Second year review planning your career Prof Deborah

Second year review: planning your career Prof. Deborah Henderson Dean of Research

Future career: never too soon to start planning

http: //ascb. org/where-will-a-biology-phd-take-you/

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

Publish everything you can Ø First author papers Ø Middle author papers Ø A review/methods paper Ø Best possible impact factors

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

Attend meetings ØBroaden your horizons ØTalk to people ØMake contacts ØWhat really interests you? Where do you want to be? Who do you want to work with?

Visit other labs Ø Learn new skills Ø Experience new environment Ø Work with different people Ø Is this a good place to do a postdoc? Ø Take new skills back Ø Different labs do the same things differently

Getting that post doc Ø Plan well ahead (now!) Ø Identify the field you want to work in Ø Identify a few (3 -5) researchers who you would like to work with Ø Update your CV Ø Contact them (probably about start of your final year) Ø Discuss opportunities – fellowships, writing grants for you, funded positions etc. Ø Be proactive

FFG-S – 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

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

FMS Fellowship Schemes Open ended contract Most likely award time Running time Senior/NIRG/project grants EXTERNAL SCHEMES Career development/NIRG* Junior 5 year fixed term-NURF* Ph. D Y 3 Ph. D Faculty Fellowship 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 * Equivalent status – subject to review at 18 mo before end to assess likely career progression

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

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

Upcoming events • NIHR Funding for Early Career Research • http: //facultytools. ncl. ac. uk/training/book? instance_id=2952 • Applying for Fellowships • http: //facultytools. ncl. ac. uk/training/book? instance_id=3021 • Writing for Publication and the Publication Process • http: //facultytools. ncl. ac. uk/training/book? instance_id=2972

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

Popular alternatives to academia • • • Pharma/Biotech Teaching (HE, secondary) Consulting Entrepreneurship Finance Government Law Public Policy Sales Technology Transfer Venture Capital Writing http: //www. nextscientist. com/alternative -careers-for-phd-students/

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

What else can you do to build your CV? • Various Scientific Writing Competitions • eg Europe. PMC. org (December) • http: //www. mrc. ac. uk/public-engagement/opportunities-forresearchers/max-perutz-science-writing-award/ • http: //www. ukicrs. org/essay-competition-2015. html • {React} the University Science Magazine • http: //reactmagazine. co. uk/how-to-get-involved/ BRIGHT CLUB: Presenting the funny bits about your research work in the stand-up style http: //www. life. org. uk/whats-on/bright-clubnewcastle-19 -april-2016

• THREE MINUTE THESIS (3 MT): Local and national competition for presenting your research in brief – launched 22 nd Marchhttps: //www. vitae. ac. uk/events/three-minute-thesiscompetition • Biotechnology YES - young entrepreneurs scheme -presenting a business case for the commercialisation of science • http: //www. biotechnologyyes. co. uk/biotechnologyyes/index. aspx • Brilliant Club - teaching your research to school children • http: //www. thebrilliantclub. org/

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