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ECR Development Series workshops

The ECR Development Series workshops are specifically designed for Early Career Researchers (ECRs). Events run throughout the academic year and are free to all Sussex researchers.

ECR Development Series workshops for ECRs are organised by categories, matching Vitae's Researcher Development Framework, which you should use to develop the skills you need to be an effective researcher.

Explore the workshops under or visit our scheduled events listings for sessions that are currently open for booking. If a workshop isn't bookable, add your name to the waiting list and we'll let you know when registration opens.

You can also browse our listing of events coming up. 
 

Preparing for leadership & management

Supporting research students - practical tips

Title	Supporting research students - practical tips
Location	Online
Audience	Early-career researchers and postgraduate researchers
Outline	Are you a postgraduate researcher’s supervisor or about to become one – either formally or informally?This interactive session provides you with practical tips, resources and ideas for improving the supervisory relationship. We’ll address the key challenges of supporting researchers throughout their postgraduate research degree and guiding them to successful completion.
Learning Outcomes	Here’s what we’ll cover: Making the most of induction. Conducting a Training Needs Analysis. Managing expectations. Encouraging autonomy. Planning supervisory meetings. Dealing with conflict.
Presenter	Dr Catherine Pope was awarded her doctorate by the University of Sussex in 2014. Since then, she has written three books and contributed to several edited collections. Over the years, Catherine has devised methods for tricking herself into writing. She loves sharing those methods with researchers and helping them achieve their goals. r
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Improving your communication & writing

Boosting your productivity

Title	Boosting your productivity
Location	Online
Audience	Early career researchers and postgraduate researchers
Outline	Academic writing can be hard at the best of times. It's especially challenging when there’s so much going on. In this interactive session, you’ll discover how to make writing more manageable, even under difficult circumstances. What we’ll cover: Understanding your Circle of Control. Planning a piece of writing. Building a writing fortress. Improving productivity. Staying focused. Looking after yourself. By the end of the session, you'll have a range of strategies you can apply right away to help you keep going. The session is facilitated by Dr Catherine Pope, who has 20 years’ experience of leadership in business and academia.
Presenter	Dr Catherine Pope
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Navigating peer review: challenges, responses & publishing

Title	Navigating peer review: challenges, responses & publishing
Date/Time	TBC
Location	Online (Zoom)
Audience	Early-career academic faculty and postgraduate researchers.
Outline	All researchers will encounter peer review during their career, both as an author and as an expert who has been asked to review the work of another. This online workshop will introduce researchers to the peer review system including the process, the complexities, the responsibilities of the author/ reviewer and how to get the most out of the experience. An awareness and knowledge of the peer review system is important so that early career researchers know what to expect when they submit their first research paper for publication. Equally, understanding how to critically assess a research manuscript for quality, style, content, novelty and relevance gives researchers an insight into how cutting edge research is assessed and published. What should you look for in a manuscript? How can you optimise your chances of success as an author? In this online workshop, participants will be introduced to the academic publishing and peer review system through short presentations, discussions and peer review exercises.
Learning Outcomes	At the end of this workshop researchers will have: an overview of the peer review process, author responsibilities and what to expect; an understanding of how to conduct a peer review and provide constructive feedback; completed a short peer review exercise using a simple workflow that they can apply to papers in their own field.
Presenters	Dr Joanne Young, Scientific Editing Company
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Social media bootcamp

Title	Social media bootcamp
Location	Online
Audience	Early career researchers and postgraduate researchers
Outline	This online workshop is tailored for researchers aiming to build a robust online presence and enhance their career opportunities through social media. There are now numerous channels available that can be used to amplify your research, promote an enterprising project and attract potential employers. In addition, social networks can serve as useful sources of information via a personalised news feed. We will explore different types of content that researchers can experiment with. What does a professional profile look like? What should you post and what should you avoid? How can you effectively manage your time on social media and optimise engagement? In addition to crafting an individual social media strategy, the workshop will include a section on legal considerations, privacy and openness. This isn’t a platform-specific “how to” session, though we will touch upon a selection of mainstream social media tools for building your online profile, including LinkedIn. To illustrate key concepts, we will include short exercises, case studies and insights from the instructor’s own experience. No prior experience is required so the course is suitable for beginners, however you may wish to set up a LinkedIn account prior to the session or be logged in if you already have one.
Learning Outcomes	At the end of this workshop researchers will have: considered the various ways to use social media to their advantage; an awareness of the legal considerations and privacy issues; started to design a social media strategy that they can implement in their own time.
Format/Duration	This will be a 3-hour interactive workshop.
Presenters	Dr Joanna Young, Scientific Editing Company
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Personal effectiveness

