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Research and knowledge exchange

Issue 74: June 2021

 

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Hello Everyone, Welcome to the June 2021 issue of the Sussex Researcher. We hope you are managing to enjoy the recent sunshine!

Whilst we believe everything in the newsletter is interesting, and also hopefully useful for you, we particularly want to highlight:

We look forward to seeing you all at the various events and activities coming up over the next months, and as always do get in touch if there's anything that you'd like to talk about / get put in place to help you make the most of your time while you're here at Sussex.

Best wishes,

The Research Staff Office 


 

 
Workshops & Events
  • Preparing for leadership & management
  • Improving your communication & writing
  • Personal effectiveness
  • Career development
  • Understanding the academic context
  • Mental health & wellbeing
  • Data Management Skills

Research Staff Office Events

 - Wednesday 9th June, 10:00-11:00
 - Tuesday 15th June, 14:00-15:00

Events organised by other teams 

 - Tuesday 8th June, 10:00-11:30
 - Wednesday 9th June, 10:00-11:30
Thank you, next: the future of research assessment - Wednesday 9th June, 14:00-15:30
 - Tuesday 15th June, 10:00-11:30
- Wednesday 16th June, 14:00-15:30
 - Tuesday 22nd June, 10:00-11:30
 - Wednesday 23rd June, 10:00-11:30
- Wednesday 23rd June, 11:00-12:30
 - Wednesday 30th June, 10:00-11:30
- Thursday 1st July, 10:00-13:00
 
Click here to view RSO events
 

News

SciVal Training for ECRs & Research Managers

How does your research output 'perform' in world-leading citation databases? What are the research strengths of your institute or research centre? Are you collaborating effectively and what research are your peers elsewhere doing?
 
All of ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ’s staff and students currently have access to SciVal (). SciVal is an online tool that offers quick, easy access to the research performance of 19,600 research institutions and 231 nations worldwide using bibliometrics. SciVal offers an integrated modular platform that allows you to view and compare the research performance of any desired research entities, self-defined research topics and researcher groups.
 
Used in the right context, can help you:
  • Visualize your research performance;
  • Benchmark your faculty or department with competitors, collaborators or similar subject area's;
  • See the impact of national and international collaboration both from academia and industry and develop strategic partnerships;
  • Identify and analyse new, emerging research trends;
  • Improve you grant applications to demonstrate your research performance on the specific topic;
  • Improve your publication strategy and model the effect of changes on a research group
To introduce you to SciVal, the Research Staff Office have organised for two Elsevier SciVal Consultants to deliver bitesize training sessions to research staff in June:
  • - Wednesday 9th June, 10:00-11:00
  • - Tuesday 15th June, 14:00-15:00
 
Leading Routes launches careers series for Black PhDs and Early Career Researchers
Connecting Black academics with industry professionals to gain practical steps for careers in academia and beyond

“is a pioneering initiative that aims to prepare the next generation of Black academics ” with the aim of strengthening the academic pipeline for black students, from a Black-led perspective. They have recently launched a new series of events that will help prepare academics for a career in academia by connecting to them with industry professionals. The series covers a number of vital topics such as how to get published, alternative careers in academia and research and how to win grants in STEM, the arts, humanities and the social sciences.
 

Rethinking Post-PhD Careers: Alternative paths in academia and research
Wednesday 16 June, 5pm-6:30pm

This seminar offers interdisciplinary advice on alternative careers beyond PhD research and outside of university spaces:
  • What sort of careers are there outside of the university?
  • What are the interdisciplinary careers available after the PhD?
  • What are the options for running your own business?
Speakers: Dr Muna Abdi (MA Education Consultancy), Dr Sonia Nelson (Wiley, Chemistry), & Professor Chris Jackson (Earth Sciences)


 

Writing winning grants for STEM
Wednesday 7 July 2021, 5pm-6:30pm

This seminar aims to demystify grant writing processes for STEM:
  • Myth busting grant writing processes
  • Tips for small and large scale grant writing
  • What type of grants are on offer for your field/discipline?
Speakers: Karen Devine (British Ecological Society), Shomari Lewis-Wilson (Wellcome), & Jackie Jones (Wiley)


 

Writing Winning Grants (AHSS)
Wednesday 14 July 2021, 5pm-6:30pm

This seminar of the series aims to demystify grant writing processes for arts, humanities & social sciences
  • Myth-busting grant writing processes
  • Tips for small and large scale grant writing
  • What type of grants are on offer for your field/discipline?
Speakers: Catherine Souch (Royal Geographical Society), Professor Simon Swain (The British Academy),  Professor Katharine Ellis (The British Academy), & Anna O’Brien (Wiley)

 
Find out more about the Sussex Festival of Ideas

In its inaugural year, the  celebrates the brilliant work of the newly formed School of Media, Arts and Humanities, and aims to highlight the importance of these subject areas in a wide range of exciting events.
 
