Bristol Clear Bulletin- 30th June 2023

Posted on by josie.dunne

Bristol Clear logo

Friday 30th June 2023

Your development matters!
Issued every fortnight, this bulletin for Researchers at Bristol brings you the latest news about personal and career development opportunities, both from inside and outside of the University.
If you have any queries or feedback, please contact the Bristol Clear team, bristol-clear@bristol.ac.uk

In this bulletin:

Career Support for Researchers at Bristol
Upcoming Bristol Clear opportunities
Announcements
Training from other providers

Writers’ Retreat

Join Dr Pam Lock, (lecturer in the English Department at Bristol) for a full day Writers’ Retreat Thursday 20th July.

This Retreat gives participants the opportunity to devote a whole day to writing in a quiet, structured and supportive atmosphere.

Dr Pam Lock has run these retreats in person and online since 2014 and has received resoundingly positive feedback from these events.

There will be some short discussions on good writing practice and how to approach your writing as a professional task but the vast majority of the day will be devoted to writing without distraction. To this end, we encourage you not to use mobile phones, etc during the writing periods but laptops are of welcome for writing purposes.

We have a limit of 40 places, so please sign up ASAP to avoid disappointment!

Upcoming Bristol Clear and Other Opportunities

Places are now available on the following courses:

  • 06 July 10:00-12:00- Discovering Career Support for Researchers at Bristol
  • 11 July 09:30-13:00- Narrative CV writing bootcamp for Faculty of Science- in person
  • 18 July 11:00-13:00- Working Towards a Fellowship [Arts & SSL]
  • 20 July 09:15- 17:00- Writers’ Retreat (in person)
  • 24 July 14:00-16:00- Thriving in a Part Time Role

To book, please sign in to Develop now and search the catalogue for these course titles.

To book a place when registration has closed, please email sd-course@bristol.ac.uk

person holding a megaphone

Announcements

How can we improve research culture at Bristol
If you have a suggestion, or any thoughts or comments about research culture at Bristol, let us know through this suggestions box.
Contact: If you’d like to discuss research culture, get in touch with Marcus Munafò, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Culture at marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk

Free open online event for AHSS Researchers- 4th July 
You are warmly invited to join Queens University of Belfast for #ECRday2023 on 4th July 2023 (09:30-19: 30), a day of online talks exploring life after the PhD for those with a PhD in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Graduate students, postdocs, early (and not so early!) career scholars and interested parties—especially those with supervision or mentoring responsibilities—are all very welcome to join.

The talks will cover a variety of topics, including the skills needed to navigate post-PhD life in academia and careers beyond the university; they will also be joined by a representative from the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Director of the Leverhulme Trust, Professor Anna Vignoles.

The day will conclude with an ‘Engaged Research Masterclass’, which will appeal to students and academics at all stages of their careers. *Please note that registration for the ‘Engaged Research Masterclass’ is separate*.

For more information and booking details of both events, please click here. 

BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account Round 2- deadline for applications  5th July 
We are pleased to announce the second round of BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account call is now open. Two competitive awards will support projects which de-risk early translation, explore potential markets, advance the translation of research or engage relevant partners.  All pathway staff may apply.  Funding must be spent by 31st March 2024. The application form and guidelines can be found on the SharePoint page.

  • Concept Development Award– Concept development awards of up to £10,000 for pilot studies to demonstrate the concept of a proposed solution to a societal need.
  • Impact Plus Award–Awards of up to £40,000 for projects with a clear opportunity and route to market; and for projects with a clear route to external funding such as BBSRC Follow On Fund. Projects will be developed with our Commercialisation Managers and will include a statement on commercial potential and IP position, cash/in-kind contributions from industry and/or a market analysis to ensure value for money and a strong position for further investment.. 

If you have any questions regarding the call, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk.

Early Career Researcher – MRC IAA Panel Observer Opportunity. Apply by 17:00 on Monday, 5th July
Research and Enterprise have a few spaces for ECRs to gain panel-level experience as MRC IAA panel observers with the possibility of progressing to full panel membership. Put yourself forward as a panel observer by completing this form for the possibility of progressing to full panel membership.

Celebrating  MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) 2023- Deadline 5th July 
The MRC IAA is now open for applications! Applicants can now apply for funding that aims to support the translation of scientific discoveries in Bristol’s portfolio intervention with broad, lasting impact on human health.

Translational research is the application of fundamental research to create innovations in the diagnosis, treatment, management, or prevention of disease.  Applicants can apply for up to £100,000 for translational projects lasting 6-12 months.

If you would like to apply and read more about the scheme, please visit out SharePoint page. If you would like to speak to one of the team about your project and whether it is eligible for the scheme, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Invitation to attend a Research Culture Café- Wednesday 6th July 09:30-10:30
This 1 hour event aims to facilitate informal conversations around research culture, linking up different groups, and creating a space to share and learn from different initiatives and experiences.

To find out more information click here or contact pa-apvc-researchculture@bristol.ac.uk. 

Research Culture Uncovered Series Narrative CV bootcamp for Faculty of Science- in person
With increasing numbers of funders now opting to use a narrative CV (often described as a Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI)) as part of their research funding application process, Science colleagues may be interested in attending this CV bootcamp.  The narrative CV format aims to recognise diverse contributions, backgrounds, and careers, and discourages an overreliance on decontextualised metrics such as Journal Impact Factor.  At the University of Bristol, narrative CVs are also increasingly used for promotions to recognise diverse contributions to the University. Please note this is for Faculty of Science colleagues only.

Enrol on Develop

New BBI Innovation Programme
The Bristol BioDesign Institute (BBI) is actively seeking participants to join their upcoming BBI Innovation Programme set to be launched in autumn. This programme provides University of Bristol researchers with innovation training, mentoring, and networking opportunities, as well as support to drive the translation of their research. 

The BBI is looking for researchers who 

  • work on a research project within the synthetic and engineering biology space, with a potential for translation 
  • are keen to develop their innovation skills 
  • are excited to become part of the vibrant innovation community in Bristol 

The programme is primarily aimed at postdoctoral researchers, but others with a strong interest in innovation are also welcome to apply. Please sign up via the application form by 16th July or contact Kerstin Kinkelin (k.kinkelin@bristol.ac.uk) for more information. 

Research Culture Uncovered Series
Leeds University are posting weekly podcasts on all matters relating to research culture. During these conversations, Research Culture Uncovered will be asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter?

Recent episodes include:

  • This is How We Do It: 3 Researchers & How They Maximise LinkedIn
  • LinkedIn Tips and Strategies for Researchers
  • From Academia to Industry and across 3 Countries

See all Research Culture Uncovered Podcasts– also on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google and Develop.

Talk to one of our Experts in Residence!
The Impact Development Team currently host three Experts in Residence (EiRs), giving the exclusive opportunity to researchers to access free external expertise with lived experience of the translational pathways for specific modalities and indications. Our EiRs can advise researchers on – 

  •  Managing university-business collaborations​  
  • Translation and commercialisation of research ​Entrepreneurship ​
  • Moving research from discovery to practical use ​
  • Testing the commercial potential of an idea or proposition 

Dr Richard Seabrook (Bioinformatics, chemoinformatics and advanced therapies ), Dr Taj Mattu (Diagnostics, devices, Medtech) and Dr Sasha Siegal (Genomic surveillance, digital products and services) are available for a free consultation and support. If you are interested in setting up a meeting with one of our EiRs, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Researcher support tools
The Research Application and Award Lifecycle describes the processes to follow from having an  initial idea for a research project, to securing funding, through to project delivery and using project outputs. To clarify, simplify and strengthen the current process, a suite of researcher support tools is now available on the DREI SharePoint site.  These tools will be piloted until early 2023 when engagement will be reviewed with a view to rolling out permanently. If you have any questions or feedback about the tools or the wider End-to-End project, please contact the project manager: katie.glenton-wall@bristol.ac.uk.

