Midway seminar

This year marked an important milestone in our PhD journey: the midway seminar. It is one of the most important milestones for a PhD candidate at the University of Stavanger, second only to the final defense. As the name suggests, it takes place after the halfway point of the PhD. However, because of our academic and non-academic secondments last year, we had to schedule it in the final year. That made it even more crucial for us to share as much as possible about our projects and progress.

The midway seminar offers candidates the opportunity to present their project, progress, and thesis, “Kappe[1]” to two commentators – one internal and one external – who have reviewed the submitted materials in advance. The commentators provide constructive feedback on the work completed so far and recommend ways to utilize the remaining time effectively.

The seminar consists of two parts: a public session, where the candidate presents their work and receives feedback from the commentators in the presence of supervisors and anyone interested; and a private session, where the candidate, commentators, and supervisors meet to discuss the feedback in depth and address any questions the candidate may have.

Luisa’s midway seminar experience

The midway seminar was a demanding milestone to reach. I worked hard to prepare the materials I wanted to submit to my commentators, and this process gave me the chance to approach the challenging but stimulating process of working on the Kappe.

The seminar itself has been an intense appointment, as receiving such a dense amount of feedback and new inputs can feel overwhelming at first, especially when the remaining time seems too short to address everything. Yet, it turned out to be the best opportunity I could have at this stage. It pushed me to reflect on my project as a whole and articulate the connections between the articles and overarching aspects. Most importantly, having expert researchers dive into my work, dissect it, and provide constructive feedback was invaluable. I was truly grateful to involve Senior Lecturer Ylva Svensson from University West, Sweden, as the external commentator, whose expertise focuses on youth identity development, particularly ethnic identity, and Associate Professor Lene Vestad who, as the internal commentator, offered her expertise in research methodology.

They highlighted what works, what needs strengthening, and how to redirect what does not within my project. Their critical questions stimulated new thinking and helped me see ways to elevate my research.

I left the seminar extremely satisfied. The commentators provided the insights and guidance I needed, not by giving final answers, but by helping me find my own. With their expertise and kindness, they showed me how to overcome challenges and move toward completing my PhD. There is still a lot of work ahead, but I am grateful for the support and the outcome of this milestone.

Ebru’s midway seminar

I wanted to make the most of this opportunity by sharing as much information as possible about my project and progress. To prepare, I worked hard to submit my first paper, advance the second, and write more on the thesis to receive feedback on the philosophical foundations of my work.

I was fortunate to have two excellent commentators. Assoc. Prof. Aiman El Asam (Kingston University), with expertise in the digital lives of children and adolescents, served as my external commentator. Assoc. Prof. Dieuwer Ten Braak, an expert in systematic reviews, quantitative methodology, and child development, provided internal commentary.

I started my presentation by introducing the PARTICIPATE project—our network, secondments, training activities, deliverables, and conference participation—before diving into the aims, literature, and theoretical background of my project. Since both commentators had already reviewed my documents, they came prepared and offered thoughtful feedback. They didn’t just comment—they asked constructive questions and shared suggestions that will guide my next steps. They pointed out areas for elaboration and recommended literature to strengthen my work.

There is still much to do, but with the guidance and support of my commentators and supervisors, I am confident about the road ahead.

Ebru Ozbek & Luisa Morello

University of Stavanger

 

[1] the Kappe is a synopsis of the PhD thesis that aims to provide a broader view of the project, bringing together matters related to philosophy of science, theoretical framework and methodology, and highlighting the red thread connecting the scientific articles.

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