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Welcome to this month's ECR Newsletter where you will find information on the following opportunities:

• New RIEC Reps
• RDRC Courses
• Online Writing Groups for ECRs
• Software Engineering Surgeries
• Research Integrity & Ethics Surgeries
• Thinking about your Career
• Responsible Metrics
• ECR Christmas Quiz!
• Research Grants and Funding
• Latest Events and Opportunities
• RLI Focus: The Power of LinkedIn for an Effective Research Collaboration
• and much more!

Please direct any questions you may have to researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

Previous copies of Newsletters can be viewed by clicking here.

Over the last couple of years our RIEC reps: Helen Eyles, Ben Gardner, MD Sharma and Clemens Ullman, have done a fantastic job as our reps on RIEC (Research Impact Executive Committee). However there term is up and we are looking for new reps to represent the ECR community at RIEC. Below is a brief description of the role of ECR RIEC Rep:

• Represent the views of the ECR community at PGR/ECR RIEC specific RIECs
• Listen to the issues raised by the ECR community
• Chair the ECR LF meetings

If you wish to become a ECR RIEC Rep or would like further information please email the team on: researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk. Deadline to put your name forward/expression of interest is the end of the day on Tuesday 30th November.

All courses are delivered online (please click on the course title for info and to book your place).

ECR Core Programme:-

Mapping and Marketing Your Skills - 9/11/2021 (11 am - 12.30 pm)
Software Engineering Surgeries - 11/11/2021 (1 pm - 4.30 pm)
Networking for Researchers - 16/11/2021 (11 am - 12 noon)
Research Integrity and Ethics Surgeries - 17/11/2021 (10 am - 12 noon)
Questionnaire Design - a very basic introduction - 18/11/2021 (2 pm - 3.30 pm)
Applying for Academic Jobs - 23/11/2021 (11 am - 1 pm) 
Doing Research with Artists - 23/11/2021 (2 pm - 3.30 pm)
Writing World Leading & Impactful Research Papers - 24/11/2021 (9 am - 10.30 am)
Applying for Jobs Beyond Academia - 30/11/2021 (10 am - 12 noon) 
Doing Research with Artists - 7/12/2021 (10.30 am - 11.30 am)
Writing Targeted Grant Proposals - 9/12/2021 (9 am - 10.30 am) 

These online ECR group sessions are dedicated support spaces to enable ECRs to work on their own (be that writing a paper, a report, data analysis, reading, a specific task), with support from a facilitator. Time is structured into a series of work and discussion slots, to encourage productivity and sharing of practice. These sessions allow you to block out some time for whatever you are working on, without distractions!

Various dates in November and December are now available - all running 10 am - 12.30 pm - Click here to view dates and book your place/s.

Here's what Dr Anna Adlam wrote following her first session:

"I joined the Researcher Development writing group this morning and spent 2.5 hours of uninterrupted time focusing on a manuscript that I have been feeling ‘stuck’ on for a (long!) while. The time went quickly but I made progress and have overcome the ‘stuck-ness’ that I was feeling. For me, having others writing at the same time helped me to feel a sense of accountability and community. Also, having the facilitator set the timer (25mins, 45mins x2, 10mins) helped to make my writing process more efficient. I will definitely be signing up for more of these sessions and hopefully will develop a ‘writing habit’ as a result."

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.

These surgeries are new for ECRs and run monthly by the University’s new Research Software Engineers (RSEs) Group. The University has created a centralised RSE group that will assist our research community with more complex and bespoke research software needs. The RSE group is part of the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

The software surgeries provide an opportunity to discuss with a member of the RSE team any coding issues, software development tasks, or other research software problems or ideas you have. For example:-

• Discuss bugs or problems you are having, and approaches to finding a solution;
• Get some guidance on how to design and approach your coding tasks;
• Understand the next steps and places to go for getting additional help or working with the RSE team in the long term.

The next surgery will be held on 11 November, from 1 - 4.30 pm. Appointments are 30 minutes and need to be booked in advance.

To book your place, complete this short form.  Once submitted, you will receive an auto-reply with an MS Bookings link where you can book yourself a timeslot.

In addition to the monthly Introduction to Research Ethics webinar (further details below) the Research Ethics and Governance team, in conjunction with the Researcher Development and Research Culture team, are offering monthly Research Ethics Surgeries for ECRs.