Project management essentials for researchers

Title	Project management essentials for researchers
Location	Online (Zoom)
Audience	Researchers of all career stages who are involved in managing research projects.
Outline	Are you ready to take control of your research? In this interactive session, you’ll discover the core elements of project management and how to apply them in your research projects.
Learning Outcomes	Through discussion, activities, and examples, you’ll learn to: Define your research goals and objectives. Create a realistic project schedule. Track your progress with milestones and celebrate success. Identify and mitigate risks. Communicate effectively with stakeholders. This workshop equips you with the skills and tools you need to achieve your research goals on time and within budget.
Presenters	Dr Catherine Pope was awarded her PhD by the University of Sussex in 2014. Since then, she has written three books and contributed to several edited collections. Over the years, Catherine has devised methods for tricking herself into writing. She loves sharing those methods with researchers and helping them achieve their goals.
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Career Development

Careers beyond research - applying your skills outside academia

Title	Careers beyond research: applying your skills outside academia
Location	Online (Zoom)
Audience	Early career researchers
Outline	There are a number of options outside of academia that are open to postdocs. 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, highlighting your skills and explaining your academic experience in a way that appeals to certain employers. 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 evaluation 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.
Learning Outcomes	At the end of this workshop researchers will have: a clear understanding of their transferable skills and how to communicate these on their CV and in an interview situation; an understanding of how to present themselves and be visible online; an overview of a range of non-academic career options
Format/Duration	This will be a 3-hour interactive workshop
Presenters	Dr Joanna Young, Scientific Editing Company
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Thinking creatively about your career: How to identify your skills as a freelancer

Title	Thinking creatively about your career: How to identify your skills as a freelancer
Location	Online
Audience	Early career researchers and final year of postgraduate researchers
Outline	Although academia has long been the traditional route for PhDs, there are now a wealth of fulfilling opportunities available. This interactive workshop encourages participants to explore their skills, interests and values to discover alternative paths.Through discussions, self-reflection exercises and case studies, you’ll gain the confidence and knowledge to take the nextstep.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the session, you’ll have: Discovered some alternative career options. Explored what you want from your career. Identified your transferable skills. Considered how to find the job you want. Set some achievable goals and milestones.
Presenters	Dr Catherine Pope was awarded her PhD by the University of Sussex in 2014. Since then, she has written three books and contributed to several edited collections. Over the years, Catherine has devised methods for tricking herself into writing. She loves sharing those methods with researchers and helping them achieve their goals.
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Understanding the academic context

Developing excellent research proposals

Title	Developing excellent research proposals
Location	On campus/ Online
Audience	Researchers and academics who have a research idea that they intend to develop into a proposal for funding.
Outline	There are a considerable number of stages that go into the development of a research proposal that is ready to submit to a funder. Moreover, there are variety of factors that contribute to the likelihood that your proposal will be competitive in the peer review and funding process. In this workshop, we will examine the key elements involved in turning your initial research idea into a proposal that will get the attention and support of the reviewers, demonstrate the importance of the research and assure funders that your project will make a valuable contribution to your field. In this 3-hour practical and interactive workshop you will: Explore research funding processes and expectations Identify criteria for selecting an appropriate funding mechanism for your idea Develop a convincing narrative to explain the novelty and importance of your research idea Examine the importance of selecting the right research team Consider how to effectively communicate your research plans to your audiences of peer reviewers, grant panel members and funders Explore the importance of feedback in the development of your research idea and discuss how to craft an effective response to reviewers’ comments.
Presenter	Dr Natalie James is an independent professional development coach and trainer who specialises in supporting researchers and academics in all aspects of their professional development. Before making a career move into researcher development, Natalie worked for the UK Research Councils (EPSRC), managing all aspects of funding policy and peer review for a £multimillion portfolio of research grants. She now supports a large cohort of coaching clients who are active in the research funding environment, helping them to develop their research strategies and funding ideas.
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Open publishing: an introduction

