Welcome to news and updates for our UoB ECR community
I hope you are all well and having a smooth transition into the new academic year.
I am delighted to contact you with this first newsletter as your newly appointed Early Career Researcher (ECR) Ambassador. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Katherine Staines for her great work and strong handover in this role.
Looking forward to the new year, I have a few points I would like to update you about:
National Postdoc Appreciation Week, 16-20 September 2024.
Coming up next week, the annual Postdoc Appreciation Week is an opportunity to highlight the contribution our postdocs make, celebrate their achievements and show appreciation and support. Find out more in this Staffcentral article about events, stories and how you can get involved.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Postdoc Appreciation Week Networking Lunch on Wednesday 18 September at 12.30pm-2.30pm (Elm House Room 303). Please email ResearcherDevelopment@brighton.ac.uk to confirm your attendance and notify any dietary requirements by end of Friday 13 September.
Opportunities for ECRs
Your voice matters. Membership of working groups, award panels and committees all offer opportunities to contribute to planning, shape decisions and gain valuable transferable skills. Visit the ECR Opportunities Sharepoint page to find out more and apply now.
Research and Knowledge Exchange Initiatives
Each year, initiatives support colleagues to progress in their career and with their research. Look out for new initiatives due to be announced next week (week commencing 16 September). For more information after launch, check Staffcentral and read Staff News each Friday.
Impact training spaces available for arts and humanities researchers – CPD accredited impact e-learning offered by HIIVE
Are you interested in learning more about research impact? There are spaces available on an e-learning programme that will introduce you to the key components of what impact means in context. This is offered as part of the University’s Impact Acceleration Account training programme, funded by the AHRC.
This programme is only available to colleagues working within the AHRC remit. Please get in touch if you’re unsure if your research area fits the remit. The training provides an opportunity for you to increase your understanding of impact. You can complete the training at times that are suitable to you. The training works through four modules including: What is impact?, Identifying impact, Evidencing impact through engagement, and Developing a compelling impact narrative.
Please contact the IAA team (impactaccelerationaccount@brighton.ac.uk) by December 2024 to request a place. Once registered, you have a year to complete the course. Limited numbers of places are available.
ECR reps
Do reach out to your ECR representatives listed on the ECR Network Sharepoint page with any suggestions, concerns or queries. Want to find out a little more about them and how to get in touch? Check out the ECR rep article from the Summer 2024 Research and Knowledge Exchange Magazine in section 21.
Communications
We communicate news and opportunities through the following channels: Staff News, Big Picture, Research and Knowledge Exchange (R&KE) magazine and through the Early Career Researcher network email, blog and newsletters. Which channels do you find most useful and what improvements would you suggest to the ways we are communicating ECR-related information? Please share your thoughts on this form.
If you have any queries at all, please don’t hesitate to email me (b.grabher@brighton.ac.uk).
Wishing you a good start to the academic year!
All the Best,
Barbara
