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Welcome to the May 2021 ECR newsletter and we hope you made good use of the Bank Holiday long weekend!

The Online Researcher-Led Initiatives (RLI) Funding Award Scheme has just one deadline date remaining so don't miss out and get that application submitted! 

You will see a vastly increased suite of online learning and development both through the Core Programme and also via the Research and Innovation Essentials Series which we are adding to on a weekly basis. We are continuing to run the valuable online Writing Groups throughout May and into June - a superb opportunity for you to set time aside to write those all important pages!

For queries surrounding Coronavirus, please take a look at the Staff University Webpage for further guidance, as well as to continue following Government Guidelines and stay safe.  

In the meantime, if you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at: researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

All courses are delivered online

ECR Core Programme:-
Getting Stuff Done - 19/05/2021 (11 am - 12.30 pm) - Register here.
Dealing with Challenges during your Research using Lego - 25/05/2021 (11 am - 1 pm) - Register here.
Focus on - Interdisciplinary Research - 26/05/2021 (2 pm - 3 pm) - Register here.
Focus on - Twitter and Blogging Online Panel - 07/06/2021 (11 am - 12 noon) - Register here.

Research & Innovation Essentials Series:
An introduction to Impact: understanding, funding, evaluating and communicating impact - 12/05/2021 (12 noon - 2 pm) - Register here.- Fully booked but please register on the waiting list for a future session.
Consultancy and Contract Research - 26/05/2021 (10.30 am - 11.30 am) - Register here.
Introduction to Research Services - 09/06/2021 (11 am - 12.30 pm) - Register here.
IP and Commercialisation - coming soon!

Researcher-led Iniatives:-
Building a cross-college ECR community through Diversity, Inclusion, Cohesion and Equality (DICE) training - 27/05/2021  (10 am - 1 pm and repeated 2 pm - 5 pm) - Register here.

Writing Groups for ECRs - Spring term dates as follows:

Thurs 6 May 2021 2021 (10 am - 12.30 pm)
Thurs 13 May 2021(10 am - 12.30 pm)
Thurs 20 May 2021 (10 am - 12.30 pm
Thurs 3 June 2021 (10 am - 12.30 pm)

More June dates available!  Just visit the website!!

To book your place click on the appropriate date/s (above).

Here's just a couple of feedback comments from recent Groups:-

"It was a really good way to block out time to work on a specific task. I found the structure of the session really useful and there was a really relaxed and friendly atmosphere."
"I enjoyed the collective experience of writing and the opportunity to dedicate some time to it, without distractions."
These sessions provide the perfect space for you to 'give yourself permission' to write! 

We are looking to expand our team of facilitators so if you would like to find out more about becoming a facilitator please contact ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

ExeTalks - YouTube Playlist
ExeTalks are a chance to discover some of the fascinating research undertaken at the University of Exeter and loosely follow the TEDx style. Click here to view the playlist.

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The Scholars programme - PhD Opportunity 2020-21
The Brilliant Club’s Researcher Development Programme offers PhD and Early Career Researchers a meaningful, professionally developmental, paid tutoring opportunity. Training with The Brilliant Club and working as a Scholars Programme tutor enables researchers to communicate their research to a non-specialist audience, gain valuable teaching and public engagement experience and deepen their knowledge of the UK education system. To find out more and apply click here.

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Call for Peer Reviewers - Networking Knowledge
We are currently seeking volunteer peer reviewers to help us to continue to ensure the academic integrity of submissions to the journal. This is a great opportunity to add peer review experience to your academic CV, to build your academic citizenship and to be among the first to find out about new research projects happening in your field. Guidance on the peer reviewing process will be provided, and joining us as a peer reviewer requires no minimum commitment.  For further information contact rebecca.jones@strath.ac.uk.

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"One Step Beyond" Academic Mentoring Scheme
This scheme spans across all Colleges to bring you a fantastic opportunity to engage with a mentoring relationship and develop your knowledge in any of the following areas:-

• Building informal teams and collaborations
• Citizenship Development
• Education Development
• Leadership & Management Development
• Managing personal/family life with professional/career aspirations
• Personal Effectiveness
• Research Development

To find out more open this useful flyer or visit the website.

Unsure of your future career direction either within Academia or beyond Academia? Kate Foster, (Careers Coach for Researcher Development and Research Culture), is available to offer 1:2:1 Career coaching appointments for ECRs.  50 minute online appointments are available for you to book on by clicking here.

Kate can  offer advice and discuss how to manage and plan your career.

If there are no timeslots available please contact ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

Calling all researchers!  Week beginning the 10th May 2021 you will receive a unique URL to complete the CEDARs survey (created by Vitae - formally known as the CROS and PIRLS surveys). This is a chance for you to let the University know how well we are doing when it comes to supporting our researchers. The survey is open until Wednesday 30th June 2021 and should only take around 10-15 minutes to complete. We will donate £250 to the charity of choice for the college with the highest response rate.

