Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I hope 2015 has got off to a good start for your all.

Welcome to the new look and newly named research staff newsletter 'The Sussex Researcher'. We hope you like the new format and would welcome any feedback.

I'm very happy to start the new year on a positive note with the launch of our 'Achievements in Research' initiative (see below) and being able to congratulate research fellow Dr Alban Webb on his recent Book Prize.

Spring will be busy in the Research Staff Office with lots of development workshops coming up, the Research Staff Forum (Impact theme) and the Careers in Research Online Survey. I look forward to seeing many of you at the various events over the next few months.

Best wishes,

Natalie James (Research Staff Officer, Research and Enterprise)

Effective Networking

Tuesday 3rd February: 13.30 - 16.30 - Book a place

Research Staff Forum

Thursday 12th February: 12.30 - 14.00 - Medical School, MS2.10

Media Skills Training for Researchers

Friday 20th February: 09.15 - 17.00 - Book a place

The Engaging Researcher: Getting Started in Public Engagement

Wednesday 25th February: 14.00 - 17.00 - Book a place

Tuesday 24th March: 13.30 - 16.00 - Book a place

The Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) in partnership with GenderInSITE is pleased to invite you to an interactive workshop on International Approaches to Support Gender Equality in Research Careers on 24th March 2015.

The workshop is open to all research staff at the University and will discuss issues of gender equality in career progression for early-career researchers at the University of Sussex, and how those link to wider policy debates at institutional, national and international levels.

GenderInSITE is an international campaign to raise awareness among decision-makers on the gender and science, innovation, technology and engineering (SITE) dimensions of development.

Activities will include group discussions over lunch, followed by a panel discussion on International Approaches to Support Gender Equality in Academic Careers and will be used to feedback to University policy and to inform future research agendas.

Panellists will include Prof Johan Schot (Director, SPRU); Prof Clare Mackie (Pro Vice Chancellor and Chair of the University's Athena Swan Committee); Prof Alice Abreu (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Shirley Malcolm (Director, Education and Human Resources, American Association for the Advancement of Science).

For more information, please contact Dr. Ralitsa Hiteva R.Hiteva@sussex.ac.uk

In 2015 we are keen to do more to highlight the achievements of research staff across the University and to do this we need your help.

Have you recently had a successful outcome with your research or do you know another member of research staff who has? If so we want to hear from you!

Examples could include - winning grant funding or fellowships, high profile publications, awards/prizes, media coverage, high profile conference presentations, enterprise, public engagement...etc.

Achievements will be profiled in the Sussex Researcher newsletter throughout the year and the best examples will be developed into case studies for the University website.

To be eligible the individual(s) to be profiled must be employed as University of Sussex research staff (postdoctoral researcher, research fellow, research assistant etc).

To put forward your own or a colleague's research achievement you should enter an outline of the achievement (150 words max) into the Achievements in Research form. (Nominations can be submitted at any time throughout the year.)

We look forward to receiving your nominations. If you have any questions about this initiative please email N.A.James@sussex.ac.uk

Dr Alban Webb's book London Calling: Britain, the BBC World Service and the Cold War - the first to tell the full story of the BBC World Service's role in broadcasting behind the Iron Curtain - has been named the Longman-History Today Book of the Year 2015.

The prize is given for an author's first or second work, which has "contributed significantly to making its subject accessible and rewarding to the general reader of history". Our congratulations to Dr Webb. Full news story

In March 2015 the University of Sussex will again be participating in the nationwide Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS). The survey gathers the anonymous views of research staff in UK higher education institutions about their experiences, career aspirations and career development opportunities.

In 2013 Sussex had one of the best response rates in the country. Hopefully you've noticed some of the changes that have happened since the last survey and this work has been guided by your input to the last CROS exercise.

Therefore when the time comes please take 10 minutes to contribute your views to help us continue to make positive changes for Sussex researchers. More details coming soon.

The outcome of the review of research in the UK was published on Thursday 18 December 2014 (www.ref.ac.uk). The results of the government-commissioned exercise show that over 75% of research activity at Sussex is categorised as 'world leading' (4*, 28%) or 'internationally excellent' (3*, 48%) in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

The full news story on Sussex's performance is available here and for a full breakdown visit the University's REF results web page.

A number of impact case studies and videos have been produced that celebrate the benefits that Sussex research is having both nationally and internationally.

Mindfulness courses and books have become a bit of an industry of late and perhaps easy to dismiss as some kind of 'flavour of the month'. However, in the case of Mindfulness there is more enduring substance and evidence of its impact on various domains of wellbeing.

Mindfulness practice consists of paying concentrated attention to the body, the breath, sound or one's own thoughts. The practice has been time tested over a period of 2,700 years and although times and contexts have changed, the original intent of the practices all those millennia ago has remained constant: to reduce suffering.

Those practising mindfulness have reported increased resilience in dealing with stress, depression and various life challenges. Clinical tests have indicated that mindfulness practice may even produce positive structural changes in areas of the brain associated with attention, emotional integration and empathy.

If you are interested in exploring the benefits of mindfulness yourself during 2015, mindfulness sessions take place each Monday (1.00pm), Wednesday (9.30am and 12.00pm) and Friday (1.00pm) on campus at the Meeting House and all are welcome.

The Doctoral School has launched the Spring Call for the Researcher Led Initiative Fund which supports research staff and doctoral researchers to organise and run their own development events and activities.

Up to £1000 per project is available, the deadline is Friday 13th February. Full details and application guidance

To mark its tenth anniversary in 2015, the AHRC is inviting applications from researchers to present their research at one of a series of four engaging public events at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival and the Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2015.

Up to twenty successful applicants will have a chance to develop their event ideas with experienced Cheltenham Festival producers and members of the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement team at a dedicated workshop. Of these, up to four will have the chance to hold their event at one of the Festivals.

The call is open to researchers at any stage in their career, but we're interested in getting as many proposals as possible from Early Career Researchers.

More information and details on how to apply (Closing Date Monday 9th February)

(Singapore National Research Foundation, SG)

This provides opportunities for early career researchers to carry out independent research within any discipline of science and technology in Singapore. Each fellowship provides a research grant worth up to $3 million over five years.

Award amount max: $2,400,000

Closing date: 25th February 2015 Find out more...

(Wellcome Trust, GB)

These enable postdoctoral scientists who wish to build their own UK-based independent research career to address an important biomedical question. Funding covers a basic salary plus an enhancement of £7,500 per year, research expenses, travel and subsistence, and overseas allowances. In addition, the funders will provide an inflation and flexible funding allowance, as well as a contribution towards indirect and estate costs of £11,000 per year.

Award amount max: Not specified

Closing date: 17th April 2015 Find out more...

If you have an article or information you would like included in The Sussex Researcher please send it to N.A.James@sussex.ac.uk