1. Second year review: planning your career
Prof Jon Higgins
Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation

2. Future career: never too soon to start planning

4. Assuming at this point you want a career in academia… … goes without saying that you need to be working towards completing your thesis work

5. Publish First author papers Middle author papers
A review/methods paper
Most prominent journals possible

6. Think about your “skills portfolio”
Project specific
Generic (writing, presentation skills, statistics etc)
Teaching/supervision
Admin, safety
Entrepreneurship
Outreach activities
The university has a lot on offer

7. Attend talks and meetings
Broaden your horizons
Talk to people
Make contacts
What really interests you? Where do you want to be? Who do you want to work with?

8. Visit other labs Learn new skills Experience new environment
Work with different people
Is this a good place to do a postdoc?
Take new skills back

9. Getting that post doc Plan well ahead (now!)
Identify the field you want to work in
Identify a few (3-5) researchers who you would like to work with
Update your CV
Contact them (probably about start of your final year)
Show specific interest!!
Discuss opportunities – fellowships, writing grants for you, funded positions etc.
Do not underestimate your appeal
Be proactive

10. How to decide? Build on your PhD, but don’t just do more of the same
Change field or model system/approach, perhaps not both
Think about what you want from a supervisor
Consider future fundability
If at all possible, visit the lab and talk to researchers as well as the PI

11. RCDG - strategic goal:
Build a strong research base of early career researchers within the FMS that will go on to become the research leaders of the future Representatives from each Institute who can provide advice

12. External Fellowship Schemes
Most likely award time
Duration of Award
3 years
5 years
BBSRC
David Phillips/ECR Fellowships
Anniversary Future Leader Fellowship
3 (+1) years
5 (+5) years
Snr Research Fellowship
BHF
Int Basic Sci Res Fell
4 (+1) years
Immediate Postdoc Basic Science Research Fellowship
6 years
CRUK
Snr Non-Clinical Fell
Career Development Fellowship
Kay Kendall
3 years
Jnr Research Fellowship
4 years
Int Res Fellowship
2 years
International Incoming/Intra-European
3 years
International Outgoing
Marie Curie
5 years
3+ years
New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG)
MRC
Snr Non-Clinical Fell
7 years
Career Dev Awards
3 years
David Sainsbury Fellowship
NC3Rs
5 years
University Research Fellowship
Royal Society
4 years
5 (+3) years
5+ years
Wellcome Trust
Senior Research Fellowship
Sir Henry Dale Fellowship
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship 1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 12 11

13. FMS Fellowship Schemes
Most likely award time
Running time
Open ended contract
Senior/NIRG/project grants
EXTERNAL SCHEMES
Career development/NIRG*
Junior
5 year fixed term-NURF*
PhD
Faculty Fellowship 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 11 12
Y3 PhD
* Equivalent status – subject to review at 18mo before end to assess likely career progression

14. FMS Fellowships within 0-2 years of PhD award
Evidence that many successful applicants at more senior levels held “junior” fellowships
Ideally identify prior to PhD completion
Internal and external
Short-term funding (akin to bridging) in order to make application
Mentoring and other support
Criteria: excellent publication record during PhD; potential for external fellowship
One competition per year, in spring

15. Upcoming events Applying for Fellowships: 18th April
Future Proofing for the prepared researcher; NIHR BRC Careers Development Workshop: 19th April
Writing for Publication and the Publication Process: 25th May

16. What if you’re not sure about an academic career?
Discuss with your supervisor/colleagues/peers
Think about the options – there are many
Professional careers advice

17. Popular alternatives to academia
Pharma/Biotech
Teaching (HE, secondary)
Consulting
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Government
Law
Public Policy
Sales
Technology Transfer
Venture Capital
Writing

