|
ECR Newsletter - December 2025
|
|
|
|
Spotlight On ... Become an ECR Representative!
|
|
|
|
|
Want to shape Research Culture at Exeter? Express your interest in becoming an ECR Representative for St Luke's Campus - EoI NOW OPEN!
Want to shape research culture at Exeter?
Our current St Lukes's ECR Rep, Becky Whear, is reaching the end of her term and we’re seeking an Early Career Researcher Representative from St Luke’s campus to sit on the Research & Impact Executive Committee (RIEC). This role brings ECR voices into University decision-making and helps shape a research environment where ECRs feel empowered, connected and heard.
As ECR Rep you will work with the 3 other ECR Reps to RIEC to:
-
gather insights and highlight priorities from Town Halls and ECR meetings.
-
feedback issues to the ECR community from RIEC.
-
chair the ECR Representative Committee on a rotational basis.
-
help prepare papers for RIEC.
The role offers insight into strategic decision-making plus excellent experience in leadership, communication, presentation and policy influence - highly valuable for your academic and professional profile. The new Rep will receive information and ongoing support from the existing Reps and the Researcher Development and Research Culture team. Follow this link for more information about ECR Representation
To express interest, complete this form by Friday 30 January 2026 (5 pm). For questions or an informal chat, contact us via researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
|
|
|
|
Research Staff Development Programme
|
|
|
|
|
How to Write When You're Struggling to Write
Thursday 15 January 2026 (10.30 am - 12.30 pm) - Online
Have you got a piece of writing that you're 'meant' to be doing but feel that you're not making enough progress? That you 'should' have done it by now? Or that you don't know where to start or even if it's any good anyway? In this two hour online workshop, Dr Vikki Wright of Wembury Coaching, will focus on WHY you're not writing at the moment and how you can manage your thoughts and feelings to get more done and enjoy the process.
You will be shown some specific self-coaching techniques that you can use when you're struggling to write. You'll leave knowing how to support yourself to get this done and be proud of the outcome.
|
|
|
|
|
Thriving and Progressing in the Academic Mid-Career
Application deadline - 4 February 2026 (12 noon).
4 Part course taking place on:
5, 12, 19 & 26 March 2026 (all 10.30 am - 12.30 pm) - 0nline
Over four, 2 hour long online sessions you will join other mid-career colleagues in reflecting on your career to date, before exploring how you can consider and action how you may approach your institution’s internal promotional pathways. The sessions will be a mix of focused individual work, small group work and short talks and question and answer sessions from specialists internal and external to the university. The workshops will explore key themes such as: research culture, institutional citizenship, research and teaching impact and academic leadership and communication. When clicking on the link below, please ignore the 'fully booked' message as you cannot book a place via iTrent. You need to apply for a place by using the MS Form link shown.
|
|
|
|
|
Emotionally Challenging Research
Wednesday 11 February 2026 (9.30 am - 1 pm) Online
Equip yourself and/or your team with knowledge and tools essential for maintaining emotional wellbeing in research on emotionally challenging topics (eg death, illness, war, crime, extreme poverty).
The online workshop, delivered by Dr Tina Skinner, introduces a practical toolkit, providing resources and guidance to support researchers, supervisors and organisations in managing the emotional aspects of their work and progressing towards a strategic approach to researcher wellbeing and emotionally challenging topics.
|
|
|
|
|
Doors to Business and Industry: Opportunities for Researchers – ECR Town Halls, Spring 2026
Join us for our Spring Term ECR Town Halls exploring opportunities for researchers to engage with business and industry. A panel of expert speakers will share their research journeys, discuss what it means to be a business-aware academic, and highlight pathways for progression and collaboration. The session includes a panel discussion, Q&A, ECR-focused conversations, and networking. Light refreshments provided.
St Luke’s Campus
Wednesday 28 January 2026 (10 am - 11.30 am) - South Cloisters Room 3.06.
Speakers: Stuart Brocklehurst; Professor Alison Truelove; Colin Dart
Penryn Campus
Tuesday 3 February 2026 (11 am - 12.30 pm) - DDM PG Seminars 1 & 2
Speakers: Dr Kara Bogus; Dr Jo Bowler; Nicholas Pearson
|
|
|
|
|
'Focus Space' - Improve Your Productivity!