Written by Yolanda Hill – ECR representative on the Vitae Concordat Steering Group

In 2020, the University of Exeter signed up to the Vitae Researcher Development Concordat, making a formal declaration of support to our ECR community. I hope this post helps to inform our community of the Concordat’s principles, and what we can expect from UoE as a result.
Vitae is a non-profit arm of the Careers Research & Advisory Centre, aimed at influencing policy to enhance HE’s provision for development of ECRs. They have brought together a strategy group comprising of funding bodies, UUK, UCU, charities, academies and government departments, to develop and write the Concordat, which now nearly 100 UK Universities have signed.

The 3 key principles of the Concordat are:

1. Environment and culture – supporting an inclusive, healthy and positive working environment for ECRs.
The University must ensure:
• their policies and practices are inclusive, equitable and transparent
• they promote and support good mental health and wellbeing
• managers are trained to support Concordat principles

2. Employment – researchers are recruited and employed under conditions which value their contributions, and recognise a good work-life balance.
The University must ensure:
• fair and inclusive recruitment and career progression
• researches are effectively included in the ECR community and aware of policy affecting them
• they seek to improve job security

3. Professional and career development – equip researchers to be adaptable and flexible in a diverse and global employment market.
The University must ensure:
• researchers have protected development time (min 10 days per year)
• they provide researchers with training and development opportunities
• they recognise the value of researchers who move across areas and sectors

For full details of the Concordat see here https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/concordat
With knowledge comes power. We as ECRs, need to engage with the University and the Doctoral College, to ensure that the principles of the Concordat are being upheld. I encourage all ECRs to join the ECR Liaison Forums to have your say.

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Researchers take charge: your culture, your development, your future (6 May 2021 - 1-2 pm)
This online event is being delivered by the University of Liverpool Research Staff Association.

The Researcher Development Concordat sets out expectations for institutions, funders, managers and researchers under three leading Principles of Environment and culture; Employment; and Professional and Career Development. But what can researchers do to realise these expectations?

In this interactive workshop, be ready to discuss the expectations, the challenges and the opportunities for developing your own career, as well as those of your fellow researchers. Outcomes from the discussions of this event will feed into future developments for supporting researchers across the sector.  For more information and to book your place click here.

Early Career Research Networks (ECRNs) are designed to help support our Early Career Researchers in the beginning stages of their career. The ECRNs are designed to help raise awareness of new developments in a particular field: new tools, processes, leaders, training programs, and services. They are also an opportunity for collaborative problem solving and to get advice from other Early Career Researchers. To find out more about the Networks and who your Network Rep is click here.

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A call to join the Living Systems Institute’s Early Career Researcher Network steering committee (LSI ECRN).
The LSI management team and the Doctoral College are keen to support the LSI’s ECR community. We aim to restart LSI ECRN activities and would like to set up a steering committee of LSI ECRs to run the network. Opportunities for network activities are vast and could include social events as well as formal training. If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Yolanda Hill y.r.hill@exeter.ac.uk.

Kelly Preece, Researcher Development Manager for PGRs is developing a new resource on  applying for postdoctoral funding on the Postgraduate Researcher Development Careers ELE page. For this resource she is  trying to source the following:

-  Examples of successful PDRA/F job applications from each academic college, to be anonymised.

-  Examples of successful postdoc funding applications for each academic college, to be anonymised.

These resources will provide crucial guidance and support to our PGRs as they move on to the next stage of their academic careers. If you would be willing to contribute your job or funding application as an anonymous example for this resource, please email k.preece@exeter.ac.uk.

Applications are open for our Online Researcher-Led Initiatives Award Scheme.

This year, we are asking for applications for online/virtual events on the following themes:

a. Developing an engaged research culture
b. Building a PGR or ECR community
c. Equality, diversity, and inclusivity
d. Wellbeing

We will be running a rolling scheme that will stay open until 19th May 2021, assessing applications monthly on a case-by-case basis. This will enable us to be flexible, and responsive to the current situation.

You can find our more on our website or apply using our online application form.

Deadlines for each month as follows:-
Wed 19 May 2021 (final deadline).

If you have any questions or would like to discuss an idea for an application, please contact researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

Support for disabled grantholders: Wellcome are expanding financial support for researchers to deliver projects – including purchase of assistive technology – to better support grantholders and staff employed on their grant if they are disabled or have a long term health condition.

Clinical trials policy: Wellcome is a signatory to the WHO joint statement on clinical trials transparency. We’ve amended our policy to make our requirements clearer. Grantholders must update their clinical trials registry record with the numbers of people enrolled on their trial and the trial end date, upload all results including null and negative results, and publish in a journal in line with our open access policy.

