SDS PhD Research Poster Competition 2026
The SDS PhD research poster competition invites students to visually communicate their research in an engaging and accessible way for a non-specialist audience. Each digital poster highlights a key aspect of the student's research using clear, concise language and compelling visuals.
The competition showcases research focused on Scotland’s skills system. It offers an opportunity to share fresh thinking that can inform policy and practice.
Explore this year’s posters and meet the judges below.
Skills Development Scotland PhD students
Hannah Glover, University of Edinburgh
Rethinking inequalities in post-school destinations
Elle Scott, University of Glasgow
Rewriting stories of success and adulthood: A journey to hopeful futures
Ruimei Jiang, University of Aberdeen
AI’s applications in career guidance conversations
Anya Kaufman, University of Strathclyde
Young people and meta-skills literacy
Marta Robertson-Rombalska, University of Edinburgh
Beyond education and employment. Identifying hidden vulnerability in young adulthood
Sarah Winter, University of Edinburgh
Career guidance is not just for young people
Marianne Wilson, Edinburgh Napier University
The Wizard of Oz method for designing chatbots to support career curiosity in young people
Non-SDS PhD students
Erin Bartley, University of Glasgow
Dream it achieve it
Georgina Southern, University of Glasgow
Bridging university and work? The conditional success of Degree-Level Apprenticeships
Emma Currie, Scotland’s Rural College
The future of care work in rural and island Scotland: Understanding workforce shortages through participatory research
Lizzy Strang, University of Glasgow
How autism and socio-economic position shape multidimensional early adulthood outcomes
Jasmine Miller, University of Stirling
What does success really look like after school?
Annalise Gillan, University of the West of Scotland
Beyond the classroom: How part-time work and volunteering build Scotland’s future workforce
Velia Manyonga, University of Strathclyde
Listening to young voices. What adolescent wellbeing can teach us about building inclusive skills systems
Binta Mide, Heriot Watt University
The impact of economic policy uncertainty on sustainability initiatives of firms
Caroline Dobson, University of Stirling
How can we design better digital learning environments for Scotland’s future learners?
The judges
FInd out more about this year's judges