Enhancing Research Culture: post-project case studies
Over 30 research projects were funded by Research England to enhance the research culture at the University. These projects are now reaching their conclusion, and the Enhancing Research Culture team are looking forward to sharing further information on their findings over the next couple of months. Three project case studies are now available to read: Untold Stories – Challenging research behaviours for study of the past; The Inclusive Research Collective; and Supporting Neurodivergent Research Culture. To learn more, visit the Enhancing Research Culture website.

Training From Other Providers

Follow the link above for details on online training courses currently available

Bristol Clear Bulletin

Posted on by josie.dunne

Bristol Clear logo

Friday 16th June 2023

Your development matters!
Issued every fortnight, this bulletin for Researchers at Bristol brings you the latest news about personal and career development opportunities, both from inside and outside of the University.
If you have any queries or feedback, please contact the Bristol Clear team, bristol-clear@bristol.ac.uk

In this bulletin:

Career Support for Researchers at Bristol
Upcoming Bristol Clear opportunities
Announcements
Training from other providers

Discovering Career Support for Researchers at Bristol

Are you unsure about what development opportunities are available to you? 

This workshop is designed to help Researchers on Pathway 2 become familiar with the personal and career development support that is offered at Bristol. You will hear from the Bristol Clear programme, the Division for Research and Enterprise (DREI) research team and the Library research team. You will also learn more about the Researcher Concordat and what it means for you and be introduced to the work of the Researcher Reps. At the event, you will also have the chance to network with Researchers across faculties. 

Enrol on Develop!

Upcoming Bristol Clear and Other Opportunities

Places are now available on the following courses:

  • 20 June 10:00-13:00- Developing Your Career Plan (in person)
  • 21 June 13:30-17:00- Working Towards a Lectureship (STEM) in person waiting list
  • 28 June 14:00-15:00- Intro to Writing a Grant Proposal (Arts + SSL) 
  • 29 June 10:00-12:30-  How to Peer Review Manuscripts for Journals (in person) waiting list
  • 06 July 10:00-12:00- Discovering Career Support for Researchers at Bristol
  • 11 July 09:30-13:00- Narrative CV writing bootcamp for Faculty of Science- in person
  • 18 July 11:00-13:00- Working Towards a Fellowship [Arts & SSL]
  • 20 July 09:15- 17:00- Writers’ Retreat (in person)
  • 24 July 14:00-16:00- Thriving in a Part Time Role

To book, please sign in to Develop now and search the catalogue for these course titles.

To book a place when registration has closed, please email sd-course@bristol.ac.uk

person holding a megaphone

Announcements

How can we improve research culture at Bristol
If you have a suggestion, or any thoughts or comments about research culture at Bristol, let us know through this suggestions box.
Contact: If you’d like to discuss research culture, get in touch with Marcus Munafò, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Culture at marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk

Career Exploration Month- Events for Researchers
The Postdoctoral Development Centre from Queen’s University Belfast is delighted to invite any interested researcher to their free online Career Exploration Month weekly events in June 2023.

Events will include four panel discussions with former postdocs and PhDs from multiple disciplinary backgrounds now working in a range of roles and sectors. They will talk about their current role, how they managed the transition from academia, which skills and expertise they use from their research background, the advantages and challenges of their position, as well as advice for current postdocs and PhDs interested in similar roles.

List of events (details below and on individual event webpages):

Celebrating Technicians
Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
19th June 11:30AM – 2PM

Technicians are a vital part of the research process, supporting and furthering innovative and ground-breaking research endeavours across all Schools and Faculties at the University of Bristol. This event focuses on the past, present and future of the role of technicians in academia.

We’ll be joined by Kelly Vere MBE, Higher Education Engagement Manager and Technician Commitment Programme Director, along with Andy Connelly, writer for Technician Journey, and Catrin Harris, Technical Community Research Fellow for the Talent Project, University of Nottingham. Hear three talks on the role of technicians contributing to the success of research projects across the U.K.’s research landscape.

Join us to;

  • Celebrate the excellent work carried out by technicians in the research space
  • Join the discussion with an expert panel on the importance of technical support in research
  • Network with academic, technical and professional services colleagues and forge new links across the University

Catering (canapes, drinks and snacks) will be provided at this free event.

Register via Eventbrite

Free open online event for AHSS Researchers- 4th July 
You are warmly invited to join Queens University of Belfast for #ECRday2023 on 4th July 2023 (9.30am-7.30pm), a day of online talks exploring life after the PhD for those with a PhD in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Graduate students, postdocs, early (and not so early!) career scholars and interested parties—especially those with supervision or mentoring responsibilities—are all very welcome to join.

The talks will cover a variety of topics, including the skills needed to navigate post-PhD life in academia and careers beyond the university; they will also be joined by a representative from the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Director of the Leverhulme Trust, Professor Anna Vignoles.

The day will conclude with an ‘Engaged Research Masterclass’, which will appeal to students and academics at all stages of their careers. *Please note that registration for the ‘Engaged Research Masterclass’ is separate*.

For more information and booking details of both events, please follow this link: https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/pdc/Funding/ECRday2023/

BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account Round 2- deadline for applications  5th July 
We are pleased to announce the second round of BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account call is now open. Two competitive awards will support projects which de-risk early translation, explore potential markets, advance the translation of research or engage relevant partners.  All pathway staff may apply.  Funding must be spent by 31st March 2024. The application form and guidelines can be found on the SharePoint page.

  • Concept Development Award – Concept development awards of up to £10,000 for pilot studies to demonstrate the concept of a proposed solution to a societal need.
  • Impact Plus Award – Awards of up to £40,000 For projects with a clear opportunity and route to market; and for projects with a clear route to external funding such as BBSRC Follow On Fund. Projects will be developed with our Commercialisation Managers and will include a statement on commercial potential and IP position, cash/in-kind contributions from industry and/or a market analysis to ensure value for money and a strong position for further investment.. 

If you have any questions regarding the call, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk.

Celebrating  MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) 2023- Deadline 5th July 
The MRC IAA is now open for applications! Applicants can now apply for funding that aims to support the translation of scientific discoveries in Bristol’s portfolio intervention with broad, lasting impact on human health.

Translational research is the application of fundamental research to create innovations in the diagnosis, treatment, management, or prevention of disease.  Applicants can apply for up to £100,000 for translational projects lasting 6-12 months.

If you would like to apply and read more about the scheme, please visit out SharePoint page here. If you would like to speak to one of the team about your project and whether it is eligible for the scheme, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Research Culture Uncovered Series Narrative CV bootcamp for Faculty of Science- in person
With increasing numbers of funders now opting to use a narrative CV (often described as a Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI)) as part of their research funding application process, Science colleagues may be interested in attending this CV bootcamp.  The narrative CV format aims to recognise diverse contributions, backgrounds, and careers, and discourages an overreliance on decontextualised metrics such as Journal Impact Factor.  At the University of Bristol, narrative CVs are also increasingly used for promotions to recognise diverse contributions to the University. Please note this is for Faculty of Science colleagues only.