Title	Open publishing: an introduction
Location	Online
Audience	Researchers across all disciplines.
Outline	This workshop will introduce you to open publishing for your research outputs and what this means for you as a researcher. It will introduce recent developments and debates within open publishing, explain the different routes to making your work openly available and help you to identify and access open access material to support your own literature searches.
Presenter	Library Research Support Team
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Introduction to the UK research funding environment

Title	Introduction to the UK research funding environment
Location	Online
Audience	Postgraduate students and early career researchers of all stages, along with researchers of any career stage who are new to the UK research environment. This workshop will be particularly relevant to researchers who are considering applying for research funding in the future.
Outline	The research funding environment in the UK can, at first, appear quite complex and may be a little daunting if you have not previously applied for funding. In this interactive workshop we will aim to de-mystify the policies and processes of research funding, exploring how postgraduate research fits within the funding environment and examining the types of funding that might be available to you during and beyond your research degree. We will introduce the ways in which funding applications are assessed by funders and the important factors to consider before developing a funding proposal. We will explore when, where and how you might start to seek funding for your research, and what support is available for those making applications. By the end of this workshop, participants will have: an awareness of the key funders of research in the UK an appreciation of the role of policy, peer review and assessment in research funding knowledge of the tools and routes to identify suitable funding opportunities an awareness of the different types of funding available for researchers (e.g. fellowships, grants, networking funding, travel funding etc) identified the key questions they need to consider before making an application for funding knowledge of where to seek further information and support for making applications
Presenter	Dr Natalie James is an independent professional development coach and trainer who specialises in supporting researchers and academics in all aspects of their professional development. Before making a career move into researcher development, Natalie worked for the UK Research Councils (EPSRC), managing all aspects of funding policy and peer review for a £multimillion portfolio of research grants. She now supports a large cohort of coaching clients who are active in the research funding environment, helping them to develop their research strategies and funding ideas.
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Introduction to REF2029

Title	Introduction to REF2029
Location	Online
Audience	Early-career academics and postgraduate researchers
Outline	The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s national system of research assessment, driving the distribution of core research funding to universities. The next REF exercise will take place in 2029. You might notice the change of title refering to 'REF 2029' rather than 'REF 2028', it is because the date of exerecsie annoucement were made in Decemebr 2023. Every UK university submitting to the REF uses the publications, other research outputs, and wider social impact produced by its researchers to form its submission; the quality of that submission determines the level of core research funding the university receives, and also has broader implications. Understanding the REF - its requirements, and its effects on Higher Education and research culture - is essential for everyone who is building a research career in the UK. In this workshop, Dr Dominic Dean, REF Academic and Operational Manager for the University of Sussex, will explain the background and structure to REF2029, and will take the group through a detailed exploration of its effects and the key elements of which early-career researchers need to be aware. What is the Research Excellence Framework? What is assessed and when? What is eligible? What's new for 2029? Book a place and we'll send you all the information you'll need to join the webinar on the day.
Presenter	Dr Dominic Dean, Research Excellence Framework Academic and Operations Manager
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Data Management Skills

Adding your research data to Sussex Figshare

Title	Adding your research data to Sussex Figshare
Location	Online
Audience	Early-career academics and postgraduate researchers are welcome to attend
Outline	Sussex Figshare (https://sussex.figshare.com/) offers a route to publish your research data, allowing you to meet funder requirements and increase the reach of your rata by making it openly available. This session will introduce you to Figshare and take you through the practical steps of adding your data, including: how to generate a DOI for your data prior to publication what to consider when describing your data best formats to use to make your data accessible licensing your data how the Library will work with your data submission options for adding larger collections ways to view how your data has been used and cited by other researchers.
Presenters	Helen Webb, Research Data Management Librarian & Adam Harwood, Research Data & Digital Preservation Technologist
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Copyright in publishing: understanding your rights as an author

