Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the October 2020 issue of the Sussex Researcher.
Whilst we believe everything in the newsletter is interesting, and also hopefully useful for you, we particularly want to highlight:
- In terms of Training and Development - we are delighted tell you about a range of new online workshops and webinars taking place over October through to December - so do take a look at our events listing and book quickly to grab a place!
- Sussex Research Staff are entitled to up to three free confidential one-to-one coaching sessions with an independent professional development coach.
We look forward to seeing you all at the various events and activities coming up over the next months, and as always invite you to get in touch with ideas and feedback!
Best wishes,
The Research Staff Office
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- Preparing for leadership & management
- Improving your communication & writing
- Personal effectiveness
- Career development
- Understanding the academic context
- Mental health & wellbeing
- Data Management Skills
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Research Staff Office Events
Adding your research data to Sussex Figshare - Tuesday 6th October, 11:00-12:00
Introduction to Coaching Skills for Principal Investigators and Research Managers - Wednesday 21st October, 14:00-17:00
Introduction to REF2021 - Wednesday 28th October, 14:00-15:30
Thinking Strategically About Your Research - Wednesday 4th November, 10:00-13:00
Using DMP Online to write your data management plan - Thursday 5th November, 14:00-15:00
How to Peer Review Manuscripts for Journals - Wednesday 11th November, 10:00-12:30
Supporting PhD Students: Practical Tips - Tuesday 17th November, 11:00-12:30
Adding your research data to Sussex Figshare - Thursday 19th November, 10:00-11:00
Navigating peer review: challenges, responses & publishing - Monday 30th November, 14:00-17:00
Using DMP Online to write your data management plan - Tuesday 1st December, 15:00-16:00
Using Your Emotional Intelligence to Support and Manage Others - Thursday 3rd December, 10:00-13:00
Attracting your own research funding - writing and applying for fellowships - Friday 4th December, 09:30-12:30
Making your research data available to support your publication - Wednesday 9th December, 10:00-11:00
Advanced Presentation Skills for Public Engagement - Thursday 10th December, 10:00-13:00 |
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Events organised by other teams
Let's have a mental health conversation - for all staff - Wednesday 7th October, 10:30-12:00
Webinar: Introduction to freelance work - Wednesday 7th October, 13:00-14:00
Let's have a mental health conversation - for managers only - Wednesday 7th October, 13:00-14:00
Microsoft Teams Workshop - Webinar - Friday 9th October, 11:00-12:00
Understanding Your Strengths - Tuesday 13th October, 10:00-11:30
Microsoft Teams Workshop - Webinar - Tuesday 20th October, 10:00-11:00
Giving Feedback - How to lead an effective conversation - Tuesday 20th October, 10:00-11:30
Coaching Skills for Managers - Tuesday 20th October, 13:00-14:30
Introduction to Open Access publishing - Tuesday 20th October, 14:00-15:30
Using reference management tools - Mendeley - Monday 26th October, 11:00-12:00
Using reference management tools - Endnote - Thursday 29th October, 11:00-12:00
Understanding Your Strengths - Thursday 5th November, 10:00-11:30
Giving Feedback - How to lead an effective conversation - Wednesday 18th November, 10:00-12:00
Effective Mentoring Skills for Mentors - Thursday 19th November, 13:30-15:00
Coaching Skills for Managers - Tuesday 26th November, 13:00-14:30 |
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One-to-one Coaching Service for Research Staff Did you know that as a member of Sussex Research Staff, you are entitled to up to three free confidential one-to-one coaching sessions with an independent professional development coach? You can use your coaching sessions to discuss any aspect of your role and career development. Coaching is useful for considering your next career steps, adapting to new roles and responsibilities, working towards your research goals, managing working relationships, responding to changes or simply as a confidential space in which to explore new ideas and solutions to professional challenges. All coaching sessions are with Dr Natalie James, qualified coach and Director of Research Coach Ltd. Natalie coaches academic researchers from all career stages across the UK and internationally and has extensive experience in supporting early career researchers as a coach and trainer. Her coachees say:
- “I feel more confident in the way I can think and own my professional development. I have also gained focus on the tasks I have to achieve. I do not feel 'lost' anymore and I look forward to taking the steps in my career.”
- “Natalie manages to combine very effectively being approachable and real with lots of relevant knowledge and expertise”
- “Through the research coaching I got a much clearer view of my career path and really consolidated my research ideas. Personally, it was great to talk to someone outside of my department that could help me see the big picture.”
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Research Data Management Support Webinars for Research Staff Managing research data responsibly is essential, and it’s becoming increasingly important that it’s stored and organised correctly. As part of our Autumn training programme, the Research Staff Office are now offering three important webinars (each running running twice this term) on research data management support for research staff. The sessions will be delivered by experienced Sussex Research Data Management Librarians and are suitable for researchers at all stages of their career, as well as anyone looking to update or refresh their skills. The webinars offered during Autumn term are:
These sessions are designed to last a maximum of one hour, and include a mixture of presentation and discussion time.
