Thread by @notsecretGarden

And #ECRday2022 is off! We're kicking off with a panel on 'The Early Career Journey' with a team of @qub_belfast experts. Before we get started: some housekeeping! Thanks are due to @DNIRE1, Alice at @QUBPostdoc & @WrayRamona for being so amazingly helpful & supportive 🙏

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona We also need to thank @QUBResearchPol for the funding that enabled us to pay all our speakers & chairs: only right to reward their time, expertise & generosity!

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona @QUBResearchPol Speaking of chairs, today we are in the hands of @J_O_McCullough, who is a @nbcdtp PhD Candidate at @ModLangs_QUB.

Jordan's PhD project looks at contemporary, parental grief narratives and he is interested in French Studies & #medhums more widely. Here is the postgrad rep for @adeffimembre1 and you can learn more about @J_O_McCullough's research here: pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/jor… 🇫🇷📚

Our first speaker is Rebecca Rutherford, Graduate School Manager at @qubgradschool. qub.ac.uk/graduate-schoo… Rebecca has been at @QUBEngagement since 2011 and has had a variety of roles. Today she'll be chatting how to 'make the most' of your #PhD, whether at Queen's or not!

Now we're hearing from Alice Dubois from @QUBPostdoc. Alice has a PhD on innate immune mechanisms & proteolysis from @UnivTours. After this, she was a postdoc at the Centre for Infection & Immunity (now the @WWIEM_QUB) at Queen's researching lung immunology 🫁

@QUBPostdoc @UnivTours @WWIEM_QUB Alice originally established the @QUBPostdoc as a pilot initiative for @MHLSQUB before it was rolled out for the whole university in 2021-2022. The @QUBPostdoc is an incredible resource for all types of postdoc, find out more here: qub.ac.uk/sites/pdc/

After starting with a great question--what is a postdoc?--Alice is explaining some routes to find postdocs. She's covering advertised positions atm and explaining the different ways these might be advertised 👇 #ECRday2022

Alice from the @QUBPostdoc is discussing how you can make the most of the limited time you have as a postdoc. A key tip: accept it is temporary and don't hide your head in the sand!

And now we're learning all about the ways you can develop while a postdoc and make the most of the unique opportunities available to you 👇 #ECRday2022

A really important thing, Alice reminds us, is remembering that a) careers are built on successive jobs, like Russian dolls (or dogs)🪆
b) being open-minded: be brave enough to review your goals.
c) a job should suit your life!

@QUBPostdoc And Alice finished up by telling us all about the incredible support & initiatives available through the @QUBPostdoc #ECRday2022 #LovePostdocs

📢 Some v. useful links from Alice to help you on your postdoc search:
Finding advertised postdoc positions:
-Prospective postdoc page (Queen’s University Belfast): qub.ac.uk/sites/pdc/Info…
-UK academic and research jobs: jobs.ac.uk #LovePostdocs

And some more! European research jobs (Euraxess): euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/search
-National Postdoc Association (USA): careers.nationalpostdoc.org/jobs/
Research funding databases:
-ECR central: ecrcentral.org/fundings
#lovepostdocs

And again:
- Research Professional (if your university has access): researchprofessional.com/sso/login?serv…
-Illuminate Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowships at Queen’s: qub.ac.uk/directorates/H…

Next up is @PaulBMonahan, who is a Learning & Development Consultant in the Organisational Development team at @QUBelfast. One of his roles includes co-ordinating the 'Fellowship Academy' and you can find out more about that here:
qub.ac.uk/directorates/H…

@PaulBMonahan @QUBelfast Paul started by asking: 'what is a Fellowship?' and explaining how they are an excellent chance to establish independence #ECRchat #ECRday2022

@PaulBMonahan @QUBelfast And brilliant to hear all about the specific support offered by Queen's through the Fellowship Academy. Lovely #AHSS fellows include @ShonaghHill, @AnnMariaWalsh, @avprendergast, @BrionyWiddis, @ClaraFischer14 & @LiviDeeHistory 🌟🌟

Interested in a #Fellowship? @PaulBMonahan is full of advice for you! Key theme seems to be: start thinking early...

