Enhancing Research Culture Workshops
With funding from Research England and support from the Building Research and Innovation Capacity (BRIC) Team, we have established a series of workshops to inspire and enhance research culture.
Each workshop focuses on a different aspect of research culture and aims to showcase examples of best practice both within and outside the University. You can find recordings of previous workshops, case studies and useful resources on the Enhancing Research Culture Workshops Google site (UoY log in required).
Contact us
If you would like to discuss the Enhancing Research Culture Workshops, please email us
Upcoming events
Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Early Career Researcher Engagement in Open Research
- Friday 28 March, 11.30am - 2pm
- Online and in-person
- Free to attend
We will explore potential barriers early career researchers (ECRs) face when participating in open research. Potential barriers could include lack of awareness, lack of skill set, or lack of time, resources or incentives. The workshop will provide insight into the findings and recommendations of the York Open Research Survey 2023/24, and will foster discussion around the role of University training and support, and grassroots ECR initiatives such as the ReproducibiliTea Journal Club.
Speakers:
- Dr Emma Sullivan (Department of Psychology, University of York)
- Dr Jamie Cockcroft (Department of Psychology, University of York)
- Dr Clement Lee (School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, University of Newcastle)
- Katie Vernon (Library Graduate Engagement Lead, University of York)
- Luqman Muraina (Library Graduate Engagement Lead, University of York)
- Yorgos Paschos (Library Graduate Engagement Lead, University of York)
Previous events
Thursday 13 February, 11am to 1.30pm
How do you foster collaboration and mutual, respectful, support within research environments? This workshop explores how we construct our workplace to best meet our values. Open to all, this session is well-suited to those in leadership/management roles, as it considers and provides a space to discuss the various facets of successful research environments and how we can encourage and support them.
Speakers:
- Dr Karisha Kimone George, (Department of Psychology, University of York)
- Melissa Rose, (HR - Development Partner, University of York)
Location: in-person and online
Admission: free
- Friday 8 November, 11am to 1pm
Postgraduate researchers are the key drivers of research, and this session is for you!
We invite all PhD students and Postdoctoral Researchers to this research culture lunch for an informal chat about research culture across disciplines, how we can shape it, whether ‘Lab Handbooks’ (or ‘Research Team Charters’) could help and how to get involved in developing one.
Thursday 4 July, 11am to 2pm
Are you an early career researcher? Keen to extend your network at a conference? Learn a new skill on a training course? Or explore short-term, focused research with independent funds?
This workshop is all about empowering you to obtain your own funding towards these goals. We have an exciting line-up of speakers that will share their experiences on how to obtain funding for conferences, travel and training. We’ll provide insight into internal funding schemes and how these can complement external funding from councils, charities, industry and learned societies.
Speakers
- Dr Charlay Wood, Former PhD student, Department of Biology, University of York (in-person)
- Dr Fiona Frame, Research Development Manager, Bioscience and Environment Team, Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, University of York (in-person)
- Dr Ines Hahn, Lecturer, Department of Biology, University of York (in-person)
- Professor Rachel Cowen, Professor in the School of Medicine, Director of the Centre for Academic and Researcher Development and University Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Manchester (via zoom)
Friday 14 June, 11am to 1pm
Come along to this event to hear from our panellists who have spent significant time working in industry and have experience collaborating and working with academics.
Speakers:
- Dr Heba Bevan OBE, CEO and Founder, UtterBerry LTD (via Zoom)
- Dr Richard Law, Chief Business Officer, Exscientia
- Ms Radha Parmar, Science and Technology Consultant Biologics - EMEA, Twist Bioscience
- Professor Jason Snape, Professor in Sustainable Healthcare and Environmental Sustainability, University of York
- Professor Helen Sneddon, Professor of Sustainable Chemistry and Director of the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, University of York
- Dr Katerina Steventon, Business Development Manager, Skin Research Centre, Hull York Medical School
Location: In-person and online
Admission: Free
Thursday 20 June, 2pm to 4pm
Research culture affects all of us and the ways we work together, which are shaped by the different institutions and countries where we work. Four researchers from the UK, the USA, Brazil and Germany will compare their experiences working in research in different countries, in national laboratories and in universities. In a Q&A and panel discussion we will explore the strengths and weaknesses of research cultures in different places. This session will be an exciting chance to expand your horizons and will be particularly relevant for anyone considering careers outside the UK.
