The Postgraduate Networking Project

Tammy Boyce School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies University of Cardiff Nationality: Canadian Funded Full-Time Registration: September 2001 (took 2002 off to be a full-time research assistant) Completion: March 2005 Director of Studies: Prof.Jenny Kitzinger Second Supervisor: Dr. Karin Wahl-Jorgensen The aim of the PhD To complete a production-content-reception analysis of the MMR/autism story. Experience in stages towards the PhD My attitude towards the PhD process, probably like most, is fairly mixed.  Some months the PhD seemed to write and research itself.  Other days/months I felt lost, overwhelmed and the entire effort felt pointless.  Now that I've finished it and am looking for publishers, I am delighted I made the effort and am pleased with the final product.  As my topic changed after working on an ESRC project I had a fairly substantial amount of completed research upon returning to the PhD full time in 2003.  At this point I also decided to add further research methods that were not required in the ESRC project.  This additional research strengthened the thesis and broadened its relevance.  I do not feel that the transition between my Masters (in Journalism Studies) and PhD was significant and found the actual writing of the PhD quite similar.  Support The Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies supported me with a full scholarship during my time.  I was also lucky enough to be employed on an ESRC research project after 4 months into my PhD.  My work on this project eventually led to me substantially changing my thesis topic.  In terms of supervision, I went through a number of supervisors but unfortunately the staff assigned to me kept leaving!  In 2003 I was assigned Professor Kitzinger and her supervision was instrumental to my finishing the PhD in under three years (I took a leave of absence whilst working on the ESRC project).  The School were also supportive in allowing me to be a teaching assistant on relevant modules and giving some guest lectures on both the BA and MA.  I had a group of colleagues also completing their PhD who were supportive and encouraging.  But overall, doing a PhD requires self-motivation and a sense of humour which can take a leave of absence for months at a time.   What you would suggest to a new PhD student... Make a schedule early on - no matter how unrealistic you might think this is when you've little idea of what you want to do.  Try as hard as you can to stick to it.  Abstract of the Thesis: Sowing the Seeds of Doubt: the MMR/Autism story Click here to open/download a chapter of the thesis Publications and Papers In press Book on Expertise * co-author with Professor Harry Collins and Dr. Rob Evans (publisher: University of Chicago) In press "A picnic in March: media coverage and public opinion of climate  change in the UK' Book chapter in Presenting and Representing Environments. 2004   "Jabbing the Scientists: Media Coverage of the MMR Vaccine in 2002" Communication and Medicine Vol. 1(2) with Justin Lewis 2003 'MMR and the Media: misleading reporting?' Nature Reviews Immunology Vol.3(11) with Justin Lewis 2003 Towards a Better Map, Science, the public and the media with Justin Lewis and Ian Hargreaves Conferences and Presentations June 2005 The media's understanding of risk, science and health stories South West Public Health Training Scheme, Bristol NHS March 2004 "A picnic in March!  Media coverage of climate change & public opinion in the UK" Presenting and Representing the Natural Environment: The Response of the Arts and Sciences, University of Wales, Swansea Jan 2004 "Reporting Science Reporting Risk", Thomson Foundation Dec 2003 "The difference between sources and experts - The MMR vaccine in the British media", Meccsa, University of Sussex Oct 2003 "The MMR Vaccine and the pharmaceutical industry" Global Public Affairs Institute Oct 2002  "Communicating Science" Wales Assembly Science Communication Conference Oct 2002 "Science and the Media" Techniquest/University of Glamorgan Current Job I am a Research Fellow in Risk, Science and Health Communication at the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies.  It is a 5 year post funded by Research Councils UK and will lead to a permanent contract in the department Contact details Dr. Tammy Boyce Research Fellow in Risk, Health and Science Communication Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Bute Building King Edward VII Ave Cardiff Tel: +44 (0)29 20870101 Fax: +44 (0)29 20238832 E-mail: boycet2@cardiff.ac.uk