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Researcher Development Programme (RDP) course timetable

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Wed 11 May 2016 – Thu 16 Jun 2016

[ No events on Wed 11 May 2016 ]

May 2016

Thu 12	Emerging Research Leaders' Development Programme (ERLDP) (1 of 4) Finished 09:30 - 17:00 16 Mill Lane, Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, Eastwood Room All applications for this programme are registered through this link: https://cambridge.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/erldp-3. For further details, see application process below. Please do not use the ‘register my interest/waiting list’ links at the top of this page. The Emerging Research Leaders' Development Programme (ERLDP) has been designed for you as a postdoctoral researcher/member of research staff aspiring to achieve research independence in order to lead your own research group and/or to become a research leader in your field through a variety of career pathways, including academia. It is a unique opportunity for you to develop and reflect upon your personal leadership style in the context of those who you lead in either an official or unofficial capacity. We will provide tailored training workshops and one-to-one coaching sessions so you can develop solutions relating to your current situation and your future needs. Participants will also be encouraged to use the online resources provided, and find and share their own. Workshop 1 (full day): Introduction to the programme; getting to know each other; self-leadership; the strategic academic (masterclass) Between workshops 1 and 2: beginning the coaching process; completing activities to identify personal styles and preferences Workshop 2 (full day): Leading others collaboratively: personal styles; leadership and management; negotiating and influencing Between workshops 2 and 3: continuing coaching process, preparation for individual and group leadership activities for workshop 3 Workshop 3 (half day): A strategic approach to career management; managing yourself; practising your own leadership End of Programme Presentation and Networking Event (two hours plus informal networking): reflecting on your learning from the programme; receiving your programme completion certificate
Fri 13	Your Final Chapter Finished 09:45 - 17:00 St John's College, Fisher Building As the end of your time as a PhD student approaches you might be feeling a bit apprehensive about the future. It isn’t just the practicalities of submitting and defending your thesis but questions about the skills you have and how you might use them in the future. Your Final Chapter is a one day workshop designed to both inform you about the requirements at the end of a PhD and inspire you to secure the future that is right for you. This course replaces both RSVP (GSLS) and FUMO (STEM)
Mon 16	Making Contact and Making Your Contacts Work For You Finished 15:00 - 17:00 Department of Engineering, Lecture Room 4 Networking is a word that fills many researchers with dread, evoking unpleasant images of oily self-promoters or painfully stilted small-talk. But there is a vital link between who knows you, whom you know, and being successful. There is even evidence that somewhere between 70 and 90 per cent of jobs go to candidates who are in some way known to their employer prior to the recruitment process. Networking or, simply, making contact with other people is not just for the garrulous or the extrovert; it is a powerful skill that anyone can learn and practise. This bite-size workshop is designed to help unpick some of our assumptions about what’s involved in networking, to learn some simple strategies for doing it, and to try some of these out.
Wed 18	Procrastination Workshop Finished 11:30 - 13:00 17 Mill Lane, Training room A (First Floor) We all procrastinate and we all know we want to work more efficiently. But how can you achieve that? In this workshop you will first identify your own procrastination type (perfectionist? adrenaline seeker?) for a better understanding of your motivations for procrastination and then learn effective techniques to manage them, such as 4D prioritising. No excuses not to be present!
Fri 20	MBTI: Understanding Personality in a Research Environment Finished 10:00 - 16:00 CCTL, Revans Room The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used personality instrument worldwide, based on over 50 years’ research and development. It presents a framework for understanding how you operate, how others operate, and how you can use that understanding to get more from yourself and the relationships you have with others. This workshop is led by a qualified MBTI practitioner and will involve taking the MBTI questionnaire, and self-assessment with group exercises so that participants: Understand the concept and theories behind the MBTI types and the process to obtain a personal profile Use the self-assessed and reported types to determine their best fit MBTI type (or as close as possible) Can use their MBTI knowledge in activities relating to real world applications such as communication and understanding differences Topics: MBTI questionnaire MBTI history, background, and theory of type Self-assessment through the exploration of the four areas of MBTI Questionnaire scoring Finding best fit and exploring own type Ethics of MBTI Applications of MBTI MBTI dynamics Exploration of mental functions Q & A
	Getting the Most out of Conferences Finished 10:00 - 12:00 16 Mill Lane, Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, Eastwood Room This workshop will examine how you can make the most of conferences as an environment to strategically network and build research connections. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is an old cliché, but it’s particularly true in research where over (reportedly) 90% of jobs go to a candidate who is already known to the employer prior to the recruitment process.
