Second year review planning your career Prof Jon

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

Future career: never too soon to start planning

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

How to decide? Build on your Ph. D, 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

RCDG - 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 http: //www. ncl. ac. uk/medicalsciences/research/c areer-development/

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 Award time Senior/NIRG/project grants EXTERNAL SCHEMES Career development/NIRG* Junior 5 year fixed term NURF or NUAc. T* 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 3 yrs before end to assess likely career progression

FMS Faculty Fellowships • Evidence that many successful applicants at more senior levels held “junior” fellowships • Possible to apply before Ph. D completion • Internal and external • Two year funding in order to make external application • Mentoring and other support Criteria: excellent publication record during Ph. D; potential for external fellowship One competition per year, opening now (March 2019)

Upcoming events • Applying for Fellowships: 17 th April – https: //workshops. ncl. ac. uk/fms/fellowships/ • Scientific Writing for Publication: 14 th May – https: //workshops. ncl. ac. uk/occurrences/? workshop=24918 • Writing for Publication and the Publication Process: 24 th May – https: //workshops. ncl. ac. uk/fms/publication/

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

Post Submission Scholarship Scheme – A maximum of 3 months additional stipend • Enterprise Scholarship • Intern Scholarship • Academic Development Scholarship https: //www. ncl. ac. uk/fms/es/

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

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

Applying • Applications can be made by visiting the website at www. ncl. ac. uk/fms/es

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

What else can you do to build your CV? • Scientific Writing/Video Competitions • http: //bscb. org/competitions-awardsgrants/science-writingprize/ • https: //www. biochemistry. org/Get. Involved/Science. Communicat ion. Competition. aspx • https: //www. mrc. ac. uk/skills-careers/studentships/for-currentmrc-students/max-perutz-science-writing-award/ • https: //www. ukicrs. org/ukicrs-got-talent. html

What else can you do to build your CV? • {React} the University Science Magazine – https: //blogs. ncl. ac. uk/react/ • BRIGHT CLUB: Presenting the funny bits about your research work in the stand-up style. Next date 7 th May • https: //www. life. org. uk/events/bright-club

• Three Minute Thesis (3 MT) - Local and national competition for presenting your research in brief. Launch of Newcastle competition is likely in April. https: //www. vitae. ac. uk/events/three-minute-thesis-competition • Biotechnology YES - young entrepreneurs scheme - presenting a business case for the commercialisation of science. Info event will be mid-April – http: //www. yescompetitions. co. uk/ • Brilliant Club - bringing your research and experience to school children from under-represented backgrounds – http: //www. thebrilliantclub. org/

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

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 )