These 1:1, 20 minute drop-in surgeries provide an opportunity to discuss any queries, concerns or issues that you may have relating to all aspects of good practice in research, research integrity and ethics.

This could include consideration of the ethical implications of your research project and future research direction, review of your ethics application, identifying regulations and external approval routes for your research where relevant, discussing concerns on research integrity or queries on, for example, authorship, data management and open research practices.

You can either attend a webinar first or book an appointment at one of our surgeries:-

Research Integrity and Ethics Surgeries:-
• 17 November 2021
• 13 December 2021
• 14th January 2022

To book yourself a surgery timeslot please email a request to ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk.

'Introduction to Research Ethics Workshops' are delivered monthly online (12 noon - 1 pm).  To find out more and to book yourself a place click here.

Career Support – self-paced online career management programme for researchers:

In addition to the 1:1 coaching and career related workshops and webinars we offer, you may be interested in the Career Management for Early Career Academic Researchers MOOC which is now open until July 2022.

Career Management for Researchers is a bespoke online course developed by specialist researcher careers consultants at the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Sheffield. It has been designed for research staff and PhD students who are exploring their career options and preparing for the next stage in their career, whether in academia or beyond. It is a 4 part/week course designed to address key career issues pertinent to researchers. Each week the course content provides a range of articles, videos, reflective activities, exercises and discussion topics. Researchers are encouraged to set aside 3 hours to complete all of the content available each week.

Do you care that your research is assessed fairly, in its entirety and not based on narrow measures such as where you have published or how many times you have been cited? Responsible metrics is about ensuring that our research culture celebrates all research and research outputs and looks beyond blunt quantitative measures to assess quality. As a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), we are looking for PGRs and ECRs to join our Responsible Metrics Champions Group, in order to help ensure that this important agenda translates into our own university policy and practice. Those in the early stages of their research career have the most to gain from responsible metrics, so we’re keen to ensure that we have PGRs and ECRs represented on the group. If you’d like to find out more, or think you may be interested in joining the group, please contact Becky Euesden r.s.euesden@exeter.ac.uk.

Following on from the success of the ECR quiz in the summer, Rebecca Whear is organising a Christmas QUIZ for all ECRs across all campuses!!  This will be held online on Wednesday 8 December 2021 (13:00-14:15).

SIGN UP HERE NOW!

If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca Whear directly (R.S.Whear@exeter.ac.uk)

MRC CiC funding applications open - Deadline Monday 15 Novemer 2021
We received a further £90k from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Confidence in Concept (CiC) fund and are inviting applications for MRC funding of up to a maximum of £45k.  Click here for more information.

TREE Carer Support funding - Deadline - on a rolling basis until all awards allocated.
The Translational Research Exchange @ Exeter has Carer Support funding available. The aim of the funding is to support academic staff with caring responsibilities whose career development has been adversely affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for more information.

Check out the Research Toolkit webpages for more opportunities.

Parliament Week 1-7 November 2021
Policy@Exeter is organising a series of events to celebrate Parliament Week on w/c 1st November.

We find that whenever we speak to ECRs they are very enthusiastic about policy impact, however they are not always aware of the support that is available through IIB/Policy@Exeter. To find out about the events organised, click here.

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Careers in Science Workshop with Dr Kevin Parker
Takes place virtually on Thursday 11 November 2021(10 am - 12 noon).
Kevin trained as a chemist (at Edinburgh and Cambridge), and worked for 12 years with BP. Of that time 6 years was spent in R&D (winning BP's major in-house research prize) and 6 years as a 'fast-track' commercial manager. He carries out extensive business training for companies, start-ups, Universities and Research Institutes. A number of people he has trained have gone on to form successful start-up companies (notably Advanced Pest Solutions and the Aberdeen-based biotech companies Haptogen and Novabiotics). To register click here.

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Applications for MRC funding open
The University of Exeter has received a further £90k from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Confidence in Concept fund and are inviting applications for MRC funding of up to a maximum of £45k. The deadline for submissions is Monday 15 November.  Find out more by clicking here.

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New UKRI Open Access Policy
The new UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) open access policy has been launched and it applies to research articles and conference proceedings (with an ISSN) submitted from Friday 1 April 2022 and longer form outputs published from 2024.

For those who could not attend the first session on 26.10.21, there will be another session on Wednesday 17 November (1:30-2:15pm).  Contact openaccess@exeter.ac.uk for more information.