The final talk is @drsaraharens reflecting on her journey from #PhD to her current role at @LivUni via a @BritishAcademy_ fellowship & other postdoctoral roles! Sarah is a scholar of 🇧🇪 & 🇫🇷 empire, violence, sciences & animals 🧪📚 Learn more: saraharens.com

@drsaraharens @LivUni @BritishAcademy_ Sarah is being really open & generous in sharing her experiences, especially as a non-traditional, first gen scholar.

@drsaraharens @LivUni @BritishAcademy_ And here she is sharing her CV with everyone here at #ECRday2022 -- characteristically generous & helpful. This is what it 'looked like' when she applied for her @BritishAcademy_ postdoc & current position at @LivUniPress

@drsaraharens @LivUni @BritishAcademy_ @LivUniPress And the rejections! The absolute joy of contemporary academia. Even brilliant @drsaraharens has had many.

All 'successful' academics will have a long, long, LONG list of rejections...#ECRday2022

Some top tips from @drsaraharens about how to pitch yourself and develop your application to maximise the chance of success. With funding, she says: 'funding begets funding' so start building this early (even tiny pots count!).

@drsaraharens And more incredible generosity from Sarah around interview prep & cover letters. Also a great shout out to the @ProfessorIsIn and how helpful Sarah found her resources: theprofessorisin.com

@drsaraharens @ProfessorIsIn Finishing up with hugely important comments from @drsaraharens about structural problems with #academia.
1⃣ unconscious bias is a real thing & a real problem;
2⃣ who 'fits' & what does that mean;
3⃣ it is hard to 'survive' post-PhD: privilege helps this.

and finally: join @ucu!

@drsaraharens @ProfessorIsIn @ucu We're in the Q&A now and having some great points from Alice of @QUBPostdoc & @PaulBMonahan about postdoc & fellowship applications:

a) do your homework: research institutions🤓
b) build your networks: peers, colleagues, academic and not-academic; have friends!

@drsaraharens @ProfessorIsIn @ucu @QUBPostdoc @PaulBMonahan Recommendation from the audience while we talk about 'work life' balance: 'The Slow Professor' by Barbara K. Seeber and Maggie Berg.

@drsaraharens @ProfessorIsIn @ucu @QUBPostdoc @PaulBMonahan Next up at #ECRday2022, we have a panel on 'Mind the gap: what happens after the PhD?'. First up is @deirdre_flynn (@MICLimerick) on Teaching Fellowships. Deirdre has extensive research interests in contemporary lit, has published broadly & edits irishwomenswritingnetwork.com.

Some brilliant ideas here from @deirdre_flynn about the 'why' in applying for particular posts. Great interview tips!

@deirdre_flynn Love shout outs to the optimism of Mammies: 'sure you've your foot in the door now on your temporary contract, you'll be permanent next' ❤️ ahh the harsh realities of #ECR life...

Absolutely 💯 tips here on how to writing an amazing cover for Teaching Fellowships from @deirdre_flynn

we're also getting a masterclass in how to use your presentation to demonstrate how great you are at teaching: @deirdre_flynn is so engaging! And giving us a masterclass in Prezi 🙌

@deirdre_flynn And brilliant advice about how to use your time as a Teaching Fellow to work for you: don't be afraid to ask for things #ECRday2022

Also a 'shout out' to wonderful admin & support staff 😍 and a special mention to recently retired Pauline of @UCD_English who was WONDERFUL.

Deirdre @deirdre_flynn finished her amazing overview with a mention of her brilliant @IrishUniReview article, 'On Being Precarious': euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.33…

Now we've @hbachrach discussing the tricky & sensitive topic of visas. Hailey is a @LeverhulmeTrust fellow at @RoehamptonUni, where her work explores the performance of gender on the early modern stage & in today's Shakespeare industry 🎭 for more: pure.roehampton.ac.uk/portal/en/pers…

@hbachrach @LeverhulmeTrust @RoehamptonUni Hailey is doing a really impressive job navigating the complexity of the UK visa system while also noting the 'outrageous' costs & hoops you need to jump through

Seriously good work by @hbachrach clarifying & outlining various VISA options for those post-PhD looking to work in the UK not from UK or EU. Some options below 👇 (acknowledgement of difficulties/competitive nature of this). Also mention the Arts Council is a good option!