Enrol on Develop

Research Culture Uncovered Series
Leeds University are posting weekly podcasts on all matters relating to research culture. During these conversations, Research Culture Uncovered will be asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter?

Recent episodes include:

  • LinkedIn Tips and Strategies for Researchers
  • From Academia to Industry and across 3 Countries
  • A Career Built on Collaboration

See all Research Culture Uncovered Podcasts– also on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google and Develop.

Gain exclusive access to an external expert to take your research to the next level!
Would you like to have a free 1-2-1 expert consultation with one of our Experts in Residents?
Taj Mattu and Richard Seabrook are available to offer you specialist advice and support to develop your research through the translational pathway. They both have a combined wealth of crucial knowledge, having experience working in industry and directing their own businesses (360 Biomedical Ltd, Nidor Diagnostics). Both Taj and Richard are more than happy to talk to researchers to help advance their research and offer any advise on licensing, IP and academic translation.
If you would like to set up a consultation with Richard or Taj, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Researcher support tools
The Research Application and Award Lifecycle describes the processes to follow from having an  initial idea for a research project, to securing funding, through to project delivery and using project outputs. To clarify, simplify and strengthen the current process, a suite of researcher support tools is now available on the DREI SharePoint site.  These tools will be piloted until early 2023 when engagement will be reviewed with a view to rolling out permanently. If you have any questions or feedback about the tools or the wider End-to-End project, please contact the project manager: katie.glenton-wall@bristol.ac.uk.

Enhancing Research Culture: post-project case studies
Over 30 research projects were funded by Research England to enhance the research culture at the University. These projects are now reaching their conclusion, and the Enhancing Research Culture team are looking forward to sharing further information on their findings over the next couple of months. Three project case studies are now available to read: Untold Stories – Challenging research behaviours for study of the past; The Inclusive Research Collective; and Supporting Neurodivergent Research Culture. To learn more, visit the Enhancing Research Culture website.

Training From Other Providers

Follow the link above for details on online training courses currently available

Bristol Clear Bulletin

Posted on by josie.dunne

Bristol Clear logo

Friday 02nd June 2023

Your development matters!
Issued every fortnight, this bulletin for Researchers at Bristol brings you the latest news about personal and career development opportunities, both from inside and outside of the University.
If you have any queries or feedback, please contact the Bristol Clear team, bristol-clear@bristol.ac.uk

In this bulletin:

Promotion and End of Contract Q&A

Upcoming Bristol Clear opportunities

Announcements

Training from other providers

Promotion and End of Contract Q&A

Are you unclear about the promotion and end of contract policies and procedures? 

Would you like the opportunity to put forward your questions to a memberofthe HR team?

In this 1-hour Q&A session, led by an HR colleague we will screen the Promotion and End of Contract recording (15mins). This will be followed by a 45min Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about where to find important information and who to approach when in need of support. 

Enrol on Develop.

Upcoming Bristol Clear and Other Opportunities

Places are now available on the following courses:

  • 06 June 09:30-12:45- Being Strategic About Your Career as a Researcher
  • 07 June 14:00-15:30- Intro to Research Funding [Arts & SSL)
  • 12 June 12:00-13:00- Promotion and End of Contract Q&A
  • 13 June 13:30-17:00- Strong Roots (in person) 
  • 15 June 10:00-13:00- Interview Confidence
  • 20 June 10:00-13:00- Developing Your Career Plan (in person)
  • 21 June 13:30-17:00- Working Towards a Lectureship (STEM) in person waiting list
  • 28 June 14:00-15:00- Intro to Writing a Grant Proposal (Arts + SSL) 
  • 29 June 10:00-12:30-  How to Peer Review Manuscripts for Journals (in person)
  • 18 July 11:00-13:00- Working Towards a Fellowship [Arts & SSL]

To book, please sign in to Develop now and search the catalogue for these course titles.

To book a place when registration has closed, please email sd-course@bristol.ac.uk

person holding a megaphone

Announcements

How can we improve research culture at Bristol
If you have a suggestion, or any thoughts or comments about research culture at Bristol, let us know through this suggestions box.
Contact: If you’d like to discuss research culture, get in touch with Marcus Munafò, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Culture at marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk

Career Exploration Month- Events for Researchers
The Postdoctoral Development Centre from Queen’s University Belfast is delighted to invite any interested researcher to their free online Career Exploration Month weekly events in June 2023.

Events will include four panel discussions with former postdocs and PhDs from multiple disciplinary backgrounds now working in a range of roles and sectors. They will talk about their current role, how they managed the transition from academia, which skills and expertise they use from their research background, the advantages and challenges of their position, as well as advice for current postdocs and PhDs interested in similar roles.

List of events (details below and on individual event webpages):

Science meets the Arts on the Big Screen at Bristol SciFilmIt Hackthorn
Exciting news! The Bristol SciFilmIt Hackathon team are gearing up for the SciFilmIt Hackathon Bristol 2023 and our team of volunteer sci-comm enthusiasts wants YOU to be a part of it Imagine: Scientists, science enthusiasts, and filmmakers all in one place, exchanging ideas, creating, and having a blast on July 7-9 at the School of Chemistry, University of Bristol🔬🎬 And it’s all completely free, with complimentary food and drinks provided! Sounds like a dream, right?

You don’t need a lab coat or a director’s chair to join. You just need a curious mind, a love for stories, and a knack for adventure. You’ll be grouped into a power team of two scientists, one Black Box (‘the wildcard’), and one filmmaker. And you know what’s even cooler? You’ll be mentored by storytelling wizards, science communication gurus, teamwork champions, and experienced filmmakers throughout this journey. 🧙‍♂️🔬🏆🎥

Ready for the big finale? At the end of these epic three days, your team will have transformed a scientific idea into a captivating short film! And guess what? These cinematic masterpieces will grace the silver screen in a FREE public screening at the Watershed cinema on July 11th! 🎉🍿

So what are you waiting for? Applications are open until the 4th of June (this Sunday!🙀). Just hit this link and you’re one step closer to a mind-blowing SciFilmIt experience: https://scifilmit.com/bristol-2023/. Apply yourself and tell all your friends who are excited about science, film, and art, who have a curious and creative mind!

Got questions? Need more info? Just check out their website or drop a line to bristolhack@scifilm.it! Let’s fuse science and cinema together and create something epic!

Histories of Tobacco- part of the 2023 Research Culture event series
Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building Watershed 1, Canon’s Road Bristol, BS1 5TX
7th June- 2PM- 5PM
The use and trade of tobacco has a long and complex history, and is intertwined with a number of national and global social issues. The history of tobacco provides an insightful and though-provoking perspective on the past, but also a reminder that what is uncontroversial today may be viewed very differently in the future.

We are delighted to be joined by experts in the field including: Ian Tyrrell, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of New South Wales, who brings a wealth of expertise and academic insight into the sociopolitical history of tobacco use, advertising and subsequent health reforms, and Patricia Nez Henderson, a University of Yale alumna and indigenous North American scholar, who became the first indigenous President of the Society for Research on Nicotine or Tobacco.

Join us to learn about:

  • Tobacco as a sacred product, and its colonization
  • The social history of tobacco
  • The (re)discovery of tobacco’s harms and subsequent education campaign

Register via Eventbrite

Celebrating Technicians
Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
11:30AM – 2PM

Technicians are a vital part of the research process, supporting and furthering innovative and ground-breaking research endeavours across all Schools and Faculties at the University of Bristol. This event focuses on the past, present and future of the role of technicians in academia.

