Research Supervisors’ Network

Dr Palmer is an academic at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and the University of York and teaches candidates on the new UCL Global Business School for Health DBA programme. After completing her PhD in 1999 (jointly awarded by University of Wales and Open University), she supervised her first PhD candidate in 2002. In 2009, during maternity leave, she achieved promotion to PhD Programme Leader and progressed to Head of Research Degrees before becoming university-wide Head of Doctoral Training in 2014. 

To date, she has led supervisor development to over 600 supervisors at SHU and at overseas partner institutions (the latter as bespoke development for DBA supervisors). She has supervised 19 doctoral candidates to completion across all modes of doctorate (monograph, by publication, article-based and professional doctorate), at different types of UK university, working with a diverse spectrum of candidates. Recognition for her supervisory practice includes a university Inspirational Research Supervisor award and UKCGE research supervisor recognition (gained during the pilot of the scheme). 

She reviews recognition applications for UKCGE and co-leads work package 2 of the Research England-funded Next Generation Research SuperVision Project (RSVP). Her engagement in postgraduate education scholarship includes: publication of blog posts and delivery of conference papers about supervisor reward and recognition, intermediate level supervisor development and replacement supervision; membership of the Supervision Development Reading Group; submission of a paper to Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education; peer reviewing for Equity in Education and Society, leading world cafes on supervision at European doctoral programmes conferences; and publication of a co-authored book.

Professor Martin’s engagement with postgraduate research education stretches across his academic career of nearly 25 years. This includes supervision of 15 PhD completions, through to his role as Deputy Director of the AHRC DTP The Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH), the tenure of which ended in June 2024. His doctoral supervision covers both the arts and humanities, and across the social sciences. He has wide-ranging experience in supervising different types of doctorates including by practice, by publication, by distance, and part-time. 

At his home institution – the University of Edinburgh – he has undertaken strategic leadership roles in doctoral education. This includes his tenure as the PGR Director for his department, as well as the PGR Director (2013–2016) for his wider school with a PGR cohort of over 200. In this latter role he developed a series of PhD supervisor training events, exploring areas such as professional development, supervisory skills, and supervising practice-based PhDs. 

Building on these institutional roles, since 2020 he has been Deputy Director of SGSAH with a focus on doctoral training and supervision across 17 Scottish HEIs. During this time he has led a number of significant initiatives that demonstrate his commitment to doctoral education more broadly, including the establishment of a part-time researcher network for both students and supervisors; convening a series of annual training events for supervisors; a platform for supervisors of partnership PhDs; as well as advocacy work on doctoral supervision with the AHRC.