Training for PIs and Postdocs – Managing Research

The Oxford Learning Institute has introduced four new workshops, targeted at Principal Investigators (PI) and at those postdocs aspiring to be PIs, or who manage researchers.

The new workshops have been developed following the results of a year-long research study into the transition from DPhil to researcher independence at Oxford, and will be delivered at or near to the Department to make attendance easier.

You can find out more about the contents and how to register your interest below.

So you want to be a PI

This two-hour workshop is for postdocs who want to explore what it means to be a PI and what they might need to do to become one. The workshop looks at what a PI is and at the typical requirements for someone to make the transition from talented postdoc to research independence. It will enable participants to explore their standing in their field and how they match-up to the typical criteria that funders and departments have for those seeking to make this key transition.  The workshop is analytical and exploratory as there is no single, well-defined route to achieving research independence.

 Register your interest in this workshop at:

http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/register.php?cc=MAN/PI1

Managing researchers: an introduction for postdocs

This half-day workshop is for postdocs who find themselves, by design or default, managing other research staff on behalf of, or in support of, their PI. It covers the basics of managing research staff, from supporting them through the first few months to shaping performance and encouraging reflection and development.

Register your interest in this workshop at:

http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/register.php?cc=MAN/PI2.

The new PI: the challenges of managing research

This one-day workshop is for those PIs who have their first grant and are relatively new to managing staff and to the challenges of keeping on top of all the demands a new PI faces.

It explores the challenges faced by the new PI, particularly in making the transition from start-up soloist to a group leader. It looks at what PIs who have made this transition have to say about it, and what they wish they had known at the time. It also covers the fundamentals of bringing in and managing staff and how to get them performing at a high level.

Register your interest in this workshop at:

http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/register.php?cc=MAN/PI3

 

Research group leadership: leading a productive research group

This one-day workshop is for those PIs who have experience of growing and leading a research team and want to explore how their approach to leadership affects the productivity of their group.

It looks at what research has to say about what makes a research group productive and at the PI’s influence over these factors. It explores topics such as the impact of your approach on outputs and the pros and cons of giving staff more say in what they do. Whether you want a refresher or simply to validate what you do, this workshop helps you think about how you lead your group.

Register your interest in this workshop at:

http://www.learning.ox.ac.uk/register.php?cc=MAN/PI4

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Unconscious Bias: Animation, Briefing & Lectures

unconscious biasUnconscious bias is a hot topic across academia at the moment, and rightly so. It can have an impact on everything from how you select and manage your team through to how you peer review research applications.

The Royal Society has created an animation and briefing on this topic and, although it is aimed at their selection and appointment panel members, the value of the message conveyed has a much wider reach and is relevant to anybody involved in management and decision making.

If unconscious bias is something you’re interested in learning more about, you may also be interested to know that Oxford is holding a two part lecture series on the topic as part of the Leverhulme Lectures Series. More information and booking for these events can be found here.

Tips on Completing a H2020 Proposal – RIA Template

If you’re looking for tips and best practice guidance for Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Actions, help is now at hand.

With input from experts and evaluators, Partners in the ​FP7-funded ‘Health2Market’ project have developed an annotated Horizon 2020 proposal template which aims to assist applicants in understanding the requirements of the scheme and show them how to better present the innovation-related sections in the proposals.

The template has been structured to guide coordinators and partners in presenting information required, focusing on the criteria of Excellence (criterion 1) and Impact (criterion 2). The Appendices include an example of a business plan executive summary and an example of work packages addressing dissemination and exploitation of results, preparation of market authorisation and market access (related to health topics).

Horizon 2020: ITN 2016 Guide for Applicants Now Online

The 2016 call for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions​ (MSCA) Innovative Training Networks (ITN) opened on 14 October 2015 and has a deadline of 12 January 2016. The Guide for Applicants for this call is now available online and can be located by expanding the ‘Topic conditions and documents’ window of the call page.

 

Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2016/17

Horizon20201The Horizon 2020 work programme for 2016/17 will be published in the autumn (exact date as yet unknown). However early versions of the individual elements of the work programme have been released, giving an indication of call topics to expect in 2016 and  2017. It is important to stress that topics can change in the final versions, however here are the current drafts to consider for potential application:

1) Excellent Science

2) Industrial Leadership

3) Societal Challenges

In order to prepare for this, the EC have organised various “Information Days” for potential applicants. More dates will be released for different calls, however the currently arranged events are as follows:

— Health Challenge Day – 18th September 2015 – Brussels – Focus on ‘Health, demographic change and wellbeing’ – More Info

— Environment and Resource Efficiency – 21st September 2015 – Brussels – Focus on “Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials” as well as related call topics such as “Smart and Sustainable Cities” focus areas. – More Info

— Smart, Green and Integrated Transport – 5th November 2015 – Brussels – Focus on, as the name suggests, the “Smart, Green and Integrated Transport” topic. – More Info