We’ll be joined by Kelly Vere MBE, Higher Education Engagement Manager and Technician Commitment Programme Director, along with Andy Connelly, writer for Technician Journey, and Catrin Harris, Technical Community Research Fellow for the Talent Project, University of Nottingham. Hear three talks on the role of technicians contributing to the success of research projects across the U.K.’s research landscape.

Join us to;

  • Celebrate the excellent work carried out by technicians in the research space
  • Join the discussion with an expert panel on the importance of technical support in research
  • Network with academic, technical and professional services colleagues and forge new links across the University

Catering (canapes, drinks and snacks) will be provided at this free event.

Register via Eventbrite

Celebrating Technicians MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) 2023- Deadline 5th July 
The MRC IAA is now open for applications! Applicants can now apply for funding that aims to support the translation of scientific discoveries in Bristol’s portfolio intervention with broad, lasting impact on human health.

Translational research is the application of fundamental research to create innovations in the diagnosis, treatment, management, or prevention of disease.  Applicants can apply for up to £100,000 for translational projects lasting 6-12 months.

If you would like to apply and read more about the scheme, please visit out SharePoint page here. If you would like to speak to one of the team about your project and whether it is eligible for the scheme, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Celebrating Technicians Working with Industry- exciting development opportunity for those who want to work with industry!
We are excited to announce that we will be holding a valuable set of workshop series for technicians and researchers who want to work with Industry. The workshops will be focusing on how to utilise an opportunity with to work with industry, how to engage with industry and how to effectively communicate with industry partners. These workshops are open to technicians and researchers who are interested in furthering their relationship with industry or want start a new one. These workshops are free to attend and have been funded by the Impact Development team.There are three workshops available to attend in June which will be online via Zoom, for more information and a chance to sign up for this extremely beneficial opportunity, please visit this eventbrite page

Any questions, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk.

Research Culture Uncovered Series
Leeds University are posting weekly podcasts on all matters relating to research culture. During these conversations, Research Culture Uncovered will be asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter?

Recent episodes include:

  • Becoming A Postgraduate Researcher in Mid Career
  • From Academia to Industry and across 3 Countries
  • A Career Built on Collaboration

See all Research Culture Uncovered Podcasts– also on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google and Develop.

BBSRC FTMA Tools and Technologies Translational Support Fund
Gain exclusive access to an external expert to help you to develop plans for the translation or commercialisation of research tools and enabling technologies arising from research in the BBSRC remit. If you have a research tool or enabling technology project that you would like to progress, this is a unique and worthwhile opportunity for project teams that sit within the BBSRC remit (which must include and ECR) to access 1:1 mentoring with our new Entrepreneur in Resident Tajinder Mattu expert in the relevant field.

We are looking for innovative technologies to address current challenges/bottlenecks in human health & disease, agriculture, and animal health. Supported activities might include:

  • Developing translational plans
  • Understanding industry needs
  • Support for introductory conversations with potential project partners
  • Exploring applications of technologies and markets

If you would like to benefit from this exciting opportunity, please download the application form which can be found on the Sharepoint Page. If you have any questions, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk and susie.maier@bristol.ac.uk 

Gain exclusive access to an external expert to take your research to the next level!
Would you like to have a free 1-2-1 expert consultation with one of our Experts in Residents?
Taj Mattu and Richard Seabrook are available to offer you specialist advice and support to develop your research through the translational pathway. They both have a combined wealth of crucial knowledge, having experience working in industry and directing their own businesses (360 Biomedical Ltd, Nidor Diagnostics). Both Taj and Richard are more than happy to talk to researchers to help advance their research and offer any advise on licensing, IP and academic translation.
If you would like to set up a consultation with Richard or Taj, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Researcher support tools
The Research Application and Award Lifecycle describes the processes to follow from having an  initial idea for a research project, to securing funding, through to project delivery and using project outputs. To clarify, simplify and strengthen the current process, a suite of researcher support tools is now available on the DREI SharePoint site.  These tools will be piloted until early 2023 when engagement will be reviewed with a view to rolling out permanently. If you have any questions or feedback about the tools or the wider End-to-End project, please contact the project manager: katie.glenton-wall@bristol.ac.uk.

Enhancing Research Culture: post-project case studies
Over 30 research projects were funded by Research England to enhance the research culture at the University. These projects are now reaching their conclusion, and the Enhancing Research Culture team are looking forward to sharing further information on their findings over the next couple of months. Three project case studies are now available to read: Untold Stories – Challenging research behaviours for study of the past; The Inclusive Research Collective; and Supporting Neurodivergent Research Culture. To learn more, visit the Enhancing Research Culture website.

Training From Other Providers

Follow the link above for details on online training courses currently available

Bristol Clear Bulletin

Posted on by josie.dunne

Bristol Clear logo

Friday 19th May 2023

Your development matters!
Issued every fortnight, this bulletin for Researchers at Bristol brings you the latest news about personal and career development opportunities, both from inside and outside of the University.
If you have any queries or feedback, please contact the Bristol Clear team, bristol-clear@bristol.ac.uk

In this bulletin:

Bristol Clear 1:1s

Upcoming Bristol Clear opportunities

Announcements

Training from other providers

Bristol Clear 1:1s

Do you have a work-related issue that you would like to talk through with someone?
Or would you like to take some time to review your career options?

Bristol Clear offer 30-minute coaching-style sessions to researchers on Pathway 2 to give you an opportunity to talk through work/career issues with an impartial member of the Bristol Clear team.
These sessions give you the space to reflect and consider solutions.

Researchers who have made use of our offer have fed back that they value the opportunity to talk through their issue and feel an enhanced clarity about what next steps to take.

Book an appointment now! 

Upcoming Bristol Clear and Other Opportunities

Places are now available on the following courses:

  • 24 May 09:30-13:00- Working Towards a Lectureship (in person)
  • 06 June 09:30-12:45- Being Strategic About Your Career as a Researcher
  • 07 June 14:00-15:30- Intro to Research Funding [Arts & SSL)
  • 12 June 12:00-13:00- Promotion and End of Contract Q&A
  • 14 June 13:30-17:00- Strong Roots (in person) 
  • 15 June 10:00-13:00- Interview Confidence
  • 20 June 10:00-13:00- Developing Your Career Plan (in person)
  • 21 June 13:30-17:00- Working Towards a Lectureship (STEM) in person
  • 28 June 14:00-15:00- Intro to Writing a Grant Proposal (Arts + SSL) 
  • 29 June 10:00-12:30-  How to Peer Review Manuscripts for Journals (in person)

To book, please sign in to Develop now and search the catalogue for these course titles.

To book a place when registration has closed, please email sd-course@bristol.ac.uk

person holding a megaphone

Announcements

How can we improve research culture at Bristol
If you have a suggestion, or any thoughts or comments about research culture at Bristol, let us know through this suggestions box.
Contact: If you’d like to discuss research culture, get in touch with Marcus Munafò, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Culture at marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk

Handling Challenging Conversations
Wednesday 24th May, 09.30-12.30
This course will support you to have effective and positive conversations both face-to-face and virtually. We will focus on adopting a coaching approach to these conversations and will use a range of practical tools and techniques to develop confidence. Enrol via Develop.

