Eleanor Newton, Professional Development Officer, The Physiological Society

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.118.21

In February, we partnered with the British Society for Immunology to organise a three-part webinar series for early career researchers. This series supports the professional development needs of early career members by providing advice on building resilience, networking, and transitioning to independence. Participants could also learn that the challenges they face are shared by their peers. Over three lunchtime sessions, we asked participants to take a step back from their daily routines and ask their burning questions.

Building Resilience John Tregoning and Cecilia Johansson, Imperial College London

“Research has highs and lows, often on the same day. We all need tools to help us cope.”

– John Tregoning

John Tregoning and Cecilia Johansson highlighted difficulties that all researchers face, and strategies to help overcome them. They discussed obstacles such as rejected grant applications, failed experiments and bad supervisors. They suggested that the key is not to dwell on what has happened but to learn how to react, including celebrating small victories and planning next steps.

Building resilience isn’t just about knowing how to manage difficult situations but also maintaining a healthy work–life balance, to recover quickly from difficulties. You can value being a scientist and still make time for life outside of the lab.

Members appreciated hearing these personal experiences and said that, “It is vital to know that people actually struggle in their careers. This is something that needs to be spoken about so we can deal with it better.”

Another important lesson a Member gleaned was that, “Everyone has to find their own mechanism of building resilience. There is no universal path.”

Networking Dan Brayson, University College London

“Successful networking is critical to progressing in science; one conversation with the right person can change your career”

– Dan Brayson

Dan Brayson highlighted the importance of networking, and helped Members think about their networking goals and routes to achieving them.

Using examples, Dan identified some steps for identifying and pursuing networking opportunities. Members appreciated the advice on how to connect with potential collaborators or mentors, including how to maintain dialogues. Dan also recognised that whilst having a plan is important, it is also good to be open to spontaneity and suggestions from others.

The second part of the webinar focused on how an online presence can help achieve your networking aims. This centred around two key questions: who do you want to appeal to, and how do you want to come across? This helps determine what type of content or platform to use. Dan provided a specific example of how he communicated his research through video-blogging series “The Ultra Cycle Diaries”, which he produced with The Physiological Society. Opportunities can arise by collaborating with your learned society. It can be as simple as just asking!

Transitioning to Independence Viki Male, Imperial College London

Starting your own lab can feel daunting. But it’s a chance to set your own research agenda – what could be more exciting than that?”

– Viki Male

Viki Male, Lecturer in Reproductive Immunology, aimed to help those preparing to transition to independence. As well as acknowledging the different routes to this (grants and fellowships), Viki reflected on her own experience in receiving a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust.

She broke down an application into three parts: person, project and place. As well as having a relevant publication record and reputation in the field, it is key to demonstrate how you can be independent, why the project proposal should be funded now (and not in 2 years), and why your chosen institution is required for the success of the project.

Viki also touched on how to continue career development once you have become independent. For example, organising seminars offers networking and collaboration opportunities.

This was a great chance for our Members to hear first-hand what it takes to start your own research group and sparked a variety of questions. It demonstrated how the pathway to independence is dependent on several factors such as personal circumstances, institution and long-term career goals.

Commenting on the webinar, one Member said: “I liked the way Viki highlighted the soft skills aspect of doing science research, which is often ignored as part of research training.”

To request a link for webinar recordings, email edufunding@physoc.org