Plan your development as a researcher

Find out more about planning your researcher development while you're studying at AUT and how the AUT Researcher Education and Development Team can help you develop your research skills.

Plan your researcher development

The Graduate Research School offers live workshops and self-paced data analysis training, events, and peer groups to support you in developing as a researcher. There is also a selection of additional free resources you can access.

AUT Researcher Education and Development Team

Dr Anaise Irvine, Researcher Education and Development Lead

Anaise Irvine holds a PhD in English from the University of Auckland for her research analysing how contemporary films and novels represent genetic engineering as a social justice issue. She has supported AUT postgraduate research students for 10 years, and her prior experience includes a variety of research support roles in grant writing, PBRF, and research software.

Anaise has a passion for research communication, and is heavily involved in creating opportunities for researchers to connect to each other and the wider world. She spearheaded the inaugural AUT Research Week 2023, is the editor of Thesislink, and is heavily involved in the annual Postgraduate Research Symposium and 3 Minute Thesis competitions. The most obscure of her own research skills is being able to turn novels into phylogenetic trees!

Dr Michelle Ladwig Williams, Researcher Education and Development Specialist

Michelle Ladwig Williams holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Auckland, researching cultural construction in transnational Pacific communities through participation in the ASB Polyfest. Her research interests include transnational youth identities and cultural expression of migrant communities through performance. With a background in classroom teaching, she worked in the Czech Republic, Japan, and Hawai’i before settling in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Michelle enjoys connecting researchers to their passion and curiosity about their topic and helping them gain confidence as they navigate the complexities of the research process. She looks forward to supporting postgraduate students and staff at AUT to take on new challenges and fulfil their potential.

Annalise Davidson, Researcher Education and Development Coordinator

Annalise Davidson is the organisational wizard who coordinates the Researcher Education and Development programme, with a focus on postgraduate and supervisor education. She organises and promotes postgraduate events and workshops, answers enquiries, and is the friendly face greeting guests at our events. She can answer virtually any postgraduate student question on where to go, who to see, and what to do to make the very best of the AUT postgraduate experience.

Roxane De Waegh, Researcher Education and Development Coordinator

Roxane de Waegh holds a PhD from Auckland University of Technology where she explored resilience among Pacific peoples during COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Tonga and the Cook Islands. Her international experience spans Myanmar, Timor-Leste, the Bahamas, and the Solomon Islands, where she developed her passion for supporting communities and researchers.

Roxane currently coordinates doctoral development initiatives at AUT, designing programmes to enhance PhD candidates' employability by developing transferable skills for diverse career paths. She believes effective doctoral support must be both systematic and empathetic, fostering skills in communication, problem-solving, and leadership while honouring Te Tiriti principles.