@hbachrach Final talk before lunch comes from Peter Stephenson of @QUB_Innovation. Peter is a Research Development Manager for @QUBResearchAHSS; and a funding application expert! For more, see: qub.ac.uk/about/Leadersh…

@hbachrach @QUB_Innovation @QUBResearchAHSS Peter is doing a brilliant job outlining what his role is at @QUBResDev and what he does (he is very brilliant at this, btw--we are very lucky to have him at @QUBelfast)

@QUBResDev Peter has done a great job making clear what the key different is between a fellowship and a project (or grant).

🎯A fellowship is an investment in a PERSON;
🎯A project/grant is an investment in an IDEA.

#ECRday2022

@QUBResDev Following Alice's (from the @QUBPostdoc) list of where to find funding and opportunities, Peter from @QUBResDev has some here, too 👇

https://twitter.com/notsecretGarden/status/1522142568963784705

#ECRday2022

@QUBResDev @QUBPostdoc We're on Q&A now and @deirdre_flynn is talking about how to gain extra teaching experience when your opportunities might be limited: ask! Ask a senior colleague if you can take a lecture/design an MA seminar/teach a different subject.

@QUBResDev @QUBPostdoc @deirdre_flynn Lots of frank discussion around the complexities of visas & the obstacles this puts in place for applicants.

@QUBResDev @QUBPostdoc @deirdre_flynn Peter has generously given us a link to his slides with information on #fellowships: sway.office.com/5iPFaYO8vn0swk…
#ECRday2022

Off for lunch but we'll be back at 2pm with a panel on 'British & Irish postdoctoral schemes'. The full #ECRday2022 programme is here: qub.ac.uk/sites/pdc/Fund…
and you can let me know if you want links to the webinars!

We're back at #ECRday2022 with @NoreenMasud (@BristolUni) on @LeverhulmeTrust fellowships. Her 📖on Stevie Smith & aphorism is out this year; her memoir-travelogue on flat landscapes comes out with @PenguinBooks in 2023. Noreen is a @BBCRadio3/@ahrcpress New Generation Thinker.

Wonderful, wonderful generosity & solidarity from @NoreenMasud who has offered to share her @LeverhulmeTrust application with anyone, plus a successful @IrishResearch Council postdoctoral fellowship, too!

Open acknowledgement that the application process is absolutely horrible & no one needs to worry if they find it terrible. @NoreenMasud is now talking about feeling behind with applying for things & how it took multiple attempts, & multiple rejections, to start making progress.

@NoreenMasud Lots of discussion from @NoreenMasud about the importance of finding the broader relevance in your applications. Ask yourself after every sentence: so what? Ask people who aren't academics, too, and ask them at what point they lost interest in your proposal.

@NoreenMasud We're looking at Noreen's application now & thinking about taking a logical approach to writing proposals in a granular, methodological fashion--break things down into digestible chunks #ECRday2022

@NoreenMasud Now we're hearing from @stibhan (@IMMAIreland/@tcddublin) on the @IrishResearch 'Enterprise' scheme. His first book, Irish Culture and Partition, 1920-1955 is forthcoming with @LivUniPress. He's also organising this, which looks 👌! 👇
imma.ie/whats-on/inter… #LoveIrishResearch

Stephen is talking about how he hopes his talk on the @IrishResearch 'Enterprise' scheme will also be useful to those applying to the Government of Irish Postdoctoral Scheme. #ECRday2022 #LoveIrishResearch

Great to hear how @stibhan is planning to use his time at @IMMAIreland:
1⃣to develop new skillsets and knowledge (Stephen's background is 📚 not 🖼️);
2⃣organise events;
3⃣and use his research to feed into a few curatorial projects.
...in line with the aims of the scheme.

@stibhan @IMMAIreland Really helpful slide here from @stibhan showcasing some of the 'partners' you can approach 👇 (amazed to see GAA as a potential partner and shocked Stephen isn't working with them as we speak) #ECRday2022

Great shout out from @stibhan to @drmarykathryn's brilliant talk last year on her IRC Enterprise fellowship with @UCDHumanities and @MoLI_Museum. If you want to watch that, it is here

@stibhan @drmarykathryn @UCDHumanities @MoLI_Museum Here is a very generous slide from @stibhan showing where he was in his career when he applied for his @IrishResearch Enterprise fellowship. Interesting point about how 'public'-facing work might not count for much in academic CVs but does carry weight for applications like this.