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Translational Research Exchange @ Exeter (TREE) seed corn funding
This online event will launch the latest Seed corns and is open to all researchers, academics and clinicians who want to find out more about our seed corn funding. The deadline for the next round of applications is 17 November 2021. Here you can find out about available funding, collaboration opportunities, application advice and project suitability, as well as speaking to people who have taken part in previous seed corn projects.  Click here to register.

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PRISM Speakers: Shining a light on the queer side of science for LGBTQ+ STEM Day
Wednesday, November 17th 2021
Rougemont Room, Exeter Library (doors open 6:30pm) and online (Zoom opens 6:50pm). All times GMT
Join PRISM Exeter (the city's LGBTQ+ network for STEM professionals and students) for the latest event in their Speakers series. For more information and to book your tickets, click here.

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Seminars from Digital Humanities Lab
The Digital Humanities Lab is offering an exciting programme of seminars throughout November and December, featuring a Showcase of Exeter Research, and training workshops in a wide range of digital methods. The workshops are intended for staff and postgraduates interested in developing their skills for research and teaching.  Click here to view all seminars and to book your places.

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Next Disability Network Meeting Dates
24 November 2021 (1-2 pm)
15 December 2021 (1-2 pm)

For accessibility information & the meeting links, please email disabilitynetwork@exeter.ac.uk. All welcome to attend, including allies, and it will be an open discussion.

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JSPS London Pre/Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers (Short Term)
Application Deadline: Monday 29th November, 2021 Fellowships must start between: 1st May 2022 to 31st March 2023.
This programme provides the opportunity for short-term visits for pre- and post-doctoral UK researchers and European, North American and Canadian researchers based in the UK and Ireland, for cooperative research with leading research groups at Japanese Universities and Institutions. The programme is designed to provide researchers with first-hand experience of the research and living environment in Japan, whilst expanding academic exchange between Japan and the UK or Ireland. Researchers from any fields; Computer, Engineering, Health, Biological, Life, Natural and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Humanities and Social Sciences etc. are eligible to apply. Awards will cover visits of 1 to 12 months.  Find out more by clicking here.

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Government Consultation - Proposals to Reform Flexible Working Regulations - Deadline 1.12.21
The Government has launched a consultation seeking views from individuals and businesses on proposals to reform flexible working regulations as part of their plans to modernise the way we work. The consultation looks at a range of flexible working methods such as job-sharing, flexitime, compressed, annualised and staggered hours, as well as phased retirement – not just working from home.

You can respond to the consultation on the government’s website before it closes at 11.45 pm on Wednesday 1 December 2021.

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Santander Scholarships Studies | Union Black: Britain’s Black cultures & steps to anti-racism
Santander Universities UK has partnered with The Open University and FutureLearn, a digital education platform, to create an educational learning programme for students and staff from all UK Universities. The 6-hour course, designed by The Open University, is intended to support students and staff to increase their understanding of Black British history, race, and racism, and how individuals can make a positive difference.  Learners will be able to complete the course in their own time on the FutureLearn platform until 3 December 2021 and will receive a digital certificate upon completion.  To find out more click here.

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Early Career Fellowships
For early career researchers, with a research record but who have not yet held a full-time permanent academic post, to undertake a significant piece of publishable work.
Fellowships can be held at universities or at other institutions of higher education in the UK.  The Fellowships are intended to assist those at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, and it is hoped that the appointment would lead to a more permanent position for the individual, either within the same or another institution.  Opens - 1 January 2022.  Deadline - 24 February 2022. Decision - May 2022.  Find out more by clicking here.

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Scenes of Shame and Stigma in COVID-19 Seminar Series - online events June - December 2021
This seminar Series, organized at the University of Exeter as part of the UKRI-AHRC funded ‘Scenes of Shame and Stigma in COVID-19’ project, addresses the key role that shame and stigma have played in the COVID-19 public health crisis. With talks from established and emerging experts in sociology, anthropology, history and public health, this interdisciplinary seminar series examines the effects of shame and stigma during the pandemic, considering topics such as national responses, professional practice in medicine, community resilience, public health policy and BAME experience. For find out dates and book your place - click here.

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Project Management – bite-size videos
Fistral Training have made a series of FREE bite size, (Fistral Espressos), Project Management videos, for ECRs/PGRs. These may be very useful if you have project management experience, just need a refresher or want a just-in-time ‘shot’ of knowledge.  To view click here.

