Dr Hang Li RSVP Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of York, UK
Dr Hang Li is a Postdoctoral Research Associate for RSVP. Her role focuses on the analysis of RSVP focus group data, and supporting the dissemination of qualitative findings.
Dr Lucy Atkinson Research Fellow, Department of Education, University of York, UK
Dr Lucy Atkinson is a Research Fellow within the Department of Education at York, and has supported the analysis of RSVP focus group data.
Dr Karen Clegg RSVP Co-PI and Director, and Reader in Doctoral Education and Practice, School for Arts and Creative Technologies, University of York, UK
Karen is a Reader in Doctoral Education in the School for Arts and Creative Technologies at the University of York and Co-PI/Director of the Next Generation Research SuperVision Project (RSVP), a £4.6million, Research England funded project designed to transform the practice and culture of research supervision. An experienced Researcher Developer and senior manager, Karen has created and implemented policy, designed and delivered award winning accredited programmes for research students, fellows and academic staff. Her research and publication portfolio includes assessment, reflective practice and doctoral education. She is an elected executive member of several professional bodies, a trained coach and an accomplished conference speaker.
Dr Liz Quinlan RSVP Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of York, UK (Jan 2024 - Aug 2025)
Dr Quinlan is an archaeological scientist whose interdisciplinary work draws from the fields of archaeology, history, ecology, and palaeoenvironmental study. After graduating from the University of York with a PhD in Archaeology, they joined RSVP as a Postdoctoral Research Associate before beginning a position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, leading the AHRC Catalyst-funded project "Beyond Stockfish: Migratory and Freshwater Fisheries during the Rise of Early Modern Trading Companies".
This article is based on the presentation at Researcher Education and Development Scholarship Conference (REDS) 2026. It draws on findings of RSVP focus group with industry supervisors involved in doctoral supervision.
While industry partners have been increasingly involved in doctoral education (Taylor & Wisker, 2023), the voices of industry supervisors remain underexplored. This article focuses on how industry supervisors understand and enact their roles in the supervisory partnership, where tensions arise in supervision, and their expectations for supervisory development opportunities.
Industry supervisors’ discussions reflect the importance of mutual understanding between academic and industry supervisors. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) schemes that could provide shared spaces for developing such understanding are highly valued by industry supervisors.