Event Title |
Date |
Speakers |
About the event |
|
Alternative Careers Seminar |
7 December 2016 |
Dr Jessica O'Neill - Consultant in Healthcare and Life Sciences Strategy Team at KPMG Dr Georgina MacKenzie - Science Portfolio Adviser at Wellcome Trust Dr Greg Ball - Part-Qualified Attorney at Carpmaels & Ransford |
One of the most difficult decisions for a PhD student or PostDoc is whether or not to pursue a career in academia. To support you in making informed choices about what to do next, we invited three speakers who shared their experiences in transitioning from academic science to other industries. |
|
Grant Writing Workshop |
7 December 2016 |
Workshop chairs: Professor Patrick Haggard and Professor Andrew Forge |
The aim of this half-day session is to help workshop participants improve their applications for funding, whether they are project grants or fellowships. It was led by two senior UCL researchers, Prof. Patrick Haggard (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) and Prof. Andrew Forge (The Ear Institute), who have extensive experience in applying for funding as well as being part of grant review committees. This provided a rare opportunity to polish your 'grantsmanship' skills, gain insight into how funding committees work, and receive constructive feedback on your applications. |
|
Interview Skills Workshop |
19 October 2016 |
Workshop Chairs: Professor David Atwell and Professor Kate Jeffery |
The workshop consisted of 5 participants (postdocs and/or PIs) who are in the process of applying for grants or fellowships and had written a proposal beforehand. Each participant started with a 5 minute presentation to the panel members, consisting of the other participants and Prof Attwell and Prof Jeffery, followed by 10-15 minutes questioning. In the remaining 10-15 minutes the panel gave feedback. Video recordings were provided for feedback on aspects of the presentation. |
|
Workshop on fellowship and grant interviews |
24 May 2016 |
Chairs: Professor Elizabeth Fisher and Professor Giampietro Schiavo |
As grants and fellowships are one of the most important requirements for a successful career in Neuroscience, this workshop was organised to help attendees prepare for the final phase of that process: the interview itself. The workshop consisted of 5 participants (postdocs and PIs) who are in the process of applying for grants or fellowships and therefore had written a proposal beforehand. Each participant started with a 5 minute presentation to the panel members, consisting of the other participants and Prof Fisher and Prof Schiavo, followed by 10-15 minutes questioning. In the remaining 10-15 minutes the panel gave feedback. Video recordings were provided for feedback on aspects of the presentation. |
|
Grant writing workshop |
19 April 2016 |
Workshop chairs: Professor Patricia Salinas and Professor Dimitri Kullmann |
The aim of this half-day session was to help workshop participants improve their applications for funding, whether they are project grants or fellowships. It was led by two senior UCL researchers, Prof. Patricia Salinas (Cell & Developmental Biology) and Prof. Dimitri Kullmann (Institute of Neurology), who have extensive experience in applying for funding as well as being part of grant review committees. This was a rare opportunity to polish 'grantsmanship' skills, gain insight into how funding committees work, and receive constructive feedback on applications. To participate in this workshop, each participant provided an abstract, lay summary and scientific proposal for either a grant or fellowship application |
|
Different academic paths: Perspectives from academic, teaching and clinical routes |
16 March 2016 |
Dr. Adrian Isaacs Reader in Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology Dr. Caroline Selai Senior Lecturer in Clinical Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology Dr. Suellen Walker Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paeditaric Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, ICH/GOSH |
In this workshop three excellent neuroscientists presented on how they have developed their careers via different routes: academic, teaching and clinical. |
| Setting up a Company |
25 February 2016 |
Dr. David Tapolczay, Chief Executive MRC Technology Dr. Alex Menys, Postdoctoral Research Associate at UCL & founder of Motilent Ltd Dr. Rachel Hemsley, Senior Business Manager, UCL Business |
Cutting edge biomedical research brings on scientific advancements which, depending on their nature, can have commercial value. The translation of a research programme with commercial potential into a spin-out company is a complex process that involves strategic planning from both the researchers and UCL administration. Our three speakers gave their own advice on setting up a company through their own experiences and expertise. |
| Internal Promotions Seminar | 19 January 2016 | Professor Alan Thompson | This seminar was run for those planning to apply for promotion but unsure when to apply, or how to fill in the application form, and also for anyone who wanted to learn more about the UCL promotions procedure. The importance of finding out about the criteria for promotion early on was noted, in order to have time to optimize your CV and contact the appropriate people. Professor Alan Thompson, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, covered all aspects of the promotion process for research staff at all levels. The event was followed by a drinks reception, giving attendees the opportunity to talk to the speaker and network with their peers. |
|
Grant Writing Seminar |
19 November 2015 |
Professor Jonathan Roiser |
In this seminar, Professor Jonathan Roiser from the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience took participants through the whole process of grant writing, and provided them with valuable tips and tricks on how to polish applications. The seminar was aimed at PhD students and postdocs that are in the process of applying or thinking of applying for grants in the future. The event was followed by drinks to give attendees the opportunity to ask informal questions to the speaker as well as network with their peers. |
