Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the latest issue of the Sussex Researcher, we are very pleased to announce that Dr Hayley Cordingley will be joining the Research Staff Office team as the new Research Staff Officer, due to start her role in early January.
In other news, the Research and Enterprise division are once again working in partnership with generous colleagues and students across campus collecting donations for a seasonal giving event. If you would like to help us spread some cheer this season, by providing us with items for goody bags for the elderly living in Brighton and Hove, please look at the section below for more details.
We look forward to seeing you all at the various events and activities coming up next month. Until then, we hope you have a good December and a restful break over the festive period!
Best wishes,
The Research Staff Office Team (Alex Aghajanian and Paul Roberts)
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Featured event
Careers Beyond Research: Applying your Skills Outside Academia
Monday 10th December, 14:00pm-17:00pm
Outline: There are a number of options outside of academia that are open to Ph.D. graduates and postdoctoral researchers. Not everyone chooses to climb the academic ladder and many researchers are unaware of the variety of other options that are available.
During their career, researchers develop a number of skills that they can utilise in a variety of other positions, whether these are related to their research or not. A key component to finding a job outside academia is presenting yourself well at interviews, writing an engaging C.V. and explaining your academic experience in a way that appeals to certain employers.
Learning outcomes: This workshop aims to highlight a number of these careers and to explore what particular options might be compatible with individuals. We will include overviews of a variety of different job types, case studies of researchers who have moved into different careers and provide resources to help participants explore their options.
In addition, participants will be invited to complete an individual ElementsTM skills analysis to help them with future job applications and interviews. This has proven very popular with researchers and it is designed to help them reflect on their own skills and experience so that they can communicate these effectively in written applications and interviews.
Facilitator: Dr Joanna Young, Director - The Scientific Editing Company
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Spotlight on Dr Christiane Oedekoven
Research Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience at the School of Psychology
As we are all getting older we are more at risk of developing dementia and my research tries to tackle that issue, by finding ways of understanding memory better, and improving memory in the long run.
I aim to see how brain networks differ between people who are healthy and older, and people who have some form of dementia or precursor of dementia.
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Introducing Dr Hayley Cordingley - Research Staff Officer We are delighted to welcome Dr Hayley Cordingley to the team as the new Research Staff Officer, due to start her role in early January. Hayley is an alumna of the University of Sussex, having completed her UG degree in Biology with European Studies (French) way back in 1991. She started her career as a PhD researcher (Cell Biology at the NIMR/UCL), worked in large Pharma R&D (SB/GSK) for 10 years in various roles (bench scientist through to line-, matrix-, project- and collaboration-management) and technical areas (e.g. investigatory and predictive toxicology; proteomics; microfluidics; advanced microscopy; wider novel technology development), before returning to academia in 2007 - initially working as a project manager and researcher on a variety of projects including a technology spin–out opportunity and drug discovery initiatives. In 2012 she transitioned to a Researcher Developer role working in the Postdoc Development Centre and Graduate School at Imperial College London (ICL) where she additionally trained as a Springboard facilitator. After leading an Enterprise and Entrepreneurship project for a couple of years, she decided to try freelancing, and did this for ~ 18 months (undertaking training/facilitation work, technical consultancy, and helping to set up the Enterprise Lab at ICL) before deciding to return to a "normal" job! In 2017 she moved to the University of Surrey where she made the most of her experience of working in, and at the interface of, multinational corporates, academia, and SMEs, to work as a Careers Consultant supporting Research Staff and Postgraduate Research Students with their career decisions and progression. She is delighted to be returning to Falmer to work with Research Staff at her Alma Mater - helping researchers with their professional and personal development to enable them to achieve whatever they want for their future lives.
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It's the season for giving! For the past few years the Research and Enterprise team has worked in partnership with generous colleagues and students across the campus to collect donations for a seasonal giving event. With help from you we would love to make this year our biggest collection yet! This year we are collecting items for Age UK to make goody bags for older people in the community who are alone at Christmas. Age UK recently identified a number of 'loneliness hotspots' in Brighton and Hove and it is staggering to learn that the city features in the top 20% for loneliness. In partnership with Age UK Brighton and Hove (AUKBH), who are dedicated to helping people in the city make the most of later life, and the Brighton and Hove befriending network Impetus we are looking to distribute 1,000 bags to support the lonely in the Brighton and Hove area. We are asking for support from colleagues and students across the campus to fill these bags. We are collecting items until Friday 7 December.
Bring your items to Research and Enterprise reception, 1st Floor, Falmer House, or contact Simone Robinson (Simone.Robinson@sussex.ac.uk, ext 7767) for a collection.
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ECN Bridging the Gap: Careers Inside and Outside Higher Education Are you interested in an academic career, but don't know much about what comes after your PhD or Post-Doc? Do you want to use your skills outside of academia, but aren't sure what opportunities are out there? The Political Studies Association’s Early Career Network is holding a full day workshop on pursuing careers inside and outside higher education. "Bridging the Gap", hosted at the University of Birmingham, will take place on Thursday the 6th of December 2018, and is designed for both current PhD students and those in postdoctoral positions or other early career research roles. The event will also include a networking lunch at which attendees will be able to talk to speakers more informally, as well as a social event following the workshop. Travel grants will be available for the event and you can apply for them by contacting ecn@psa.ac.uk.
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Career Management for Early Career Academic Researchers - Online Course
Being an early career academic researcher, whether you’re a doctoral student or research staff, can be challenging: should you pursue further academic research? What skills will help you progress in an academic career? What other career options are open to you?
This online course will answer these questions and more, considering how to manage you career and reflecting on what you want out of a career. The MOOC is a collaboration between the University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, and University of Sheffield, and has been developed by careers professionals who are experienced in working with research students and research staff.
You will be encouraged to consider different career options, both within and outside academic research, and build your confidence in marketing yourself in applications and interviews.
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‘Rubber hand illusion’ offers clue to Tourette syndrome Scientists at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) have used an eerie illusion of having an extra hand to understand Tourette syndrome. People with the condition reacted differently to others when undergoing this ‘rubber hand illusion’, suggesting that symptoms of Tourette syndrome may arise, in part, because the way in which the brain represents the body is harder to adjust. Dr Charlotte Rae, Research Fellow at BSMS and in the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, conducted the study. She said: “These findings may help with new ways of treating Tourette syndrome, perhaps by using medicines or physical exercises that loosen the more rigid unconscious perceptions of body position.”
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Opportunities
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. |
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International placement scheme
This provides funded research fellowships for doctoral students, doctoral-level research assistants and early-career researchers at leading international research institutions. Fellowships are worth up to £8,070 each for up to six months.
Deadline for Applications: 24th January 2019
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Industrial fellowships
These enable early- and mid-career engineering academics to conduct a collaborative research project in an industrial environment. Fellowships are worth up to £50,000.
Deadline for Applications: 4th February 2019
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Research fellowships in science or engineering
These give early-career scientists or engineers the opportunity to conduct an innovative research project of their own instigation. Approximately 10 fellowships, worth up to £174,000 over three years, are available.
Deadline for Applications: 7th February 2019
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John, Margaret, Alfred and Stewart Sim fellowship
This supports research into the causes or treatment of depression, with the aim of fostering mental health research and the academic careers of early or intermediate researchers. The fellowship is worth up to £200,000 over up to three years.
Deadline for Applications: 28th February 2019
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Sir Henry Wellcome postdoctoral fellowships
These enable newly qualified postdoctoral researchers to start independent research careers in high quality research environments. Fellowships are worth up to £300,000 over four years.
Deadline for Applications: 17th April 2019
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