@stibhan @drmarykathryn @UCDHumanities @MoLI_Museum @IrishResearch And, like @drsaraharens, @stibhan is showing great solidarity with other #ECRs in sharing his rejections (I enjoy the addition of "selected")

And a great point made by @stibhan about how you can use the @IrishResearch 'Enterprise' scheme. You can use it as a way of transitioning out of academia & developing new skills. But you can also use it to further your scholarship & think about different audiences.

@stibhan @IrishResearch Next up is Dr. Rasika Ajotikar (@SOAS), who is chatting about her experience with @BritishAcademy_ fellowships. Rasika is a performer & academic, exploring how musicianship as a service has evolved into a performance art in modern India. For more: soas.ac.uk/staff/staff113… 🎶

@stibhan @IrishResearch @SOAS @BritishAcademy_ Rasika has also mentioned multiple rejections: this seems to be a theme...

Great tips from Rasika about how to go about fellowship applications :
1⃣ Have two or three ideas/projects in your mind;
2⃣ Your mentor is important because Fellowships can be lonely;
3⃣ Read the guidance from funders really, really carefully.
#ECRday2022

Following on from @hbachrach's talk on Visas, Rasika is talking about the visa needed for her to work in the UK and how expensive this was (plus NHS costs).

Great start of the Q&A talking about the realities of applying for multiple postdoc/fellowship schemes. Both @stibhan & @NoreenMasud reiterating that good mentors will encourage their mentees to apply broadly and support their aims.

@stibhan @NoreenMasud Also really good chat about the joys & pitfalls of interdisciplinary work: departments want you to 'fit' enough but also to have (@NoreenMasud words) a 'sprinkling of interdisciplinarity' as this plays well.

@stibhan @NoreenMasud Last panel of the first day of #ECRday2022 kicks off with @anna_pilz (@EdinburghUni) on German schemes. Anna is a @MSCActions in @LLCatEdinburgh, researching women’s writing, cultural & literary history and #EnvHum🌱 There's more on Anna’s research here: research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/ann…

@stibhan @NoreenMasud @anna_pilz @EdinburghUni @MSCActions @LLCatEdinburgh Love @anna_pilz's opening bit! She's discussing how she didn't get funding for her #PhD & many people told her she had no chance at an academic career: look at her now! 💅

More #ECR solidarity & generosity from @anna_pilz who is sharing her rejections too!

@anna_pilz Some more great sharing of resources here at #ECRday2022 from @anna_pilz -- lots of places to look for opportunities.

Really interesting discussion from @anna_pilz about the German funding/research landscape: lots of diverse opportunities but a potentially complicated system.

@anna_pilz Incredibly detailed & informative presentation on various avenues for funding. This one looks particularly relevant to #ECRs 👇 @anna_pilz says many German schemes often have rolling/multiple deadlines which makes them especially good for those worrying about gaps after #vivas

@anna_pilz Another scheme from the @dfg_public for more established #ECRs--a scheme with a longer timeframe than the above and for applicants with 'substantial international research experience' #ECRday2022

@anna_pilz @dfg_public Also fascinating (and heartening!) to see that success rates for @dfg_public are significantly higher than for a lot of UK schemes--and there is a real balance between the disciplines/subjects!

@anna_pilz @dfg_public And super interesting to hear about the 'time limits' put on getting a tenure track position--thanks so much for all your insight and work, @anna_pilz! #ECRday2022

@anna_pilz @dfg_public Now we're hearing from @ShonaghHill (@qub_ael) on @MSCActions. Shonagh's #MSCA project is entitled: ‘Generational Feminisms in Contemporary Northern Irish Performance’. Shonagh's first 📖 was published by @CambridgeUP in 2019. Find out more here: pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/sho…

Shonagh started by noting that she learnt about @MSCActions fellowships because of a information session at @UCDHumanities--further proof that events like this are really important for growing awareness about what's out there #ECRday2022

@MSCActions @UCDHumanities Why did @ShonaghHill go for a @MSCActions fellowship? More flexibility around time post-PhD, which was more accommodating of maternity leave / realities of having kids; plus the attraction of 'mobility' (in Shonagh's case, moving from Dublin to Belfast). #ECRday2022

Lovely to hear from @ShonaghHill about the benefits of her #MSCA project:
1⃣expanding her work into practice-based scholarship;
2⃣opportunities for public engagement;
3⃣getting such a prestigious award is a real confidence boost after so much precarity & uncertainty.
#ECRday2022

@ShonaghHill Also really important to choose your mentor carefully & wisely; @ShonaghHill gives a shout out to her mentor, @aoifepea.

