Life as a DPhil student and tips for media engagement

My unconventional path to studying at OxPop/LCDS

Hello, prospective DPhil students and curious readers!

Looking back, if you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be writing a blog post as a DPhil student at Oxford, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. My path to getting here hasn’t exactly been straightforward.

Before starting my doctoral studies, I was on a bit of a soul-searching path as a research assistant. I worked in areas ranging from artificial intelligence governance to digital ethics and behavioral biology. These roles gave me a solid foundation in interdisciplinary research, though at the time, I often felt like I was juggling several different worlds. None of them felt quite like population health.

That said, those experiences helped shape the way I approach my research now. When I joined Oxford Population Health (OxPop) and the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science (LCDS), I was still figuring out how my background fit into the world of population health, but I quickly realised that this interdisciplinary approach was exactly what made this environment so special. The work here values diverse experiences, and that has allowed me to ask questions I might not have even considered otherwise.

Working with great supervisorS

One of the things I’m most grateful for in my DPhil experience is the chance to work with Professor Melinda C. Mills and Professor Augustine Kong, two leading experts in the field. Their guidance has been invaluable, and they’ve made me feel supported every step of the way. I’ve also been lucky to have incredible colleagues and mentors, like Stefania Benonisdottir and Professor Jennifer Dowd, who have offered insight and encouragement whenever I needed it.

My research focuses on understanding risky health-related behaviors (things like substance use) and how they’re shaped by genetic risks and environmental factors, like socioeconomic and family circumstances. I also look at how these behaviors influence reproductive health outcomes, especially in terms of inequalities, with a particular interest in male health. It’s a challenging but rewarding area to explore, combining genomic and survey data to better understand the interaction between biology and environment.

If you’re curious about this intersection of genetics and environment, check out our recent comment in Nature Reviews Urology.

My unexpected journey into media engagement

One part of my DPhil experience that I didn’t expect was media attention. It all started when I wrote an opinion letter to the Financial Times about the broader topic of fertility behavior trends and male reproductive behaviours. The response was a little overwhelming, to say the least. A few weeks later, BBC journalist Stephanie Hegarty reached out to me to discuss the relationship between low fertility rates and male childlessness.

We spoke about shifting societal expectations, the so-called "male malaise", and how these changes affect modern relationships and birth rates. While it was exciting to have the chance to share my thoughts on such an important topic, I have to admit my nerves were through the roof. It’s strange, suddenly finding yourself influencing the media, talking about your research to an audience that includes people who might not be as familiar with your field.

But, despite the nerves, it was an incredibly rewarding experience. You can read the full article on BBC News InDepth, and I promise I wasn’t as awkward as I felt.

Tips for handling media requests

If you’re ever in a situation where the media comes calling, here are some tips that I’ve picked up along the way, which I try to heed:

1. Ask for help: if you have a communications team or media officer, use them! Bradley Hall-Smith, the Media and Communications Officer at LCDS, gave me excellent prompts that helped me feel more prepared.
2. Prepare key messages: journalists appreciate clarity, so take some time to distill your main points. Trust me, it’ll save you from rambling in the moment.
3. Stay calm: it’s easy to get flustered, but remember—you're the expert in the conversation. Take your time and be thoughtful in your responses.
4. Learn as you go: every media interaction is an opportunity to improve. Even if you’re nervous, each experience will help you become better at communicating your work.

Final thoughts

If you’re considering applying to Oxford Population Health, remember: you don’t need to have everything figured out from the start. Your journey doesn’t need to follow a neat, conventional path. What matters is your curiosity, your passion, and your willingness to ask big questions. Everyone’s story is different, and that’s part of what makes the research community here so vibrant.

I still have my moments of doubt, when I wonder if I’m on the right track or if I’m good enough. But I’ve come to learn that vulnerability is part of the process. It’s okay to not have all the answers, and it’s okay to feel uncertain. That’s where the learning happens.

So, if you’re thinking about applying, go for it! Embrace your own unique journey. Here at Oxford, you’ll have the opportunity to explore fascinating questions, collaborate with brilliant minds, and maybe even share your research with the world (with a few nerves, but that’s part of the fun).

Vincent Straub is a DPhil student in Population Health at Oxford Population Health and a researcher at the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science.