Welcome to news and updates for our UoB ECR community.
It gives me great pleasure to put together this first newsletter in my role as ECR Ambassador. I hope that you find the information within this useful, and it inspires you to attend a workshop you hadn’t previously considered or apply for an internal funding opportunity. I have been in this role for a couple of months now and am really enjoying getting to meet as many of you as I can and learning about the different research happening across the University. As always, I am more than happy to hear from you, so please get in touch. I will be sending out the next newsletter in January, and so I would finally like to take the opportunity to wish you a peaceful festive break and Happy New Year.
R&KE funding opportunities
Three Research and Knowledge Exchange flagship initiatives launch: apply now for either the Research Excellence Launchpad, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Catalyst Fund, or Bid Builder Programme.
1) Launchpad – deadline 11.59pm, 24 February 2023
Aims to launch staff into producing excellent research and knowledge exchange. Awards from this scheme are of up to £10,000 for up to 12 months.
2) Knowledge Exchange and Impact Catalyst Fund – deadline 11.59pm, 24 February 2023
Aims to support the development of existing research into a project that will deliver a step change in knowledge exchange and impact outcomes. It offers awards of up to £10,000 for up to 12 months for projects.
3) Bid Builder – deadline 12noon, 27 January 2023
The aim of the Bid Builder Programme is to provide structured, non-discipline specialist support to researchers in developing an external grant proposal.
ECR career development
1) Research week: save the date!
The Research and Knowledge Exchange (RaKE) team are busy planning a Research and Knowledge Exchange Week for 17th – 21st April 2023. Watch this space for a full programme but you can expect a number of development workshops and networking activities to be taking place across the University that week.
2) Workshops and Training
RaKE regularly organise activities and workshops suitable for all active research and knowledge exchange staff, as well as those in supporting roles. Workshops are held in person or using Microsoft Teams. Upcoming workshops are detailed in “Key dates” below and for more info visit the RaKE SharePoint
3) Mentoring – *New initiative*
Research mentoring is an invaluable resource as we navigate our careers. If you don’t already have a mentor, contact your Research Mentoring Lead for your school to sign up. Visit the RaKE SharePoint for info on your Research Mentoring Lead
We are also looking to set up research mentoring trios across the university for peer-to-peer mentoring. Please get in touch with me if you would like to be part of this new scheme.
Key dates
- 7 December 18:00 (reminder to those with places, as now fully booked): Inaugural lecture from Professor Claire F Smith – The Silent Teacher: Lessons from Dissection
- 13 December 2022 10:00-11:30: Evidencing research and scholarship: preparing for promotions and job applications workshop
- 24 January 2023 15:00-16:00: Open Science: What does it mean for you and your research?
- 27 January 2023 12 noon: Bid Builder deadline
- 24 February 2023 11:59pm: Launchpad & Catalyst deadlines
- 29 March 2023, 12:00-14:00: Reaching wider audiences with The Conversation
- 17 – 21 April 2023: Research and Knowledge Exchange Week
Research dictionary
I am putting together a list of acronyms and terms that you may hear being used at the UoB but aren’t sure what they mean – get in touch if there are any you would like more info on. This month’s featured one is:
The Concordat – this
is an agreement between the University that sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders to enhance career support and development. See this video on our blog for more info.
