Researcher Development Programme (RDP) course timetable
Monday 20 November 2017
14:00 |
Giving presentations is an essential skill for a researcher, be it in your deparment, at a major conference, or in your next job interview! You know your subject but sometimes issues of performance and clarity stop you being your best. Perhaps you can't project your voice, perhaps you are terrified of the Q&A, perhaps you feel your slides let you down, or perhaps you just don't know what to do to get better. This is a highly interactive workshop that requires you to throw yourself into the activities. Everyone will be involved as we apply some of the material from the online Presentation and Performance toolkit and try it out in a safe and supportive environment. The workshop is especially designed for those who feel less confident with the performance aspects of giving presentations. If you are comfortable standing up and talking in front of others then we recommend starting with the online materials. |
Tuesday 21 November 2017
09:00 |
The Art of Negotiation and Influence
Finished
When opportunities come along, do you feel confident about working with people to get what you need? This course gives you a practical insight into the application of professional communication to everyday life, learning how to persuade and influence others effectively. Improving your listening and communication skills is advantageous for both your personal and your professional life. This workshop is led by Richard Mullender, an external trainer who formerly worked for the Metropolitan Police as a hostage negotiator, and then as Lead Trainer at the National Crisis & Hostage Negotiation Unit in Scotland Yard. People trusted their lives to the skills he teaches in this course.
Outcomes:
|
10:00 |
As a postdoc, you’re in a transitional period of your career, one that can be precarious and uncertain at times or marked by dependency on others. Inevitably, there are moments when you have to engage in difficult conversations, whether with your PI, your peers, or with the people you now oversee. You may need to discuss the advancement of your career, settle a conflict with a colleague, or provide feedback to the students. This workshop is designed to equip you with the right tools to prepare for and have difficult conversations. We will consider the factors that make particular conversations difficult as well as the “third-generation thinking” and mindful listening that will help you elicit the response you want. This interactive workshop is for all postdocs who want to hone their communication skills, advance their careers, and develop their leadership capacities.
“I liked the way we explicitly broke down the process of preparing for difficult conversations by giving techniques.” |
Wednesday 22 November 2017
09:30 |
Introduction to Leadership
Finished
Increasingly, successful researchers are expected to be leaders. Yet with a vast academic and popular literature on Leadership and a huge industry of leadership development programmes, where does a researcher start? Why this course might make a difference Outcomes:
Feedback from 2016-17: “The course gave a good overview of the key elements of leadership. It allowed each participant to put into practice what was learned and receive constructive feedback.” “I feel much more competent in my ability to lead, now that I know theories behind the skill and know frameworks which I can implement. Practicing by leading a group of people I did not know was very useful.” |
Thursday 23 November 2017
09:30 |
|
10:30 |
|
11:30 |
|
13:30 |
|
Looking back at your experience of education you can probably remember those teachers and lecturers who were excellent. We remember the ones who were good because they have left a lasting impact on us; shaping both our learning in the past and our approach as teachers. Supervising undergraduate students at Cambridge can be one of the most rewarding activities for PhDs and Postdocs and this course is designed to make sure that you can offer your best and hopefully be one of those memorable teachers for someone else. This blended workshop incorporates personal reflection on teaching practice, discussion of real teaching scenarios, a chance to ask questions of an experienced supervisor and access to practical information about organising and carrying out your supervisions. This training is required by many colleges before you can carry out supervisions and is always a popular course. About the trainer: The course trainer is Dr Ben Murton who has over 14 years of teaching experience in Cambridge and was an undergraduate here as well. He is now a Fellow and Director of Studies at St John's College and a tutor on the Teaching Associates' Programme. If you have any specific questions you are welcome to contact him before the course on Ben.Murton@admin.cam.ac.uk |
|
14:30 |
|
15:30 |
|
Tuesday 28 November 2017
10:00 |
|
14:00 |
|
The relationship between student and supervisor is important for success for both parties. However, like any relationship, it can experience difficulties and/or frustrations from either side. The aim of this workshop is for participants to become familiar with how the supervisory team works and the different supervision styles used. In addition, we will explore the different methods of communication, as well as how to manage expectations and conflicts in a way that benefits both student and supervisor. |
Wednesday 29 November 2017
10:00 |
Perhaps because it’s at the meeting point between the known and the unknown, research can seem to be inherently stressful; our good intentions to complete our research can in reality be fraught with setbacks. So how do we cope with these challenges? Why this course might make a difference Outcomes:
Feedback from 2016-17: “Provided useful tools and perspectives for dealing with future set backs, and an interesting opportunity for introspection.” “It highlighted the various support networks there exist to aid me in my PhD.” |
14:00 |
Research can be fraught with the challenges of working with others - whether your supervisor or PI or your colleagues – and the challenge of asserting yourself appropriately. Why this course might make a difference Outcomes:
Feedback from 2016-17: “It was dynamic, provided a high level of interaction between trainer and trainees and presented very relevant and thought-provoking ideas.” “It showed us ways to communicate more effectively with colleagues.” |
|
Thursday 30 November 2017
10:00 |
|
14:00 |
Postdocs: Managing up
Finished
The relationship you build with your supervisor/PI is important for your future career development, and you stand to gain from shaping a mutually beneficial rapport. This workshop helps postdocs develop the skill of managing up, the deliberate effort to bring understanding and cooperation to a professional relationship. You will see how to consider your PI’s perspectives and motivations, and how embedding your career goals into your PI’s goals, your team’s goals, and the institution’s goals will positively influence your own progress. Come to this workshop to understand how to actively build strong, meaningful professional relationships.
