PhD Researcher undertakes Turing Scheme placement in Australia

University of Huddersfield PhD researcher undertakes prestigious Turing Scheme placement in Australia

Devendra Raj Singh is a PhD researcher at the University, originally from Nepal. His experiences of growing up in a remote village in the low-land region of the country where there is a fragile health system have fueled a passion in him to work to improve the health outcomes in his community. 

In this article, Devendra discusses his experience of undertaking a two-month Turing placement in Australia and how this international experience has enabled him to work towards his goal of improving access to quality health care services for all within his local community.

I was delighted to be selected for the Turing Scheme during the first year of my doctoral study at Huddersfield, which is a prestigious scholarship for postgraduate researchers which allows them to undertake their research training at any international university to advance their research skills and strengthen research collaborations. 

Through the Turing Scheme, I had the opportunity to improve my research skills with implementation and policy scientists at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University (ANU). Whilst here, I gained an excellent practical introduction to implementation research methodology such as co-design, realist review and policy analysis. More importantly, it was my absolute privilege to learn about the historical past, culture, and challenges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Indigenous communities) in Australia. 

I also enjoyed opportunities to meet and discuss shared interests with researchers from various Australian universities and institutions, including the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

At ANU, I was also involved in a realist review that is focused on exploring implementation opportunities and challenges for health checks for Indigenous Australians living with chronic conditions. And I was part of a research team to conduct a literature review on endometrial cancer among the Indigenous population in Australia as a part of a collaborative project between ANU and other Australian academic and non-academic institutions. 

It was also my pleasure to attend communication and research impact workshops, and doctoral student seminars which allowed me to learn about research defence skills and the Australian doctoral education programme. 

I am delighted and feel privileged to have had the opportunity to learn from esteemed ANU academics and other implementation scientists. And I was overjoyed to bring together my supervisors from the University of Huddersfield and the Australian National University for a joint meeting to introduce, discuss and explore opportunities for future potential research collaborations between the two international universities.

The most admirable part of my visit, however, was meeting people from diverse cultural backgrounds with different research skills, being exposed to unique work cultures and traveling across urban parts of Australia. This allowed me to construct my knowledge around strength-based approaches and it also helped me to manage my time whilst working across multiple time zones.

I am so grateful for this excellent experience provided by the Turing Scheme, the University of Huddersfield, and the Australian National University. I believe this international learning exchange visit will contribute significantly to my PhD research project and career development in many ways, and I am excited to apply the collective learnings from my time at the ANU to my research and professional skills. These learnings will allow me to collaborate, design, and lead impactful research in the coming days. And I plan on sustaining my collaborations established in Australia through research and other academic activities.

Overall, this visit was a fantastic experience and a perfect fusion of research, learning exchange, collaborations, cultural immersion, and enjoyment. I am grateful to my PhD supervisors at the University of Huddersfield and ANU, and colleagues and mentors who have supported me on this great journey, without whom this learning and experience would have been incomplete.

Find out more about Devendra and his international research

Email: devendraraj.singh@hud.ac.uk 
Twitter: @Devendrarsingh
Orchid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1450-9476