The festival starts on Wednesday 9 June, and is a dynamic and engaging programme of talks, events and activities. For full details of the events please see the .  

There is no need to register, you can watch all of the events live on the .
 

Opportunities / External events

Bitesize Masterclasses for Researchers
The University of Essex is holding a series of free Bitesize, industry-focused masterclasses for researchers
 
Make them Care: Storytelling for Researchers
Wednesday 23 June, 10am-12pm
Delivered by Laura Evans, from Nifty Fox Creative and Duncan Yellowlees, Presentation Coach
Open to Social Sciences Early Career Researchers and PhD Students


Storytelling is the secret to getting audiences to really care about your work, making your presentations, posters and pitches sing. In two hours, we’ll take you through the 4 step process of verbal and visual storytelling, exploring how ideas and techniques from the world of professional storytelling can be used to give your research real impact.


 

Communicating and Networking with Industry
Thursday 1 July 2021, 12pm-2pm
Delivered by Dr Danielle White, Danielle White Coaching and Rachel Valentine, Executive Coach
Open to Early Career Researchers and PhD students in Social Sciences


This free, online workshop will provide you with the skills to communicate and network more effectively with employers. It is an interactive session in which you will map what you know regarding potential positions in industry: as you identify gaps in your knowledge, you will consider your needs and the needs of your potential employers. This is a space for you to consider yourself from the perspective of potential employers, share ideas, knowledge and build peer networks both within and following the workshop.


 

For more information on both of these masterclasses and details on the training facilitator, go to:
 
For further enquiries, please contact iaa@essex.ac.uk
 
Digit Summer School 2021 – Global Value Chains & Digital Transformations
The application deadline for the Digit Summer School is until 15 June 2021

The Digit on Global Value Chains & Digit Transformations is open to Early Career Researchers (ECRs), who are defined as individuals that are currently undertaking a PhD or working in a postdoctoral researcher capacity, and are within 5 years of submitting their PhD.

The theme for  will have four parallel tracks:
  • Digital transformation in Global Value Chains and future skill needs
  • The Changing Nature and Location of Work along Global Value Chains
  • Digital Transformation for organisations and the wider society
  • Emerging entrepreneurship through evolving Digital infrastructures for GVCs
Alongside opportunities to present research and receive feedback in the parallel sessions, the Summer School will include:
  • Plenary sessions including senior leaders from industry and academia.
  • A ‘Getting Published’ session with a panel of editors from leading journals in the fields of Operations and Supply Chain Management, Global Value Chains, Innovation and Digital Work.
The Digit Summer School will be held online on 14th, 15th & 16th September 2021.

Interested applicants should submit a 1000 word abstract by 15 June 2021. All details can be found on the .
 
Elsevier Researcher Academy - Free Online Modules on Fundamentals of publishing

You are probably familiar with the saying “publish or perish”. To ensure your publishing career thrives, we recommend investing a little time in understanding how the process works

 now provides free access to a series of publishing modules, that will introduce you to the publishing cycle and some of the key players and their roles. The modules examine the origins of Publishers and walk you through their services. You can also find sound advice on weighing up the value and accuracy of the research you read.
 

Research Funding


If applying for funding, remember to check funders' eligibility criteria carefully and discuss the opportunity with your host institution/department prior to preparing any applications.

Do look at Research Development webpages for guidance around applications

For more information about ECR Fellowships, check out our new webpage: 
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/researchstaff/funding/fellowship-opportunities

For Coronavirus information for research grant applicants & grant holders check out: 

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/development/covid-19
Multidisciplinary project award

This supports collaborations between cancer researchers and scientists from engineering and physical science disciplines. Projects may receive up to £500,000 each over a maximum period of four years. 

Deadline for Applications: 15th July 2021
Research Staff Office 
Falmer House 
ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ 
T (01273) (87)7979 
E researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk

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