|
Workshop on Fellowship and Grant Interviews |
5 October 2015 |
Professor Nick Wood Professor John Rothwell |
The workshop consisted of 5 participants (postdocs and/or PIs) who were in the process of applying for grants or fellowships and therefore had written a proposal beforehand. Each participant will started with a 5 minute presentation to the panel members, consisting of the other participants and Prof Wood and Prof Rothwell, followed by 10-15 minutes questioning. In the remaining 10-15 minutes the panel gave feedback. |
|
Grant Writing Workshop |
17 September 2015 |
Professor Neil Burgess Professor Simon Mead |
The aim of this half-day session was to help Investigators improve their applications for funding, whether they are project grants or fellowships. It was led by two senior UCL researchers, Prof. Neil Burgess and Prof. Simon Mead, who have extensive experience of applying for funding and of sitting on the committees that decide which science gets funded. This was a rare opportunity for participants to improve their 'grantsmanship' skills, gain insight into how funding committees work and to receive constructive feedback on their applications. To participate in this workshop, each participant had to provide an abstract, lay summary and full scientific proposal (it may be a preliminary application) for either a grant or fellowship. |
|
Fellowship and Grant Interviews Workshop |
13 May 2015 |
Professor Antonella Riccio, MRC/UCL Lab for Molecular Cell Biology Professor Steve Hunt, UCL Department of Cell and Developmental Biology |
This workshop consisted of 4 participants made up of postdocs and principal investigators who had written a grant proposal or fellowship application before the event. Each participant started with a 5 minute presentation before the committee, consisting of the other participants and Professor Antonella Riccio and Professor Stephen Hunt, followed by 10-15 minutes questioning. In the remaining 10-15 minutes the committee gave feedback. |
|
Lab building workshop |
29 April 2015 |
Dr Francesca Cacucci, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology Professor Steve Hunt, UCL Department of Cell and Developmental Biology |
Attendees heard how established junior and senior principal investigators, Dr. Francesca Cacucci and Prof. Steve Hunt, started and expanded their own lab to pursue their research. The talks covered topics such as Ph.D students and postdocs recruitment and supervision, strategic decision making, administrative duties, grant management and balancing academic responsibility with research activity. The workshop was followed by a reception to allow participants to network and have informal discussions with the speakers. |
|
Grant writing workshop |
24 April 2015 |
Professor John Wood, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research Professor David McAlpine, UCL Ear Institute |
The aim of the half-day session was to help Investigators improve their applications for funding, whether they are project grants or fellowships. It was led by two senior UCL researchers, Professor John Wood and Professor David McAlpine, who have extensive experience of applying for funding and of sitting on the committees that decide which science gets funded. This was a rare opportunity to improve your 'grantsmanship' skills, gain insight into how funding committees work and to receive constructive feedback on your applications. |
| Neuroscience Careers Network Forum: Getting Published |
18 February 2015 |
Professor David Attwell, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology - How to write a paper
Dr Lesley Anson, Chief Editor, Nature Communications - Editorial/review process
Professor Geraint Rees, Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences - How to respond to reviewers |
There is more to preparing a manuscript for publication than collecting all the data. Presentation of the hypothesis and the experimental procedures in a coherent manner, as well as thoroughly addressing questions the reader might have, are of paramount importance for successful and painless (as much as possible) submission! Attendees took the opportunity to get some invaluable tips from leading researchers on how to prepare a manuscript and how to answer reviewers' comments as well as guidance from a leading journal's editor on successful manuscript preparation. Talks were followed by a drinks reception. |
|
Alternative Careers Seminar |
9 December 2014 |
Dr Sally Bannan, European Patent Attorney Dr Laura Phipps, Science Communications Manager at Alzheimer's Research UK Dr Rebecca Ross, Associate at McKinsey & Company |
The Alternative Careers seminar was aimed as PhD students and PostDocs who are considering careers outside of academia. Three speakers gave us a personal account of the diverse paths their career has taken after finishing their PhDs. The speakers have kindly agreed to make their talk available. Please see the link below for access to the video: |
| Grant Writing Workshop |
3 October 2014 |
Professor Matteo Carandini (Institute of Opthalmology) and Professor Sophie Scott (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) |
The Neuroscience Careers Network Committee ran another Grant Writing Workshop to coincide with a number of upcoming fellowship and project grant deadlines. The aim of the half-day session was to help investigators improve their applications for funding, whether project grants or fellowships. It was led by two senior UCL researchers, Professor Matteo Carandini (Institute of Opthalmology) and Professor Sophie Scott (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience), who have extensive experience of applying for funding and of sitting on the committees that decide which science gets funded. Attendees were given the opportunity to improve their"grantsmanship" skills, gain insight into how funding committees work, and to receive constructive feedback on your own applications. To participate in the workshop, every participant provided an abstract, lay summary and full scientific proposal for either a grant application or a fellowship application at the point of registration. They needed to submit this at least 10 days before the workshop. Costings were NOT required. Attendance at the workshop was free, but registration wass required. Organiser: Jenny Bizley |
