Build your Research Networks Online

Graduate Junction (www.graduatejunction.net) is an established online peer support network  for both postgraduate students and research staff that contains an interesting mix of forum posts, articles on specific research careers and development – related topics and blogs. Recently created are two further, very useful, forums; ‘Careers’ and ‘Enterprise’ that have postings from careers and training professionals with comments from researchers. The site also provides you with networking opportunities: you can up-load you own research profile to the site and join groups who share common research interests.

Posted by Calum Leckie, UCL Careers Service

Free Media Training for AHRC Award Holders

Recent posting on the Arts and Humanities Council News & Events page:

We are arranging media training for AHRC-funded award holders as they frequently tell us that these are skills that they feel will benefit them. To this effect, we are organising three media training events – to take place as follows:  Monday 12th July – Central London, Thursday 15th July – Central London, Friday 16th July – Central London

Final details on location and directions will be sent out to the successful applicants. These will be an all-day event, running from 10am – 4.30pm, and involve media interview practice for radio, tips for tailoring messages to non-academic audiences, identifying key messages, writing a press releases etc.

These media training sessions are aimed at early career award holders, perhaps people who have had limited, experience in dealing with the media up to now. The AHRC will pay for the full cost of the course, but participants will have to pay their own travel to London.  Spaces are very limited. Places will be allocated on first-come-first served basis. In the first instance please email AHRC Events and PR Officer, Sam Roythorne s.roythorne@ahrc.ac.uk with your full name and contact details, including email and phone number, along with a short paragraph detailing the AHRC research project you are working on. If you require any further information at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 0117 9876 780.

Posted by: Calum Leckie, UCL Careers Service

Want to enhance your teaching and mentoring experience?

Some useful information has come through about a programme that will be of particular interest to those of you who want to make themselves marketable for academic positions but need to improve your teaching and mentoring experience;

Researchers in Residence is an RCUK funded scheme that is supported by the Wellcome Trust. The scheme organises placements for early-stage career researchers (PhD and post doc) in host secondary schools and colleges. During the placements researchers bring their knowledge to bear through a range of activities including demonstrations, discussions, careers talks or university visits to inspire 11-19 year olds about their work. Researchers benefit from the opportunity to develop transferable skills in communication, project management and teamwork which can help further academic careers or build their CV. Experience as a Researcher in Residence also maximises the impact of their research through public engagement and many previous ‘RinRs’ have found that it makes the impact plan aspect of grant applications much easier to write.  Placements provide exposure to a varied audience and challenge researchers to view their research from a fresh perspective, which can potentially improve the research and its impact. All participants receive free, expert communication training prior to beginning a placement in order to develop project ideas and detail how to operate in a classroom environment.

Each placement lasts 14-24 hours of student contact time and is delivered alongside supportive classroom teachers.

Calum Leckie

UCL Careers Service

Want to gain some experience of the business world?

If you are a current UCL staff member (academic or research staff) or a UCL student (undergraduate or postgraduate) who would like to get some experience of working with external organisations then you should seriously consider getting involved with the HELO Programme (Higher Education London Outreach).

This programme, part funded by the European Union and managed by UCL Advances aims to provide real life experiences and learning by alllowing you to work with small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) in London, and enhancing your CV and building valuable contacts and networks in the process.

Currently the programme is working with about 50 organisations in various industries including software engineering, consultancies, 3D technology, environmental and clean technology, arts and the creative sector.

If you are interested in working with a business or want more information visit the HELO website or Email helo@ucl.ac.uk

Top Tips for Gaining a Lectureship

Last summer I attended an event for careers advisers working with University researchers, organised by the Assocation of Graduate Careers Advisery Services (AGCAS) that involved a question and answer session with senior academics who had all been involved in recruiting for new lecturers. Valuable insights were gained on what postdoctoral researchers should be doing to enhance their chances of securing a lectureship with a focus on applications and interviews. There was also discussion on the possibility of career breaks and part time work and issues of when, and even if, you should aim for an academic position. A summary document of this event has now been written (Academic Career Planning from AGCAS). You can also access further resources on academic career planning on our Research Staff careers website.

Calum Leckie

UCL Careers Adviser

Beyond the PhD: A Career Resource for Arts and Humanities PhD Researchers

This excellent online resource allows you to listen to the experiences of those who have been through the PhD in an arts and humanities discipline and made the transition into a variety of work both in academia and beyond. The candid personal reflections of the interviewees on facing challenges, responding to opportunities and reaching decisions are captured in segments of audio-interview. ‘Beyond the PhD’ was shortlisted for the 2009 Times Higher Education ICT Initiative of the Year Award.  Click logo above to access site.

Trends in the Pharmaceutical & Biotech. Industries

For those of you who are planning  a move beyond the ivory tower to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, you may wish to take a look at a recent report (LBN 2010 Life Sci Ind Trends) that I have compiled on current and future industry trends in this area. Information for the report has been gathered both from talks given at the recent LBN careers event in May 2010 and after consulting other careers advisers who have been liaising with various pharmaceutical industry employers. The report covers both global and industry UK trends as well as some key bits of information on how to start your career in this area.

Calum Leckie

UCL Careers Adviser

Internships in the Biosciences

LBN Careers Track Event  Seminar Report

Rochelle Symons, of RVC Enterprise, gave a very useful overview of internships in the bioscience sector at the LBN Career Track event in March this year. She explained what an internship is and how it can benefit those researchers who are seriously considering a move into industry. Rochelle gave examples of a couple of Internship schemes that have recently been delivered by RVC Enterprise in collaboration with The London BioScience Innovation Centre and helpfully suggested other ways of finding internship opportunities. For more information please read the seminar report: Internships Talk

Using Science Knowledge in the Financial Sector

LBN Careers Track Event  Seminar Report

For many scientific researchers the idea of working in the financial sector may not appeal as they probably think it would entail abandoning all the expert knowledge gained over the course of a PhD and / or a postdoctoral research project. However, this does not have to be the case as we found out from a talk given by Fraser Campbell at the LBN Careers Track Event in March. Fraser currently works in a multi-national accountancy firm in corporate finance and he talked about the fact that scientists are required in this area because  ‘Brokers’ need sector expertise to make decisions on where to invest and the Analyst, in Fraser’s case ‘Life Science Equity Analyst’, provides this expertise. For more information please read the seminar report: Science & City Talk

Calum Leckie

UCL Careers Service

Working for a Biotechnology Start up Company

LBN Careers Track Event Seminar Report

One interesting presentation delivered at the LBN careers event, hosted by the UCL Careers Service in March 2010, was a talk by Chris Johnson, a senior researcher for Plasticell Limited, a small start up company located at the ‘Imperial Incubator‘. Chris entered the company  straight after his PhD and talked about how he made this transition as smooth as possible by getting involved in entrepreneurial activities whilst still completing his PhD, making his CV as attractive as possible to an industrial employer. Chris also described what it has been like to work for a small company, making it clear about the range of skills you require and the diversity of experience you can gain. The full report is available to download: ‘ LBN 2010 Biotech Talk‘.

Calum Leckie

UCL Careers Service