PhD Thesis Research Articles

Planar cycle-extendable graphs

For most problems pertaining to perfect matchings, one may restrict attention to matching covered graphs - that is, connected nontrivial graphs with the property that each edge belongs to some perfect matching. There is extensive literature on these graphs that are also known as 1-extendable graphs (since each edge extends to a perfect matching) including an ear decomposition theorem due to Lov\'asz and Plummer. A cycle $C$ of a graph $G$ is conformal if $G-V(C)$ has a perfect matching; such cycles play an important role in the study of perfect matchings, especially when investigating the Pfaffian orientation problem. A matching covered graph $G$ is cycle-extendable if - for each even cycle $C$ - the cycle $C$ is conformal, or equivalently, each perfect matching of $C$ extends to a perfect matching of $G$, or equivalently, $C$ is the symmetric difference of two perfect matchings of $G$, or equivalently, $C$ extends to an ear decomposition of $G$. In the literature, these are also known as cycle-nice or as 1-cycle resonant graphs. Zhang, Wang, Yuan, Ng and Cheng, 2022, provided a characterization of claw-free cycle-extendable graphs. Guo and Zhang, 2004, and independently Zhang and Li, 2012, provided characterizations of bipartite planar cycle-extendable graphs. In this paper, we establish a characterization of all planar cycle-extendable graphs - in terms of $K_2$ and four infinite families.Comment: The last author Nishad Kothari would like to acknowledge Rajat Adak (currently a PhD student at IISc) for many discussions on cycle-extendability (while he was a BSc student at CMI)

Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: academic survival of international PhD students in the digital era

Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: academic survival of international PhD students in the digital era

‘Intersectional othering’ and the minoritisation of ‘Malay/Muslim’ identities in Singapore’s multicultural education

ABSTRACT Singapore’s multiculturalism has been recognised as a successful model for the preservation of harmony across racial differences in its society. Despite this, outstanding complexities still exist between groups, but are often minimised in public discourse. While there is vast literature on multiculturalism and race relations in Singaporean society, there is also a lack of scholarship assessing how they have been enacted or learnt in schools. This paper questions how Malay/Muslim identities, in particular, have been viewed through Singapore’s multicultural education. Findings from a qualitative case study conducted showed how the curriculum has largely constructed Malay/Muslims as minorities and ‘Others’ in terms of: (i) race; (ii) religion; and (iii) socioeconomic status. The intersection of these identities compounds ‘Malay/Muslim’ minority status, giving rise to ‘intersectional othering’ which then sustains their continued and perceived minoritisation. It concludes by suggesting how multicultural education in Singapore can attend to issues surrounding intersectional identities today. This paper is part of a larger doctoral study looking into racial identity formation within multicultural education in Singapore.

A STEM Model Encouraging Post-Baccalaureate Pathways for First Generation, Underrepresented Undergraduates

The University of Houston-Downtown supports a STEM program, Scholars Academy (SA) within the College of Sciences and Technology dedicated to enhancing, preparing, and enlightening minority, underrepresented, and first-generation majors seeking entrance into workforce, graduate, and professional programs of preparation. Over the past 18 years the University of Houston-Downtown Scholars Academy has implemented a series of success components supporting the nurturance of post-baccalaureate graduate and professional pursuit yielding a 51% acceptance rate into medical school, over 68 professional degrees (ranging from MD to DO to DDS and DPharm) earned by alumni, over 20 PhD degrees, and over 900 minority/underrepresented undergraduates moving into professional/graduate fields. Briefly, STEM success components consist of 1) Freshman Ramp Up support; 2) Academic Skill Monitoring; 3) Mentoring, peer to peer and PhD to undergraduate; 4) Career and Research Skill Development support; and finally, 5) Leadership Development through Community Engagement support.

Youth Engagement Methods

The university can be an enabler of positive transformation by engaging with various communities. By describing a methodological process followed in a doctoral study, this paper presents a participatory research approach with youth in a resourcepoor context to illustrate methodological pathways of inclusion. The paper also problematises the notion of social entrepreneurship and stresses the definitional challenges associated with the term. This is important to show the possibility of expanding the scholarly footprint of social entrepreneurship and universities’ important role and options in framing new approaches and methodologies within community university partnerships. A methodological primer is presented to show the methodological process, embedded in qualitative participatory research, that informed the study. The methodological process is rooted in the participants’ lifeworld and seeks to amplify local concerns and solutions. Community-university partnerships that respect aspirations and agendas of local communities inspired by collaborative, dialogical, transforming and respectful processes are identified in the paper as enablers of successful university-community engagements.

