Researcher Development Programme (RDP) course timetable
Thursday 20 February
| 10:30 |
Join this workshop to demystify and re-define the concept of “leadership” and understand the importance of developing your impact and influence in Academia and beyond. We will explore opportunities to increase your visibility and spheres of influence to drive research impact throughout your project and increase your power to pursue your research interests and aspirations. This is an opportunity to uncover what leadership means to you, decide on the type of leader and influencer you want to become as well as help you prioritise the relevant skills and mindsets which will help you progress to the next level of confidence and responsibility. The workshop will cover the following themes:
The workshop is highly engaging and requires active participation. This is a safe place to share your experience and learn from peers.
Tea, coffee, water, & biscuits will be provided.
This training is provided free of charge to postgraduate researchers, however, the cost of providing the course is £30 per participant. |
| 14:00 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail does not go to your spam folder. |
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Working with your Supervisor
[Places]
The student-supervisor relationship is vital for success in all research degree programmes. However, the exact role of the supervisor is often unclear and sometimes it may feel as though you are not getting the support you need. This can be frustrating for students and supervisors alike, and can lead to a negative doctoral experience. |
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| 14:30 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail does not go to your spam folder. |
Friday 21 February
| 10:00 |
Getting off to a strong start in your PhD is vital, and at the University of Cambridge, we recognize the significance of your First Year Report in shaping your academic progress. This course is designed exclusively for PhD students in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, focusing on equipping you with the essential skills to excel in preparing your First Year Report - a pivotal step toward upgrading to a full PhD candidate. Don't Miss This Opportunity: Preparing your First Year Report is a crucial milestone in your academic career. Enrol in this course to receive expert guidance and support that will set you on the path to excellence. Secure your spot now and equip yourself with the skills to navigate this essential phase of your PhD journey at the University of Cambridge. |
| 10:30 |
Learn the technical skills you need to make a podcast. Equipment, recording, technical specifications, editing & distribution all covered. During this very practical, hands on course you’ll make a practice 3 minute podcast. You’ll start with equipment advice, then use a microphone & your laptop to record, followed by editing your podcast, and finally, learning how to publish it. No previous experience necessary, but if you do have experience you’ll certainly learn more on this course If you would like to take part in this in person session and have a specific question, please email me in advance: ch996@cam.ac.uk |
| 13:00 |
This short course is designed to get you thinking about how to make and maintain a network as a PhD researcher – what is important to you, and how do you build an effective network that helps you to be the best researcher you can be? If you find this course helpful, you may also be interested in our ‘Becoming Interdisciplinary’ course, which takes a theoretical look at the challenges and opportunities presented by interdisciplinary research. |
| 14:00 |
Shut Up and Write
[Places]
Come to the Student Services Centre and settle down to enjoy some focused writing time! Tea and coffee will be provided. |
Monday 24 February
| 09:30 |
The Two-Day writing retreat is designed to offer structured sessions of academic writing for PhD students who wish to come and work in a supportive environment, and discuss strategies for good working practices that accommodate neurodivergence. You do NOT need to have a confirmed diagnosis to attend this retreat. We start the first day with an introduction that discusses the kinds of challenges that Autism and ADHD can present in doctoral research, as well as strengths. This is followed by discussion sessions on finding adaptive ways to work when handling executive dysfunction, or issues with your environment. The rest of the first day is dedicated to writing, with short sessions to test out new ways to approach your work. The second day will be a dedicated writing retreat, with time in a comfortable environment to crack on with some writing! A full schedule for the two days will be sent out at least a week in advance. You will be writing alongside fellow graduate students. There will be a ‘quiet room’ and a ‘noisy room’ to accommodate various working styles/activities, and attendees are welcome to bring along any fidget objects etc. that would normally help them focus. We will also bring a selection of these to try out! If you have attended before you are very welcome to come again – feel free to skip the introductory talk or just go get settled in the ‘quiet room’ to start your work.
Lastly, although you will need to arrange your own lunch, coffee, tea, & biscuits will be provided, alongside fruit and cake. Although non-dairy milk, and vegan & gluten-free flapjacks will be ordered, please notify us of any allergies when you make your booking. |
| 16:00 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail address does not go to your spam folder. |
| 16:30 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail address does not go to your spam folder. |
Tuesday 25 February
| 09:30 |
The Two-Day writing retreat is designed to offer structured sessions of academic writing for PhD students who wish to come and work in a supportive environment, and discuss strategies for good working practices that accommodate neurodivergence. You do NOT need to have a confirmed diagnosis to attend this retreat. We start the first day with an introduction that discusses the kinds of challenges that Autism and ADHD can present in doctoral research, as well as strengths. This is followed by discussion sessions on finding adaptive ways to work when handling executive dysfunction, or issues with your environment. The rest of the first day is dedicated to writing, with short sessions to test out new ways to approach your work. The second day will be a dedicated writing retreat, with time in a comfortable environment to crack on with some writing! A full schedule for the two days will be sent out at least a week in advance. You will be writing alongside fellow graduate students. There will be a ‘quiet room’ and a ‘noisy room’ to accommodate various working styles/activities, and attendees are welcome to bring along any fidget objects etc. that would normally help them focus. We will also bring a selection of these to try out! If you have attended before you are very welcome to come again – feel free to skip the introductory talk or just go get settled in the ‘quiet room’ to start your work.