Mon 23	Writing Your First Year Report (Life Sciences ) Finished 10:00 - 12:30 NA - Mill Lane, Seminar Room A This course is most effective to 1st year researchers who are at least 3-4 months into their PhD. It’s that time of year, the report is looming on the horizon and the reality of writing is here! Aimed at 1st year PhD students this course is designed to get you thinking and working effectively on your end of first year report/CPGS. How do you start? What’s expected? How do you make it work for you? These and many other important questions, hints and tips will be addressed in this half day session.
Tue 24	Building Resilience and Coping with Setbacks Finished 13:00 - 16:00 CCTL, Revans Room By virtue of being at the interface between the known and the unknown, Research seems to be inherently stressful. The overall aim of this half-day course is, therefore, to help you build your emotional resilience by focussing on its 4 Cs: Coping, Commitment, Challenge, Control. By the end of the course: participants will know and develop effective coping strategies and learn about how to increase their commitment, challenge and control of their research.
	How to Prepare a Grant or Fellowship Application with Impact (Sciences and Technology) Finished 14:00 - 16:30 16 Mill Lane, Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, Seminar Room This course will help you learn how to write a successful research grant or fellowship application. At the end of this course you will: Understand how research is funded, including the dual funding system for research and the background to the impact agenda Know tips and strategies to help you to get your current & future projects funded Understand how proposals are assessed by funders Gain experience of reviewing funding applications Gain information about translational research funding and support available to post-docs
Wed 25	Effective Undergraduate Supervision (Life Sciences) CANCELLED 13:30 - 16:30 NA - Mill Lane, Seminar Room A Why this course might make a difference: 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 to teaching at Cambridge. 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. A blended workshop incorporates personal reflection on teaching practice, discussion of real teaching scenarios, a chance to ask questions from 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 12 years of teaching experience in Cambridge and was an undergraduate here as well. He is now a College Teaching Associate at St John's, a tutor on the Teaching Associates Programme and offers supervision coaching for Life Sciences supervisors. If you have any specific questions you are welcome to contact him before the course on Ben.Murton@admin.cam.ac.uk
Thu 26	Writing Your First Year Report (Physical Sciences & Technology) Finished 10:00 - 12:30 CCTL, Revans Room This course is most effective to 1st year researchers who are at least 3-4 months into their PhD. It’s that time of year, the report is looming on the horizon and the reality of writing is here! Aimed at 1st year PhD students this course is designed to get you thinking and working effectively on your end of first year report/CPGS. How do you start? What’s expected? How do you make it work for you? These and many other important questions, hints and tips will be addressed in this half day session.

June 2016

Thu 2	Introduction to Leadership Finished 09:30 - 16:30 Institute of Criminology, Room B3 Increasingly, successful researchers are expected to be leaders and lead others. The purpose of this event is to introduce participants to leadership, by introducing the 4 elements of leadership and a set of tools to help them lead. To deepen the learning, each participant will have the opportunity to apply an element and tool to lead a small multi-disciplinary group in an overarching activity, and receive feedback by the group on their leadership.