The Black body in context: a phenomenological experience of the Black body within China

ABSTRACT This article explores the constant misrepresentation and epidermalization of the Black body in non-Black dominated spaces through the lived experiences of Sulemana Armiyaw, an international PhD student from Ghana, who studied at Shanghai University, China. While acknowledging the multiplicity of Black experiences, the article argues for a recurrent pattern – what may be termed a ‘semblance with variation’ – that transpires across diverse geographies and temporalities. Through the projection of the ‘Black body’ onto individual corporeal bodies, Black people are frequently subjected to reductive and mortifying representations which creates comparable experiences of marginalization. Focusing on contemporary experiences within China, the article underscores how anti-Black preconception can manifest within distinctive cultural and ideological contexts. Employing a phenomenological approach informed by Frantz Fanon and Charles Johnson, the article underscores how the anti-Black gaze constantly fixes and objectifies the Black body as a site of horror, curiosity, or disgust. While Chinese racial discourse operates via its own cultural logics, the resultant outcomes mirror a global pattern of Black marginalization. This article ultimately highlights the transnational continuity of anti-Black racism and the prevalent symbolic burden placed on Black bodies in spaces where they are considered as ‘other.’

Unveiling the Experiences of School Heads and Teachers on Instructional Leadership Empowerment

UNVEILING THE EXPERIENCES OF SCHOOL HEADS AND TEACHERS ON INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP EMPOWERMENT Author: EMMA L. GABION / Co-Author: Dr. Danilo E. Despi ANNUNCIATION COLLEGE OF BACON SORSOGON UNIT INC., Magsaysay Avenue, Sorsogon City Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Major in Educational Development 2024 Keywords: Instructional Leadership, Empowering Leadership, Teachers’ Competence and Effectiveness, Culture of Trust and Collaboration, Instructional Leadership Framework, Sustained Improvement Summary This research explored the experiences of school heads engaged in instructional leadership and teachers' perspectives on these practices in Gubat South District, Sorsogon Province. It aimed to identify strategies used by school heads, best practices for empowering leadership, methods to foster trust and collaboration, teachers’ views on leadership’s impact on their competence, and a framework to enhance instructional leadership. The findings revealed that school heads employed various strategies to promote instructional leadership, such as providing resources, professional development, and fostering a positive school culture. They also implemented best practices like demonstrating instructional techniques, encouraging teacher ownership, and recognizing achievements. Creating a culture of trust and collaboration is achieved through fairness, transparency, and active listening. Teachers value school heads who are flexible, supportive, and respectful, which enhances their competence and effectiveness. The study proposed an instructional leadership framework focusing on continuous professional development, reflective practice, and a supportive environment. This framework emphasizes active listening, responsiveness to feedback, and providing resources aligned with educational trends. The conclusions highlighted that school heads in Gubat South District create a supportive environment that promotes professional development, collaboration, and innovation. They effectively foster empowering leadership and establish trust through fairness and consistency. Teachers appreciate flexible and supportive leadership, which improves their competence. The study recommended continuous professional development programs, comprehensive leadership training, and school-based activities to foster trust and collaboration. A holistic instructional leadership framework is proposed for sustained improvement and excellence in education.

Making the most of grad school? Advisor selection and student productivity among economics PhD students

ABSTRACT Dissertation advisors have significant impacts on their students’ careers, but positive assortative matching precludes quantifying causal effects. Using a unique data set that links economics PhD students to dissertation advisors, we assess traits correlated with student-advisor matches and student publishing during graduate school. Program tier strongly predicts prestigious advisor-student matches, but there is also evidence of assortative matching within programs. Quantitative GRE and undergraduate GPA are positively correlated with prestigious advisor matches. Verbal GRE is negatively associated with having a prestigious advisor but positively related to co-authoring with one’s advisor during graduate school.

