Graduate Research School Administrator Susan Craig on the right, with Dr Charles Tustin who was at the time the Director of Graduate Research Services. The pair were at the Graduate Research Ball held at Larnach Castle in 2010.
Susan Craig has been part of the Graduate Research School (GRS) – in its various forms – for over 17 years.
She says her official title has changed a few times, from Executive Assistant to Client Services Administrator to, lastly, Administrator, but “in reality, I’ve done the same job all along”.
Susan remembers feeling very proud when she walked through the big wooden doors of the Clocktower on her first day in June 2007.
“I had been a student at Otago in the 1980s and to have a role, with my own lovely little office, in the iconic Clocktower building, felt amazing.”
She enjoyed organising and co-hosting the annual Graduate Research Ball during her first few years in the role.
“They were held at Larnach Castle and the Dunedin Town Hall and were fabulous events.”
Being present to see friends and children of friends coming to submit their doctoral theses for examination has always been a real treat as well as going on to attend their subsequent graduations, she says.
“I would encourage every staff member to volunteer to work at a graduation ceremony at least once – it is the perfect reminder of what we are all here for.”
One particularly special job she loves is gifting chocolate fish to doctoral candidates who have submitted their thesis for examination.
“I must have given out thousands of fish over the years.”
Initially, doctoral candidates would receive a Cadbury chocolate fish upon submitting their soft bound theses, and then a Belgian chocolate fish when they submitted their hardbound thesis at the end of their journey, she says.
“Now, because there are no paper theses anymore, we give all our doctoral candidates a Belgian chocolate fish and card from the Graduate Research School team when they submit their theses for examination.
“They are also invited to ring the original University bell which is situated in the Quad – a tradition started by Professor Richard Blaikie, DVC R&E, a few years ago.”
Susan says she will “definitely miss” that aspect of her job.
“I get to know many of our candidates from when they first attend a Dean’s Morning Tea welcome event that I organise, through workshops they attend that we run, and then to see them come in for their chocolate fish is wonderful.”
Susan Craig, centre, with four graduate research candidates who took part in a photoshoot to create branding images for the Graduate Research School in 2021.
A standout memory for Susan was giving the opening address at the 2023 Graduate Research Student Symposium and acting as MC for the Dunedin heats of this year’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition.
The 3MT® competition was held at Otago for the first time in 2009.
“It has always been a highlight of the graduate research calendar and working at the grand final is very exciting,” she says.
“There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes to pull this event together, from quite a small team, and to see it come to fruition is wonderful.
“I have seen so many extremely talented people present their research through this format over the years – it’s been a real privilege.”
Another important event for Susan is the OUSA Supervisor of the Year Awards which she organises.
“We have had so many worthy finalists and winners over the years, and some of the nominations we receive from our candidates are incredibly heart-warming.
“To see the look of surprise on our winner’s faces each year is just delightful. Again – it takes a lot of work to pull this event together each year but is so worth it, and so important to recognise the efforts of our supervisors in getting our candidates across the line.”
When Susan started working at the University, many tasks were paper-based but now everything has been digitised with software such as Taleo and Finance One. She used to post out completion questionnaires to completed doctoral candidates and type up their responses, but this is now all done using email and Google Forms.
“There is software for just about everything,” she says.
The GRS now holds a larger range of workshops for doctoral and masters candidates, with specific events for Māori and Pacific Island candidates, something it did not used to do.
At the Three Minute Thesis competition earlier this semester are, from left, Professor John Reynolds, Graduate Research School Senior Professional Practice Fellow Nick Baker, Professor Parry Guilford, Graduate Research School Administrator Susan Craig, DVC Research and Enterprise Professor Richard Blaikie and PVC of Commerce and Dean of the School of Business Professor Maree Thyne. Professor Reynolds was the MC for the evening, while Professors Thyne, Blaikie and Guilford judged the competition.
The GRS is a “really special” part of the University, she says.
“It is a tight team, and it always has been, even when we were a team of 20 staff members. Being such a tight knit team means we all look after each other – the level of support is amazing.”
Staff at the GRS also get to work with a fantastic sector of the University student population.
“Our candidates are undertaking research in every discipline imaginable, and seeing them complete their graduate research journey is wonderful.”
When Susan leaves the University on 27 September, having spent nearly a third of her life here, she says it will be both “very exciting and extremely sad”.
“After all this time I’m not really sure who I am if I am not ‘Susan from the Graduate Research School’.
“Handing over all the things I do, many of which I have developed and fine-tuned over the years, and most of which I really enjoy, will be hard.
“But I have made some friends through this role who will be friends for life, and I know I will continue to see them after I leave – although I might stay off campus for a while.”
Susan is looking forward to some ‘Susan time’ before her husband, Owen, finishes work March next year.
“I am planning on doing lots of running, spring cleaning and decluttering our home, and even auditioning for a show or two.
“I won’t be bored – but I won’t be ‘Susan from the Graduate Research School’ anymore.”