@ShonaghHill @aoifepea Don't be worried about applying more than once, @ShonaghHill says: this is really common. She says she attended a session with @QUBResDev on the @MSCActions scheme and that really helped hone her application.

@ShonaghHill @aoifepea @QUBResDev @MSCActions here are some top tips from @ShonaghHill on her biggest mistakes when putting together her @MSCActions application.

Great passing words from @ShonaghHill: you need to be strategic but also go with your heart & do what you're passionate about.

Last talk of the day is @shuangyi_li on the Swedish Research Council @Vetenskapsradet. Shaungyi is Lecturer in Comparative Literatures and Cultures at @BristolUni, & has published (so much!) on global modernism(s), transcultural writing & translation research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/shu…

@shuangyi_li @Vetenskapsradet @BristolUni More discussion of visas here from @shuangyi_li and more discussion of rejections; Shuangyi said he was rejected from all the main UK systems and then 'Sweden saved him' 🙌

@shuangyi_li @Vetenskapsradet @BristolUni So much detail & generosity from @shuangyi_li about the @Vetenskapsradet #postdoc scheme; including the fact that you can apply in English!

@shuangyi_li @Vetenskapsradet @BristolUni Super interesting, given all of today's discussion of visas, is that the process is very straightforward. In Shuangyi's words, 'compared to the UK, it's a paradise'! #ECRday2022

@shuangyi_li @Vetenskapsradet @BristolUni Huge enthusiasm for his time in Sweden to round up @shuangyi_li's talk: it's been a life changing experience for him! Brilliant to hear about all these schemes we might not have know about.
#ECRday2022

Final points from Q&A:
🎯 @ShonaghHill says: plan ahead, if you can, & start thinking about 'the next thing' before something ends;
🎯 both @anna_pilz & @shuangyi_li echoed each other about checking in with yourself & making sure you are happy in what you are doing #ECRday2022

That’s a wrap on day 1 of #ECRday2022! Thanks again to @DNIRE1, Alice at @QUBPostdoc, @WrayRamona & @QUBResearchPol for all their help & support 🙏 and thanks to @J_O_McCullough for 💯 chairing! Please come back tomorrow for more #ECR things.

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona @QUBResearchPol @J_O_McCullough Good morning!☀️ we're back for Day 2 of #ECRday2022 and we have an absolutely bumper day of treats for the early career researcher today.

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona @QUBResearchPol @J_O_McCullough Thanks again to @DNIRE1, Alice at @QUBPostdoc & @WrayRamona for their help, and @QUBResearchPol for funding.

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona @QUBResearchPol @J_O_McCullough Our chair today is @SDeedigan. Susie is a #PhD candidate in @QUB_History @HAPPatQUB, & previously studied at @BalliolOxford & @tcddublin. Her @Economy_NI-funded PhD, comparatively examines the impact of gender on political imprisonment during the Second World War in Ireland.

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona @QUBResearchPol @J_O_McCullough @SDeedigan @QUB_History @HAPPatQUB @BalliolOxford @tcddublin @Economy_NI Susie is a postgrad rep for @WHAIreland. You can read some of Susie's work for @HistoryWO here: historyworkshop.org.uk/protestant-wom… and find out more about her here: pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/sus…

@DNIRE1 @QUBPostdoc @WrayRamona @QUBResearchPol @J_O_McCullough @SDeedigan @QUB_History @HAPPatQUB @BalliolOxford @tcddublin @Economy_NI @WHAIreland @HistoryWO Our first #ECRday2022 panel is really exciting: 'projects & engaging with policy-makers'. The first speaker is @TomHulme87 (@QUB_History), whose research ranges across topics of urban cultural history: inc. civic pride, citizenship, historical re-enactment & the popular past.