Speakers:
- Dr Ellie Tubman, Department of Physics, Imperial College London (in-person)
- Professor Angela Kaysel Cruz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Universidade de Sao Paulo (via zoom)
- Dr Ryan Bodenstein, Centre for Advanced Study of Accelerators (CASA), Jefferson Lab (USA), via zoom
- Dr Sophia Henneberg, Max Planck Institute, Germany (in-person)
Location: in-person and online
Admission: Free
Wednesday 22 May 2024 10.30am to 12.45pm
This workshop will be about how to square caring responsibilities with a career in academia. We will hear from academics at different career stages and with different backgrounds about their experiences, struggles, lessons, and advice, among others touching on topics such as having a child at an early career stage, moving abroad to a new institution with young children, as well as an exciting new initiative to help carers maintain some of their lab's research activity while they are on parental leave. There will be an opportunity to ask our speakers questions and to continue the conversation after the panel discussion over lunch.
Speaker(s):
- Prof. Laura Itzhaki (Dept. of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge)
- Dr Miriam Klein-Flügge (Depts. of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University Oxford)
- Dr Eva Kimel (Dept. of Psychology, University of York)
- Dr Aidan Horner (Dept. of Psychology, University of York)
- Dr MaryAnn Noonan (Dept. of Psychology, University of York)
Location: In-person and online
Admission: Free
Thursday 25 April 2024 11am to 1.30pm
Speaker(s):
Alejandro Montenegro-Montero will discuss the life of an editor and ways in which interested people can join this career path. He is also interested in meeting people to find out about their research, talk about peer review/publishing, or discuss ways in which we can help at CSHL Press/bioRxiv or CSH Protocols, which is the journal he leads.
Location: In-person and online
Admission: Free
Wednesday 20 March 2024 12 noon to 2.30pm
A lab handbook is a flexible document created by all members of a lab that outlines the ethos of a research group. It can summarise the different roles within the lab, give an overview of the culture the lab would like to create, describe how the lab supports development of its members and is therefore a potentially powerful tool to create team equity. This workshop will be a starting point to create and share good practice across York.
Speaker(s):
- Professor Stuart Murray (School of English, University of Leeds) - leading the Wellcome funded Medical Humanities Project LivingBodiesObjects
- Faye Robinson (Head of Research Development, University of Leeds) - leading the Wellcome funded Medical Humanities Project LivingBodiesObjects.
- Dr Stuart Higgins (School of PET, York)
- Dr Chris McDonald (Biology, York)
- Professor David Kent (Biology, York)
Location: In-person and online
Admission: Free
Tuesday 14 November 2023 11am to 1.30pm
This session will discuss why we need Open Science and how publishers, funders, institutions and researchers can contribute.
Speaker(s):
- Andrew Dunn (Senior Publishing Editor, Royal Society Open Science)
- Thom Blake (Open Research Manager, University of York)
- Dr Andrew Mason (Lecturer, Jack Birch Unit of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Department of Biology, University of York)
Location: In-person and online
Admission: Free
Thursday 19 October 2023 11am to 1.30pm
This session will cover intellectual property and commercialisation. The speakers will give examples from different stages of the commercialising pathway and provide information about funding and support mechanisms that can help researchers who are considering commercialisation options. The Q&A session will be an opportunity to ask them questions about what can be protected, when, why and whether this should happen, the difference between spinning-out and licensing, and what support is available at the University.
Speaker(s):
- Dr Paul Ko Kerrigno (CEO and Founder, Eclateral)
- Dr Dana Koludrovic (Technology Transfer Manager, Cancer Research UK)
- Dr Natalia Stawniak (Commercialisation Manager, University of York)
- Dr Rasha Rezk (PDRA, Centre for Blood Research, University of York)
- Dr Ban Balansethupathy (PDRA, CNAP, University of York)
- Dr Dan Leadbeater (PDRA, CNAP, University of York)
Location: In-person and online
Admission: Free
Monday 18 September 2023 11am to 1.30pm
This session focused on those involved in biomedical and aligned research looking to learn more about patient participation in their studies, and the opportunity to deliver patient focused outcomes. There were talks from staff who shared their experiences of patient advocacy.