Fri 3	Introduction to Research Integrity at Cambridge Finished 10:00 - 12:00 17 Mill Lane, Seminar Room E This course will be delivered by the University’s Research Governance and Integrity Officer and will introduce researchers to research integrity and ethics at Cambridge. The course will: explore the issue of research misconduct in academia and facilitate discussion of why and how it occurs explain the recent research integrity agenda and examine how this effects researchers discuss some of the challenges to the integrity of research and ask what individuals, groups and institutions can do to tackle them introduce the University’s research ethics system use case studies and discussion exercises to examine key issues
Tue 7	Making the Most of Meetings Finished 10:00 - 13:00 16 Mill Lane, Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, Eastwood Room Meetings can be very important and they can also be very frustrating. This workshop is aimed at everyone who attends meetings and feels a need to make them more effective. The workshop includes presentation and discussion but is largely made up of group exercises, most in the form of meetings, revealing the main learning points. Topics covered include: Meetings as a personal development platform Understanding and practising the meeting process Techniques for coming to an objective decision Dealing with different personality types The role of the Chairman
	Being Assertive: Making Yourself Heard Finished 14:00 - 16:00 CCTL, Revans Room Building and maintaining a professional reputation is an essential skill for researchers at any stage of their careers. This course will help researchers to develop assertive communication strategies to enhance their professionalism through everyday interactions with others. By the end of the course, you will: Understand the benefits of being assertive Know what assertiveness looks and sounds like Enhance your skills in communicating assertively Topics covered: how to develop an assertive mind-set the difference between assertive, aggressive, indirectly aggressive and passive thinking and behaviour guidance on how to use assertive language in day-to-day conversation identifying your rights and responsibilities
Wed 8	Presentation Skills: With One-to-One Feedback (Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) (1 of 2) Finished 09:30 - 12:30 CCTL, Revans Room Whether you’re new to presenting and looking to speak at your first conference, wanting important tips to finesse your delivery, or presenting to a wider audience, the overall aim of this course is to help you be a more effective presenter. Amongst the topics covered, participants will learn: How to structure the introduction of the presentation using the A-B-C-D model How to create a presentation appropriate for the audience How to handle nerves, both in the run-up to the presentation and on the day
	Promoting Yourself and Your Ideas Finished 10:00 - 13:00 16 Mill Lane, Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, Eastwood Room Please note: this course was formerly titled 'Selling Skills'. If you have already attended this course under its former name it may not be necessary to attend this course again. You are in Cambridge because you have something to offer. This workshop helps you to make the most of the opportunities presented to you. It focuses on face to face interactions, it is not a course on using social media. The skills taught are selling and marketing abilities. This quick moving workshop is delivered in a participative style with individual and group exercises to reveal key points. Topics covered include: Clarifying who your target audience is and how to find them The reasons that people would be interested in your proposition How to present your ideas in a way that resonates with the other party A structure for face to face discussions with potential stakeholders Developing the right attitude
	How to Peer-Review Research Papers for Postdocs/Research Staff (Sciences) Finished 10:00 - 12:30 17 Mill Lane, Seminar Room B This course will help you to review research manuscripts more quickly and effectively. By learning how to review research manuscripts for journals you will: gain a core skill that every STEMM researcher should have free up more time for your own research develop a better understanding of how to write your own manuscripts Topics covered: how the peer-review system works about your responsibilities as reviewers what editors expect in a review how to critically evaluate a research manuscript what to include in written comments to editors and authors how long you should spend reviewing a manuscript practical methods for reviewing a manuscript quickly.
	Presentation Skills: With One-to-One Feedback (Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) (2 of 2) Finished 12:30 - 17:00 PPD, Second Floor Meeting Room Whether you’re new to presenting and looking to speak at your first conference, wanting important tips to finesse your delivery, or presenting to a wider audience, the overall aim of this course is to help you be a more effective presenter. Amongst the topics covered, participants will learn: How to structure the introduction of the presentation using the A-B-C-D model How to create a presentation appropriate for the audience How to handle nerves, both in the run-up to the presentation and on the day
Thu 9	The Art of Negotiation and Influence Finished 09:00 - 17:00 Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Meeting Room 5, AL.02 A one day master class in communication from two external trainers who have previously been employed as hostage negotiators and detectives in the Metropolitan Police Force. Participants will gain a practical insight into how professional communicators communicate, and how it can be applied in everyday life. At the end of the session participants will: Know how to persuade and influence effectively Understand how to have greater impact when communicating Have practiced the fundamental tools of professional communicators Topics: Levels of communication Trust Stages of active listening Non-judgemental language Achieving win/win Building rapport Dos and don’ts