Tom is currently working, alongside @Leannemcck, @MauriceJCasey & @drcharlielynch, on an @ahrcpress-funded project on Northern Ireland’s modern queer history with partners @PRONI_DFC & @CaraFriendNI 🏳️‍🌈. Read more about Tom here: pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/tom…

Really appreciating Tom's honesty about different types of #postdoc roles: from low success rates; need to be 'mobile'; and chances of getting exploited as a teaching fellow. Such an important point about these enabling permanent staff to lower their teaching loads, too...

Great discussion around how 'project postdocs' give a much bigger variety of candidates a chance: those from non-"elite" academic backgrounds; with less academic experience (publishing, years post-PhD etc.) from @TomHulme87

@TomHulme87 loads of positives associated with projects postdocs:
✅publish single & co-authored (which @TomHulme87 suggests get through peer-review well due to 'many eyes' at the writing stage);
✅work in different disciplines;
✅more public engagement / with cultural institutions

Cover letter tips from Tom:
1⃣really tailor your CVs to the exact job spec on a project postdoc as these are really clear and 'much less opaque' than for lecturing jobs--easy to make the fit clear.
2⃣don't talk to your teaching profile for a research post

Next is @elisabeth_coon, my @Acts_of_Union colleague! Ruth is an oral historian with expertise in modern 🇮🇪 & #histmed. Her #PhD on the 'Troubles' & healthcare won the @ACIrishStudies Adele Dalsimer Prize. Her 📖 is forthcoming with @LivUniPress. More: pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/rut…

@elisabeth_coon @Acts_of_Union @ACIrishStudies @LivUniPress Both Ruth & Tom have had so many brilliant tips that it is hard to keep up! Like Tom said, Ruth says she didn't have lots of publications when when applied for her @Acts_of_Union postdoc but she did have the exact specialist skillset that the PI (me!) was looking for.

Ruth is giving us a masterclass in how to apply for project postdocs! @elisabeth_coon is talking about the draws of the @Acts_of_Union project, including wanting to work with the team & also at @QUBelfast with @HAPPatQUB and @IrishStudiesQUB #ECRday2022

Top tips from Ruth:
1⃣ Give the panel what they want! Follow their instructions & if they have asked for something specific: give them it!
2⃣Spend time on your presentation; even more important for online interviews;
3⃣Have confidence in your abilities: don't hide your 💡

Both @TomHulme87 and @elisabeth_coon have talked about the importance of proper training & mentoring.

Discussion around how provision of these is uneven across different institutions: why things #ECRday2022 are really important (I think!) ➡️ let's share resources!

Brilliant final tips from @elisabeth_coon about how to prepare for jobs and how useful she found @Vitae_news in preparing CVs and cover letters.

@elisabeth_coon @Vitae_news Finally we've @YBrunger, Lecturer in Human Rights Law at @qubschooloflaw & co-director of @Gender_Network. A scholar-activist, Yassin's work is informed by the lived experiences of post-conflict, justice & peace of marginalised communities in the ‘Global South’.

@elisabeth_coon @Vitae_news @YBrunger @qubschooloflaw @Gender_Network Yassin is committed amplifying struggles for justice within and beyond academia. @YBrunger has worked w. many stakeholders, inc. international orgs, national govs & civil society actors working on post-conflict responses to atrocity crimes in Africa. pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/yas…

Truly inspirational prompts from @YBrunger about how vitally important it is for her to engage with people beyond the university; for her, it has always been an 'utter commitment' #ECRday2022

@YBrunger If you want to connect with people beyond the university, Yassin suggests:
1⃣map out your audience: who do you *really* want to connect with; who is your dream audience?
2⃣engage *properly*: don't just send your academic articles to people;
3⃣maximise the tools available to you

@YBrunger On maximising these tools, @YBrunger says: 'skill up'.

Think about who you want to connect with and the best ways to do this.

Podcasts, social media, training in new media like film: move outside your comfort zone 📺📸🎥🎙️

@YBrunger You've got to think about your audience & who you are talking to, to ensure the work is ethical and enriching--don't be 'extractive' but 'collaborative' and about engagement.

@YBrunger Yassin talks about how your engagement can snowball and uses her articles from @ConversationUK as an example: theconversation.com/iccs-bemba-rul… and
theconversation.com/how-decent-dat…
work like this can really build momentum.

More brilliant honesty from @YBrunger about how much work managing public-facing (both media & community) efforts, teaching & research is. We have talk about the demands this puts on our time. Yassin suggests how important it is to have a group of people around you in support.