We would like to give you a warm welcome to our regular 'Focus Space' online sessions which run from 10 am - 12.30 pm Mondays and Thursdays - Click here for dates and details of how to join this group. Participants do not have to stay for the whole session - you can dip in and out as you please! To make things easy, these sessions, open to staff researchers, from Early Career Researchers onwards, can be accessed via the same Teams link.
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. Facilitating is considered part of 'teaching practice' for Fellowship levels of the Higher Education Academy!
|
|
|
|
Other Learning and Development Opportunities: University of Exeter and Beyond
|
|
| |
|
ICoRSA Conference and AGM 2025 - Sustainable Research Careers
Wednesday 10 December 2025 (1 pm - 2.30 pm)
You are invited to an online panel discussion on 'Sustainable Research Careers'. This event will explore initiatives that contribute to more sustainable and attractive career paths for researchers. You can access the Agenda here.
|
|
|
|
|
Sustainable AI workshop: How do we assess the environmental impact of AI at University?
Friday 12 December 2025 (11.30 am - 1.30 pm)
Streatham Campus, SWIoT AI Arena
Join this in-person workshop to explore how we can understand and reduce our environmental impact of artificial intelligence (AI) at the University. As a part of the University’s commitment to taking meaningful action on the climate emergency crisis, it is important to consider the sustainability of our growing use of artificial intelligence. AI impact goes beyond energy consumption - it also includes water usage, material resources, and wider impacts of data creation, model training and the use of cloud-based systems. These issues span the use of large language models, simulation-based research, high performance computing – but also our everyday teaching and academic workflows (and even a simple search in Google!).
This workshop is a part of the Research Sessions at the Computer Science Department with lunch sponsored by the Centre for Environmental Intelligence & the Environmental Intelligence.
The agenda will include a few short presentations about ongoing work in this area. If you would like to give a presentation, please contact Dr May Rodriguez at m.rodriguez3@exeter.ac.uk.
|
|
|
|
|
Do you use AI Research Assistants in your Research/Work?
Survey deadline : Friday 12 December 2025
The UoE Library is looking for your views and experiences using AI research assistants in your research/work. Please take part in this very short (less than 5 minutes) survey to inform their planning and development in this area.
|
|
|
|
|
Opportunity for Early Career Researchers - Transforming research into action: An AI focused interactive workshop
Tuesday 13 January 2025 (10 am - 12.30 pm) Streatham Campus
Are you an Early Career Researcher interested in collaborating beyond academia? Take part in our fast-paced, friendly workshop to explore how to connect beyond academia to unlock the potential of your research. No prior industry or networking experience required.
The session covers:-
-
Hands-on activities to help you craft clear, compelling messages for non-academic audiences.
-
Hear from industry leaders including a multinational tech company and local businesses.
-
Meet academic researchers who will share tips on how they work with businesses.
-
Explore practical next steps with advice from impact and innovation stalls.
-
Delicious lunch and cakes from the Exploding Bakery!
This in-person interactive workshop prepares you to connect with non-academic organisations and will feature industry representative input and business leaders from organisations across the southwest as well as researchers talking about their collaborations with non-academic partners.
This workshop is part of the Developing Business-Aware Academics research project. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to read the participant information sheet, sign a research consent form, and complete evaluation questionnaires before and after the session.
|
|
|
|
|
What is Mentoring and how can it be of benefit?
Mentoring allows established professionals and less experienced professionals to meet and engage with one another, offering both parties the chance to progress, learn new skills and fulfil true potential.
The university has a new mentoring platform and all ECRs are encouraged to sign up to be either a mentor, a mentee, or both! Mentoring is a valuable developmental activity.
|
|
|
|
Research Grants, Funding & Competitions
|
|
| |
|
Research Culture Funding Calls - watch this space...
Researcher Development and Research Culture has now received confirmation of funding from Research England's Enhancing Research Culture grant to the university, which means we can run the Researcher-led Initiatives (RLI) and the Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) Enhancement Awards again in 2026!
We are currently finalising details and hope to open the two calls imminently. Watch this space for udpates, and get your thinking caps on about ideas for the awards.
For inspiration, check some of our ECR blog posts about past awards:
If you have any queries about the funding calls, email researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
|
|
|
|
|
Glaucoma UK Research Grants - Now Open!
