Category Archives: Training

Events, News, Training

Early Career Researcher (ECR) Forum

Are you a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA), Research Assistant (RA), Research Associate or other ECR staff member? Join our special event for Kent early career research staff on 30 March 2023 to enhance your personal growth and career development, expand your networks, and help shape and grow our supportive ECR community.

The ECR Forum is being organised by the Graduate and Researcher College (in conjunction with Divisional R&I and other Professional Services teams) to encourage and support the professional development of ECRs based across the University. The one-day event is divided into two halves: the morning focuses on understanding the research landscape and developing our research culture, and the afternoon includes sessions on writing and getting your first research grant. Please see the programme for more details and book your place if you would like to attend.

Dr Alison Charles, Researcher Developer (Academic), said:

“Attending the ECR Forum is a great chance to deepen your knowledge of the research ecosystem and to pick up practical tips for writing successful grant applications. You will also be able to network with your peers, as well as colleagues from across the University who can support you to fulfil your plans. We also hope you will share your own experience, ideas and best practice, and thus contribute to the debate.”

Participation in the event is also a developmental opportunity as there will be an ECR-led panel/workshop entitled ‘What does a positive research culture look like for ECRs?’ from 11.30am-1pm. This will be led by a small team of ECRs who will take responsibility for organising, delivering and/or chairing the session – with support to be provided from the GRC. Getting involved could benefit both your own career development, as well as your colleagues and our wider research community so please contact the GRC if you would like to volunteer or for more details about this session or the event as a whole.

We look forward to seeing you on 30 March – and please spread the word to your ECR colleagues in the meantime!

News, Training

Summer Vacation Research Competition 2022 postdoc winners announced

The Graduate and Researcher College is pleased to announce the postdoc winners of the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2022:

  • Dr Amira Abood, School of Biosciences
  • Dr Patrick Doheny, School of Physical Sciences
  • Dr Jessica Fisher, School of Anthropology and Conservation
  • Nathan Keates, Tizard Centre
  • Dr Mohammad Yasir Malik, School of Biosciences
  • Dr Manuel Marques, School of Physical Sciences
  • Dr Giuseppe Silvestri, School of Biosciences
  • Dr Brianne Wenning, Kent and Medway Medical School.

This event, now in its fifth year, attracts PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates looking to gain additional project and line management experience through an established scheme in which they are supported by central and Divisional University colleagues.

Applications addressed a range of topical issues including ‘the nature-wellbeing relationship in the face of climate change’, ‘implications of functioning labels for autistic people’ and ‘students’ perceptions on the behavioural and social sciences in the medical curriculum’. The projects selected reflect the University’s role as a leading ‘dual intensity’ institution which equally values research and education, believing that one enhances the other, and strives to find answers to diverse challenges by exploring relevant questions for the benefit of the local, national and international communities it serves.

Dr Jennifer Leigh, the competition’s co-founder, said:

“The Summer Vacation Research Competition goes from strength to strength and this year is no exception. Our competition winners all submitted strong and compelling applications, which demonstrated how their projects will benefit all participants, as well as the wider world. The research to be undertaken aligns with all three of the University’s Signature Research Themes, with five of the projects contributing to Kent’s essential work on ‘Environment, Food Systems and Natural Resources’. I look forward to working with all involved to encourage the best possible research outcomes and project experiences.”

Now that the projects have been identified, we will soon start recruiting the second- and third-year undergraduates to carry out the research. This process is being managed by the Careers and Employability Service, and will begin on 21 March 2022. We look forward to receiving applications from enthusiastic and motivated students who are interested in learning more about the world of research through active participation in a real-life project.

Please note that a new Summer Vacation Early Career Research Competition has just launched for eligible ECRs and Black second-year undergraduates – the closing date for ECR applications is 20 March 2022.

Funding, News, Training

Summer Vacation Early Career Research Competition 2022

Are you an Early Career Researcher (ECR)* interested in boosting your career? Would you like to support an enthusiastic and motivated Black second-year undergraduate student wishing to acquire research experience?

The Summer Vacation Early Career Research Competition is a new initiative for 2022 which has been designed to address the lack of diversity in research, a commonly recognised problem. The aim is to encourage Black undergraduates in all disciplines to consider potential postgraduate study, whilst giving ECRs the chance to run their own independent project with funding worth up to £2500 to work with an undergraduate intern for 4-7 weeks on their research.

This competition builds on the success of the University’s Summer Vacation Research Competition, which encourages Postdoctoral Research Associates, Research Assistants and Research Associates to develop their project and people management skills, and enables undergraduate students to gain valuable experience of working on real-life projects, thus learning more about the world of research whilst simultaneously enhancing their CVs.

Commenting on this innovative scheme to improve access to and participation in research, including postgraduate research for people from currently under-represented groups, Dr Jennifer Leigh, the competition’s lead organiser, said:

“Our new competition will be a win-win for both our ECRs and the undergraduates they will manage on their projects. Participation is likely to broaden their horizons and skills sets in a structured and supportive environment, and should encourage and inspire them to achieve great research outputs. I strongly encourage all eligible staff and students to apply for this interesting and rewarding opportunity which has been generously funded by Research England.”

