As a postgraduate research student, you’re developing expertise, contributing new knowledge and building your professional profile. Keeping track of your activities, outputs and achievements can be challenging, especially across multiple systems and platforms. When information is spread across different places, it can also be difficult for others to see the full picture of your work.
That’s where Pure can help.
Pure is more than an administrative system. It is the University’s showcase, creating a public profile that helps you promote your work and increase your visibility within the wider research community and beyond.
Your work deserves to be recognised
Imagine a potential collaborator searching for expertise in your area. Or a future employer looking for evidence of your experience. Or a funder exploring who is working on a particular topic.
A well-maintained Pure profile gives them a single place to find:
- Your research interests
- Publications and conference papers
- Projects and collaborations
- Datasets and other research outputs
- Professional activities and achievements
The University of Portsmouth Research Portal is publicly available and indexed by search engines, meaning your profile can be found through online searches and discovered by people beyond the institution.
Build your professional profile as you go
One of the biggest advantages of using Pure during your doctorate is that you’re building your professional profile gradually, rather than trying to reconstruct it at the end.
Each time you:
- publish a paper
- present at a conference
- contribute to a project
- participate in public engagement
- receive an award or scholarship
You can add it to your profile and create a comprehensive record of your doctoral journey.
Whether you’re planning a career in academia, industry or another professional field, Pure can support CV generation and help you maintain a complete record of your achievements and experience.
Increase the visibility of your work
People can only engage with your work if they can find it.
A complete profile with a clear biography, relevant keywords and linked outputs makes it easier for others to find and understand your work, expertise and achievements. Keeping your profile up to date helps improve its visibility in the University Research Portal and search engines.
Think of your Pure profile as your professional showcase.
Connect your research ecosystem
Pure can connect with services such as ORCID, helping to reduce duplicate data entry, improve visibility of your research and keep your research information consistent across platforms.
If you already have an ORCID ID, make sure it is connected within Pure. Best practice is to add new publications to Pure first, as they will then automatically export to your ORCID account.
It is important to note that importing outputs from ORCID to Pure is not automatic. If you need help importing outputs from ORCID into Pure, follow the instructions in this guide. You may need to request access using your university account.
Getting started
If you’ve never updated your Pure profile before, start small:
- Add a professional looking photograph.
- Write a short summary of your research.
- Add your research interests and relevant keywords.
- Connect your ORCID.
- Check that your publications and outputs are up to date.
- Keep your profile updated throughout your doctorate.
A few minutes now can make a significant difference to the visibility of your work and achievements in the future.
If you’re new to Pure or would like a refresher, the Getting the Most from Pure as a PGR training course on Moodle provides practical guidance and tips on creating and maintaining your profile. It’s a great way to build confidence and learn how to use Pure effectively throughout your doctorate.
To enrol on the course, first log in to Moodle and then click the link below. This will take you to the main Moodle page where you can access the online course.
https://moodle.port.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6471
Take the next step in building your professional profile
As a PGR, you’re already doing the hard work: developing expertise, contributing knowledge and building professional experience. Pure helps ensure that your work is visible, discoverable and recognised.
Don’t wait until the final year of your doctorate to build your professional profile. Start now, keep it updated, and let your work and achievements speak for themselves.
The next time you have a few minutes, log in to your Pure Profile, review your information and make sure it reflects your latest activities and achievements.
A note for supervisors
Please feel free to share this post with your postgraduate researchers. Early engagement with Pure can help students showcase their research, connect their academic activities and build a strong professional profile from the start of their doctoral journey.
