James Allen Appointed to BBSRC subgroup.

UCL Biochemical Engineering Postdoctoral Researcher James Allen has been appointed to The Bioscience skills and careers postdoctoral researchers subgroup (BBSRC), a subgroup to The Bioscience Skills and Careers Strategy Advisory Panel (BSC) that focuses on postdoc careers and development. This aims to complement the work being done by the departmental PDRA Forum. http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/skills/developing-careers/bioscience-skills-careers-postdoc-researcher-subgroup/

"Our initial meeting was centred on how the BBSRC can meet its commitment to the ‘UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers’ and its ‘Vision for postdoctoral researchers’. In this role, I am interested in hearing from any postdoctoral researchers looking to become more involved with the community or who have anything to put to these discussions. They can either contact me or go to the BBSRC postdoc linkedin page. I anticipate that more researchers will come under this as the BBSRC moves towards RCUK, however, those on other sources of funding are still welcome to come to me with relevant issues. These issues will still be pertinent and the BBSRC are intending to set a good example to universities through results of these discussions. It has been a significant problem of funding bodies that students and academics have been often well catered for and yet the needs of postdoctoral researchers in between have been neglected. I look forward to combining our outstanding efforts within the departmental PDRA forum with national discussions on how PDRAs can be enabled to maximise their skills and enthusiasm to the benefit of the scientific output of the UK.” James Allen, January 2018