Upcoming events calendar

Managers of researchers

In this session, you will learn to use a structured, business-inspired tool—the Research Canvas—to guide early-career researchers in shaping their own ideas into compelling, fundable projects—supporting their progression toward research independence or diverse future careers. At the same time, you’ll find it valuable for structuring and stress-testing new research directions in your own work.

You’ll learn how to visually map and assess research concepts and focus on key factors that influence their success. Whether you’re mentoring, exploring new research avenues, or preparing for funding pitches, this session will offer practical strategies to make your group’s research more cohesive, impactful, and future-ready.

By the end of this session, you will be able to use the Research Canvas to:
– Support your ECRs in refining their own research ideas and articulating a clear research value proposition.
– Guide effective communication of research aims to collaborators, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
– Strengthen the strategic development and funding readiness of both your own and your team’s research initiatives.

Managers of researchers

A recent review conducted at the University of Sheffield looked at attitudes and access to postdoc career development, from the perspective of both PIs and postdocs.

During this session Rebecca Ehata, Careers and Employability consultant for researchers at the University of Sheffield, will share some of the key findings of this work and look at what we might learn from it. Using the conclusions of the review as a basis for discussion, we’ll be exploring questions such as:

– What are the similarities and differences between postdoc and PI attitudes to career development?
– What support do postdocs say they need—and they receiving it?
– How can you as PIs best prepare to offer career development support alongside the other demands of your role?

By the end of this session, participants will have greater awareness of:
– Challenges in aligning PI and postdoc attitudes towards career development opportunities.
– The practical barriers preventing postdoc uptake of development opportunities, and strategies to reduce these.

Managers of researchers

Lab handbooks are becoming an increasingly popular resource that outline expectations to group members. They help onboard new team members, outline responsibilities around working culture and practice, and set a general theme that all in the group can follow.

The session addresses how to prepare a lab handbook. The invited speakers have written their own lab handbooks, and we will hear about how these resources were developed, adapted and implemented. The session will also include advice on preparing your own lab handbooks alongside a Q&A so that you can ask your own questions.

This session will be held on Zoom and led by the University of York, featuring speakers Dr. Stuart Higgins, Dr. Noémie Hamilton, Dr. Benjamin Tendler and Professor Karla Miller.

Managers of researchers, Postdocs

Getting your work on social media may be easy – but making it popular is more challenging. C-DICE is hosting a workshop with award-winning communicator and engagement professional Jamie Gallagher that will explore effective use of social media and help you to develop your profile and presence on the main social media platforms. The session will take you through the main social media channels and looks at how to create share-worthy content. Discover how to use social media to foster meaningful interactions and share your work with as many people as possible. From tweets to live streams, this interactive session is packed with ideas on how to maximise your use of social media as a researcher.