Dr Portia Heynes, can you share a moment or experience during your doctoral study that had a profound impact on your thinking or the approach to your research?
Dr Portia Heynes: The profound moment was the pressure. Also, I had a mum who was unfortunately ill and the profound effect of my research was to motivate me to finish, which was my mum. And then just the journey to say I have gone this far and I have a little bit further to go. And I remember posting the choo-choo train, you know, just going up the hill slowly and getting there. I think for me, the profound moment was just the time pressure and things around me that motivated me to get to the end of this journey.
What was the most significant challenge that you faced during your doctoral training at the institute and how did you overcome that?
Dr Portia Heynes: The most difficult time or challenge was the time pressure, as mentioned. However, what I had to do was to say, this is the moment I need to push to the end. And how I overcame that is I had to make time and take a sabbatical, which is what I did, and put everything aside and focus and every day sat with a doctorate as far as possible to the end. It had its challenges because, as you know, we all have to work and live, so there were times it was challenging to say no to people who I cannot actually do this or that and that my doctoral focus was where I had to be.
I think just coming through the academic journey was already a big, big milestone and I think having come from days of boycotts, you know, the lack of education. I think for me, going through the academic journey is something that I am proud of myself for achieving. And I did not know that I had it in me, given the context of the past. But I think through the resilience and focus and support of individuals who motivated me to compete, that was what stood out for me.
Can you please give us an overview of your career and how you think this qualification will assist you and enhance your contribution to the industry?
Dr Portia Heynes: My doctoral topic is the sum of my career. I boycotted in 85, did not have a proper education, and here we find ourselves with digitalisation impacting people’s jobs. And in terms of career, the trajectory of how to navigate the job world, how to navigate skills, competencies, and networks. My topic lends itself to explore my journey, phenomenologically, as well as looking at how others need to embrace their journey, given this new context. The topic itself was a testament to what is to come, just with the context of the digitalisation.
Do you find Mode 2 Knowledge Production relevant and appealing to well-experienced professionals?
Dr Portia Heynes: I think the main reason I came to DaVinci was because of Mode 2, the transdisciplinary nature, and it took me five years to find a university that approached the research using Mode 2. So, the research and the topic lend themselves to real-world problems, which is where I found myself in and I do not think the interdisciplinary approach would have done my studies any justice.
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