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Research Staff Conference 2020

26 Nov 2020

Vice-President for Research Professor Colette Fagan opened the conference outlining our strategic vision and what it means for researchers at an institutional and individual level

The annual Research Staff Conference focused on the theme ‘Supporting researchers through the changing world of research’, giving attendees the opportunity to hear from a range of individuals in panel discussions as well as take part in interactive career development workshops.

Professor Fagan highlighted three topics:

  • Use professional and career development opportunities, including the University training programmes and events
  • Think with an interdisciplinary mind-set and build connections and collaborations as you develop your research plans and networks
  • Build in time to develop, reflect and plan.

Professor Fagan commented: “The annual Research Staff Conference is time for our researchers to pause, focus and reflect on their current job, looking at professional development and their future career plans.”

The online conference also welcomed panellists from the BBC, VITAE, IBM Research and the Medical Research Council for a ‘What Can Researchers Do?’ discussion. The panellists spoke candidly about their experiences and career pathways, allowing attendees to think about how they can use their existing experiences, knowledge and skills for new opportunities.

In the ‘Perspectives on Researching during a Pandemic’ panel discussion, colleagues spoke about the different challenges that researchers have faced, how research has had to adapt and how researchers can still have an impact during this time.

A range of interactive workshops allowed attendees to identify their transferable skills, as well as developing writing, leadership and pitching abilities. There were also opportunities for attendees to develop their entrepreneurial thinking and to think about successful communication in a virtual world.

Professor Melissa Westwood, Associate Vice President Research, closed the conference discussing the key findings from the Research Staff Culture survey, highlighting the recommendations which aim to create a positive research environment and culture.

Research staff can access a range of resources on the Researcher Development webpage and via their Faculty Researcher Development teams.