PhD Lounge

Students and graduates! I am Luis Maia de Freitas, born in the hottest, touristic and academic city of Faro in southern Portugal. I am currently studying and building my life in the poetic and multicultural city of Swansea in Wales, and the creator of the PhD Lounge Podcast, est. 29th of June 2021. Having been culturally adventuring throughout Europe between studies and work, creating friendships from different countries worldwide, and ambitioning a train journey across Siberia, from Moscow to Vladivostok, and also visiting archaeological cities of Ancient Greece and Rome for the foreseeable future, I am running a new academic journey called PhD in Ancient History and Civilisation during three years at Swansea University. Calling myself as Dr Luis Maia de Freitas before the viva voce, yet the title will be a challenging achievement, and hopefully become a researcher/teacher in Ancient Art History; I have embedded and socialised most of my twenties (likely to continue when reaching 30 and beyond! 😂) rather in books, e-books and papers than in booze, feasts and college parties; obviously seizing in-between academic parties as well either in Portugal and in other countries I lived, and still doing it. I graduated in cultural heritage and archaeology at the University of Algarve in my home country, with an Erasmus year abroad at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain in between, then I enrolled on an internship as an art curator assistant at Galleri Heike Arndt DK at Berlin in Germany and obtained a master's degree in ancient history and classical culture at Swansea University where I wrote my thesis called Hybridisation in the Hellenistic World: Precedents, Development and Legacy. As a PhD student, I am researching ancient cities in the Near East by applying the postcolonial concepts utilised by Homi K. Bhabha: Hybridity and Third Space. My decision to make this podcast about PhD culture lies first and foremost in enrolling on a PhD but also in religiously listening to podcasts of different genres; obviously, Ancient History, Classics and Education are the top ones. My favourite podcasts are The Hellenistic Age Podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, El Podcast del Mate or Sudamerican mate Podcast, and Let's Talk About Myths Baby! My goal for this podcast is to explore different insights about what a PhD actually means for any student and how its initials have historically become famous worldwide, where literally every year, a student receives the title of Doctor of Philosophy. The programme of the podcast focuses on late-night interviews with PhD students where they talk about their research and experiences as "independent" researchers, hoping to entertain you as listeners as well as inviting students who are studying at university, that is, undergraduates and masters, and those who want to learn about PhD, to have a thought and consider in joining into this degree where maturity, discipline and experience is paramount. ​ So grab your coffee or tea and a snack, tune in to the PhD Lounge, and I will interview you sooner than you expect! Thank you for tuning in, it has been a pleasure! Yours truly, Luis