Speaker(s):
- Professor Paul Kaye (HYMS, University of York)
- Professor Debra Howell (Department of Health Sciences, University of York)
- Dr Jenny Baker (Department of Biology and York Tissue Bank, University of York)
- Professor Rowena Jacobs (Deputy Director for the Centre for Health Economics and Academic Lead for Involvement
@York, University of York)
Tuesday 4 July 2023 11am to 1.30pm
This session focused on how to have effective two-way conversations with different public groups; looking at how we can make connections with groups, how we can set up and structure groups and how we can empower the public to engage with us. The session included talks from an external speaker and internal members of staff who shared their experiences of effectively conversing with the public.
Speaker(s):
- Dr Helen Featherstone (Head of Public Engagement, University of Bath)
- Dr Ruth Purvis (Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories, University of York)
- Dr Melanie Forster (Department of Psychology)
Friday 16 June 2023 11am to 1.30pm
This session focused on working with the public - methods we can use to quantify and analyse engagement, and subsequent modifications to improve engagement outcomes. The session included talks from an external speaker and internal members of staff who can share their experiences of evaluating public engagement.
Speaker(s):
- Lisa Jamieson (Senior Associate of the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and Freelance Consultant)
- Dr Linda Ko Ferrigno (University of York Impact Manager)
- Dr Jeremy Airey (Department of Education)
- Professor Colin Beale (Department of Biology)
Friday 12 May 2023
This session heard from academics with experience in establishing and sustaining links with industry. A Q&A panel followed with the academic speakers joined by Dr Fiona Frame, Research and Innovation Development Manager from the University of York.
Speaker(s):
- Professor James Chong (Biology)
- Professor Katherine Denby (Biology)
- Dr Peter O’Toole (Biology)
- Professor Gideon Grogan (Chemistry)
Monday 25 July 2022
This session focused on the shaping and influencing of scientific policy and included talks from external and internal speakers with experience in this area to develop outreach and external engagement outputs.
Speaker(s):
- Dr Jamie Gallagher - "Policy engagement for researchers"
- Professor Jane Hill (Biology) - "Influencing policy for biodiversity: Protected Areas and sustainable palm oil"
- Dr Bryce Stewart (Environment and Geography) -"Brexit, scallops and discos: Translating research into policy"
- Professor Ally Lewis (Chemistry) - "Influencing air pollution policy"
Friday 17 June 2022
This session heard from academics with experience in external engagement (school outreach and public engagement) as a tool for engaging students and the general public in scientific research and encouraging them to think about the study and career possibilities open to them.
Speaker(s):
- Professor Andreas Prokop (University of Manchester): Re-animating school biology lessons through teaching with living flies; a REF impact case
- Dr Simon Baker (Biology) - York Against Cancer Enthuse Partnership with the University of York's National STEM Learning Centre
- Dr Rob McElroy (Chemistry) - "Green Kid" - development of a comic about green research for York school children
- Dr Pen Holland (Biology) - Catastrophic: the card game - co-creation of a teaching tool and outreach resource
Friday 15 July 2022
This session focused on the interface between the arts and science and included talks from external and internal speakers with experience in collaborating with others in this area to develop outreach and external engagement outputs.
Speaker(s):
- Sally Gilford - Collaborated with researchers from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Matrix Research at The University of Manchester
- Dr Rivka Isaacson - (King's College London, Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies and Reader in Chemical Biology in the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences)
- Ciara Loughrey - (Hull York Medical School PhD student) - was part of a team funded by the Wellcome Trust at the University of Glasgow which developed a street theatre performance in collaboration with a local street theatre company aiming to educate the general public about parasite research
- Dr Amy Cutler - (Artist in Residence, Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity) - 'Lively cinema and the life sciences: engaging alternative film audiences'
Contact us
If you would like to discuss the Enhancing Research Culture Workshops, please email us