Just before he passed away I made a promise to my Dad that I would see my PhD through to completion. Today, just over five years later, I fulfilled that promise & submitted my thesis for examination. Viva scheduled for early 2022 & then I will officially be Dr Liam Brolan 🙏🏻

Looking forward to speaking at this online event which aims to raise awareness of issues surrounding men’s mental health. Register via the link below… – at Birmingham, England

Strong start to the year… Spent the day filming with @RusuDanGabriel at @MyBCU yesterday working on an exciting project for 2024…

Just over a year after passing my Viva, I had the pleasure of being able to walk across the stage and celebrate the graduation of my PhD in criminology @MyBCU . The event marks the formal end of the PhD process and gave me an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which studying for a doctorate has influenced me in both an academic and personal sense… Prior to his death in 2016, I promised my Dad that I would see the PhD through to completion whilst having no confidence in myself that I would be able to do so. There were times along the way where I felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and I would often doubt my ability to continue. In those moments, I realise now that I found the strength to continue by reminding myself of the conversations that I had with my dad before he died. Whilst I would have loved for my Dad to have been there to see me graduate, I am certain that as a result of his passing, I have become a stronger, more resilient and more emphatic person - those qualities, I believe make me the man I am today and I hope I continue to make him proud. I owe my thanks for first and foremost to the individuals I spoke to during the course of my studies - all of whom had experienced bereavement in the most difficult of circumstances - through murder (facilitated by @MurderedAbroad ). Witnessing their resilience, determination and positivity, despite their experience was both moving and inspirational and their stories gave meaning and significance to the research. I hope that I was able to present their stories in a thorough and respectful way and that through the thesis, they are able to find some comfort in knowing that their experiences may help to inform and guide others who find themselves in similar circumstances. To my family, friends and colleagues who have supported me on the journey, I am continually grateful for you support and encouragement. In particular my mom, sister and grandad - having you all there made the whole process worthwhile and I know Nan was there with us in spirit. To my friend, colleague and co-graduate @RusuDanGabriel - it was a pleasure to graduate alongside you bro and I’m excited to embark on the next stage of our academic/entrepreneurial pursuits. Also to my former supervisor and friend, @ProfDavidWilson - your guidance, mentorship and expertise were invaluable. Overall, studying for a PhD has encouraged me to reflect on who I am, and who I want to be in the future. It has given me the opportunity meet new people and to learn from the experiences of others. It has taught me about life, death, grief, hope and the importance of making the most of every day. – at Birmingham, England

I was struck by this headline on the way into University this morning… this article (and the issues it raises) became the impromptu focus of a seminar which explored the current state of the Probation Service and the severity of the consequences. independent.co.uk/news/uk/cr…

Pleased to say that yesterday I successfully defended my thesis and passed my PhD viva examination... now officially Dr Liam Brolan 🎓🙏🏻 – at Birmingham, England

Another week of interesting discussions in our first year criminology seminars! Thanks @ProfDavidWilson for joining!

Thanks for joining us! @ProfDavidWilson

Agreed. A challenging semester for everyone in higher education but it’s great to see @BCUCriminology students engaging with their online as well as on-campus sessions every week 🙌🏻 – at Birmingham, England