A PhD student who sustained a traumatic brain injury following a motorbike accident has graduated from the University of Bristol this week.
EmmaLucy Cole, from Taunton, had just completed the second year of her doctorate in English Literature when she had the accident whilst on an organised motorcycling tour in Iceland. The injury left her with post-concussion syndrome which resulted in migraines, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and memory-loss and forced her to take a year off from her studies. It also meant she was unable to continue working as a lecturer.
With support from her academic supervisors, the brain injury charity Headway Somerset and the University’s Disability Services Department, EmmaLucy was determined to complete her thesis, which she did with only minor corrections, and today crossed the stage at the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building to graduate.
EmmaLucy said: “Prior to the injury I was a lecturer at the University of Exeter and taught Liberal Arts at Bristol, was an adventurer, trail runner and spoke at adventure festivals and the Royal Geographical Society. All of that was lost after the accident.
“I was exhausted. But this was a different kind of exhaustion. My loss of memory meant that I had forgotten all my research and had to go back to my uncompleted thesis with fresh eyes as I couldn’t recall what I had done and how I had come to the conclusions I had. Financially it was also very challenging because I was unable to work. The University provided some financial support which really helped.”
The University’s Disability Services team worked with EmmaLucy to create a study support plan with recommended reasonable adjustments to make her studies accessible. They also provided taxi support to help her stay connected with the campus and her supervisors, as well as specialist mentoring.
The team also gave advice about assistive technology, like dictation (speech-to-text) software to assist EmmaLucy with completing her thesis, along with information about support options available within the University and external sources of support, such as Disabled Students Allowance funding (DSA).
George St John, Disability Advisor at the University of Bristol, said: “We are so happy for EmmaLucy’s success. Graduating with a PhD is a huge achievement, and really reflects her hard work, determination and resilience. Congratulations EmmaLucy, and we wish you all the best for what’s next.”
Dr Tara Puri, one of EmmaLucy’s PhD supervisors from the University’s Department of English, said: “Emma was a joy to work with. She was a deeply thoughtful and meticulous student, and I was always impressed by her research, especially given the challenges she faced. This was a very rewarding supervisory relationship for me.”
This view was reflected by Professor Madhu Krishnan who was also one of EmmaLucy’s supervisors. She added: “Emma was an exemplary student. Her heart, mind and intelligence are the best I’ve known. Mentoring her was a pleasure and privilege especially knowing the things she has gone though.”
EmmaLucy said: “I am extremely relieved to have managed to complete the PhD, with the support of my fantastic supervisors, the team at disability services, and vital support from Headway Somerset. They all kept me going when I was at my lowest.
“I am now beginning to rebuild my life with a head injury, although there is a long way to go yet. After graduation I am moving to Scotland with my amazing and supportive partner, Iain, so that I can rediscover my academic writing and teaching career, play music, and hopefully train to return to gentle outdoor adventures.”
