The End of a Chapter … and the Start of Another … the PhD

I think that completing a PhD is one of the most amazing things that you can do in your life. I have never regretted doing it for one second, and think it is still one of the best things I have done in my career.

So, over the past few months, we have seen a good deal of our investment in Cybersecurity producing outputs, with lots of amazing research papers. And is some of the sources of this great work … our three brand new PhD graduates … Peter McLaren, Sean McKeown (both in middle of photo) and Elochukwu (Elo) Ukwandu (on the right-hand side).

A proud supervisor involved with all three — Dr Gordon Russell — is on the left of the photo. Personally, I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in all three of their PhD’s, and it has been so interesting to have an input into their work. I have seen them grow to become experts in the field, and I have learnt a good deal along the way. I also add another recent PhD graduation of Greg Spyra — who is in a rather hot Switzerland just now (but will be back in the cooler surroundings of Edinburgh for our forthcoming PhD graduation).

An investment in a PhD studentship is a long-term investment. There is no way of knowing that will arrive at the end of it, but it can lead to amazing things.