Coastal Tourism Opportunities in Kerala A Study of Thrissur District

Coastal Tourism is based on a unique resource combination at the border of land and sea environments: sun, water, beaches, outstanding scenic views, rich biological diversity (birds, whales, corals etc), sea food and good transportation infrastructure. The principal aim of this paper is to assess the factors considered by the touristwhile visiting in coastal destination, analyze the facilities available in beachesand to identify the negative factors present in coastal tourist destinations in Thrissur district. Both primary and secondary data used for the study. The secondary data is collected from review of existing literatures and published sources such as information of enterprises, journals, articles, PhD thesis, websites etc. Primary data collected for this study from the tourists of the four costal tourism destinations located at Thrissur district such as Azhikode beach, Snehatheeram beach, Nattika beach, chettuva backwater and kottapuram backwater located at Thrissur district with the help of a pre-tested questionnaire. The study carried out with descriptive type of research. The survey conducted among the tourists of the six costal tourism destinations located at Thrissur district such as Munakkal beach, Snehatheeram beach, Nattika beach, chavakkad beach, chettuva Back water and Kottapuram Back water with the help of a pre-tested questionnaire. Purposive sampling method under non-random sampling techniques was adopted for the study. Data were collected from 60 samples respondents through questionnaires. The study revealed that ‘Affordability’ is the major factor considered by the tourists while they visit at coastal destinations. Beach pollution, Overcrowding and alcoholism are the major factors present in beache

Prof. J. Carlos Pastor: Obituary and Legacy

Professor Dr. J. Carlos Pastor, born in Madrid in 1951, passed away on January 30th, 2025, after a prolonged battle with cancer. Throughout his final two years, he shared his journey on social media, embracing the challenge of living optimistically with a terminal illness, hoping to inspire others facing similar struggles. A natural leader and passionate mentor, Prof. Pastor taught Ophthalmology at the Medical School, training numerous generations of residents, young ophthalmologists in the Master of Ophthalmic Subspecialties program, as well as optometrists and scientists in the Master and PhD programs in Visual Sciences. He initiated all these educational programs in his University. His trainees number over 300 professionals, who now practice in Spain and across Latin America. Prof. Pastor was deeply committed to research, believing that excellence in clinical care could only be achieved through the work of clinician-scientists. To foster this philosophy, he sent many of his trained residents, optometrists, and scientists abroad for postdoctoral training. This international exposure laid the foundation for the creation of the Institute of Applied Ophthalmobiology (IOBA) at the University of Valladolid, which became a renowned center for translational research. For his exceptional leadership, mentorship, integrity, and unwavering commitment to students, patients, professionals, friends, and relatives Prof. Pastor will be deeply and forever missed.

The blind leading the blind? Filling the knowledge gaps by student peer assessment

Scholarly contextualisation: There is a need to fill gaps in knowledge from secondary school before starting university curriculum. Cooperative learning, a form of active learning, implicitly includes peer-to-peer teaching, and is a good candidate when filling the knowledge gaps relies on high student involvement. Aim and Problem: 1) We describe a teaching intervention developed and implemented by KM specifically to fill the knowledge gaps by peer assessment in basic mathematics for PhD students at the Faculty of Health Sciences. 2) Through interviews and observations, different aspects of filling the knowledge gaps by peer assessment are investigated. Methods: The intervention consisted of two parts. First, an individual preparation consisting of a set of problems from 10th grade mathematics. The second part was the actual seminar, where students reviewed the problems by cooperative peer assessment. Five analyses were performed: 1) Analysis of submitted problem sets, 2) observations of the seminar, 3) interview with the teaching assistant, 4) interviews with students, and 5) a questionnaire. Findings: Is 10th grade mathematics the adequate level? The student interviews and survey suggest that both highly skilled and less skilled students found the maths seminar useful. Was there a good balance between effort and outcome? The student interviews and survey revealed large variation in time spent for preparations, as expected due to the various skill levels. How did the students collaborate? The intended cooperative learning was one of the strategies that the students used for peer assessment. Other strategies included majority vote and resolving disagreements by engaging teaching staff. Discussion and reflection: Condorcet's jury theorem (1785) describes the probability of reaching the correct decision through majority vote and is used as a starting point for discussion around the success of cooperative learning and peer assessment. With the right width of the knowledge gap, enough students in a group will reach the correct answer by themselves for the group to reach the correct answer. In this perspective, the described maths seminar is not the blind leading the blind, but a project supported not only in pedagogical theory, but in probability theory itself.

