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ECR Newsletter - December 2024
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Early Career Researcher Network Enhancement Awards - NOW OPEN!
Closing date : Wednesday 22 January 2025 (12 noon)
Funding is available from a pool of £15,000 (maximum of £3,000 per Award).
The Researcher Development and Research Culture team has funding to support the development and enhancement of research culture related activities across the University of Exeter.
The ECRN Enhancement Awards provide funding for current ECRNs to enhance, promote or re-establish network activities. The Awards are also available to create new ECRNs in or across departments/faculties that do not yet have an established ECRN. Although the Award can support a social or community-building element, the bulk of the funding must be focused on learning and development activities and will need to align with one or more specific themes.
We are hosting an online workshop ‘How to Write a Strong Application for ECRN Enhancement Award’ on Wednesday 8 January 2025 (12 noon - 1 pm). Join us to hear from past award holders who will share their experiences, provide valuable tips and answer any questions you may have.
We are excited to share a blog post from Dr Melika Janbakhsh who won an ECRN Enhancement Award in 2024 to revive the Psychology ECRN. This post by Melika is part of our revived ECR blog and we look forward to sharing more posts about previous winners. This ECR blog is also designed for you to showcase your work, share insights and experiences, and connect with peers. If anyone is interested in blogging for us, get in touch researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
Stay tuned for updates and get involved in this exciting opportunity to elevate your researcher journey!
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Research Staff Development Programme
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Learning and Development Opportunities: University of Exeter and Beyond
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The Art of Presentation - Short Course
Monday 9 December 2024 (10 am - 11 am) Streatham, LSI, Seminar Room A
Northcott Creative Director, Martin Berry, has spent 26 years coaching people to speak and present with confidence. Using simple, accessible techniques from the theatre world, this enjoyable workshop designed for all skill levels is a great chance to gain confidence in public speaking through discussion, simple exercises and fun.
A longer version of this session also exists.
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Evaluating the Impact of AI in Policy and Business
Wednesday 11 December 2024 (12.30 pm - 2 pm) Online
Attend an insightful online talk by Prof Oliver Hauser, Deputy Director of IDSAI, as he explores how policy-makers, researchers, and evaluators can approach evaluating the causal effects of AI in policy-making and business.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is accelerating change across the economy and society. While AI holds transformative potential, not all applications will be game changers—or even the positive force we hope for.
How can we cut through the noise to uncover what AI will truly deliver for us?
Will AI Change the World?
📥 Registration is free!
This webinar is organized in partnership with the Social Research Association, Academy of Social Sciences, and the UK Evaluation Society.
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Exeter Impact Podcast virtual launch of Episode two "Islamic Law and Policy Impact" and a Policy Impact Expert Panel discussion
Monday 16 December 2024 (12 noon - 1.30 pm) online
The Exeter Impact Podcast hosts engaging conversations with research experts, sharing their insights, approaches, and solutions for advancing the impact of research at the University of Exeter and beyond. In the first series of six episodes, we cover diverse, flagship research across academic departments and impact types. Viewers can tune in every month to learn about planning and embedding research impact and opportunities to develop their impact portfolio. In our next episode, Professor Rob Gleave shares his valuable experience in Episode three “Islamic Law and Policy Impact”. The episode launch event takes place online from 12 noon - 1.30 pm on 16 December. Future Podcast Summary here.
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Human Tissue Act Training
Are you using or storing any human tissue for research or teaching? The Human Tissue Act (HTA) training is mandatory for anyone working with human tissue samples at the University of Exeter and the next session is on Monday 13 January 2025 (10 am - 11.30 am) Online
If you plan to collect informed consent as part of your research, you need to attend the Informed Consent training, also held on Monday 13 January 2025 (11.15 am - 12.15 pm), also online.
Please contact Christine on HTA-return@exeter.ac.uk for further enquiries or to book your place.
Both sessions are open to everyone. We also welcome anyone who attended the training over two years ago as a refresher. There is no registration deadline or booking limit.
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The Role of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in your Research
Dr Anurag Roy
Tuesday 14 January 2025 (1 pm - 2.30 pm) Online
This course aims to help researchers understand how sustainable development goals can shape and enhance the impact of their work.
