Research Career Planning Workshop

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Research Career Planning Workshop

• Dr Michele Willson Dr Dawn Bennett
• August 2009

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Overview

• Why plan?
• Exploring options
• What to do
• When to start
• Resources than can help

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Why plan?Why start now?

• Research careers
• Planned vs accidental
• Recognising/enabling opportunities
• Making informed decisions
• What do you expect to do after submitting your
  thesis? Discuss

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Exploring options where to?

• Destinations
• Postdoctoral awards
• Research positions
• Teaching/Research positions
• Professional Practice
• Research consultancy
• Industry
• Government/non-government
• Strategies to progress these options

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What to do?

• Publications
• Networking
• Grants Applications
• Teaching

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Publications

• Publications (Sole and Co-authoring)
• Refereed journal articles
• Thesis into book
• Conference proceedings
• Book chapters

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Networking

• Conferences
• Electronic lists, blogs, social networking
• Professional /or industry-based associations
• Research networks (discipline or interest area
  networks)
• Other?

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Grants Applications

• Develop your research vocabulary
• Competitive vs Contract vs Consultancy research
• What counts as research quantum?
• National research priorities
• University research focus priorities
• How to write a competitive grant application?
• Get to know whats available and when
• ARC other post docs grants/fellowships
• University research grants fellowships
• Early career grants and funds

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Getting started

• Publishing
• Knowing where to publish and how to get published
• Co-authoring
• Writing papers/chapters/articles drawing on your
  research and that help you in writing your thesis
• Get involved
• Guest presentations/seminars/lectures
• Conference organising/editing postgrad journals
• Small research roles in larger teams
• Seminars and reading groups

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When and where to start?

• Start early (year 2?)
• Develop a good CV portfolio
• Select good examiners
• Locate conferences with early career streams
• Be visible! And talk to people!

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Who and what can help?

• Mentors
• Supervisor/s
• Peers (peer mentoring, networks)
• Examiners keep in contact after examination
• Other academics
• FGSO

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Planning the transition from HDR student

• Adjunct Postdoctoral Research Associate Program
• Alumni
• Sessional tutoring
• Short project contracts/research assistant
  (industry/university)

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One story (condensed)
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Not as scary as may seem

• Lots of support for that next stage
• (Eg. ECR handicap for grants, goodwill etc)
• Opportunities (eg. ageing workforce) just need to
  be able to ask for help, be open to opportunities
  and be creative.
• Good luck and enjoy!