Details of how to apply, including the application form for ECRs, are available on our ‘Internal Opportunities’ SharePoint page (Kent staff login required and VPN access if working remotely).

The closing date for ECR applications is 20 March 2022.

Good luck with your application – and please email svrc@kent.ac.uk with any queries.

* Please refer to the competition webpage for details of ECR eligibility criteria. (Postdoctoral Research Associates, Research Assistants and Research Associates are not eligible to apply for this competition but are encouraged to apply for the Summer Vacation Research Competition instead.)

News, Training

New careers guidance for staff who research

Looking to kickstart your career in 2022? Use our new Researcher Career Guidance to consider your progress to date and plan your next steps.

As part of the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC)’s ongoing work to support the professional and career development of the University’s researchers, introductory guidance has been developed on the following topics:

This information is available on the GRC’s new KentNet pages, which also signpost details of relevant training and development opportunities for staff who research.

These careers pointers should be viewed along with the professional and career development content in our new Central Researcher Induction module, which is recommended for all academic and research staff. This includes information about career planning and training frameworks, especially the Academic Career Map (ACM) and the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), together with suggestions for activities you can undertake as part of your recommended 10 days of development pro rata per year.

Other related GRC KentNet content includes a repository of current Kent resources housing recordings of previous training sessions, which can be viewed on demand, as well as new information exploring our progress to implement the Concordat principles across Kent, including that of professional and career development.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, said:

“I hope this short and simple content will encourage you to reflect on your career journey thus far and to refocus on where you would like to go and, crucially, how you are going to get there. Use this and other relevant resources available to researchers to steer your development in the right direction.”

GRC staff will now collate content to be included in forthcoming digital ‘handbooks’ for researchers and research managers to be launched in the summer. We welcome your feedback on our new careers content and encourage you to suggest any specific topics relating to your professional and career development, which you would like us to consider covering in future outputs.

Please email acresdev@kent.ac.uk with your comments – all feedback and suggestions welcome!

Events, News, Training

Summer Vacation Research Competition 2022 Q&A Session

Are you considering applying for the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2022 but unsure where to start? Or do you have a great idea but also practical concerns? Then come along to the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2022 Q&A Session, which will be held online on Thursday, 03 February 2022 from 1-2pm.

Participating in this competition, which is now in its fifth year, is a great way to boost your career and the initiative is being generously supported by the Careers and Employability Service, the Centre for the Study of Higher Education, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research & Innovation, the Divisions, the Graduate and Researcher College, Research and Innovation Services, and the Signature Research Theme Leads. Use this virtual get-together to hear about the skills you will develop through managing your own project and intern. You’ll also discover what makes a successful submission and pick up some practical tips for your application.

Dr Jennifer Leigh, the competition’s co-founder with Dr Helen Leech, said:

“Please join us for an informal chat about how the competition works and the various ways in which participation can support your professional development. With contributions from event organisers and previous competition winners, it’s a great way to learn more about this fantastic opportunity.”

No need to book. To join the session, please access the Teams link via SharePoint (Kent staff login required).

We look forward to answering your questions at the session or please email svrc@kent.ac.uk in the meantime. (The closing date for 2022 postdoc applications is 11 February 2022.)

News, Training

Central Researcher Induction module launched

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) and Talent and Organisational Development (T&OD) are delighted to announce the launch of the new Central Researcher Induction module.

Designed for all staff who research, especially those who are new to the University, but also colleagues already working here, the module contextualises Kent’s research and innovation activities, signposts available support and resources, and encourages you to plan your career and engage with our researcher community.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the module and you can return to it for reference at any time. There is also an accompanying ‘Useful links’ document available on SharePoint (Kent staff login required), which contains links to information sources of use and relevance to you as a member of our academic and research staff.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, said:

“The Central Researcher Induction module is one of a series of resources being developed to support staff who research at Kent, as outlined in the University’s Concordat and HRER Award Action Plans. I urge all my academic and research colleagues to complete this excellent short course, which should enhance your appreciation of the research environment at Kent, including the support and resources available to you as a researcher. It is half an hour well spent.”

The module is one of a suite of new eLearning modules available to Kent staff via Staff training Moodle, the learning platform that houses all of the University’s internal eLearning. Information about available modules can be found in this Digital Communication Guide.

The content will be updated going forward so please on completion give us your honest feedback so that it can be improved for subsequent participants. For any queries regarding this module or researcher development at Kent, please email acresdev@kent.ac.uk.

Events, Training

Wellbeing sessions to support colleagues

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) supports academic and research staff at all career stages and curates a programme of researcher-focused sessions to inspire, educate and sustain. We focus particularly on supporting professional and career development, positive mental health and wellbeing.

The following virtual sessions will take place this term:

Balancing the conflicting demands of academia in COVID and beyond – 13 October 2021, 2-3pm

Coping with rejection – 09 December 2021, 11am-12pm (please note that this session will not be recorded).

Please see https://www.kent.ac.uk/graduate-researcher-college/academic-and-research-staff/training-and-development/grc-training for further information about these sessions and links to book your place.

