The PhD Association: “It should be possible to do good research and feel good too”
A PhD is a unique opportunity for immersion and academic development. But it is also a time when many experience doubt, pressure, and periods of loneliness. At Health, the PhD Association works to create better frameworks, a sense of community, and everyday support.
At Health, PhD students work in a wide range of research environments - from laboratories to offices covering topics such as data modelling, health behaviour, pain perception, and real-world interventions. Although their research differs, many of the challenges are shared.
“In the beginning of my PhD, I went through a period where I spent quite a lot of time alone in the office. Fortunately, that changed, and today we have a strong sense of community among PhD students and across different professional groups in the department. Still, I’ve found that there’s great value in networking more broadly outside one’s own field, as it allows you to relate to others who face similar challenges,” says Sofie Abildgaard Jacobsen, PhD student at the Clinic for Functional Disorders and former chair of the PhD Association at Health.
Fostering community across disciplines and research settings
The PhD Association is a hub for all PhD students at Health. It also represents students in the PhD committee and maintains ongoing dialogue with the Graduate School at Health about structures, course offerings, and working conditions.
“There are many studies showing that PhD students experience higher levels of loneliness, stress, and anxiety,” says Nina Ziegenbein, PhD student at the Department of Public Health and a member of the Association’s board.
“That’s why we’re working to create spaces where we can support each other – and to make wellbeing an integral part of how we think about the PhD experience.”
The strong sense of community is often highlighted by members as one of the most valuable aspects. Not to talk about results or deadlines, but to share experiences, see themselves reflected in others, and create a space where it’s legitimate to say: ‘This is actually hard.’
How to get involved:
All PhD students at Health are automatically members of the faculty’s PhD Association. No separate registration is required.
You can take part in the Association’s activities in various ways:
- Follow the Association and see upcoming events on Facebook or in the monthly graduate school newsletter.
- Attend the next board meeting (first Thursday of the month at 15:30). Note: The next meeting has been moved up to November 27 from December 4.
- Read more on the website or contact the Association via email.
- Join the next social event: Bouldering on 10 December.
- Keep an eye out for the spring workshop (announced on Facebook).
Social activities for everyone
The Association organises social events roughly every other month. These are informal gatherings that require no preparation or performance.
The next event is a bouldering session on 10 December. Past events have included board game nights, knitting sessions, and coffee meetups on campus.
“It’s often easier to connect when there’s a specific activity to gather around or something to do with your hands,” says Nina Ziegenbein.
“You don’t need to be good at the activity – what matters is that you don’t have to start with small talk, but can just be together and let the conversation flow naturally.”
The PhD Association finds that many PhD students want community but are unsure whether they can ‘justify’ spending time on it. The board hopes to reach supervisors with this message too.
“It’s important that supervisors are supportive. When PhD students thrive, they do better research. It’s as simple as that,” says Sofie Abildgaard Jacobsen.
Working on wellbeing, stress, and imposter syndrome
In addition to social activities, the Association also arranges workshops and academic theme days. Last semester, they hosted a small retreat focused on mental health and work-life balance.
Those experiences are now being developed into a larger workshop in the spring, open to more PhD students.
“We want to talk about the things that are often mentioned but rarely given space – imposter syndrome, uncertainties in the supervisor relationship, stress, and the feeling of standing alone. It helps to get practical tools and hear others say they’ve felt the same,” says Sofie Abildgaard Jacobsen.
Representation and influence
The PhD Association has representatives on the PhD committee and meets regularly with the Graduate School at Health. They bring input from everyday student life into the forums where frameworks and course structures are decided.
“We find that the Graduate School listens,” says Nina Ziegenbein.
“For example, when we highlight the need for courses on wellbeing or stress, it’s followed up and looked into. It makes a difference to be involved where decisions are shaped.”
Contact
PhD Student Sofie Abildgaard Jacobsen
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine – Clinic for Functional Disorders
Phone: +45 42325846
Email: sofjas@clin.au.dk
PhD Student Nina Ziegenbein
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health – Epidemiology
Email: ninaz@ph.au.dk