Making an Impact 2021
The University of Liverpool are pleased to announce the launch of Making an Inpact 2021, their flagship series of development opportunities designed to support and enhance research impact in all its forms.  They are opening up the following sessions to external partners. 

• A joint keynote on the National Knowledge Exchange Framework results and future KE strategy  - Monday 10th May (11:30am-12:30pm).
• From Liverpool to Impact: A career in science and technology in industry and the public sector - Tues 11th May (10.00-11.00am)
• From Liverpool to Impact: Moving from Research to a FTSE 100  - Thurs 13th May (10.00-11.00am)
• An interactive keynote on Making University -Company partnerships pay off - Friday 14th May (9.30am-10.30am). 
• A keynote on how to create meaningful Social Impact - Monday 17th May (10.00am-11.00am)
• Has business finally woken up to climate change? - Mon 17th May (1.00-2.00pm)
• From Liverpool to Impact: Spinning out your research into a business - Tues 18th May (11.00am-12.00pm)
• A keynote the changing landscape for international research collaboration - Thursday 20th May (11.30am-12.30pm).
• From Liverpool to Impact: Working with industry to get your research into the world - Mon 24th May (10.00-11.00am)
• A keynote on the increased vulnerability of British Cities and how Liverpool is well placed to lead a hopeful future - Tuesday 25th May (11.00am-12.00pm).
• A keynote related to the collective knowledge economy - Tuesday 8th June (10:00am-11:00am).
• A panel discussion on “Where can your postdoc take you?” - Tuesday 8th June (12:00-1.00pm).
• Making a civic impact in innovation, culture, and the economy - Thurs 10th June (9.30-10.30am)
• Where can my research take me? - Thurs 10th June (11.30-12.30pm)

If you have any questions please contact Saneeya (saneeya.qureshi@liverpool.ac.uk) or Angela (angela.midgley@liverpool.ac.uk)

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Pint of Science - 17 - 20 May 2021
Pint of Science is back for 2021 with live online shows! We're passionate about making it easy to share the joy and inspiration of science and research; so join us live on our YouTube channel where we will be broadcasting nearly 70 shows during 17-20 May 2021 (airing each evening at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, UK time).  Although all our shows are free to watch, we kindly ask you to register to get the direct link to watch and to receive a reminder. Click here for Pint of Science interactive programme booklet and to register your place.

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2021 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science UK & Ireland Rising Talent Programme - Deadline for applications 31 May 2021 (5 pm GMT)
The 2021 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science UK & Ireland Rising Talent Programme is OPEN for applications.  We will be awarding five outstanding female early-career scientists a bursary of £15,000 (equivalent € for candidates in Ireland).  The five awards will be dedicated to research in the fields of Physical Science; Engineering; Mathematics and Computing; Life Science and Sustainable Development.  To find out more visit the website.

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Research Ethics Conference - Friday 25 June 2021 (10 am - 5.30 pm) St Lukes Campus
Ethics has never been as important as it is now. The world we live in is changing at a dramatic pace and we must maintain rigorous and critical ethical practices of the research journey, across all disciplines throughout STEM and HASS. But what exactly is ethics and what does it mean to conduct ethical research? To find out more about the Conference and to book your place click here. It is hoped to host a blended conference (in-person and online). However, due to the current circumstances, will be at least hosting an online conference. More information on this will be released shortly.

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The University of Exeter Research Toolkit offers several internal funding schemes which can be accessed by clicking here.

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RDM Lifecycle Infographic
Not sure what support is available to help you manage your research data? Take a look at this new Research Data Management Lifecycle infographic which presents the Professional Services’ (PS) support that is available for researchers in every step of the RDM Lifecycle.

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The Open University and the University of West London are delighted to bring you the 5th BME Early Career Researchers Conference - Friday 9 July 2021 (9.30 am - 6 pm)
To find out who the keynote speakers are at this year's Conference entitled 'Moving on Up' and to book your place click here.

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Postdoc Futures
Created from the committee who organised National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW), Postdoc Futures is a “grassroots” initiative that is in communication with Wellcome and UKRI to help shape a better future for Postdocs, and create a more consistent policy structure across all institutions for Postdocs. Postdoc Futures is looking for ECRs from Exeter to be part of this group, give their views as well as represent the views of ECRs at Exeter. If you are interested in being on the Postdoc Futures group please email: researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

If you're organising an event and don't know where to start, take a look at the Corporate Events webpage where you will find lots of useful information and advice including an Events Planning Toolkit!  If you would like to contact the Events Team for further advice email eventenquiries@exeter.ac.uk.

We have recently created a new webpage, detailing all the wellbeing support for ECRs. Including support from the University, Spectrum.Life as well as a list of networks to support staff wellbeing.