SETsquared Idea2Pitch event
Do you have a great business idea, but don’t know where to start? Or are you unsure what to do in order to grow your technology company? SETSquared Bristol’s Idea2Pitch will help hone your ideas, and shape them into a pitch for gaining interest or support in your venture. Reserve your free spot here!

Histories of Tobacco
Watershed, 1 Canon’s Road Bristol BS1 5TX
2PM – 5PM
The use and trade of tobacco has a long and complex history, and is intertwined with a number of national and global social issues. The history of tobacco provides an insightful and though-provoking perspective on the past, but also a reminder that what is uncontroversial today may be viewed very differently in the future.

We are delighted to be joined by experts in the field including: Ian Tyrrell, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of New South Wales, who brings a wealth of expertise and academic insight into the sociopolitical history of tobacco use, advertising and subsequent health reforms, and Patricia Nez Henderson, a University of Yale alumna and indigenous North American scholar, who became the first indigenous President of the Society for Research on Nicotine or Tobacco.

Join us to learn about:

  • Tobacco as a sacred product, and its colonization
  • The social history of tobacco
  • The (re)discovery of tobacco’s harms and subsequent education campaign

Register via Eventbrite

Celebrating Technicians
Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
11:30AM – 2PM

Technicians are a vital part of the research process, supporting and furthering innovative and ground-breaking research endeavours across all Schools and Faculties at the University of Bristol. This event focuses on the past, present and future of the role of technicians in academia.

We’ll be joined by Kelly Vere MBE, Higher Education Engagement Manager and Technician Commitment Programme Director, along with Andy Connelly, writer for Technician Journey, and Catrin Harris, Technical Community Research Fellow for the Talent Project, University of Nottingham. Hear three talks on the role of technicians contributing to the success of research projects across the U.K.’s research landscape.

Join us to;

  • Celebrate the excellent work carried out by technicians in the research space
  • Join the discussion with an expert panel on the importance of technical support in research
  • Network with academic, technical and professional services colleagues and forge new links across the University

Catering (canapes, drinks and snacks) will be provided at this free event.

Register via Eventbrite

MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) 2023 – Deadline 5th July

The MRC IAA is now open for applications! Applicants can now apply for funding that aims to support the translation of scientific discoveries in Bristol’s portfolio intervention with broad, lasting impact on human health.

Translational research is the application of fundamental research to create innovations in the diagnosis, treatment, management, or prevention of disease.  Applicants can apply for up to £100,000 for translational projects lasting 6-12 months.

If you would like to apply and read more about the scheme, please visit out SharePoint page here. If you would like to speak to one of the team about your project and whether it is eligible for the scheme, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Working with Industry – exciting development opportunity for those who want to work with industry!

We are excited to announce that we will be holding a valuable set of workshop series for technicians and researchers who want to work with Industry. The workshops will be focusing on how to utilise an opportunity with to work with industry, how to engage with industry and how to effectively communicate with industry partners. These workshops are open to technicians and researchers who are interested in furthering their relationship with industry or want start a new one. These workshops are free to attend and have been funded by the Impact Development team.There are three workshops available to attend in June which will be online via Zoom, for more information and a chance to sign up for this extremely beneficial opportunity, please visit this eventbrite page

Any questions, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk.

Research Culture Uncovered Series
Leeds University are posting weekly podcasts on all matters relating to research culture. During these conversations, Research Culture Uncovered will be asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter?
See all Research Culture Uncovered Podcasts– also on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google and Develop.

BBSRC FTMA Tools and Technologies Translational Support Fund
Gain exclusive access to an external expert to help you to develop plans for the translation or commercialisation of research tools and enabling technologies arising from research in the BBSRC remit. If you have a research tool or enabling technology project that you would like to progress, this is a unique and worthwhile opportunity for project teams that sit within the BBSRC remit (which must include and ECR) to access 1:1 mentoring with our new Entrepreneur in Resident Tajinder Mattu expert in the relevant field.

We are looking for innovative technologies to address current challenges/bottlenecks in human health & disease, agriculture, and animal health. Supported activities might include:

  • Developing translational plans
  • Understanding industry needs
  • Support for introductory conversations with potential project partners
  • Exploring applications of technologies and markets

If you would like to benefit from this exciting opportunity, please download the application form which can be found on the Sharepoint Page. If you have any questions, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk and susie.maier@bristol.ac.uk 

Gain exclusive access to an external expert to take your research to the next level!
Would you like to have a free 1-2-1 expert consultation with one of our Experts in Residents?
Taj Mattu and Richard Seabrook are available to offer you specialist advice and support to develop your research through the translational pathway. They both have a combined wealth of crucial knowledge, having experience working in industry and directing their own businesses (360 Biomedical Ltd, Nidor Diagnostics). Both Taj and Richard are more than happy to talk to researchers to help advance their research and offer any advise on licensing, IP and academic translation.
If you would like to set up a consultation with Richard or Taj, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Researcher support tools
The Research Application and Award Lifecycle describes the processes to follow from having an  initial idea for a research project, to securing funding, through to project delivery and using project outputs. To clarify, simplify and strengthen the current process, a suite of researcher support tools is now available on the RED SharePoint site.
These tools will be piloted until early 2023 when engagement will be reviewed with a view to rolling out permanently. If you have any questions or feedback about the tools or the wider End-to-End project, please contact the project manager: katie.glenton-wall@bristol.ac.uk.

Enhancing Research Culture: post-project case studies
Over 30 research projects were funded by Research England to enhance the research culture at the University. These projects are now reaching their conclusion, and the Enhancing Research Culture team are looking forward to sharing further information on their findings over the next couple of months. Three project case studies are now available to read: Untold Stories – Challenging research behaviours for study of the past; The Inclusive Research Collective; and Supporting Neurodivergent Research Culture. To learn more, visit the Enhancing Research Culture website.

Training From Other Providers

Follow the link above for details on online training courses currently available

Bristol Clear Bulletin

Posted on by josie.dunne

Bristol Clear logo

Friday 05th May 2023

Your development matters!
Issued every fortnight, this bulletin for Researchers at Bristol brings you the latest news about personal and career development opportunities, both from inside and outside of the University.
If you have any queries or feedback, please contact the Bristol Clear team, bristol-clear@bristol.ac.uk

In this bulletin:

Access to Teaching Opportunities: please let us know about your experience

Upcoming Bristol Clear opportunities

Announcements

Training from other providers

feedback image

Access to Teaching Opportunities: please let us know about your experience

Have you been involved in teaching activities? Would you like to teach but have not had any opportunity to do so?

Please let us know about your access to teaching opportunities by completing this short survey.

This survey is open to all research staff in a Pathway 2 (P2) role at the University. The focus of this survey is to collect data on access to teaching opportunities for research staff to monitor the implementation of the Policy on teaching opportunities for P2 staff.