	Emerging Research Leaders' Development Programme (ERLDP) (2 of 4) Finished 09:30 - 17:00 16 Mill Lane, Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs, Eastwood Room All applications for this programme are registered through this link: https://cambridge.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/erldp-3. For further details, see application process below. Please do not use the ‘register my interest/waiting list’ links at the top of this page. The Emerging Research Leaders' Development Programme (ERLDP) has been designed for you as a postdoctoral researcher/member of research staff aspiring to achieve research independence in order to lead your own research group and/or to become a research leader in your field through a variety of career pathways, including academia. It is a unique opportunity for you to develop and reflect upon your personal leadership style in the context of those who you lead in either an official or unofficial capacity. We will provide tailored training workshops and one-to-one coaching sessions so you can develop solutions relating to your current situation and your future needs. Participants will also be encouraged to use the online resources provided, and find and share their own. Workshop 1 (full day): Introduction to the programme; getting to know each other; self-leadership; the strategic academic (masterclass) Between workshops 1 and 2: beginning the coaching process; completing activities to identify personal styles and preferences Workshop 2 (full day): Leading others collaboratively: personal styles; leadership and management; negotiating and influencing Between workshops 2 and 3: continuing coaching process, preparation for individual and group leadership activities for workshop 3 Workshop 3 (half day): A strategic approach to career management; managing yourself; practising your own leadership End of Programme Presentation and Networking Event (two hours plus informal networking): reflecting on your learning from the programme; receiving your programme completion certificate
	Presentation Skills: (Sciences & Technology) Finished 10:00 - 16:00 CCTL, Revans Room Whether you’re new to presenting, looking to speak at your first conference, or wanting important tips to finesse your delivery, this is the course for you. The course is in two parts: Once you book on the course you will receive the pre-workshop information on how to prepare an effective presentation. Before attending a face-to-face session you will have to prepare a 5 minute presentation. You will deliver your presentation to the rest of the participants and receive feedback.
Fri 10	Postdocs: How to Negotiate and Influence for Success Finished 09:30 - 12:30 Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Meeting Room 3, AL.01 This lecture is specifically for Postdocs and Research Staff Richard Mullender is a former lead trainer at the National Hostage and Crisis negotiation Unit, Scotland Yard. Richard's elite-level training gives you the rare power to influence whoever you're with, including work colleagues, friends and even your PI! All effective communication starts with listening; a skill that has long been undervalued in all walks of life. Sell your ideas and solutions using your prospect's most deeply held beliefs, rather than your own. It's amazingly effective. To succeed, all you have to do is listen as if lives depended on it. The core knowledge: get people to open up know precisely what to listen for understand how to interpret the intelligence you have gained Learning Outcomes: get information without asking questions listen with heightened awareness know what to listen for interpret the true significance of what's being said test your understanding without offending the other person position a course of action as desirable using your prospect's values and beliefs What can you expect? to be entertained to be challenged to learn invaluable skills form the closely guarded world of hostage negotiation What is the biggest benefit? Gaining a skill very few people have and using it ethically to influence and persuade
Wed 15	Effective Undergraduate Supervision (Life Sciences) Finished 13:30 - 16:30 NA - Mill Lane, Seminar Room A Why this course might make a difference: 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 to teaching at Cambridge. 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. A blended workshop incorporates personal reflection on teaching practice, discussion of real teaching scenarios, a chance to ask questions from 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 12 years of teaching experience in Cambridge and was an undergraduate here as well. He is now a College Teaching Associate at St John's, a tutor on the Teaching Associates Programme and offers supervision coaching for Life Sciences supervisors. If you have any specific questions you are welcome to contact him before the course on Ben.Murton@admin.cam.ac.uk
Thu 16	MBTI: Understanding Personality in a Research Environment Finished 10:00 - 16:00 CCTL, Revans Room The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used personality instrument worldwide, based on over 50 years’ research and development. It presents a framework for understanding how you operate, how others operate, and how you can use that understanding to get more from yourself and the relationships you have with others. This workshop is led by a qualified MBTI practitioner and will involve taking the MBTI questionnaire, and self-assessment with group exercises so that participants: Understand the concept and theories behind the MBTI types and the process to obtain a personal profile Use the self-assessed and reported types to determine their best fit MBTI type (or as close as possible) Can use their MBTI knowledge in activities relating to real world applications such as communication and understanding differences Topics: MBTI questionnaire MBTI history, background, and theory of type Self-assessment through the exploration of the four areas of MBTI Questionnaire scoring Finding best fit and exploring own type Ethics of MBTI Applications of MBTI MBTI dynamics Exploration of mental functions Q & A