Key areas covered include:
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Understanding the SDGs: A comprehensive overview of the 17 SDGs, their importance, and how they connect to different fields of research.
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Incorporating SDGs into Research: Methods and strategies for aligning your research with specific SDGs, ensuring that your work contributes to addressing critical global challenges.
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Interdisciplinary Approaches: Encouraging collaboration across fields to tackle the multi-dimensional nature of sustainable development.
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Measuring Impact: Tools for assessing and measuring how your research supports the achievement of SDGs and creates positive societal and environmental outcomes.
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Funding and Opportunities: Identifying funding sources, partnerships, and opportunities available to researchers focused on sustainability issues
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Opening Doors - Tips on Creating your Own Opportunities
Dr Amicia Phillips
Wednesday 15 January 2025 (11 am - 12.30 pm) - Streatham Campus, Old Library, Training Room 4
This interactive session will foster open discussion on taking initiative for career advancement. Participants will explore strategies for identifying and pursuing employment and funding opportunities, including those not publicly advertised. The session will also delve into ways to initiate research stays, placements, and collaborations. Through real-world examples of successful and unsuccessful attempts to create career opportunities, the course will provide practical guidance while encouraging participants to share their experiences and insights in an open environment.
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The Emotionally Intelligent & Agile Researcher
Wednesday 22 January 2025 (9.15 am - 1 pm) - Online
This Zoom workshop provides information about the different components of emotional intelligence along with research-based activities to enhance emotional agility and grow self-awareness. Join this practical and interactive personal development session. This course is recommended for all research staff who are interested in maximising potential and growing self-awareness and the ability to connect well with others.
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ECR Town Halls - Cornwall and Exeter dates!
ECR Town Hall - Cornwall - Tuesday 28 January 2025 (11 am - 12.30 pm) - Peter Lanyon Building, Seminar Room 5, Penryn campus
ECR Town Hall - Exeter - Wednesday 29 January 2025 (10 am - 11.30 am) - Old Library Training Room 4, Streatham campus
Town Hall Theme:
Responsible Research Assessment, Impact & university Rankings – what it means for you (Early Career Researchers)
With specialist speakers on Responsible Research Assessment, Impact & University Rankings, space for forum discussion about the tensions and ways forward and what this means for early career researcher publications and research communication, plus time to network with ECRs from other faculties and departments.
Speakers: Alicia O’Grady, Executive Divisional Director External Engagement & Global.
Prof. Rob Anderson, Chair of Responsible Metrics Champions Group.
The Early Career Researcher (ECR) Town Halls take place termly and provide an opportunity for ECRs to meet in-person to build community, share experiences and network. The Town Halls are open to any early career researcher (including research-only / education & research / education & scholarship staff & postgraduate researchers).
Anyone interested in attending must register beforehand.
Tea/Coffee and pastries will be served.
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Business Engagement for Early Career Researchers
Thursday 30 January 2025 (9 am - 4 pm) - Penryn Campus, ESI Building
Funders and universities increasingly recognise the value of academics demonstrating impact and engaging in collaboration, opening valuable pathways for researchers to apply their expertise in innovative and impactful ways. This in-person event is designed to help you seize these opportunities, equipping you with the skills to collaborate effectively with businesses, develop partnerships, and position yourself as a leader in your field.
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Software Engineering Workshops - Schedule and Sign-Up ... NOW!
Regression Analysis in R: Adapting to Varied Data Types:
13 January 2025 (1 - 4 pm) - Online.
Introduction to Python (2 part):
17 & 24 January 2025 (10am - 1 pm) - In-person (Streatham Campus only).
Computational Thinking (2 part):
28 January & 4 February 2025 (10 am - 1 pm) - In-person (Streatham Campus only).
Introduction to Unix (2 part):
5 & 12 February 2025 (1 - 4 pm) - In-person (Penryn Campus only).
Python for Data Analysis (2 part):
6 & 13 February 2025 (1 - 4 pm) - Online.
Introduction to R (3 part):
25 February, 4 & 11 March 2025 (10 am - 1 pm) -In-person (Streatham Campus only).
Introduction to Version Control (2 part):
28 February & 7 March 2025 (10am - 1 pm) - Online.
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'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!
