The department of Urban Studies and Planning offers a very supportive environment

Tell us about your background and your chosen research project.

I am an architect and urban planner, with a Master in Human Geography and another one in International Cooperation in Urban Development.

My research project for my PhD is a comparative study involving the role of marketplaces for urban development, in the direction of supporting more socially just outcomes for disadvantaged urban communities.

Another important element is to understand how planning currently supports (or not) markets, and how can planning decisions strengthen these spaces.

Why did you choose to study at Sheffield?

I had good references of lecturers based in Sheffield, from publications I came across. Also, during the application phase I received a lot of support from my prospective supervisor and the department's PhD director. This made me feel quite welcomed.

What did winning the scholarship mean to you?

It gave me a great sense of achievement! Honestly, I didn't expect to be nominated for a University Prize Scholarship.

I would say 'believe in yourself', be persistent and make contact with the University/ potential supervisors as early as you can

Patricia Schappo

PhD student - Department of Urban Studies and Planning

What has your experience of doing a PhD at Sheffield been so far?

My experience has been great. I like the fact that I can engage in so many different sorts of events/ discussion groups/ projects happening around.

The PhD journey can be quite lonely in terms of your specific project, but I think that the department of Urban Studies and Planning offers a very supportive environment.

The relationship with the lecturers is quite informal and I always have both my supervisors participating in the supervision meetings, which gives me two perspectives at once.

What are your future plans?

To become an academic, lecturing and researching. Potentially I would like to engage in projects with local authorities or international collaboration initiatives.

Do you have any advice for future prospective PhD students?

I would say 'believe in yourself', be persistent and make contact with the University/ potential supervisors as early as you can. Research about what is expected from you when applying, clarify any doubts, send e-mails.