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Experiences of Leadership Change in HEI Professional Service Units - Participants Wanted!
This study is being conducted as part of Sam Ross’ PhD thesis study in the School of Management at the University of St Andrews. This study has been awarded ethical approval (MN15195). If you are a professional staff member whose line manager has recently been replaced OR whose Head of Unit / Director has been replaced, you may be interested in participating. This research project explores leadership change within professional service units. It provides the opportunity to participate in a 90-minute reflective. Your involvement can be adapted to your schedule. This is a cathartic opportunity to reflect on leadership change for all participants, and provides early access to the final findings of the thesis.  For more information contact Sam Ross.

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Michel Foucault and Education Policy study group
You are invited to join a new cross-university study group funded by the SWDPT. The study group  will analyse the relevance of the work of Michel Foucault, in particular the set of Lectures at the Collège de France, in the field of education studies. This year, although this is will be discussed in the first meeting and finally decided with the group then, we suggest to focus on three books: Security, Territory, Population; The Birth of Biopolitics; and On the Government of the Living.

The activity will be open to both doctoral students and staff across the three universities, with the aim to create a space for participants to discuss new and existing research agendas. It is intended as a space of open and honest critical thinking, sharing of ideas and, potentially, the creation of further research collaboration and writing.

The work will be organised in three terms (starting in mid-November 2021). Each term will consist of three monthly sessions and a half-day “conference”. For the latter, we aim to invite an external colleague expert in the field in order to discuss our progress with her/him. At the end of the year, the group will organise a one-day event where we will share our ideas, debates, questions, etc., with colleagues from the academic community beyond the study group.

If you are interested in taking part please email Antonio (Ono) Olmedo (a.olmedo@exeter.ac.uk) for further information.

This month we are shining the spotlight on the RLI (Researcher-led Initiative) which took place virtually back in June, and was organised by Sreeram Valsalakumar and hosted by Jennifer Corcoran. Sreeram writes: "Social media platforms have become more popular and become a vital tool for academics and researchers to discuss, disseminate and collaborate. While LinkedIn emphasises employment and business-related content, using LinkedIn to promote the research or the research collaboration needs a different strategy. The workshop we conducted, with the help of RLI funding, focused on demonstrating a comprehensive pathway for PhDs and ECRs to enhance their LinkedIn profiles. It is found that the researcher’s networking on LinkedIn provides a range of benefits like connecting other researchers, journal editors, publishers via the direct messaging feature, sharing the latest research updates and opportunity for collaboration. Building the first-line connections or identifying the right people such as researchers or experts in the same fields is crucial for improving your research subject promotion and discoverability”.  

Please get in touch with Sreeram Valsalakumar for workshop recordings.

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.

You can also get the latest Concordat updates and events by signing up to their newsletter when registering with their website.

Already registered and want to receive Vitae News? Contact Vitae direct

See the latest news update on the Concordat here.

This COVID quick reference guide. This has been developed to help colleagues find key pieces of COVID 19 information and links quickly. It also includes information on what will happen in the event of COVID 19 case(s).

We have published a range of guidance, checklists and the University travel policy for colleagues planning on travelling for work or study. The information covers both international travel and trips within the UK. Find out more click here. 

Library Search is your key gateway into the print and electronic resources available to you via the Library. It is available 24/7 from your desktop or device, wherever in the world you are located.

It will enable you to find recommended readings and search across a wide range of full text resources to discover materials on your research topics.

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.

Find out how the University can support Early Career Researchers by clicking here.  The page includes support from the University, Spectrum.Life as well as a list of networks to support staff wellbeing.

Colleague Grief and Bereavement Group
The University Chaplaincy and Staff Wellbeing teams have launched a Colleague Grief and Bereavement Group - a support network for colleagues experiencing any form of Grief or Bereavement. The group is a safe space for sharing/listening and practical/reflective activities, rather than a counselling environment. We have now set dates for groups at both campuses until the end of the year. Please click here to find out more and register your interest in attending. This group is open to all staff regardless of your worldview or religious faith. Further support is available here.

Spectrum Life
If you’re finding things tough at the moment, please don’t forget we can all make use of our free and completely confidential Employee Assistance Programme, Spectrum Life, available 24/7 365 days a year for you, your partner or spouse and any dependents over the age of 16, still living at home.