 Upcoming Bristol Clear and Other Opportunities

Places are now available on the following courses:

  • 09 May 11:00-12:15- Intro to Research Funding (Health & Life Sciences) waiting list
  • 11 May 10:00-13:00- Presenting with Confidence for Researchers
  • 16 May 19:30-16:30- Project Management Tools for Managing your Research Project (in person)
  • 16 May 10:00-12:00- Optimising your LinkedIn Profile (in person) waiting list
  • 17 May 10:30-15:30- Networking for Researchers- A Strategic Approach (in person) 
  • 18 May 12:00-13:00- Career Journeys: Discovering Careers Outside of Academia 
  • 24 May 09:30-13:00- Working Towards a Lectureship (in person)
  • 06 June 09:30-12:45- Being Strategic About Your Career as a Researcher
  • 07 June 14:00-15:30- Intro to Research Funding [Arts & SSL)
  • 12 June 12:00-13:00- Promotion and End of Contract Q&A
  • 14 June 13:30-17:00- Strong Roots (in person) 
  • 15 June 10:00-13:00- Interview Confidence
  • 20 June 10:00-13:00- Developing Your Career Plan (in person)
  • 21 June 13:30-17:00- Working Towards a Lectureship (STEM) in person
  • 28 June 14:00-15:00- Intro to Writing a Grant Proposal (Arts + SSL) 
  • 29 June 10:00-12:30-  How to Peer Review Manuscripts for Journals (in person)

To book, please sign in to Develop now and search the catalogue for these course titles.

To book a place when registration has closed, please email sd-course@bristol.ac.uk

person holding a megaphone

Announcements

How can we improve research culture at Bristol
If you have a suggestion, or any thoughts or comments about research culture at Bristol, let us know through this suggestions box.
Contact: If you’d like to discuss research culture, get in touch with Marcus Munafò, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Culture at marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk
Developing Effective Conversations (Coaching skills)
This interactive programme (2 x face-to-face half days and 1 x 2hr online session) will empower and equip you to use this style in your management/leadership role. For more information please click here.

Workshop dates (3 parts)
•    Workshop 1 (face-to-face): Tues 9 May, 9:30am-1pm
•    Action Learning (online): Mon 12 June, 11am-1pm
•    Workshop 2 (face-to-face): Thurs 20 July, 2pm-4:30pm

BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account – deadline for applications 11th May 
The Division of Research, Enterprise and Innovation are pleased to announce the BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account call is now open for 2023. Two competitive awards will support projects which de-risk early translation, explore potential markets, advance the translation of research or engage relevant partners.  All pathway staff may apply.  Funding must be spent by 31st March 2024. The application form and guidelines can be found on the SharePoint page here.

  • Concept Development Award – Concept development awards of up to £10,000 for pilot studies to demonstrate the concept of a proposed solution to a societal need.
  • Impact Plus Award – Awards of up to £40,000 For projects with a clear opportunity and route to market; and for projects with a clear route to external funding such as BBSRC Follow On Fund. Projects will be developed with our Commercialisation Managers and will include a statement on commercial potential and IP position, cash/in-kind contributions from industry and/or a market analysis to ensure value for money and a strong position for further investment..

If you have any questions regarding the call, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk.

Grab a slice of the media limelight…
Are you an academic, researcher or PhD candidate who wants to highlight your research and expertise to a global public audience?
The Conversation is a popular news analysis and evidence-based opinion website featuring content written by academics, with editorial support from professional journalists. The articles, routinely picked up by other major national and international media titles, have a monthly audience of 14 million in the UK and more than 64 million across the world. To help you make the most of this great opportunity, a one-hour online media training session is being held on Wednesday, 17 May at 2pm and everyone is welcome.
The interactive session will:

  • Give pointers on how to create a winning written pitch
  • Explain different approaches and article types
  • Offer tips on style, tone, and structure for writing the piece.

Plenty of examples will be provided for illustration and you’ll also be walked through The Conversation’s editorial process. The session is free to attend – simply sign up here to secure your place. Numbers are limited so book in now!

Healthtech social 17th May 
To celebrate the first theme in this year’s Event Series exploring all things healthtech, join DREI on Wednesday 17th May for an informal get together with folk from the cluster. Come along to share your healthtech related thoughts, challenges, asks and advice, all helped along with refreshments and pizza.

Whether you’re a digital health startup looking to make new connections, a biotech scaleup seeking investment, a funder seeking promising projects, or an academic looking to collaborate with industry innovators, register today to connect, innovate and collaborate.

To sign up for this event, please visit this eventbrite page.

Handling Challenging Conversations
Wednesday 24th May, 09.30-12.30
This course will support you to have effective and positive conversations both face-to-face and virtually. We will focus on adopting a coaching approach to these conversations and will use a range of practical tools and techniques to develop confidence. Enrol via Develop.

SETsquared Idea2Pitch event
Do you have a great business idea, but don’t know where to start? Or are you unsure what to do in order to grow your technology company? SETSquared Bristol’s Idea2Pitch will help hone your ideas, and shape them into a pitch for gaining interest or support in your venture. Reserve your free spot here!

Rapid Research funding for interdisciplinary health research
The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute has short-term funding available to support interdisciplinary health-related research activities (including development of approaches and connections, coordination work or research) in preparation for external grant applications.
Full details and application form are on the Institute Funding page. Application deadline is midday 25 May 2023 and funding needs to be spent by 31 July 2023. We are supporting health-related research in any context, encourage participation of colleagues from all Faculties and are particularly interested in the following areas:

  • equitable and sustainable health
  • climate, environment and health
  • infectious disease research
  • mental health

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Nina Couzin, to discuss ideas, or Sarah Blackmore on ebi-health@bristol.ac.uk for process queries.

Working with Industry- exciting development opportunity for those who want to to work with Industry
We are excited to announce that we will be holding a valuable set of workshop series for technicians and researchers who want to work with Industry. The workshops will be focusing on how to utilise an opportunity with to work with industry, how to engage with industry and how to effectively communicate with industry partners. These workshops are open to technicians and researchers who fit within the BBSRC remit, and who are interested in furthering their relationship with industry or want start a new one. These workshops are free to attend and have been funded by the Impact Development team. There are three workshops available to attend in June which will be online via Zoom, for more information and a chance to sign up for this extremely beneficial opportunity, please visit this eventbrite page.

Any questions, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk.

Research Culture Uncovered Series
Leeds University are posting weekly podcasts on all matters relating to research culture. During these conversations, Research Culture Uncovered will be asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter?
See all Research Culture Uncovered Podcasts– also on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Google and Develop.

BBSRC FTMA Tools and Technologies Translational Support Fund
Gain exclusive access to an external expert to help you to develop plans for the translation or commercialisation of research tools and enabling technologies arising from research in the BBSRC remit. If you have a research tool or enabling technology project that you would like to progress, this is a unique and worthwhile opportunity for project teams that sit within the BBSRC remit (which must include and ECR) to access 1:1 mentoring with our new Entrepreneur in Resident Tajinder Mattu expert in the relevant field.

We are looking for innovative technologies to address current challenges/bottlenecks in human health & disease, agriculture, and animal health. Supported activities might include:

  • Developing translational plans
  • Understanding industry needs
  • Support for introductory conversations with potential project partners
  • Exploring applications of technologies and markets

If you would like to benefit from this exciting opportunity, please download the application form which can be found on the Sharepoint Page. If you have any questions, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk and susie.maier@bristol.ac.uk 

Gain exclusive access to an external expert to take your research to the next level!
Would you like to have a free 1-2-1 expert consultation with one of our Experts in Residents?
Taj Mattu and Richard Seabrook are available to offer you specialist advice and support to develop your research through the translational pathway. They both have a combined wealth of crucial knowledge, having experience working in industry and directing their own businesses (360 Biomedical Ltd, Nidor Diagnostics). Both Taj and Richard are more than happy to talk to researchers to help advance their research and offer any advise on licensing, IP and academic translation.
If you would like to set up a consultation with Richard or Taj, please contact lucy.lilwall@bristol.ac.uk

Researcher support tools
The Research Application and Award Lifecycle describes the processes to follow from having an  initial idea for a research project, to securing funding, through to project delivery and using project outputs. To clarify, simplify and strengthen the current process, a suite of researcher support tools is now available on the RED SharePoint site.
These tools will be piloted until early 2023 when engagement will be reviewed with a view to rolling out permanently. If you have any questions or feedback about the tools or the wider End-to-End project, please contact the project manager: katie.glenton-wall@bristol.ac.uk.

