Chris Bowden, Prosper at UoM
Research staff make vital contributions to the world class research we do here at Manchester. But for many researchers it can become easy to focus solely on their research and overlook their next steps. Our Prosper at The University of Manchester programmes, building on a successful collaborative Research England funded project between the universities of Liverpool, Manchester, and Lancaster, give researchers dedicated time and support to think about and plan their careers, supported by their peers. Prosper helps researchers to take a step back and assess whether their career is heading in the direction they want.
Dr Chris Bowden - exploring his ambitions
This chance to pause and reflect on values and career paths resonated with Dr Chris Bowden, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Civil Engineering and Management. Chris felt that he had an idea of where he was going in his career but had changed his mind a few times over the past few years. He felt that while doing a PhD was a clear step, he did not have a clear idea for the next phase of his career, so defaulted to doing PostDocs.
This is where the ‘reflect’ and ‘explore and act’ structure of Manchester’s Prosper cohorts helped Chris to explore what really motivated him, and how a career path could match his values and ambitions. Chris said: “Prosper definitely helped solidify my career direction. I found more reasons within myself from an exploration of my thoughts on why it was the right decision for me to carry on in academia: I wasn’t on autopilot.”
Chris, whose research is centred on implementing crop-water modelling tools to assess impacts of agricultural water risks at basin, regional and global scales, has since successfully secured an extension for a new postdoc project. He is excited to now employ some longer-term thinking and build towards bigger goals. For Chris, Prosper definitely helped on that journey.
More information on Prosper at UoM
Prosper at The University of Manchester is led by Dr Anne Marie Sowerbutts, a researcher developer in the Research Development team. Anne Marie brings her own experience as a researcher at Manchester for 13 years working on mixed methods and qualitative research in cancer and parenteral nutrition, as well as her expertise as a coach facilitating researchers to unleash their full potential and flourish in their careers.
There are many different ways to engage with Prosper at Manchester, including the in-person cohort programmes Chris joined, shorter intensive courses, and online on-demand resources. Explore Prosper at The University of Manchester for more details. There are only four places left on the Prosper@Manchester: Making time for your career module starting in January 2025, so sign up now on the Training & Development Catalogue.