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Dedicated to the support for the wellbeing, professional development and career progress of all Early Career Researchers (ECRs).
Our Role:
The purpose of MAPS Early Career Researchers (ECRs) Forum is to lead on the provision of support for the wellbeing, professional development and career progress of early career researchers, including postgraduate research degree students, postdoctoral researchers and academics up to 6 years after PhD award, or anyone who consider themselves as an ECR. It aims to establish an inclusive support structure and a positive research culture to enable ECRs to thrive and excel.
- Roles & Responsibilities
- To conduct termly internal review of the current support available to ECRs and practices at both departmental level and faculty level, and identify areas for development.
- To promote best practices in the support and provision for ECRs across MAPS.
- To respond to needs and requests from ECRs and propose development of resources to address them.
- To develop cross-faculty initiatives, such as networking events and workshops, to support and connect ECRs.
- To develop strategies and measures that could help ECRs with career development, such as the identification of training events and workshops.
- To develop strategies and measures that could help ECRs succeed in fellowship and grant applications.
- To promote a positive and inclusive research culture for ECRs and empower our ECRs to succeed in their research and career.
- To report to the MAPS Faculty Research Board.
- Membership
Members must be currently funded research students or staff. Each department should have at least one representative who must be PDRA or an ECR staff member and should be nominated by the Head of the Department. Each department should also have at least a PhD student representative who can be nominated by the Departmental Graduate Tutor. Departmental ECR Leads will be members in an ex-officio capacity. Other ECRs and staff may also join the Forum or attend the termly meetings. The Faculty Vice Dean for Research will attend to assist the meetings as a non-voting member.
- Term
Membership is initially for 2 years, with the flexibility to terminate earlier or extend.
- Co-chairs
The Forum is co-chaired by an ECR staff member and a PhD student. All members can volunteer for co-chairs. Where there are more than two self-nominations, an informal interview will be run by a panel consisting of the Faculty Vice Dean for Research, a Faculty Research Board Member and a Forum Member.
- Meeting
The Forum meets termly.
Co-Chairs of the Forum
Mr Cassius Morrison
PhD Candidate
Department of Earth Sciences
cassius.morrison.21@ucl.ac.uk
Mr Sijin Liu
PhD Candidate
Sustainable Energy Storage & Recycling (SESR) Group
Institute for Materials Discovery
sijin.liu.24@ucl.ac.uk
Dr Cian O'Donovan
Senior Research Fellow
Department of Science and Technology Studies
cian.o@ucl.ac.uk
Current members of the ERC Forum
Department | Departmental ECR Leads | ECR Staff Rep | PhD Rep |
Chemistry | Prof Stefan Howorka | Dr Daniel Whitaker | Lauren Cook |
Earth Sciences | TBC | Dr Liz Gaunt | Cassius Morrison |
IMD | Dr Mojtaba Jelabi | Dr Mojtaba Jelabi | Lingyun Zhao |
RDR | Dr Rozana Himaz | Dr Megnaa Mehtta | Aisha Aldosery |
LCN | Prof Andrew Green | Dr Cecilia Zaza | Megan Joseph |
Maths | Prof Alex Sobolev | TBC | Kobe Marshall-Stevens |
MSSL | Prof Hamish Reid | Dr Zofia Chrobakova | Wiktoria Tarnopolska |
Physics | Prof Edina Rosta | Dr Joseph Bateman | Marcin Jastrzebski |
Statistics | Dr Sebastian Maier | TBC | Ms Alessia Eletti |
STS | Prof Emily Dawson | Dr Cian O'Donovan | Antonia Belli |
What we do:
MAPS ECR Forum Awards 2024 Winners Announcement
Many congratulations to the winners of the MAPS Faculty ECR Forum Awards 2024.
MAPS ECR Forum Awards 2024
The MAPS Faculty ECR Forum is proud to launch the ECR Forum Awards 2024 to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions made by the ECRs in various areas. Apply by 14 June 2024.
So, you would like to be an academic: do you know what it takes to get an Early Career Fellowship? The MAPS Faculty ECR Forum invites you to join us on the 19th Feb to find out all you need to know.
MAPS Faculty ECR Forum Awards 2023 Winners Announcement
MAPS ECR Forum is proud to announce the winners of the MAPS first-ever ECR Forum Awards. The awards highlight and reward the world-class research, teaching and community building carried out by ECRs in departments across the faculty.
MAPS Faculty ECR Forum Awards 2023
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MAPS ECR Forum Awards are now open for applications for outstanding achievements made by ECRs in Research, Teaching, Outreach and Communication, EDI and Community Work. Apply before Friday 16th June to win £150 love2shop vouchers!
Ideas to Improve Research Culture for ECRs
Let us know the challenges you face and your ideas on what could be improved to create a positive research culture for ECRs.