Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the July 2020 issue of the Sussex Researcher. We hope you all have been keeping well and safe in these times.
During the month of July, we have two upcoming events that we would particularly like to draw your attention to:
- A podcasting workshop, taking place over two days, run by two experienced former BBC journalists on creating an effective podcast - there are limited spaces still available on this course so book quickly to grab a place!
- A webinar on How to Peer Review Manuscripts for Journals, aimed at helping you learn how to review manuscripts quickly and effectively, learn how the peer review system works and what is expected of reviewers.
We are also very pleased to highlight the news that the University has as appointed internationally renowned cell biologist Professor Keith Jones as its next Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. Take a look at the news story below for more information. During the summer, we'll be working hard to plan our initiatives and events for the next academic year. Of course, as always we welcome your feedback and suggestions of how we can improve your experiences and professional development. Please drop us an email at researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk and we'll try our best to incorporate your suggestions into next year's programme.
Best wishes,
The Research Staff Office Team (Hayley Cordingley and Alex Aghajanian)
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- Preparing for leadership & management
- Improving your communication & writing
- Personal effectiveness
- Career development
- Understanding the academic context
- Mental health & wellbeing
- Community events
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Research Staff Office Events
How to Create an Effective Podcast (Day 1) - Thursday 9th July, 09:30-12:30
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Events organised by other teams
Stress Awareness - Online Workshop - Wednesday 8th July, 10:00-12:00
UKRIO research integrity webinar: a landscape study - Wednesday 8th July, 14:00-16:00
Stress Awareness - Online Workshop - Wednesday 8th July, 14:00-17:00
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RSWG meeting in June - where to find guidance on returning to work One of the items for discussion at a recent Research Staff Working Group meeting in June concerned the issue of returning to work on campus, with many laboratory based research groups having already opened over the past two months. As many of you may know, the university set up a dedicated Cornonavirus FAQs webpage containing guidance and information for staff on a number of topics relating to Covid-19. The page is being updated regularly during this period. The FAQs webpage has a dedicated Research section that provides advice specifically to postdoctoral researchers and supervisors. All the university guidance and information thus far on returning to work has been addressed in that section, so remember to familiarise yourself with the information that's in there. As answered on the FAQs webpage, if you have any needs, concerns or worries about returning to work the advice is to raise any concerns with your Head of School and Technical Manager and cc the Health and Safety Team ( healthsafety@sussex.ac.uk).
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University of Sussex appoints new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research The University has appointed internationally renowned cell biologist Professor Keith Jones as its next Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise). Professor Jones will join the University on 1 October. He is currently Executive Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Adelaide in Australia. Professor Jones is known for his research into the biological mechanisms of egg development and changes due to ageing – a leading cause of infertility. Before joining Adelaide in 2018, Professor Jones spent five years as Head of Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton. Between 2008 and 2012 he was Head of Research at the School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle, Australia. After gaining his PhD from the University of Liverpool, he spent his early career at St George’s Hospital Medical School, University College London and the University of Newcastle (UK).
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Government to protect UK research jobs with major support package - press release Thousands of highly skilled researchers, scientists and technicians working at UK universities will receive greater job protection thanks to 2 significant support packages announced by Business Secretary Alok Sharma on 27 June. From this autumn, research-active universities across the UK that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic will be able to access long term, low interest loans, supplemented by a small amount of government grants, covering up to 80% of their income losses caused by any actual decline in international students. This funding will be available to bolster those universities who are taking their own steps to make efficiencies, in line with the rest of the economy, to protect their research bases. In addition, some universities may also be losing funding from charities and businesses, which goes towards vital medical research. The package will be made available to fund research and high priority projects, such as medical research, in order to support universities to continue to be at the cutting edge of innovation.
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March deadline confirmed for submissions to REF 2021 A letter sent to heads of institutions sets out the four UK higher education funding bodies’ decisions on the timing of the submission deadline for the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) and extension to the assessment period for impact. The revised submission deadline is confirmed as noon, 31 March 2021, for all elements of submissions. The exercise is scheduled to resume on 31 July 2020, eight months ahead of the revised submission deadline. Updated guidance on any revisions to the exercise will be published by this date, following a further period of engagement with the HE sector and wider partners. The staff census date of 31 July 2020 remains unchanged. In recognition of ongoing uncertainty about the effects of COVID-19, the funding bodies have set a review date in November 2020. This will consider the level of disruption being experienced, and whether further contingency arrangements for the REF may be necessary.
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Opportunities / External events
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Career Management for Early Career Academic Researchers - Free online course Being an early career academic researcher can be challenging: should you pursue further academic research? What skills will help you progress in an academic career? What other career options are open to you? Join this free online course developed by Future Learn to consider how to manage you career and reflect on what you want out of a career. You will be encouraged to consider different career options, both within and outside academic research, and build your confidence in marketing yourself in applications and interviews.
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Survey: 78% say others tempted to compromise research integrity A new report commissioned by UK Research and Innovation has mapped the attitudes to research integrity across the country. Some 78 per cent of researchers believe that others have felt tempted to compromise research integrity at least some of the time, with 59 per cent reporting they had never personally felt tempted to compromise on research integrity. The study finds that “pressures are embedded throughout the research ecosystem that are widely perceived to be perverse incentives, with the potential to encourage, tempt or reward poor research integrity”, citing the “insidious nature of the ‘pressure to publish’ and the associated use of metrics”. Click here to view the full report
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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 |
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Training Fellowships in Medical, Biological or Veterinary Research
This supports the development of promising early career researchers with less than three years’ post-doctoral experience, focusing on developing new skills and gaining a breadth of research experience. Funding for up to £15k per annum for a two year duration.
Deadline for Applications: 15th September 2020
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Research fellowships and engineering for development research fellowships
These support early-career researchers in becoming future research leaders in engineering. Fellowships are worth up to £500,000 each and are tenable for five years.
Deadline for Applications: 21st September 2020
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New investigator research grant – neurosciences and mental health
This supports researchers who are capable of becoming independent principal investigators and who are ready to take the next step towards that goal within neurosciences and mental health. Grants are tenable for three years.
Deadline for Applications: 30th September 2020
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Independent research fellowships
These provides early-career environmental scientists with five years’ support for developing their research programmes and to gain international recognition. There are no funding limits although applications generally request £500,000 total funding.
Deadline for Applications: 6th October 2020
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