The first Month and a Half of 2026...

We are only a month and a half into 2026, but it already feels like a crazy amount has happened since we got back into the swing of work at the start of the year! Having finished my Community Management Internship at 4J Studios, I had been wondering which direction 2026 would take me in. I am very happy that the new year so far has brought me fantastic new opportunities.

Firstly, the biggest element of my professional life, my PhD. Progress is continuing to come along. I have felt a sense of excitement to move onto my primary research as I continue to draw closer to bringing a temporary end to my input into the Literature Review. I am seeing more that the PhD is defined by continuous high and low points, but I am continuing to push on as always so that I can continue the development of my research. I have had 2 meetings this year with my supervisors where progress has been continuing to come along. I am currently waiting to hear back from two conferences I have put my research forward for, the European Academy of Management and the European Marketing Academy. As I will hear from both conferences in the next month, I am manifesting a positive response from both of them to engage with their prestigious conferences!

I have landed on my feet on the job front with a role that matches my PhD progression, as I have taken on an Associate Lecturer role at Abertay University. I am the Academic Lead for the BMT406 International Business module. This puts me in a position of authority to deliver this module, which is exciting but also it is difficult to avoid imposter syndrome at times since this is a module I only sat myself four years ago at Abertay in the fourth year of my Undergraduate Degree. I do feel fortunate to have such an engaged class, and to have staff around me who are so supportive and eager to help both with my lecturer role and with my professional development. So I am truly grateful for the trust put in me and the opportunity to test myself in a lecturer position.

A few other highlights from 2026 so far include:

Co-organising the Interactive Games PGR Conference 2026 at York St John University in July, a conference which I attended to present my research last year

Working with a few fellow PhD students and ECRs in Scotland and beyond to launch the Network for Interactive Engagement Regulation (NIER) to foster a community which connects researchers working in law applications in entertainment

Starting the Learning to Teach in Higher Education (LTHE) Class run by the Academic Skills Centre at the University of Dundee to develop my teaching ethos and learn strategies for running engaging, informative classes

Continuing to support University of Dundee students through 1-to-1 support and notetaking for students through my Study Assistant role at Clear Links Support

I am hoping that my hard work continues to pay off and bring about more acceptances and more success to make 2026 a tremendous year for my career!