18. Same message, be proactive, start making plans now and start making contacts around start of final year

19. Post Submission Scholarship Scheme
A maximum of 3 months additional stipend
Enterprise Scholarship
Intern Scholarship
Academic Development Scholarship RH
The scholarships are in three categories
The enterprise scholarships were originally only for research students to investigate potential commercial enterprise stemming from their research work. However we have been able to broaden that to supporting ideas of how to make an impact with your research. So maybe there is a patient group that you could work with and help based on your work or maybe there is some commercial aspect you could investigate. The RES team or the Careers Enterprise team can help with this, and I would suggest seeking their advice as soon as you think you might put in an application in this area. The Engagement team maybe more appropriate if it is a social enterprise.
Internships are a way to see how the skills you have picked up from academic research can be used in a new environment. It really ought to be outside of academic research but pretty much any other opportunity is good. The student will need to arrange this but I have good contacts if you have an area in mind but no contacts.
The final strand is new. An opportunity for students to get a little bit of additional time after the submission of the thesis to complete significant research papers. We want Research students to be lead authors but sometimes it is just too much to cram in if you have to find work to keep paying your rent. Hopefully this can provide research groups a legitimate way to help their research students write up their work for papers.

20. Expectations Three months is not a long time!
Scholarships don’t support lab work
Supervisors & Research Group must provide structures to support the scholarship
Applicants must complete agreed milestones which may include a short report RH
There are no funds for consumables, so it seems quite unlikely that the scholarship alone will support further lab or scientific research work. Really the idea is to present the opportunity to do something with your research findings

21. Timescale Funding will be awarded on thesis submission
Staged funding will apply on completion of milestones
Applications can be made at any time but more notice is better
Notification will be given as quickly as possible RH
This will be a rolling process of accepting applications until appropriate applicants are selected for all available scholarships. Then
notification will be posted on the graduate school websites that no further applications are to be considered. Applications can be made at any time, we would hope to get at least of months notice before expectation of thesis submission and receiving the award.
First scholarship payments will be made on thesis submission but others may be linked to completion of realistic milestones agreed at the interview. Applications can be made at any time.
We’ll notify everyone as soon as we can with an outcome and feedback.

22. Applying
Applications can be made by visiting the website at RH

23. Alternative Funding Options
Applicants may find that other funding options are available and appropriate
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)
BBSRC Enterprise Fellowships
Research Councils Follow on Fund RH
when you submit an application the panel might be able to suggest other routes which might be better (provide more money) that could be applied for first.

24. What else can you do to build your CV?
Scientific Writing Competitions
prize/
onCompetition.aspx
mrc-students/max-perutz-science-writing-award/

25. What else can you do to build your CV?
{React} the University Science Magazine
BRIGHT CLUB: Presenting the funny bits about your research work in the stand-up style.  Next date 15th May

26. Three Minute Thesis (3MT) - Local and national competition for presenting your research in brief. Launch of Newcastle competition is 3rd April.
Biotechnology YES - young entrepreneurs scheme - presenting a business case for the commercialisation of science. Info event will be mid-April
Brilliant Club - bringing your research and experience to school children from under-represented backgrounds

27. All of these things are important…
But not at the expense of a timely PhD submission!

28. Application process and time scale for external fellowships – science
RA approaches and talks with PI (advisor) about interest in fellowship and possible project 6m
Referral to Institute FFG-S representative – discussion about suitability, readiness and possible schemes
RA works on CV – primarily publications 5m
RA starts to work on application with support from advisor and mentor
RA Notifies the faculty for tracking
Contacts Gwen Averley for advice and guidance about specific schemes 4m
Iterations of application with local peer review and mentor review (may include DOI)
Mentor allocated – meeting arranged 3m
Contacts Institute Research Support Officer re. costings 2m
Contacts DOI re. commitment as sponsor
-1m
Signed off by Associate Dean of Research
- 7d
Checks by RSO and JRO
-2d
Signed off and submitted by DoI
Notify of outcome
Mock interviews organised by advisor and mentor
Debrief with advisor and mentor
Pass feedback from application and interview back to FFG-S (via )