| Message from the Research Staff Office |
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Hello Everyone
It has been great to see so many of you at the various training and development events that have been running so far this year for researchers. As this academic year is the first time a tailored programme of workshops has been available for research staff it has been very encouraging to see an excellent turnout at many of the events. Thank you for your continued support for the programme and I hope you are finding the workshops useful. I am pleased to announce the Summer Term programme of events below and look forward to welcoming you at these.
A quick plea to those of you yet to complete the CROS 2015 Survey - please take the opportunity to contribute your views before the 1st April. All the details are in the news item below.
Best wishes and enjoy the spring sunshine!
Natalie James (Research Staff Officer, Research and Enterprise)
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| Booking Now Open for Summer Term Development Events for Researchers |
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We are very pleased to bring you the full Summer Term programme of development events and workshops for postdocs and researchers. Registration for these events is now open.
Many of the Autumn and Spring Term events have proved very popular and were fully booked so please register early for your chosen Summer workshops to avoid disappointment.
Summer events include:
Full workshop listings, course outlines and booking information available through the Research Staff Training and Development pages
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| Research Staff Office meeting with Senior/Experienced Research Fellows |
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In addition to the regular Research Staff Forum and other events for researchers hosted throughout the year by the Research Staff Office; Professor Michelle O'Malley, Director of Research Staff Development is keen to meet with Senior/Experienced Research Fellows to discuss some of the distinct challenges associated with a long term research career.
In follow up to a similar meeting held last summer, all senior/experienced research fellows are invited to attend a meeting on Monday 18th May, 10am - 11.30am in Arts A108. The purpose of the meeting is to report on progress with issues previously raised by experienced research fellows, have an open discussion regarding any other challenges/concerns and share experiences with other researchers working across the University.
If you are planning to attend this meeting please email Natalie James N.A.James@sussex.ac.uk
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| News |
| Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) 2015 - Have your say now |
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You have until Wednesday 1st April to complete the nationwide Careers in Research Online Survey of research staff including postdocs, research fellows, research assistants and others primarily employed to conduct research.
CROS is the only national survey of the experiences of research staff and will not run again until 2017, so don't miss your chance to contribute your views.
Participate in the CROS 2015 Survey Here
At the time of writing around 25% of you had contributed to the survey, which is great, thank you. However, to enable a strong and representative case for improvements to made to benefit you and your colleagues, it is essential that we gather the views of as many of you as possible. So if you have not yet completed the survey, please spare 15 minutes to add your voice.
The survey asks for your anonymous views about your experiences, career aspirations, career development opportunities and other aspects of being a researcher in UK higher education. The outcomes of the survey will be used to inform the way researchers are supported at Sussex and will also feed into National and European policy to support the career development of researchers.
As a thank you for completing the survey you will be entitled to a £5 food/drink voucher to be redeemed on campus. If you have any questions please contact N.A.James@sussex.ac.uk. Thank you in advance for your participation.
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| From Senior Research Fellow to Research Professor on a Part-Time Contract |
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The promotion process was a rigorous one, but Sam Cartwright-Hatton, a clinical developmental psychologist whose research focusses on anxiety in childhood, is now able to use the title of 'Professor' before her name.
What makes Professor Cartwright-Hatton's promotion particularly noteworthy is that she has secured her promotion through a research only path and is employed on a part-time contract to enable her to balance her work and family commitments.
Sam joins 3 other women in STEMM subjects at Sussex who have recently been promoted to professor; Professor Anna Franklin (Psychology), Professor Michelle West (Life Sciences, Biochemistry) and Professor Jessica Downs (Life Sciences, Genome Stability). Anna and Michelle are both mentors on the Women in STEMM Mentoring Circles scheme in which a number of you are involved
Sam says "I hope that my recent success and those of my female colleagues will encourage other women to put themselves forward for promotion."
Our congratulations go to out to all those who have been successful in their recent promotion applications. See full news story
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| New University Guidance on the Use of School funds for Bridging Research Staff Contracts |
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The Research Staff Working Group has recently gained University approval for a new set of guidelines for the use of School funds for bridging research staff contracts.
The guidelines have been developed to ensure transparency and consistency in circumstances where it may be appropriate to use available School funds to bridge a short break in funding between consecutive awarded research grants, in order to retain a researcher in continued employment.
The use of School funds for bridging purposes remains at the discretion of the Head of School and would be appropriate in a situation where a research grant that would fund the staff member at the University of Sussex has been awarded (as evidenced by written communication from the funding organisation), but is not due to start immediately.
There will be an expectation that the researcher will have a clear set of expectations/objectives to be achieved during the bridging period and the period would not usually be expected to extend beyond 6 months.
The full guidance document will be available shortly through the HR website and Research Staff Policy and Resources Library and links will be circulated at the time of publication
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| AHRC Seeking Advisory Board Members |
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The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) are seeking expressions of interest from individuals to join their Advisory Board in 2015.
The role of the Advisory Board is to advise the AHRC Council and Executive on the development and implementation of strategic approaches to funding which reflect the challenges and opportunities arising for the arts and humanities research and those that engage with it.
The Board is particularly looking for individuals with expertise in the following areas: Classics and/or archaeology, Design, Digital Humanities, Performing Arts, Music, Theology, Modern Languages, Voluntary Sector.
The deadline for expressions of interest is 4pm on Monday 20th April. Further information and application forms
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| Opportunities |
| Researchers in Schools |
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The Researchers in Schools initiative is currently recruiting for September 2015. Researchers in Schools is a 2 year teacher training programme available to all researchers who are completing or have completed their doctorate.
The scheme is open to researchers from any discipline and participants get paid to train with a scholarship salary with a significant salary uplift for maths, physics and other shortage subjects. Participants are also given time, support and budget to maintain an academic profile.
Further information and application information
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| Nuffield Research Placements |
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STEM Sussex are looking for support for the Nuffield Research Placements scheme in summer 2015.
Nuffield Research Placements provide talented and highly motivated post 16 students with the opportunity to work with scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians over a 4-6 week period in the summer and Sussex researchers are invited to support the scheme by supervising a student. Providing a placement gives you the chance to share your expertise, gain mentoring experience and make progress with your research project as well as hopefully inspiring some future researchers in the process.
Widening Participation are running an information session on Wednesday 25th March, Pevensey 1A6 Lecture Theatre, 13.30 - Register your attendance
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| Biotechnology Young Entrepreneurs Scheme |
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The BBSRC has announced is Biotechnology and Young Entrepreneurs scheme which aims to raise awareness of the commercialisation of ideas from the biosciences among postgraduate students and postdoctoral scientists.
Participants enter as teams and develop a business plan for a company based on a hypothetical but plausible idea based on real markets. The winning team receives a prize fund of £5,000
Closing date: 29 May 2015. Further information
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| MRC Skills Development Fellowships |
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Skills Development Fellowships (previously Strategic Skills Fellowships) will support training for very early career researchers in, or individuals changing disciplines to, MRC priority areas for capacity-building at this level. The scheme currently focusses on the following areas:
- Quantitative expertise: covering mathematics, statistics, computation and informatics applicable to any biomedical or health related data sources, from molecular to population level.
- Expertise at the social science interface: with a focus on areas of health economics and/or mixed methods research.
The fellowship provides 3 years support including salary, consumables, travel and capital equipment.
Closing date:16 June 2015. Further information
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| Contributions |
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If you have an article or information you would like included in The Sussex Researcher please send it to N.A.James@sussex.ac.uk
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