A former Leeds Metropolitan PR lecturer has returned to the University this week to receive her PhD. Johanna Fawkes was a Principal Lecturer at our University until 2004, running the BA (Hons) Public Relations course in the Faculty of Business and Law. After working for three years as a researcher, consultant and Chief Examiner for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Diploma course, Johanna decided to further her interest in the topic of ethics in PR by taking on a PhD.

Johanna applied for one of Leeds Met's 2007 Centenary PhD grants and was successful: "I couldn't have done my studies without this," she said: "There was something exciting about coming to the University to study after having my career in teaching and research. The graduation has been terrific. My father and sister are here from London and I've had chance to see lots of my old colleagues which has been a nice reunion. They know how hard a journey it is. I'm delighted to be here."

Johanna has now been offered a job teaching at a University in Australia for two years, where she has also been tasked with raising the profile of the University's research. In addition to this, she has gained a contract with Routledge to write a book based on her thesis. She said: "None of this would have happened without the support of Leeds Met."

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