From a tiny seed to a sturdy sprout: a collaborative autoethnography of teachers’ lived experiences towards PhDs / De una pequeña semilla a un brote robusto: una etnografía colaborativa de las experiencias vitales de dos docentes hacia su doctorado

There is an increasing volume of research on PhDs’ lived experiences or educational motivations. However, the transformation process of teachers into doctoral students is underexplored. Moreover, their prior lived experience should also be examined. To address these, this research aims to transcend the snapshotting of the lived experience of PhD students. By providing a panoramic view, ranging from their early childhood to the beginning of their PhD research, the paper explores the authors’ agency and their interaction with their surrounding environment. Through a collaborative autoethnography, the authors employed the concept of agency and a cultural-historical lens to examine their aspirations in China and Iran, two distinct contexts. The authors have metaphorically likened their journey of life and personal growth towards the start of a PhD to that of a seed transforming into a sturdy sprout. This metaphor progresses through four stages: from cultivating the land, planting the seed, and germinating to sprouting. The authors highlight that they are in a dialectical relationship with the surrounding environment and demonstrate agency in their life quests and pursuits.

Are female students less satisfied with doctoral candidacy experiences? Evidence from 108 countries

Satisfaction is a crucial indicator of higher education student experience, and lower doctoral student satisfaction may lead to reduced productivity and higher attrition. Considering that empirical research on gender differences in satisfaction remains rather scarce, this study explored the gender differences in satisfaction with doctoral studies as well as the underlying rationales for these differences, utilising data from 6372 doctoral students in 108 countries in the 2019 Nature Global Doctoral Student Survey. The research outcomes show that women have a lower satisfaction rate in pursuing a doctoral degree than men, and the probability of their satisfaction rate decreasing is 3.88% higher. The mechanism analysis reveals that the main factors causing relatively lower satisfaction among female doctoral students are their higher probabilities of encountering gender discrimination and sexual harassment and their greater difficulties in attaining a work-life balance. Moreover, overworked female doctoral students and those from low-income and lower-middle-income countries have relatively lower satisfaction compared to their male counterparts. Our empirical evidence uncovers the intricate challenges that female doctoral students encounter and provides valuable insights for improving the doctoral study environment and promoting gender equality.

A Translanguaging Approach to Doctoral Supervision: Leveraging Students’ Multilingualism as Intellectual Resources

ABSTRACTTranslanguaging theory and practices have enabled multilingual spaces where students’ full linguistic repertoires are valued, explored, and utilized by educators as resources across educational settings. However, research reporting supervision pedagogies incorporating international doctoral students’ multilingualism as intellectual resources in doctoral research education in Australia remains scant. This paper reports a case study that explored a PhD program at an education faculty in an Australian university. The data, participant observation, and semi‐structured interviews were collected from seven multilingual doctoral students, and nine supervisors. These data were analyzed within the framework of post‐structuralist translanguaging and translanguaging pedagogy. This research found supervisors demonstrated a consistent translanguaging stance and valued their students’ multilingual resources for knowledge production. Through spontaneous and planned translanguaging pedagogical practices, they endeavored to enhance students’ deployment of their multilingual capability for knowledge production.

Navigating the doctoral journey: A qualitative study on PhD scholars’ well-being in Pakistan

