Mission statement

We, the ECRF:

• represent the interests of early career researchers at the School
• foster a coherent, inclusive and vibrant working culture at the University
• run open forums on topics and opportunities such as funding schemes and grant applications
• provide opportunities to listen and talk to interesting speakers from academia & industry

Career development

Many research students and staff wish to pursue an academic career; however, most pursue careers in sectors outside universities, such as in government research institutions or industry. Some will take industry posts at the end of a PhD, whilst others will have several years of postdoctoral research experience.

To address the diverse nature of this issue we aim to:

• Provide networking events with industry and opportunities to identify relevant transferable skills.
• Promote access to independent advice from both peers and senior academic colleagues, helping research staff build collaborations, and identifying career paths.

Visibility in the department

Several positions on department committees exist for the representation of ECRs. These positions are an important opportunity for ECRs to influence department policy and gain valuable experience. The researcher society will promote and support these positions.

We aim to:

• Facilitate and organise the integration of ECRs within the department, through the promotion of relevant committee positions to the research staff community.
• Support the staff and students that hold committee positions by canvassing opinion from the researcher community that can feed into relevant department policies.

Social

The nature of research staff contracts often necessitates short-term positions and frequent movement between institutions. It is also recognised that informal social activities provide excellent opportunities to network with individuals outside ECRs’ immediate research areas.

The research society will organise and support suitable social activities that:

• Support and welcome new research staff and students.
• Foster a coherent and vibrant research community in the department.
• Provide networking opportunities with other ECRs, academic staff and industry partners.