“[This workshop] increased my awareness of the concept of and the need for managing up - this was something I had been missing. Considering that not everyone has a supervisor that initiates a discussion of how you will manage working styles and communications, it is especially necessary to fill that gap.” “It was a very useful and novel (for me) session that gave a good overview of the concept of managing up, which I was unfortunately somewhat oblivious to previously.” “It was helpful to think about how my supervisor works and the importance of communicating expectations.” |
Giving presentations is an essential skill for a researcher, be it in your deparment, at a major conference, or in your next job interview! You know your subject but sometimes issues of performance and clarity stop you being your best. Perhaps you can't project your voice, perhaps you are terrified of the Q&A, perhaps you feel your slides let you down, or perhaps you just don't know what to do to get better. This is a highly interactive workshop that requires you to throw yourself into the activities. Everyone will be involved as we apply some of the material from the online Presentation and Performance toolkit and try it out in a safe and supportive environment. The workshop is especially designed for those who feel less confident with the performance aspects of giving presentations. If you are comfortable standing up and talking in front of others then we recommend starting with the online materials. |
Tuesday 5 December 2017
09:30 |
This course is designed for first-year PhD students to help you increase your effectiveness and meet the challenges of your PhD. We cover several different aspects of personal effectiveness in this one-day workshop, with practical solutions to get you started on your journey.
Outcomes:
|
10:00 |
Postdocs: Leading Others
Finished
Are you ready to lead others confidently in whatever leadership position you may find yourself in? This workshop draws on insight gained from Postdocs: An Initial Guide to Leadership and Postdocs: Self-Leadership and considers how to apply different skills, strengths, and styles of leadership as well as the strategies of self-leadership to enable you to thoughtfully and self-assuredly lead others. This workshop will help you cultivate a more profound and extensive portfolio of leadership capabilities and a deeper understanding of how to motivate people and to get the best out of them. It is possible to attend this as an individual workshop, although we would recommend that you try to attend the series starting with Postdocs: An Initial Guide to Leadership and Postdocs: Self-Leadership.
|
Thursday 7 December 2017
09:30 |
Why attend? How might the course make a difference? Put simply, to help you ‘get ahead of the game’ and give you more opportunities and possibilities for your future. Times are changing for research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Increasingly, collaboration is at the centre of Research Councils’ funded research. The AHRC, for example, is funding collaborative and interdisciplinary research more and more. Yet despite the increased funding, collaborations can often go wrong. The purpose of this introduction is, then, to help you go into any future collaboration with your 'eyes open': aware of the benefits, disadvantages, how to make the most of them and develop your collaborative skills. Throughout two days of practical exercises to reach the foundational learning objectives, insight will be added by experienced speakers, including research facilitators on how to gain research grants. Please note, this will be the only opportunity to attend this course in 2017-18. |
Friday 8 December 2017
09:30 |
Why attend? How might the course make a difference? Put simply, to help you ‘get ahead of the game’ and give you more opportunities and possibilities for your future. Times are changing for research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Increasingly, collaboration is at the centre of Research Councils’ funded research. The AHRC, for example, is funding collaborative and interdisciplinary research more and more. Yet despite the increased funding, collaborations can often go wrong. The purpose of this introduction is, then, to help you go into any future collaboration with your 'eyes open': aware of the benefits, disadvantages, how to make the most of them and develop your collaborative skills. Throughout two days of practical exercises to reach the foundational learning objectives, insight will be added by experienced speakers, including research facilitators on how to gain research grants. Please note, this will be the only opportunity to attend this course in 2017-18. |
Tuesday 12 December 2017
09:30 |
|
10:30 |
|
11:30 |
|
13:00 |
|
13:30 |
|
14:30 |
|