Background & Objective: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) scholars face unique challenges during their academic journey, frequently encountering substantial stressors that impact their overall well-being. We aimed to explore the concept and domains of well-being from PhD scholars’ perspectives, focusing on the factors that affect their well-being during doctoral studies. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted over a period of six months, involving eleven in-depth interviews with medical and allied health sciences PhD scholars from nine universities across Pakistan using a qualitative phenomenology approach. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit participants, and an interview guide was developed after critically appraising the literature, feedback from medical education experts, and a pilot test. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. Results: Five main themes, accompanied by ten sub-themes, have been developed based on the socioecological theoretical framework, aligning with the key findings from eleven in-depth interviews. Five themes were identified from this study: (i)Well-being at the Individual Level, with the subthemes of mental, physical and emotional well-being and time management and work-life balance, (ii)Well-being at the Interpersonal Level, with the subthemes of supervisor and peer support and family and social support, (iii)Well-being at the Institutional Level, with the subthemes of administrative and financial support and academic stress and resources, (iv)Well-being at the Community Level, with the subthemes of professional growth and networking and cultural and gender influences and (v)Well-being at the Policy Level with the subthemes of HEC and institutional policy gaps and financial and research policy. This multifaceted approach offers a comprehensive understanding of the well-being of PhD scholars by addressing factors at multiple levels. Conclusion: This study highlighted the multifaceted dimensions of well-being of PhD scholars at individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy levels. PhD scholars’ mental, physical, and emotional health is influenced by time management and academic pressure. PhD scholars’ interpersonal well-being depends on supervisors, peers, and family support. Effective administrative systems, financial support, and academic resources reduce scholar stress and improve institutional well-being. Opportunities for professional growth, networking, and cultural and gender recognition in the community are crucial for improving PhD scholars’ well-being. Our results showed the need for policy reforms that prioritise research-focused PhD programs over coursework-focused ones, create more flexible publication criteria, and ensure enough financial assistance. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.5.11982 How to cite this: Mahsood N, Mahboob U, Aleem S. Navigating the doctoral journey: A qualitative study on PhD scholars’ well-being in Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(5):1402-1409. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.5.11982 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

AGE DYNAMICS OF WORK ENGAGEMENT: A FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPING A TRAINING PROGRAMME WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF CAREER COUNSELLING

This study presents empirical results from two scientific research projects conducted in 2024 to determine the influence of age and other socio-demographic factors on work engagement. The research was conducted among 432 employees and managers in Bulgaria as well as among 109 working students and PhD students. Reliability Analysis, various types of T-Test comparisons, and One-Way ANOVA analysis were performed to test research hypotheses. Results indicate that all aspects of work engagement increase with age and work experience. Based on the established age dynamics of work engagement in the working population and the lower engagement levels observed among students and PhD students, this study proposes the development of a useful training programme. The programme aims to educate students and PhD students about work engagement, its influencing factors, and effective interventions for its enhancement and development. The creation and adaptation of a training programme tailored to Generation Z's characteristics will help reduce stress at the beginning of a career, improve efficiency, and increase job satisfaction.

An empirical study on the factors influencing the research competence of direct-entry PhD students

ABSTRACT Cultivating doctoral students’ research competence is central to graduate education and aligns with national innovation strategies for high-level talent development. The direct-entry PhD model focuses on nurturing high-quality talent, with research competence as a key indicator of its effectiveness. Through literature review, expert interviews, and a questionnaire survey, a model of factors influencing direct-entry PhD students’ research competence was constructed and validated via multiple regression analysis. Key factors include personal research commitment, academic goals, a supportive training environment, research resources, and academic skills. Based on these findings, targeted measures to enhance research competence are proposed.

“Juggling more than I think”: starting a doctoral journey amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the unique perspectives of PhD students who started a PhD program at a research university in the Southwest region of the USA during the height of a global pandemic. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was applied to collect and analyze the experiences of six new PhD students during their Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. Data was collaboratively collected by a research team and included audio recordings, written artifacts, and photographs. The convenience sample of six PhD students, who include a portion of the study’s authors, also participated in a 45-min semi-structured focus group discussion. Data was analyzed using a two-cycle thematic analysis. Findings COVID-19 created increased pressure and demands across the full scope of the PhD students’ lives and resulted in new, creative ways of communicating, learning, and adapting to a new environment. Beginning a PhD during a global pandemic created uncertain pathways but also opened new opportunities for students to engage with classmates and family. The network stemming from the cohort model was pivotal in maintaining progress in the program. Originality/value This paper contributes to a body of education literature on graduate student experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing the lived experiences of new PhD students in a cohort-modeled program. The implications of the changing academic environment, cohort model, and students’ abilities to adapt are discussed.

An archetype for the doctoral prepared advanced practice nurse: Mary Bristow Willeford (1900–1941), nurse-midwife and doctor of philosophy

An archetype for the doctoral prepared advanced practice nurse: Mary Bristow Willeford (1900–1941), nurse-midwife and doctor of philosophy

ECR Spotlight – Chantelle Penney

ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Chantelle Penney is an author on ‘ Transcriptomic responses to within-generation and intergenerational environmental warming in a cold-adapted salmonid’, published in JEB. Chantelle conducted the research described in this article while a PhD student in Chris C. Wilson and Gary Burness's lab at Trent University, Canada.