Background
For about 15 years I was a barrister working in family and child law, with a particular interest in long term financial consequences of divorce. After many years of talking about it, I decided to take a year out from my practice to research the pension position of divorced men and women. I did a Masters at the University of Surrey, supervised by Sara Arber. Absolutely loved it, took to statistics like a proverbial duck, and I never left. A PhD followed and I ultimately left my legal career for academia and research.

I became interested in ageing through worrying about what would happen to my female clients as they aged after divorce. I couldn’t see where their pension income would come from given the financial constraints that most divorced women live under.

PhD experiences
Title: Pensions, gender and changing family forms

University of Surrey, awarded 2005

My PhD was about how patterns of family formation and dissolution impact on pension prospects for men and women in the UK. This was an extension of my MSc dissertation, which had looked at pension scheme participation of working age women according to marital status. My thesis abstract itself is very dull! I wish I could re-write it now and make it sound more interesting.

I studied full time, with funding from an ESRC Research studentship. I chose Surrey for my MSc and PhD because I had the opportunity to be supervised by Sara Arber.
Initially, I just thought I was taking a year off work to do some research. I think the PhD chose me more than the other way round. The decision after I completed my PhD to take an academic post and give up a career in the law was a very difficult one for me.

What I enjoyed most about the PhD was the intellectual freedom. But the change in my financial and social status was a challenge. One of the best pieces of advice I was given during my PhD was: You can’t know everything, so trying to is futile (thanks Jo!). I’d advise others contemplating doing a PhD to be absolutely sure that this is something you want to do, and that you are completely fascinated by your subject – it’s just you and your thesis for a very long time.

My Viva was a very fair assessment and tested weaknesses that I knew existed in the conceptual framework. I’d advise students about to do their Viva to read their thesis the previous day, and to know and understand their examiners’ research interests.

Post-PhD
After completing my PhD I undertook some consultancy work and then took a permanent lecturing post in Social Gerontology at King’s College London. Finding a job was not difficult – I had made many contacts in gerontology during my MSc and PhD and I learnt informally about this post becoming available. I applied for it when it was advertised and was very pleased to be offered the post. I am a lecturer in a research institute, with my time reasonably evenly split between lecturing to Masters students, taking on various administrative roles in the Department (including co-ordinating two MSc modules), and my own research.

BSG/NOGS
I think I was on a 3 line whip from my supervisor and joined BSG when I started my PhD. It’s facilitated my integration into the community of gerontologists. I regret not having been a member of NOGS while doing my PhD. I now encourage our PhD students at Kings to join.Being a memberprovides opportunities for networking events, and the chance to present conference papers in a supportive environment.