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Research Grants, Funding & Competitions
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Visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sustainability and Environment - British Library
Application Deadline : Tuesday 7 January 2025 (12 noon)
Applications are now open for a funded, 4-month postdoctoral research fellowship. This is a collections-based fellowship aimed at early career researchers in the arts and humanities or social sciences. It is designed to encourage the promotion and use of the British Library’s collection in sustainability and environmental research. Researchers are invited to propose any projects which explore collection areas relevant to sustainability and environment, which seek to connect shared histories and futures.
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Application deadline : Thursday 16 January 2025 (4 pm)
By providing small, targeted awards to support unique, outcome-oriented projects, this fund of up to £5,000/application, seeks to foster collaborations that bridge disciplines and drive forward step-change activities. These projects aim not only to contribute to our strategic priorities - sustainability, responsible leadership, and technological transformation - but also to align with the University’s Strategy 2030 commitment to using the power of our research to create a sustainable, healthy, and socially just future. Through cultivating high-impact research ideas, this fund seeks to shape a future research landscape that supports both the Business School’s goals and the University's vision for a better world.
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Application Deadline : Monday 3 February 2025
The GW4 Building Communities Generator Fund is an open research call offering up to £20k to support collaborative research and innovation communities across the four GW4 universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.
Now in its sixth year, this initiative supports both the creation of new GW4 communities and the development of the strongest ideas emerging from our existing communities. The fund is an open call in any area of research or innovation, with the purpose of addressing a major research or societal challenge.
Applications from Early Career Research (ECR) communities are particularly welcome and supported. Generator funding can be used as a stand-alone award or in conjunction with other sources of funding. Communities are encouraged to use the scheme as a step towards applying for external funding.
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Funding for ECR collaborations with Falmouth researchers/ artists in Cornwall coming soon.
We hope to announce the 2025 FX Creative Exchange project funding soon. FXCE supports Cornwall-based collaborations between Early Career Researchers at University of Exeter and Falmouth University. Please see the film about the collaboration between Dr Thomas O’Shea Wheller from the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute, and Dr Catarina Fontoura from the Falmouth University’s Institute of Photography. The project combined artistic and scientific approaches to create collaborative artworks with ant species
that were shown at Grays Wharf Gallery, Penryn as part of the learn from a bird exhibition series - more info and images. Follow us on Instagram and/ or join our mailing list so you don’t miss the call. And do explore our new resource that supports you through the process of working with creative practitioners from writing research bids to bringing artists into workshops – and more.
Image: The opening of Thomas and Catarina’s Mapping Emergence exhibition at Grays Wharf Gallery, Penryn. Photographer Sam Bestwick
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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.
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Research & Researcher Networks
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11 December 2024 (1 pm - 3 pm) see local session time.
Registration closes 9 Dececeber 2024.
This free session will look at skills for building research teams — from co-investigators, post-graduate assistants and postdocs, to technicians and pooled staff. The session will focus on how to pull together the right people, and strategies for the effective leadership of your team. The University of Exeter is a member of WUN and a WUN member university email address or an ARUA university email address is required for your registration to be confirmed.
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What is an academic career and do I want one?
Monday 20 January (1.30 pm – 4.30 pm) online.
This online workshop organised by the ESI Early Career Researcher (ECR) network will be led by Dr Gavin Buckingham, Associate Professor of Public Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Exeter. You will find out what a lecturer does from day to day, allowing you see what this job entails and to ‘peek behind the curtain’ of how decisions are made in higher education so that you feel more prepared to land your first permanent job. With this knowledge, you will be better prepared to decide if this career path is for you, and well-equipped to enter the UK academic job market. It is open to ECRs across all campuses.
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Research Development Support for Early Career Researchers
Friday 24 January 2025 (10 am – 11 am) hybrid
ESI Trevithick Room and online
This session will serve as an introduction to the support that the Cornwall research services team offer to Early Career Researchers (ECR’s) for fellowship applications and grants. They will encourage discussion and questions, so do think about any queries you might have in advance. This event is being organised by the ESI ECR network and is open to all the ECRs across campuses.
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Research & Researcher Blogs
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Organising an Event & Need Help?
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Health, Wellbeing & Support
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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.
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