Title	Copyright in publishing: understanding your rights as an author
Location	Online
Audience	Researchers at all stages
Outline	This workshop will summarise the principles of copyright as they apply to publishing. The session will outline the copyright relationship between authors and publishers for both journal and monographs, and summarise the different Creative Commons licenses, their uses and potential limitations. It will highlight how the University’s Publications and Copyright Policy empowers authors to retain the rights to their work.
Presenters	Library Research Support Team
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Introduction to Open Research

Title	Introduction to Open Research
Location	Online (Zoom)
Audience	Researchers from all displines
Outline	Would you like to know more about open research? This workshop will look at the concept of open research, and explore opportunities for implementing open research principles into your own practice. Content will include open access publishing, open data, open science, open source software, open peer review and tools and techniques for the discovery of open access materials. By the end of the workshop you will have: An awareness of the principles of open research Explored opportunities to implement open research principles into your own research practice Be aware of the tools available to aid the discovery of open access materials
Presenter	Library Research Support Team
Booking Information	LOOK FOR SCHEDULED COURSES OR JOIN OUR WAITING LIST (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Keeping up-to-date with published research in your subject

Title	Keeping up-to-date with published research in your subject
Location	Online
Audience	Researchers at all stages
Outline	There are a number of quick & effective ways to keep yourself up to date with the research going on in your field. This workshop will explore some of the key tools and techniques available, from alerting services to social media.
Presenters	Library Research Support Team
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Understanding and using publication metrics responsibly

Title	Understanding and using publication metrics responsibly
Location	Online
Audience	Researchers at all stages
Outline	Publication metrics provide a quantitative approach to the analysis of publications and researchers and can help you with information about the reach and potential impact of your research, as well as helping you to make decisions about where to publish. This workshop will introduce the benefits and disadvantages of a number of tools which provide publication metrics for both the individual researcher and for institutional level analysis. It discusses the importance of the responsible use of bibliometric data and it will also look at the University’s commitment to the use of responsible metrics.
Presenters	Library Research Support Team
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Making your research data available to support your publication

Title	Making your research data available to support your publication
Location	Online
Audience	Researchers at all stages
Outline	Many journals now ask for research data to be made openly available to support publications. This session will explore options open to help researchers to do this effectively, including: Identifying suitable repositories to share your data What to consider when describing your data How and when to use Sussex Figshare to generate a DOI for your data prior to publication How to use Sussex Figshare to make data privately available to peer reviewers Tips for writing a data statement for your publication to meet funder requirements
Presenters	Helen Webb, Research Data Management Librarian & Adam Harwood, Research Data & Digital Preservation Technologist
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Using DMP Online to write your data management plan

Title	Using DMP Online to write your data management plan
Audience	Early-career researchers and PGRs are welcome to attend.
Outline	Most funders now require a data management plan when submitting a grant proposal. DMP Online (https://dmponline.dcc.ac.uk/) is a freely available tool which can support you in creating your plan. This workshop is a practical introduction to getting starting with DMP online. The session will begin with a demo of how to use DMPOnline and will then give attendees time to try it out themselves with Library staff available to answer questions.
Presenters	Helen Webb, Research Data Management Librarian & Adam Harwood, Research Data & Digital Preservation Technologist
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Open Research: principles, practices and purpose

Title	Open Research: principles, practices and purpose
Location	Online
Audience	Researchers at all stages
Outline	What is open research and why does it matter? This workshop will look at the concept of open research, and explore opportunities for implementing open research principles into your own practice. The workshop will cover open access publishing, open data, open science, open source software, open peer review and tools and techniques for the discovery of open access materials.
Presenters	Library Research Support Team
Booking Information	BOOK A PLACE HERE (Sussex Direct Login required) (If you do not have a Sussex Direct login, please email researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk to book your place)

Other opportunities for ECRs training and development

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