Irasema Guzman
What is your PhD about?
I'm pursuing a PhD in Politics. My doctoral research looks at corruption risks in public procurement, particularly the post-award phase. The detection of corruption in post-award is still limited to few measurements that are not enough to explain all those potential corruption schemes likely to occur and the power dynamics behind especially in contexts where corruption is more institutionalised.
Why did you choose ßÏßÏÊÓƵ / CSC?
The Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC) is within a high standard university worldwide, the Sussex. Plus, the CSC is one of the few research spaces that address a major social problem: corruption. I chose the CSC because of its multidisciplinary approach and the interest to engage different sectors in our research outputs. CSC professors show a commitment to approach corruption from highly critical analysis.
What were you doing before starting your PhD?
I was working at the Ministry of Finance (Mexico), specifically, at the Budget Transparency Department. As a public official, my role was to oversee transparency and open data in government public spending. Some of the projects I worked on were the implementation of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) and the standardisation of data to disclose information on oil and mining revenues within the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). My interest in transparency as a preventive tool of corruption encouraged my decision to pursue a doctoral study.
Do you have any advice for someone considering a PhD?
A PhD is a fascinating and challenging journey. It is more about research; it is about meeting colleagues from different parts of the world; listening to yourself and trust in your skills and capabilities, and constantly learning. As PhD researchers, we are involved in so many activities: research, teaching, conferences, papers, workshops, talks, among others. It is a fruitful journey; I definitely recommend it.
What are your plans after your PhD?
I would like to follow my career on anti-corruption and transparency from the research in think tanks or international organisations. My experience in the public sector and, currently, the academy are inputs to address projects through alliances with different sectors. I am interested in supporting official