We're into the Q&A now and hearing some great tips about how to find, build & sustain #mentoring relationships.
🎯 @YBrunger: you have to advocate for yourself; be proactive not reactive.
🎯@TomHulme87: if you want to be mentored well, be present & be timely in your communication

🎯@TomHulme87 says the student to post-student relationship requires a readjustment; put the effort in.
🎯@elisabeth_coon says you need to make sure it is a two-way relationship: don't just take!
🎯@SDeedigan says don't be afraid to 'reconnect' w. former colleagues after a 'gap'

Q: how should people find project partners (media/community/individual)? @TomHulme87 says build connections organically; many through wanting to make a 'home' in a new city. @elisabeth_coon says use Twitter & other platforms to find people online & make initial contacts...

and @YBrunger says she is a big fan of 'being on location'. Go to events/conferences and have a coffee with people. Be yourself, too. Find the 'gatekeepers'.

@YBrunger Top tip for working collaboratively? @elisabeth_coon says listening (😍); @TomHulme87 says: asking questions. @YBrunger: make it fun!

Brilliant advice from an excellent panel 🎉

Next panel: 'Open-Ended Contracts', the path to getting one & how to prepare. First is @LeanneHend, Lecturer in Education at @QUBSSESW. Her research interests inc. trajectories & transitions, language & edu policy, edu assessment & young people's perspectives on education.

Leanne was previously a research fellow in @ModLangs_QUB working on the project: modernlanguagesleadershipfellow.com/language-polic… & is a member of qub.ac.uk/schools/Centre…
For more on Leanne, see pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/lea…

Lots of modesty and honesty from Leanne about her career trajectory, saying you 'can't see how the stars have aligned' to enable her to get to her current job at @QUBelfast

Echoing something said by @TomHulme87, Leanne says that you need to be careful about 'doing things for your career'. @LeanneHend has an anecdote about someone being told 'putting chairs out for a seminar' would be good for their career...

Leanne also addresses the idea of 'being competitive'.
She says: 'you are all competitive. If you think you're not, you're probably a woman, from a minority background, working class. No one is better than you' 🎉 #ECRday2022

Now Leanne is sharing some 'unsolicited advice' that she received during her time on precarious employment #ECRday2022

Leanne says: don't let your imposter syndrome get you down. If a job comes up and you are eligible: APPLY! If you don't, you take yourself out of the running.

Another really vital piece from @LeanneHend: make sure you include a cover letter when you apply.

As someone who recently sat on a recruitment panel, I really echo this. The cover letter is your chance to outline *exactly* how you fit the requirements.

Love this really helpful guide from @LeanneHend (and also love the requisite emoji 🤭) about the fundamentals needed for each other these roles 👇

@LeanneHend More incredible generosity from @LeanneHend in sharing a bit from one of applications. She says they are 'cringey' but you have to 'silence your inner critic & take it as an exercise in persuasive writing' #ECRday2022

@LeanneHend Really loved these parting words from @LeanneHend: 'the system is broken but there are ways to navigate it'. Events like #ECRday2022 make clear that we don't need to be competitive and can come together to support each other.

@LeanneHend Now to @Sarah_natters on her path to her job at @aberdeenuni. Sarah is Lecturer at @EnglishAberdeen & Deputy Director @AbdnRiiss. Sarah's research interests include death & national identity, emigration & settler colonialism in Scottish literature from the long C19th ⛵️🪦📖

Sarah @Sarah_natters has previously held @LeverhulmeTrust, @FulbrightAwards & @IrishResearch fellowships 🌟I'm especially grateful to Sarah for stepping in at the last minute 🙌
For more on Sarah, see abdn.ac.uk/people/sarah.s…

@Sarah_natters @LeverhulmeTrust @FulbrightAwards @IrishResearch Sarah says that her presentation was originally 'retro-games' themed but she had a crisis of confidence about Nintendo's fair usage policy 😂

Here is @Sarah_natters doing the characteristically #ECRday2022 generous act of sharing her career journey. She says this is the 'swan' version; you can't see 'her wee legs kicking underneath the water' 🦢

@Sarah_natters Sarah has also made great points about her positionally: another #ECRday2022 speaker noting that academia is unfair & uneven. Here is a list of jobs she applied for at one point in 2017 (which her partner described as being 'like something from a horror movie' 😱)

@Sarah_natters One of a few various things that Sarah has applied for. However, she said she would be more strategic if doing this again:
1⃣Do I know anyone who has got one of these positions? Can you chat to them?
2⃣Can you get your hands on a successful application?