Application Deadline - Tuesday 10 February 2026
Glaucoma UK’s Research Programme for 2025-6 has just been launched and we welcome applications regarding relevant research proposals into all aspects of glaucoma care and treatment.
Funding is available for project grants worth up to £150,000, for projects investigating all aspects of glaucoma. Applications for smaller projects, especially welcome from early career researchers.
|
|
|
|
|
Application Deadline - Monday 2 February 2026 with successful projects running for 6-months from June through to November 2026.
Up to £20,000 Available!
This fund supports innovative research and collaborative communities across the GW4 Alliance: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter. The fund supports both new and existing GW4 communities working to address major research or societal challenges.
Applications are welcome from any discipline and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) are especially encouraged to apply.
Funding can be used independently or alongside other sources, helping communities take the next step toward securing external funding.
Explore past projects on the ‘Our Communities’ webpages. For questions or support, contact communities@gw4.ac.uk.
|
|
|
|
|
Dr Andrew Cunliffe has created this Funding Finder platform which signposts hundreds of funding opportunities that will be of interest to current community members looking to undertake research, fieldwork, conference visits or exchanges with our partner organisations worldwide. It has easily searchable listings and awards ranging from £100 to £10,000,000.
|
|
|
New Pivot-RP Searches for the ECR Community
As part of ongoing work to develop our university-wide support for fellowship applicants and active fellows, we have established two curated Pivot-RP searches targeted at this ECR community that can be readily accessed and tailored to individual’s needs. Guidance on how to do this can be found on the button below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research & Researcher Networks
|
|
| |
|
Research Impact Culture: AHRC and ESRC Impact Accelerator Accounts
Friday 5 December 2025 (10 am - 12 noon) online
This session will give insight into the Impact Accelerator Accounts (IAA), which is a type of devolved funding aimed at supporting the development of a research impact culture within universities. This funding is awarded from a Research Council directly to a university, who then use it support a range of internal funding opportunities, training and other support for researchers to make a meaningful difference outside of the University.
The session will include an introduction to concept of research impact with some examples of projects that have been supported by IAA funding. The AHRC and ESRC teams who look after their respective IAA programmes will share more about their strategic aims for the IAA, followed by a conversation about the types of support that are on offer to help you develop impact from your research. We will end with a sharing of the specific internal IAA opportunities available.
The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network brings together ECRs across the humanities and social sciences disciplines, regardless of their funding source or background.
|
|
|
|
|
Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (IDSAI) ECR Network Social
Thursday 11 December 2025 (3.30 pm - 4.30 pm)
Streatham Campus, Washington Singer, Room 105
Come meet with fellow ECRs with an interest in Data Science and AI. This month's social includes refreshments and cake! Contact Cédric Mesnage (c.s.mesnage@exeter.ac.uk) to register.
|
|
|
|
|
Promoting Open and Reproducible Research at Exeter
Exeter is part of the UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN) – a national initiative promoting open, transparent, and reproducible research across all disciplines.
The UKRN Exeter local network supports departments and research groups in improving research quality, transparency, and reproducibility. We’ll be running events and initiatives that offer training opportunities and celebrate excellence in open research across the University.
👉 Join the UKRN Exeter mailing list to stay informed by completing this form
👉 Get in touch with us with any questions or ideas: ukrn@exeter.ac.uk
Let’s work together to strengthen Exeter’s culture of open and reproducible research.
|
|
|
|
|
ECR Community on Viva Engage
Have you noticed the University community for ECRs on Viva Engage? Lots of ECRs have already been added and if you are not on there, you can join. This is a collaborative online space to share and discuss ideas, ask questions and keep up to date with the latest activities, events and opportunities.
Have your voice heard and shape our community and ECR culture. Join the conversation now by sharing your first post!
This page is maintained and moderated by the Researcher Development and Research Culture team.
|
|
|
|
Research & Researcher Blogs
|
|
|
|
|
Our Future Leader and Innovator Becky Rowe has been mighty busy of late, mustering together a range of ECR blog posts following Researcher Development sessions that have taken place and we just know that you will find interesting!
|
|
|
|
Health, Wellbeing & Support
|
|
| |
|
Find out how the University can support Early Career Researchers. The page includes support from the University, Spectrum.Life as well as a list of networks to support staff wellbeing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