| Interview Skills for Fellowship and Grant Interviews |
26 March 2014 3 April 2014 |
Workshop 1: Patricia Salinas and Steve Wilson Workshop 2: Kenneth Harris and Nick Fox |
This workshop was tailored for researchers who were in the process of applying for or have just
submitted an application for a fellowship or grant interview (or have been
selected for an interview already)? The workshops consisted of 5 participants made up of
postdocs and early stage principal investigators who had written a grant
proposal or fellowship application and submitted their application in advance to two senior
professors with previous panel experience. Each participant started with a 5 minute presentation before the committee followed by 10-15 minutes questioning. In the remaining 10-15 minutes the committee gave their feedback. Video recordings were provided for feedback on aspects of the presentation. |
| Working in Science and Family - Mutually exclusive or the perfect combination? |
12 Feb 2014 |
Prof. Geraint Rees, Director of the UCL Institute of Cognitive
Neuroscience Prof. Linda Greensmith, Graham Watts Senior Research Fellow at the Inst. of Neurology |
This talk was aimed at researchers who have worked hard to take their first steps on the academic career
ladder and are trying to work how to combine their careers with a family life. Many early scientists find that the long hours
in the lab conflict with the responsibility of a child and decide to
move out of science. However here we presented two excellent scientists who have demonstrated that having kids and a successful career can go together. Learn from the experts. |
2013 Events |
|||
| Post-doc? Check!....What now? |
11 December 2013 |
Professor John O'Keefe, newly appointed director of the Sainsbury Welcome Center Dr Mala Shah, Reader at the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Life Sciences Dr Jennifer Bizley, Senior Research Fellow at the Ear Institute, Faculty of Brain Sciences |
This workshop was aimed at researchers who had finished or were about to finish their postdoc, and asked the question what should you do next to pursue an academic career? Attendees heard about how new faculty positions are created and the strategic thinking
that goes behind any new opening. Advice on how you can place yourself
in a position which maximizes your chances to get that position
(internal or external candidate, teaching vs. research etc.) was also
be discussed. In addition, the talk covered which kind of positions exist and at what level each can be accessed and the selection criteria for the applicants. Attendees heard about the personal journey of colleagues from the Neuroscience Domain who are on the academic career ladder after their postdoc experience. |
| Public Engagement in research Workshop: How to engage and why it is important | 16 October 2013 |
Prof. Sophie Scott, ICN Deputy Director Dr Steve Cross, Head of UCL Public Engagement Dr Patrick Lewis, Parkinson's UK Research Fellow, ION |
Public
engagement initiated from scientists themselves is of extreme importance to the
public but also to the scientific groups themselves as funding bodies are
increasingly keen to see research scientists being proactive in communicating
their data and its implications in the relevant field of study. Each speaker gave their own account of public engagement through their own experiences and expertise. |
| ECN Grant writing workshop | 2 October 2013 |
Professor Michael Hausser
|
We ran another Grant Writing Workshop on Wednesday October 2nd to coincide with a number of fellowship and project grant deadlines from November to January.
This was a rare opportunity to improve your "grantsmanship" skills, gain insight into how funding committees work, and to receive constructive feedback on your own applications. |
| How to write a successful grant application |
12 September 2013 |
Professor Trevor Smart NPP |
In
this highly competitive field, the ability to write a successful grant
application is vital if you aim to pursue a career in academia. Through this seminar, Professor Trevor Smart (NPP) provided attendees with invaluable tips and insider knowledge as an expert who has been awarded numerous grants and sat on various grant-awarding panels.
|
| Queen Square Symposium | 15 March 2013 |
Ms. Amber Hill Dr. Krishna Chinthapalli Dr. Samuel Angwafor |
Organised annually in conjunction with Brain Awareness
Week, the student-led Queen Square Symposium offers postgraduate
students in the Institute of
Neurology an invaluable opportunity to showcase and discuss their
research. Everyone across UCL is invited to attend the 2013 symposium. |
| Clinical Academic Careers: How to combine research and clinical practice |
25 April 2013 |
Dr
Rick Adams, Clinical Research Associate,
Wellcome Trust Centre
for Neuroimaging Prof Geraint Rees, FMedSci, Professor of Cognitive Neurology, Director, ICN |
The
aim of this event was to give an overview of clinical academic career
trajectories combining clinical training and research and will comprise of personal
experiences of clinical research careers in the field of neuroscience. The event was aimed at medical students, MD/PhDs, postdocs and postgraduate students from disciplines that are interested in the combination of research and practice as well as junior PIs. |
| ECN Grant Writing Workshop | 3 May 2013 |
Professor Maria Fitzgerald NPP Professor Annette Dolphin School of Pharmacy |
The aim of the half-day session was to help Early Career Investigators (PIs and post-docs) improve their applications for funding, whether project grants or fellowships. It was a peer-led session in which participants gave and received critical feedback on grant and fellowship applications in the style of a committee meeting at a funding body. This was a great opportunity for participants to improve their "grantsmanship" skills, to gain insight into how funding committees work, and to receive constructive feedback on their own applications. |
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