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Community news - Welcome to our new Research Staff Representative! We would like to extend a warm welcome to our latest Research Staff Reps addition, Dr Melis Ece, who will be representing research staff within the school of Global Studies. Our Research Staff Representatives are drawn from schools across the University and meet termly with the Research Staff Office. Reps advise on and influence university policy and projects relating to Sussex Researchers and share good practice of research staff support between schools. We always welcome new reps from any school/department. If you would be interested in representing your fellow researchers and influencing University policy while enhancing your CV, take a look at the Research Staff Reps Terms of Reference or contact us for more information. "The Research Staff Reps group is a good environment to exchange opinions and influence decisions that impact on our careers. By becoming a Research Staff Rep I feel that I have positively contributed to our diverse researcher community and gained a solid understanding of our wider roles within the University."
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Opportunities / External events
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UKRO Webinar on the European Green Deal and Horizon Europe Date: Wednesday 7th October, 9:30-12:00 Principal Speaker: Jon Brookes, European Advisor, UK Research Office (UKRO), Brussels The UK Research Office ( UKRO) is offering a webinar to staff at the Universities of Sussex and Brighton on European research funding on the 7 th October: 9:30 – 10:30 European Green Deal call The recently launched Green Deal call aims to mobilise research and innovation to foster a just and sustainable societal transition aiming at ‘leaving nobody behind’. The call is structured around eight Thematic Areas and three Horizontal Areas. The session will provide an overview of the opportunities within the call. 10:45 – 12:00 Horizon Europe Horizon Europe is the next Framework Programme for 2021-2027, succeeding Horizon 2020. The session will provide an overview of the structure of the new programme and an update on the current state of play on Brexit negotiations and UK participation in European funding programmes. The webinar will be delivered via Zoom, please register using the following link: https://ukri.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JzDgjg_ISxGVHUFKc_XF4w If you have any questions regarding European funding applications, please contact your Research Development Manager.
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Call for contributions to Nature2020 lockdown journals project Nature2020 is currently collecting writings and artwork which reflect on connections to the local natural environment during COVID-19. 2020 marks the end of the UN Decade on Biodiversity, and is a key opportunity to reflect on the state of wildlife and conservation both globally and locally. In collaboration with the Mass Observation Archive, Nature2020 is collecting writings and artwork from people in The Living Coast Biosphere, which reflect their connections to the natural environment during COVID-19. The project aims to record local people’s interactions with nature, hearing about the changed relationships with beauty spots, back gardens or local parks. Anyone can submit their writings or artwork through the Nature2020 website. Submissions will be published on the website and social media, before being transferred to the Mass Observation Archive. Deadline for contributions: October 30th 2020
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Research council reveals lack of female principal investigators *Article from researchprofessional.com A report published by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has laid bare the underrepresentation of women principal investigators in the council’s grants. Despite increases in the overall number of female applicants and proportion of women involved in peer review, application numbers from women for large grants are “particularly low”, the funder said in the report published on 1 October. In total the funder received 330 applications from women as principal investigators between 2018-19, representing just 15 per cent of applications. In April 2019, there were 420 active female PIs, representing just 17 per cent of the total. Overall, the funder found the award rates for men and women were “broadly similar”, at 25 per cent for female applicants and 26 per cent for male applicants in 2018-19. However, the award rates for women were found to decrease as the grant value increased and in some years the funder notes that no applications were received from women PIs for grants above £2.5m. The funder is now encouraging members of the EPSRC community to take part in a survey on the findings of the report to provide “personal experiences of applying for large grants as well as views on potential causal factors for the trends seen”. The deadline for participation in the survey is 3 December.
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Research Funding
If applying for funding, remember to check funders' eligibility criteria carefully and discuss the opportunity with your host institution/department prior to preparing any applications.
Do look at Research Development webpages for guidance around applications
For more information about ECR Fellowships, check out our new webpage:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/researchstaff/funding/fellowship-opportunities
For Coronavirus information for research grant applicants & grant holders check out:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/development/covid-19 |
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Sir Henry Dale fellowships
These support postdoctoral researchers who aim to become independent scientists leading their own groups addressing an important research question within their scientific remit. Fellowships are tenable for five years and usually provide around £1.2 million.
Deadline for Applications: 3rd December 2020
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New investigator research grant – molecular and cellular medicine
This supports researchers who are capable of becoming independent principal investigators and who are ready to take the next step towards that goal within the areas of molecular and cellular medicine. Grants are tenable for three years.
Deadline for Applications: 12th January 2021
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New investigator research grant – infections and immunity
This supports researchers who are capable of becoming independent principal investigators and who are ready to take the next step towards that goal within the areas of infections and immunity. Grants are tenable for three years and include salary, support for consumables and equipment, and travel costs.
Deadline for Applications: 13th January 2021
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New investigator research grant – neurosciences and mental health
This supports researchers who are capable of becoming independent principal investigators and who are ready to take the next step towards that goal within neurosciences and mental health. Grants are tenable for three years.
Deadline for Applications: 27th January 2021
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Clinical research career development fellowship
These enable clinically active health professionals to continue research at postdoctoral level and develop scientific independence, balancing clinical work with a research career. Funding supports a basic salary, research expenses and personal removal expenses for up to eight years.
Deadline for Applications: 28th January 2021
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