Categories: phd
Tags: thesis
Date: 29 September 2010 20:33:19
We're now at the point of officially inviting someone to be my external examiner, which is good (if a bit scary). It is no longer going to be the person we had lined up (someone whose book rocked my fieldwork, it was one of those books that you just wish you'd be good enough one day to write something even approaching it). This is because she is an overseas academic and the latest new policy is for externals who are overseas-based to conduct the viva by conference call to save money. I think the viva will be a weird enough experience as it is without having to deal with weird technology and speaking to someone thousands of miles away! Interestingly, my supervisor and (probable) internal got talking about possible UK-based alternatives, and came up with someone whom I had nearly suggested at my last supervision the other week, but as they were all set to go with the overseas examiner I didn't bother as I was happy either way. This new choice isn't as well known, and hasn't researched in exactly my area of health (unlike the other one), but methodologically her work is more similar to mine (and reading the methodology chapter in particular from her thesis was enormously helpful when it came to writing mine). So I'm feeling good about this - particularly as I had already thought of her as a good alternative. My supervisor is feeling confident she'll agree to do it, so it could be all systems go soon!
Eek.