Enhancing Research Culture: post-project case studies
Over 30 research projects were funded by Research England to enhance the research culture at the University. These projects are now reaching their conclusion, and the Enhancing Research Culture team are looking forward to sharing further information on their findings over the next couple of months. Three project case studies are now available to read: Untold Stories – Challenging research behaviours for study of the past; The Inclusive Research Collective; and Supporting Neurodivergent Research Culture. To learn more, visit the Enhancing Research Culture website.

Training From Other Providers

Follow the link above for details on online training courses currently available

CEDARS data so far…

Posted on by mg2990

CEDARS has now been open for nearly a week, and we so far have 288 responses, which is exceptional as my records from 2019 tell me that – at this point – we were well below that.

So, first of all, a huge THANK YOU to all of you who have completed the survey so far.

Thank you too to those of you who have booked time in to complete it, but haven’t got there yet. We know you’re on the case.

For others, I’ll be sending you out a link reminder tomorrow.

It’s too early to be making any real analysis of the data, but with one week done, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of some of the issues that are surfacing. These include some challenges that we are aware of. But they also include some other things that we’ll want to also look into carefully, including:

  • Recognition in a host of areas ranging from contributions to grant writing, to supervision of students and other research colleagues. We know that, with future positions often heavily reliant upon CVs and reputation, that recognition is a key issue, so it’s good to have some concrete examples.
  • A need for more information about university policies to do with redundancy and redeployment.
  • Support in how to think about careers, including those beyond academia.
  • Support for those of you managing others. Many of you want more information on how to do this well, but are struggling to find it, or to get practice in how to do it as well as you could.
  • The huge impact of the COVID ‘year’, and its effect on your working environment, workloads and your career planning.

That last point is clearly something that will dominate the 2021 survey. And it’s enormously valuable data for us as we work out how we can best support many of you back into working patterns that are more familiar.

I’ll try and update more as new data comes in.

In the meantime, please encourage as many of your pathway 2 colleagues as you can to complete the survey.

And… stay safe!

 

 

 

Social Media – Part II – ‘Showcase’ sites

Posted on by mg2990

This post covers what we might call ‘Showcase’ sites – tools that are basically designed to allow you to display your work. They range from ORCID, which is designed as a ‘connecting’ site that brings together all of your work but doesn’t really promote engagement around it… to something like PubMed Commons, which actively encourages researchers to discuss and debate work that you post.

With all of these ‘showcase’ sites, the core of them is the material that you (and other academics) add.

ORCIDORCID logo

ORCID stands for Open Researcher and Contributor ID. It’s not strictly speaking a social media site, but it’s a hugely useful tool which allows you to create and manage an online academic profile by providing you with a simple, unique, digital identifier which you can add to publications, grant applications, and other academic outputs so that they all point back to you. This is the ORCID citation as it appears at the bottom of a paper I published, which I’ve linked to my ORCID page, so you can see how it works.

Example of ORCID citation

Three of the advantages of ORCID are:

  1. It’s a permanent ID, so it remains the same… no matter where you work.
  2. It is particularly useful if you are, for example, one of the thousands of people with the same name currently working in academia and need to ensure that you are uniquely identifiable. Note, the search means that you don’t even have to remember what your ORCID ID is, as you can look yourself up each time you need it!
  3. It works with most other systems, so once it’s set up, if you include your ORCID ID when you publish, or apply for a grant, then ORCID will link those outputs to your page for others to find.

ResearchGate

ResearchGate logo

Research Gate offers you the chance to search through up to ‘135 million publication pages’ and ‘stay up to date with what’s happening in your field’. All of those pages, and all of that ‘up to date’ information has been added by some 17 million academics, as a way to showcase their work. What this means is that Research Gate has become a professional network site for researchers around the world, particularly in scientific disciplines, although it’s increasingly popular with other researchers.

Profiles are largely built around publications, which means that – if you have co-authored with someone who is already on the site – your work might already be there!

Once registered, you can set up a simple profile, upload work (or enter your ORCID to do this automatically), add interest keywords, and ask questions and comment on and request others’ work. You can also ‘follow’ other researchers so that you get updates when they add any new material, and receive notifications when your work is downloaded or cited by others…

screengrab from ResearchGate showing chat and notifications icons

If you like metrics, then ResearchGate also generates information about how much interest your work is generating, which of your publications is most cited, etc.

To learn more:

ResearchGate’s guide to Getting Started https://explore.researchgate.net/display/support/Getting+started

http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/openresearchexeter/2013/11/06/74/  A review of ResearchGate which is still largely accurate despite its age. Be aware that the numbers mentioned are well out of date.

Academia.edu

Academia.edu was the original Showcasing site for researchers, and was hugely popular until about 2013/14 when it started to charge for some of its more ‘premium’ functionality, and was acquired by one of the key academic journal publishing houses. This latter move was probably the most disruptive as it allowed the publisher to enforce the copyright on published work, which was being ignored by some academics, keen to ‘give away’ their work to those who wanted it, whether they had a subscription to the relevant journal or not.

In the wake of its acquisition, some academics boycotted Academia.edu, and it has since struggled to recover its reputation. That said, for some areas of the world less troubled by an ideology of intellectual property freedom, it’s still the go-to site. It has a greater number of registered users than ResearchGate and is popular with a wide range of disciplines, including those in the Arts and Humanities.

The features of Academia are largely the same as for ResearchGate, so any decision about which to join should be based on finding the community that you want to be part of and visible to. Other researchers in your field are likely to know which of these networks is more relevant or do a quick search for key names or topics on the site itself.

To learn more:

Academia’s introduction to setting up a profile: https://support.academia.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360042888154-Profile-Overview

PubMed

PubMed is an example of a more specifically disciplinary repository – in this case, for the Biomedical community. An early version of this guide included PubMed Commons – which was a pilot, and was hugely successful, but has now been closed down, archived, and replaced with PubMed Central. There is also a European partner: Europe PMC.

PubMed remains a repository for biomedical literature (indeed, a mandatory one for work funded by some bodies), and works in a similar way to the other sites listed by allowing you to upload papers (or links to papers), add comments, and respond and discuss with others.

Both PubMeds are key platforms for their fields of work, but both have evolved from the original PubMed. Their evolution demonstrates how important it is – if you want to reap the benefits of sites like this – not to just ‘dump’ work there and then disengage, but to be a part of the community that builds it, and to continue to interact with those others who are also interacting with you.

Clearly, you can’t do this well without investing some time. And so Social Media is something that – done well – takes some planning and a commitment of involvement. And that’s something we’ll pick up in a later post.

Social Media – Part II – A few things to consider before we show you what’s available.

Posted on by mg2990

Having looked at the potential value of Social Media for you, and for your career, we can start to look at what platforms, sites and tools are available.

Before we begin, a few provisos:

First, to make this section as useful as possible, it focuses on sites with active communities engaging with academic material and issues. Guides to ‘all’ social media are available, but it’s not useful to reproduce them unnecessarily. Where we refer to them, we’ll point you to where you can find them for yourself.

