-way street. Recent PhD graduate Liza Barnes, who now serves as an assistant professor of management at Drexel University鈥檚 LeBow College of Business, highlighted her experiences working with her faculty mentor, Assistant Professor Christina Lacerenza.

鈥淚 started a project with Christina and we immediately clicked,鈥� Barnes said. 鈥淲e have really similar communication styles, shared research interests and methods.鈥�

She continued, 鈥淚 could tell pretty quickly working with Christina that it was a space where I could brainstorm ideas and we could build on them together. I was looking for an advisor or someone that would push me, but in a kind way and an uplifting way鈥攁nd that's exactly what she did.鈥�

Together, Barnes, Lacerenza and Volpone worked on a study about right-hand partners to organizational leaders, and it was recently accepted into a journal.

Getting the chance to work with faculty in research is not only a great opportunity while in the program, but it can open doors for better positions after graduating. With a connection in the industry along with published work straight out of the program, PhD students are getting the positions they hoped for.

鈥淏eing able to work closely with faculty members and publish is the most important thing as a PhD student,鈥� Barnes said. 鈥淲orking closely with Christina and building out my research portfolio set me up really well to interview for academic jobs last year, and I ended up getting the exact job that I wanted.鈥�

Indispensable guidance

Just having a more experienced mentor can make all the difference, too. Fairy Gandhi is an incoming second year student in the Information Systems PhD program and previously earned a Master鈥檚 in Business Analytics at Leeds. While she鈥檚 just beginning the long journey toward publishing research, she鈥檚 already learned so much from the school鈥檚 faculty.

She said she owes all of her research knowledge to Kai Larsen, an associate professor in information management she worked with after her master鈥檚 program.

鈥淧rofessor Larsen who introduced me to the world of Information Systems,鈥� she said. 鈥淯nder him, I have been introduced to opportunities that I never thought I was capable of.鈥�

Now, she鈥檚 being mentored by Leeds assistant professor David Dobolyi.

鈥淚 feel very lucky to be getting a chance to work for him鈥攈e has been a truly amazing mentor,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e has been guiding me throughout and been very patient at the same time. Because, obviously, you know, I'm making mistakes, and I think I鈥檓 definitely flourishing under his leadership.鈥�

鈥淔aculty have gone through all the mistakes that we are in the process of making, and they share those things. I think that that vast experience they have truly helps students.鈥�

PhD programs can often be overwhelming鈥攖aking classes, researching and preparing for roles after graduation. Leeds has been able to create a PhD program that empowers faculty to guide students into successful careers in academia鈥攁nd create a fulfilling environment while they鈥檙e at it.

鈥淚 truly feel like I belong here, and that this is my home,鈥� Gandhi said.

Why Leeds听 PhD Program