Department of Chemistry course timetable

PhDs in the physical science and technology disciplines have plenty of options once they graduate. In this interactive session we will look at the pros and cons of different career options. You will have a chance to think about what you want your work to do for you and what you can offer employers, and you will learn ways to find out more about jobs you are interested in. You will also learn more about how selection processes work including how to put together a CV and cover letter and how to prepare for job interviews

Chloe Francis (Eight19 Ltd) will talk about the opportunities that come with working for a small company, using Eight19 as a prime example. Eight19 is a start-up company based in Cambridge that develops new generation solar technology and energy autonomous devices. There’ll be an introduction into Eight19’s technology capabilities and the stages of technology commercialization, before we move on to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of starting your career in a small company.

This course is made up of 8 sessions which will be based around the topics below: unlike other courses in the Graduate Lecture Series, it is essential to attend all 8 sessions to benefit from this training. Places are limited so please be absolutely certain upon booking that you will commit to the entire course.

This session is aimed at those contemplating postdoctoral research. Israel and Tessa will discuss many aspects of this, including changing field or remaining in the same area, getting funding and moving country, all from both a personal and then more general perspective. Some information on making applications for funding will be given and there will be plenty of time for a Q&A session following their short presentations.

We are looking for additional postdocs who have complementary experience and background to those who have already agreed to give the session to contribute.

This course is made up of 8 sessions which will be based around the topics below: unlike other courses in the Graduate Lecture Series, it is essential to attend all 8 sessions to benefit from this training. Places are limited so please be absolutely certain upon booking that you will commit to the entire course.

Professor Scherman will outline how to go about writing an effective fellowship and grant applications in order that participants may have a realistic idea of what this entails, should they be required to do so at any point.

Stuart Cantrill (Chief Editor, Nature Chemistry) will discuss the publishing process and what goes on in the editorial office, as well as providing some guidance on how to write a paper, how to write an abstract and some DOs and DON'Ts when it comes to titles and graphical abstracts. There will also be broader consideration of peer review in general, the wider chemistry publishing landscape and also other aspects such as metrics (impact factor, altmetrics, etc) and the use of social media.

This session will look at various pathways leading from academic research background into secondary school teaching and what the job is like in different environments. There will be short presentations and plenty of time for questions.

This hands-on course teaches the basics of Latex including syntax, lists, maths equations, basic chemical equations, tables, graphical figures and internal and external referencing. We also learn how to link documents to help manage large projects. The course manual is presented in the style of a thesis and since you also receive the source code you also receive a template for a thesis.

See how SciFinder can help you narrow the job search during this presentation. You’ll see the research discovery application as never before – an effective tool for finding industries and companies aligned with your research and professional interests

This session will illustrate how it is possible to develop careers that are very different from the traditional routes followed by science and technology graduates and why it is important that some science and technology graduates pursue these careers.

Simon Turner and Tim Guilliams have a wealth of experience in many different areas of entrepreneurship and innovation. If you feel that this might be the direction for you to head in, hearing them speak and being able to discuss with them the options available in this area will be extremely useful.

Many funding organisations and publishers now require you to get an ORCID: a free ID that is unique to you and which comes with you wherever you go, especially when moving between academic institutions. It eliminates ambiguity about your name in publications so you can get full credit for your work.

Would you like to know more? Do you already have an ORCID but are not sure how best to use it?

This practical, 30 minute session is being offered as part of the Department of Chemistry careers programme 2018.

Bring your own device and register for an ORCID, link it to your Symplectic account, and find out how to use ORCID to streamline your research.

One-to-one support will be available after the initial 30 minutes of presentation and registration activities, should you need it.

Many chemists will have already been involved with scientific publishers through submitting journal articles, using databases or reading textbooks. In this session, Helen will give an introduction to the diverse careers in scientific publishing that are available to chemistry graduates and discuss what life is like on the other side of the computer screen.

How do Government and Parliament make decisions? What can you do to make sure that the decisions that are made are sensible, and take account of the evidence available? In this session, Julian will discuss the mechanisms that are available to input into policy making, whether you want to do this as a full time career or just provide occasional advice.