Second, the focus of this section will be generally sites for ‘academic audiences’. If your objective is to engage with specific audiences (particularly specific non-academic audiences) then they are likely to be active on many of the sites we look at, but may also have their own specialist communities. A conversation with people in these networks, either online or face-to-face will help you discover these.

Third, Social media changes and develops constantly, and this guide will only be updated periodically, so this shouldn’t be considered a definitive list. Happily, Professor Andy Miah from Salford University maintains a list of the social media resources used by academics which is updated regularly (the last update was Oct 2019). This gives a sense of the variety of sites available, and contains a brief description of each site, with some examples of researcher-led pages.

Fourth, because Social Media sites are user-driven, their content, culture, and usefulness often reflects their user-base. This can initially be a bit frustrating – particularly if you’re unfamiliar with them – as you’re never quite sure where to start. In time, that frustration can give way to creativity, as you get to know them, and find ways to harness their flexibility as multi-purpose communication tools. A good rule of thumb is to watch before you engage, and to start with sites that have a clear academic focus and offer features which map against the common activities and needs of researchers across the board. These features develop and evolve, but a comparison of some academic focused sites from 2015 attempted to compare a number of them with a view to the future of academic Social Media use. As with many of the resources referred to in this guide, the associated comments and reactions are as informative as the article itself.

Finally, although most sites won’t mention this up front, they all have to find ways to pay for themselves. How they do this, and what impact that has on the kind of audience, functionality, use of data, etc. is important to consider, therefore.  None of the sites and platforms we will mention charge for access or reasonable use, but it is useful to be aware of their business models and how they maintain viability. Most sites will use your personal data as a business asset and generate income through advertising which will appear in your stream. Some operate in partnership with other organisations – something that may not always be explicit and obvious. Some charge for ‘additional’ functionality. We mention this not to put you off, but to ensure that you stop for a moment and think about the fact that a “free” service needs to generate an income stream and that you should be aware that the data and information you provide may be the source of this. If you are interested in the different funding and income generating models for social media, this article on the different approaches to financial sustainability taken by three research-focused sites, may be of interest.

So, with those reminders in place, on… to the various sites:

Social Media – What value for me, and my career?

Posted on by mg2990

What value for me?

If you are itching to Tweet and Post and B/Vlog and Snap and Tik and… you might want to go straight on to the next section.

However, we think that, before you do, it’s a good idea to pause and consider how Social Media can benefit you and your career. That’s because, although Social Media can support you at all stages of the research cycle, it requires an investment of time (although not as much as you may fear). So, it’s important to minimise confusion and wasted time by working out why you might engage with it, so that you can engage most effectively.

A useful analogy for many of the sites we’ll consider is to view them as an empty room into which you will invite people or a room full of people with a shared interest. You have control over who to invite into your empty room and control over which rooms you enter, but little control over what people say in them – just as in physical environments.

What do you need?

With this in mind let’s start by thinking about what you need to hear and see in those rooms to help you.

  • Do you need to find out how to be a researcher, meet others who will support you to move to research independence, or address an audience of people eager to hear from you as a leader in the field?
  • Are you looking to discover and join academic and other professional networks? Share knowledge with them? Or recruit people to help set up new networks from scratch?
  • Are you trying to explain your ideas to a new audience? Challenge existing ideas?
  • Do you need to be recognised for what you share? Or are you just ‘giving things away’?

Where you’re up to in your career, and where you want to go next will shape what you do… for example:

Doctoral researchers need to manage the demands of their PhD, keep on top of literature and developments in their field, disseminate their work, maintain their momentum, develop their employability, write a thesis, prepare to defend their work in the viva and prepare for the transition into whatever will follow.

  • Who could help you find ways to tackle these demands?
  • What information would help you understand academia and research?

Postdoctoral and contract based research staff need to develop a research profile, develop their independence, disseminate their work and ensure it has maximum impact, understand the funding landscape, develop links to future collaborators, be aware of opportunities and again, be ready for the end of their contracts and what will follow.

  • Who needs to be aware of you and your work?
  • What information or opportunities would help you be more successful?

Established researchers need to develop new research ideas, publish work which is important and influences their field, attract new students and staff, build relationships with partners to enhance impact, manage their time and prioritise effectively, add value to their institution and research community, find partners for projects and proposals and demonstrate their esteem in their field and community.

  • What individuals or communities do you want to connect with? 
  • What kind of influence and impact would you like to have?

Deepening your knowledge of academic careers

Given that you will be building your profile and contributing material potentially for many years, you also need to look ahead in your career and think about future challenges and demands.

Many online resources are available to help you think about these demands and broaden your thinking about your current situation. Note that these aren’t solely focused on social media although we discovered them through social media – either through the individuals or organisations that produced them or seeing them recommended and discussed by others.

The University of Manchester’s “An Academic Career” site includes advice and insights into the demands and opportunities ahead.

Jobs.ac.uk includes a substantial careers advice section with many different articles and a series of e-books on different aspects of academic careers

Oxford University’s Apprise site brings together resources from a range of projects aimed at those in the early stages of an academic pathway and includes prompts for personal reflection.

The Wellcome Trust offers a guide detailing the kinds of things to think about for those returning to academic careers after a break, or other time away.

Vitae, a national organization for researcher development, has published a series of reports on the destinations and subsequent career paths of doctoral graduates.

There are also offline sources, like Liz Elvidge, Emma Williams and Carol Spencely’s “What every postdoc needs to know” (summary here) – a book that breaks down the whole postdoctoral career journey, and asks challenging questions that you might want to consider.

What are the challenges that you’re facing now? At the next stage? In 5 years? In 10 years?

With these challenges in mind, if you now feel ready to explore the role of social media in your career, the next section will provide an overview of social media and the platforms available.

If you aren’t ready to move on yet, you can work through the more detailed questions in the worksheet and arrange to discuss your thoughts about your career challenges with a colleague or mentor.

Social Media – A series for researchers

Posted on by mg2990

Social Media offers researchers huge potential to communicate with a range of audiences. Researchers who have developed an effective social media presence will talk about the ease with which they can engage people, strengthen their networks and receive key information. Reaping the benefits requires an investment of time, but just as with established networking, there are strategies to hit the ground running, to benefit more quickly and have a greater impact.

Current limitations on social interaction, and focus on working from home means that not only is Social Media particularly useful now to maintain visibility for present and future posts, but that researchers may have more time than before to engage in developing a Social Media presence.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be publishing a series of blog posts to help researchers to better understand the potential of social media to enhance their research activities and develop a strong, credible profile. We’ll look at the key sites and tools, and guide you through a process to evaluate any new networks you encounter.

If you’re familiar with social media, the posts will help you reflect on your communication style and career objectives, investigate unfamiliar platforms and learn from the experiences and advice of other researchers.

The posts are structured into five sections. Each will include an overview, links to resources which explore the topic in more detail and a worksheet designed to help you reflect on your approach and set clear objectives. The sections are written to help you:

  1. Reflect on your career and how social media might add value
  2. Navigate both generic and research-based social media options
  3. Relate the potential of social media to your career and research goals
  4. Communicate effectively, efficiently and appropriately online
  5. Evaluate and develop your online impact and ambitions

This resource is designed be a relatively concise starting point to the world of social media, so it covers the headlines for each topic and where necessary points to the detail available in a range of articles, books and guides on the web. These will all vary in depth, perspective and age, so you can choose how much to dig into the detail.

Watch this space for the next post… !