Lastly, although you will need to arrange your own lunch, coffee, tea, & biscuits will be provided, alongside fruit and cake. Although non-dairy milk, and vegan & gluten-free flapjacks will be ordered, please notify us of any allergies when you make your booking. |
| 10:30 |
This is a training for those in Arts and Humanities. Impact is now a requirement for numerous grant applications, the REF, and academic life in general. It can make a useful and dynamic contribution to the long term development of many academic projects as well as bringing partnerships and funding opportunities. This session will discuss how impact is defined according to the AHRC and REF. It will also discuss previous successful impact projects, outline the connections between research and impact, funding strategies, and the differences between pathways to impact and impact objectives. Many different types of impact will be covered, including work with public policy, public engagement, the media, and commercialisation. |
| 13:00 |
It’s that time of year: the First Year Report is looming on the horizon and the reality of writing is here! In this workshop, we will discuss the function of the First Year Report, introduce several writing exercises, you will do some writing and have the opportunity to ask questions.
Tea, coffee, water, & biscuits will be provided. |
Wednesday 26 February
| 10:00 |
Getting Published in a Journal I: Writing for Publication (Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences)
[Places]
This is the first of two workshops designed to develop your understanding of the technicalities and the process of getting your research published. In this workshop, we examine the technical aspects of writing up your research in a format appropriate for publication. You will learn about the importance of following journal guidelines and house style, and the value of using a clear structure to frame your paper. You will also receive guidance on how to produce clear writing in a register appropriate for the readership. It is possible to attend this course as an individual workshop, although we would encourage you to attend the second workshop in the series Getting published II: Impact and Peer-review. |
| 12:00 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail address does not go to your spam folder. |
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It’s time to start working on your writing, but where do you start? How do you deal with the dreaded blank page? Come along to a short session to talk about how to confidently get started with your writing. After this session, why not book onto one of our writing retreats? Meet with fellow PhD students and work on your thesis in a supportive, friendly environment. |
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| 12:30 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail address does not go to your spam folder. |
| 14:00 |
Turning setbacks into success
[Places]
Setbacks, mistakes and unexpected results are a natural and necessary part of the research environment. It is also an element that we need to embrace in a competitive space, if we are going to push ourselves outside our comfort zone. This workshop will explore the experience and impact of setbacks and failures and introduce mechanisms to embed into your working day to help you not just manage them but take advantage of the experience.
This training is provided free of charge to postgraduate researchers, however, the cost of providing the course is £30 per participant. |
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This workshop is a practical introduction to presenting a lecture. It is aimed at those lecturing for the first time, especially PhD students who may be delivering a guest lecture. Participants will have the opportunity to deliver a 10 minute lecture and receive feedback. This workshop aims to support participants in:
Please note this workshop is focused on lecture delivery and does not cover lecture preparation. This workshop is aligned with A1, A2, A4, K2, K3, K5 of the UKPSF. |
Thursday 27 February
| 09:30 |
This session brings together ‘Writing your first-year report’ with a dedicated time and space for getting started with actually writing that report. The first two hours will focus on equipping you with the essential skills to excel in preparing your First Year Report, specifically by looking at:
The second half of the session will run as a writing retreat, wrapping up at 4pm. The retreat half will be structured according to your ‘writing objectives’ which you will develop with the course lead.
Tea, coffee, water, & biscuits will be provided. |
| 10:30 |
Join this workshop to learn about working in teams and the best ways to collaborate for impact. The ability to work well in teams is an important skill to develop in research and beyond. We will cover the following:
The workshop, facilitated by Natacha Wilson, is highly engaging and requires active participation. This is a safe place to share your experience and learn from peers.
This training is provided free of charge to postgraduate researchers, however, the cost of providing the course is £30 per participant. |
| 14:00 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail does not go to your spam folder. |
| 14:30 |
Public Engagement: Drop-in Sessions
[Places]
A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:
These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions. Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:
The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance. Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail does not go to your spam folder. |
Friday 28 February
| 10:00 |
The time has come to start writing your thesis, but you may still be in the lab finishing experiments and/or writing papers for publication. This ‘hands on’ workshop focuses on helping you plan to write your thesis. In this workshop we will remind you of some writing exercises, introduce techniques to help you with the planning, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and be prepared to do some writing.
Tea, coffee, water, & biscuits will be provided. |
| 12:00 |
Do you feel anxious or apprehensive about how to handle Q&A sessions after a conference paper? Come along to this session to talk about what to expect from a Q&A, how to prepare, and how to handle challenging questions. You will get the chance to meet with other PhD students who are preparing to give conference papers, and work through some friendly activities to practice your question-answering skills! If you’re interested in developing your presentation skills further, you may also be interested in ‘Practicing your Presentation Skills’ or ‘The Basics of Academic Presentations’. |
| 14:00 |
Sustainable Academic Practice
[Places]
Ph.D. research journey can present many challenges in our ability to maintain work life balance and work sustainably while progressing towards our goals. Addressing the challenges of work-life balance and sustainability in the context of a Ph.D. is crucial for the well-being and effectiveness of researchers. This interactive session aims to create a space for researchers to hack key issues for developing sustainable academic practices and offers a toolkit of reliable, evidence-based strategies for wellbeing management. |