All Postdoc Academy courses

This event is for postdocs at the approximate mid-point (1-2 years) of a typical postdoctoral tenure in Cambridge (up to 5 years*). It has been designed specifically for this key career stage to help you position yourself for the next step in your career, in academia or otherwise.

This interactive online session will cover:

• What next - reflecting on your professional development and identifying what you would like to achieve during the rest of your contract.
• How could you get there - sharing ideas for how to achieve your development goals, focus on key professional development topics, and where to find information and support across the University.
• Action planning - gain tools to ensure you know when and how to take the next steps during your remaining time as a postdoc.
• Q&A - informal discussion with the facilitators and other participants.

This booking is provisional and will be approved once you have submitted the full registration form. The form has been designed to help you think about your experiences in Cambridge so far in advance of the session. The data you provide will help us to better understand the challenges, needs, and aspirations of postdocs at this stage of their careers.

The deadline for registration and booking is 12pm on 26 February.

*If you have been a postdoc for more than 5 years and this session is of interest, please get in touch: development.pda@admin.cam.ac.uk

This event is for postdocs near the mid-point of their current contract at Cambridge.

The session has been designed specifically for this key career stage to help you position yourself for the next step in your career (in academia or otherwise).

You will have the opportunity to reflect on your professional development activities so far and get guidance to support you in working towards your future goals.

This interactive online session will cover:

• What next - reflecting on your professional development and identifying what you would like to achieve during the rest of your contract.
• How could you get there - sharing ideas for how to achieve your development goals, focus on key professional development topics, and where to find information and support across the University.
• Action planning - gain tools to ensure you know when and how to take the next steps during your remaining time as a postdoc.
• Q&A - informal discussion with the facilitators and other participants.

Please also complete this form when you make a booking so that we can tailor the session to suit the needs of participants. Your booking will be approved upon our receipt of this form.

The booking deadline is 22 March 2023.

“At Cambridge, we recognise that world-leading research depends on the connections researchers make to share ideas, pose new questions, challenge assumptions and form collaborations.”

Cambridge has a range of networks to promote interdisciplinary working and connect researchers across the university. These networks provide a range of opportunities for postdocs, from meeting new people and establishing collaborations, to developing and funding their own interdisciplinary projects. We have created this event to give postdocs a chance to find out about the importance of interdisciplinary research at Cambridge and the lively network of cross-School initiatives at the University.

For further information please see the short video: What impact will your next connection have?

Speakers: This event will be chaired by the Postdoc Academy Researcher Development team. There will be a general presentation introducing all of the SRNs/IRCs followed by individual presentations from Stephanie Norwood (Synthetic Biology IRC), Maria Bargues Ribera (Cambridge Infectious Diseases), Margarida Dias Rodrigues (Centre for Physical Biology), Francesca Re Manning (Global Food Security IRC ), and Sara Serradas O’Holleran (Global Challenges SRI). We will also be joined by postdocs who will talk about their experiences with these groups. Presentations will last for around 40 mins total with an opportunity for Q&A for the final 20 mins.

This seminar, facilitated by the Head of Research Information at the Research Strategy Office, outlines online tools that can be used to enhance networking and online presence. The software overview includes Symplectic Elements (a publication retrieval tool and Research Information Management System), Altmetrics (a social media analysis tool) and Research Professional (a funding information database).

Join the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs [OPdA] at their flagship Postdoc Centre @ Eddington for lunch with the Head of OPdA, Karina Prasad, and Assistant Head, Liz Simmonds. Over lunch, Karina and Liz will give a brief overview of the OPdA and how it can support you in your role. This will include the OPdA’s current initiatives, work on the Concordat, and other areas with a connection to HR and support for postdocs. There will also be an opportunity to have your questions answered.

Do you know what to look out for when choosing an Open Access publisher or a data repository?

It's important to get these decisions right to be at the forefront of the trend towards Open Research, ensuring that you build a strong profile and embrace the changes that are expected from researchers.

Practicing Open Research will help you to:

• Be cited more often
• Secure grants
• Spark collaborations
• Make your findings more reproducible

In this session, you will learn about:

• The State Pension system in the UK
• Private Pensions in the UK
• The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)

The session will be delivered by Head of Pensions at the University of Cambridge, and there will be ample opportunity for asking questions.

Please note that if you are not eligible for a University of Cambridge Raven account you will need to book by linking here.

In this session, you will learn about:

• The State Pension system in the UK
• Private Pensions in the UK
• The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)

The session will be delivered by Head of Group Pensions at the University of Cambridge, and there will be ample opportunity for asking questions.

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

In this session, you will learn about:

The State Pension system in the UK Private Pensions in the UK The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) The session will be delivered by Head of Group Pensions at the University of Cambridge, and there will be ample opportunity for asking questions.

Do you sometimes feel worn down or worked up? Would you like to develop habits that help you navigate life with greater confidence and happiness?

This course is designed specifically for researchers to explore tools for enhancing self-awareness, managing stress and unwanted thoughts, and embracing enjoyment and positive change.

It provides guided opportunities to think about:

• how we relate to our body, thoughts and feelings
• finding connection with others, nature and time
• practical ways to change our habits and patterns of thinking.

The six workshops explore concepts from various traditions and provide opportunities for focused self-reflection, enhanced using meditation skills.

These skills are for complete beginners and provide new approaches for those with more experience. No previous experience is required.