(Registration for these sessions is via Target Connect, the GRC event booking system, but please note that you will need to register for an account on Target Connect using your Kent email address before you can book either of these events.)

Dr Alison Charles, Researcher Developer (Academic) in the Graduate and Researcher College said:

“We recognise that staff wellbeing has been affected by the pandemic, among other factors, and are organising these informal sessions where colleagues can take time to explore issues impacting on researcher wellbeing. Join us to discuss common experiences and challenges, and to share advice and support each other in these uncertain times.”

All academic and research colleagues welcome, especially ECRs.

Events, News, Training

‘Valuing, supporting and developing our postdocs’ (‘ECRN’ event)

Postdocs play a vital role in delivering institutional research outputs and are thus crucial to the success of any research-intensive university. Kent is committed to supporting and developing its postdocs to achieve their potential and offers a range of training and development opportunities to all research staff, including early career researchers.

Join us for an informal session on Tuesday, 21 September from 12.30-2pm (online) to inspire you to think about the opportunities available. Learn about sectoral developments to support research staff, as well as Kent-based initiatives including new opportunities for the 2021-22 academic year.

The session will include contributions from Professor David Bogle, Pro-Vice-Provost of the Doctoral School at UCL, on ‘how can we better prepare postdocs for a broader future?’ and from Kent colleagues involved in the Summer Vacation Research Competition, which is a great way to boost your career and gain transferable skills.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Resesarcher College (GRC), said:

“As a busy postdoc, it can be hard to find the time to plan your professional and career development. We hope that this lunchtime session will whet your appetite to explore the range of training, development and support options available to you at Kent and to discover more about how the GRC is working with and for researchers to support their academic and research careers.”

This session coincides with National Postdoc Appreciation Week (20-24 September, 2021) and is open to all Kent academic and research staff, especially PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates.

There is no need to book – access the Microsoft Teams link via SharePoint (Kent staff login required.) We look forward to seeing you there.

Events, News, Training

Training sessions for research staff – w/c 14 June 2021

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) is pleased to announce that a range of virtual training and development events are available for academic and research staff to book including four scheduled to take place next week:

Demand management for research schemes and relationships with external stakeholders – 14 June 2021, 10-11am

Consultancies and tenders – 16 June 2021, 11am-11.30am

Commercialising your research - 17 June 2021, 10-11am

Please see https://www.kent.ac.uk/graduate-researcher-college/academic-and-research-staff/training-and-development/grants-factory-training for further information about these events and links to book your place.

Coping with rejection – 15 June 2021, 11am-12pm

(The GRC is also offering 1:1 Coaching for PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates – 17 June 2021 and 15 July – 3 slots each day.)

Please see https://www.kent.ac.uk/graduate-researcher-college/academic-and-research-staff/training-and-development/grc-training for further information about these sessions and links to book your place.

Registration for these sessions is via Target Connect, the GRC event booking system, but please note that you will need to register for an account on Target Connect using your Kent email address before you can book any of these events.

These sessions are organised by the GRC as part of its new remit to support the development of colleagues who research throughout their careers and further information is available in our new web pages for academic and research staff.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, said:

“These webinars are a great opportunity to learn more about relevant topics in targeted sessions delivered by specialist academic and Professional Services staff from Research and Innovation Services, IS Research Support, the GRC and the Divisions. They reflect our ongoing work to create an impactful programme of demand-led training and development for teaching and research colleagues across the University, which now includes some 1:1 coaching for PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates.”

Please note that most sessions will be recorded and made available to view after the event.

If you would like to suggest future sessions or to discuss researcher development at Kent, please contact the GRC.

We look forward to seeing you at these and future events.

Funding, News, Training

Undergraduate Summer Vacation Research Competition winners announced

The Graduate and Researcher College is pleased to announce the undergraduate winners of the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021:

  • Penelope Agranov
  • Ellie Crocker
  • Carl Grevel
  • Jodie Harbour
  • Jonathan Hobbs
  • Sophie Laxton
  • Caitlin Moriaty
  • Katie Town
  • Juancarlos Valero.

These enthusiastic and motivated students will be employed as Research Assistants on a range of bespoke projects taking place in summer 2021.

Managed by our cohort of early career researcher winners, the students will gain valuable experience of working on real-life projects and thus learn more about the world of research whilst simultaneously boosting their CVs.

Hannah Greer, Work-Study Scheme Coordinator, highlighted the benefits of participation in the scheme for both researchers and undergraduates:

“The Summer Vacation Research Competition offers a unique chance to expand your skills no matter where you are on your early career path. Whether a postdoc looking to undertake additional project or line management, or a student wondering what the world of research is all about, the competition will broaden your horizons and skills set in a structured and supportive environment.”

Applications for this innovative opportunity for second and third-year students were managed by the Careers and Employability Service through its Work Study Scheme which helps students gain confidence and overcome barriers to graduate-level work.

For further information or to advertise an opportunity to students, please contact workstudy@kent.ac.uk. Some match-funding is available annually so do get in touch soon if you are thinking of recruiting Kent student-staff.