Established Researcher Forum
The newly-created Established Researcher Forum is a researcher-led network, championing a supportive research environment for Established Researchers through events, activities and development opportunities.
About the Forum
Established Researchers, formerly known as ‘mid-career’ researchers, represent 30% of all staff with research in their contract at the University and perform vital roles such as managing research teams, leading major funding bids and driving strategic change.
The Established Researcher Forum is a researcher-led network that supports this group of staff through a programme of events and activities including peer networking, shared learning and development opportunities.
Dr Madeleine Callaghan, Dr Candice Majewski, Dr Anna Weighall and Dr Chantelle Wood make up the team of Lead Coordinators from across the University driving the work of the Forum.
Read the announcement on the new team (Staff/PGR login required)
What do we mean by ‘Established Researcher’?
“There is no one widely recognised or accepted definition and Established Researcher status may be constituted in different ways.
Rather than establish a singular and potentially too narrow definition, we take an inclusive approach so that we enhance specific support for colleagues engaged in tasks and roles associated with established researcher status, while enabling all colleagues, regardless of status, to access support appropriate for their needs.
One definition of an established researcher, using our grade structures, could define the stage as Grade 9 (Senior Lecturers and Senior Research Fellows).
This can then be mapped onto the roles, responsibilities and expectations of this grade as set out in the Academic Career Pathway (ACP).
But this masks considerable variation, so staff members can and should self-identify as an established researcher, especially colleagues assuming new responsibilities for the first time, for example becoming Primary Investigators, line managers or new administrative duties.”
Dr Madeleine Callaghan
Lead Coordinator
Meet the team
The Lead Coordinators discuss why they applied for this role, as well as their hopes for the new Forum.
Dr Madeleine Callaghan
Senior Lecturer, School of English
Read about Dr Callaghan’s background, professional and research activities on her staff profile.
Why did you apply for the role of Established Researcher Forum Lead Coordinator?
I’m committed to the development and support of established researchers.
I think that working with our own staff via the Established Researcher Forum to help us to achieve our fullest potential is a great opportunity to help people to grow in the workplace.
My aim is to facilitate strategy making, planning, and consultation of staff from across the entire University so that we’re making the most of our staff as researchers.
I want to create an inclusive space that allows the opportunity for all to contribute to, benefit from, and be celebrated within the Forum.
What are your hopes for the new Forum?
The Forum is a real opportunity for established researchers to come together and define what we want to focus upon in terms of support and development opportunities from the University.
The Forum can advocate for established researchers, it can be a place for us to get specific types of training and support, it can also be a key site where pastoral issues can be discussed and relationships can be formed.
My hope is that the Forum becomes a place that serves the needs of the established researchers community and a place where everyone can get involved and find what they need.
Dr Candice Majewski
Senior Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Read about Dr Majewski’s background, professional and research activities on her staff profile.
Why did you apply for the role of Established Researcher Forum Lead Coordinator?
The development of this Forum is a significant step towards improving our research environment for Established Researchers, and I'm excited to have the chance to help get things started.
I think it's important to get involved when opportunities like this come up, rather than sitting around waiting for other people to 'fix' things, so I jumped at the chance to take an active role in starting up the Forum!
What are your hopes for the new Forum?
We've got a great team of people, covering a range of different disciplines, so I'm hopeful we can come up with some really innovative ideas for supporting Established researchers.
I'd like to see us embed processes and strategies that will out-live our term as Lead Coordinators, and that we can share more broadly outside of our own institution.
Dr Anna Weighall
Reader, School of Education
Read about Dr Weighall’s background, professional and research activities on her staff profile.
Why did you apply for the role of Established Researcher Forum Lead Coordinator?
I was inspired to apply for the forum leader role because I've observed the varied challenges and opportunities encountered by mid-career and established researchers.
This position offers a chance to apply my experience in a way that supports and assists my colleagues.
I'm enthusiastic about the possibility of establishing a welcoming and dynamic forum, aimed at fostering knowledge sharing and professional growth, which I hope will positively impact our research culture.
What are your hopes for the new Forum?
In shaping the new forum, my hope is to facilitate a supportive and collaborative environment, guided by the insights and needs of my fellow researchers.
Through open dialogue and consultation with colleagues, the aim is to tailor the forum to effectively support our goals and challenges.
I envision a space where shared experiences and diverse perspectives can enrich our collective research endeavours, while also providing practical resources and mentorship opportunities.
My aspiration is to contribute to a forum that not only nurtures individual growth but also fosters a sense of community and collective advancement across the University.
Dr Chantelle Wood
Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology
Read about Dr Wood’s background, professional and research activities on her staff profile.
Why did you apply for the role of Established Researcher Forum Lead Coordinator?
As an established researcher, I'm aware of the pressures that established researchers face, and the gaps in developmental support.
As a cohort, we are expected to be at the forefront of research in our fields, generating significant research income and disseminating our research through high quality academic outputs and engagement with non-academic beneficiaries.
However, we have to balance those activities alongside substantive teaching and leadership commitments and innovation, within a broader context of high workloads and little tailored developmental support.
When I heard about the role, I thought this was an amazing opportunity to be part of a team focused on finding solutions to the challenges experienced by established researchers.
What are your hopes for the new Forum?
I hope that the Forum will provide a safe and supportive space for established researchers to collaborate - not only working together to share insight and develop solutions to challenges faced by established researchers, but also to develop new cross-disciplinary networks and research collaborations.
Events and activities
Current staff can view our past activities and sign up to upcoming events on the Staff Hub (staff/PGR login required).