ÌÇÐÄTV

‘She says she would like to know more about me’ - Minoritised applicants’ doctoral subjectivity formation in the pre-application stage

Date: Tuesday, 17 February 2026

Presenting authors:

Emily F. Henderson & Evan Zheng, University of ÌÇÐÄTV

Non-presenting authors:

Sophia Kier-Byfield, University of South Wales

James Burford, University of ÌÇÐÄTV

In February 2026, DEAR Director Emily Henderson and DEAR Centre Research Assistant Evan Zheng were invited to the University of Manchester to present in the Higher Education Research & Scholarship Group Seminar Series. During this seminar, Emily and Evan co-presented the latest paper-in-progress from the Pre-Application Doctoral Communications (PADC) project, focusing on the perspectives of minoritised doctoral students and their journeys navigating the process of locating a doctoral supervisor. The talk introduced the notion of PADC, situated the term within doctoral admissions literature, provided brief details on the PADC project, and discussed findings from the student interviews through a Butlerian lens regarding how pre-application contact with potential supervisors can be theorized as moments of doctoral subject formation and recognition. After the presentation, the audience engaged in a discussion with Emily and Evan regarding inclusive PADC approaches for supervisors and exchanged insights on applying Butlerian theory in an HE context. The seminar was bookended with convivial exchanges with hosts Jenna Mittelmeier and Sylvie Lomer.

Evan Zheng & Emily Henderson

Evan Zheng, Emily Henderson & Jenna Mittelmeier