@Sarah_natters Sarah is now addressing what happens when the DREAM JOB appears when you are straight out of your #PhD. The kind, she says 'your Mum finds and says, "this is your job! You'll definitely get it"'. Thinking of @deirdre_flynn's comments from yesterday:

https://twitter.com/notsecretGarden/status/1522166549804691458

Something else coming up from @Sarah_natters is how painful it can be if you apply and get rejected from a 'home' university. As someone who has experienced this *multiple* times, I can echo this.

@Sarah_natters Such detailed and generous slides from @Sarah_natters. If you've missed this panel--you need to catch up! There's so much useful material for those applying for lecturing jobs #ECRchat #PhDchat

Now @markbur08007930 is sharing his wisdom on preparing for interviews. Mark is Professor of Renaissance Studies at @EnglishAtQUB. He has published extensively, most recently *Shakespeare and World Cinema* and *‘Hamlet’ & World Cinema* (both @CambridgeUP) 📚🎭

Mark has also, with @thea987 and others, edited a new book, *Women and Indian Shakespeares*, forthcoming with @BloomsburyAcad this summer. For more on Mark, see pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/mar…. Mark also stepped in at the last minute and I am very grateful 🌟💐

Really generous & insightful advice from Mark about prepping for interviews:
🎯Film yourself giving your presentation before the interview to see how it looks;
🎯Check out the research culture of the university;
🎯Give a sense of your research that is both general & particular.

Brilliant tips from @markbur08007930 about balancing research & teaching:
1⃣Block out time for writing and do *not* compromise this;
2⃣'Teach what you are writing / write what you are teaching';
3⃣ If you can, plan your teaching around what you wan to research.
#ECRday2022

@markbur08007930 Final tips on job hunt:
✅@LeanneHend: be persistent;
✅@Sarah_natters: put yourself first and remember to constantly reassess what your priorities are;
✅@markbur08007930: keep trying. It was Mark who encouraged me to try for my UKRI fellowship--I was very close to quitting!

@markbur08007930 @LeanneHend @Sarah_natters We're back from lunch with a panel on 'Writing for diverse audiences, 'impact' and engaged research'. First up is @DrFarihaShaikh (@unibirmingham), with an ‘eclectic range of interests: from settler colonial migration, to colonial drug cultures, to commodity frontiers’📚⛴️⚗️

@markbur08007930 @LeanneHend @Sarah_natters @DrFarihaShaikh @unibirmingham Fariha is a @BBCRadio3/@ahrcpress #NewGenerationThinker. She has appeared on BBC 1, BBC 2, Channel 4, BBC Radio 3, and in podcasts and festivals, talking both about her own research and on the nineteenth-century more broadly🎙️📺For more: farihashaikh.com

Here is @DrFarihaShaikh talking about her experience with the media so far #ECRday2022

@DrFarihaShaikh Fariha says she wanted to be on TV when approached out of the blue because she'd 'never been on TV before' but said the experience was 'terrifying'--although it did lead to many more opportunities.

@DrFarihaShaikh Fariha's episode of 'The Essay' just came out yesterday!
This was part of her work as a @BBCRadio3/@ahrcpress New Generation Thinker 👇

https://twitter.com/BBCFreeThinking/status/1522311470851276800

Great points from @DrFarihaShaikh about how academics are often approached about media work on canonical texts. If you also work on non-canonical things, like Fariha also does, you can construct a narrative to bring these in, too.

@DrFarihaShaikh also a really useful overview below from @DrFarihaShaikh about different experiences you might if you are invited to work with the media vs. pitching.

@DrFarihaShaikh Super interesting hearing from @DrFarihaShaikh about how what she thinks is interesting is not necessarily what audiences find interesting.

A good piece of advice she was given: "think in bullet points".

@DrFarihaShaikh And now we're onto the pitfalls of working with the media...

🎯Fariha says it is really important that you address the issue of 💰 up front; generally people won't bring this up if you do not.

Think really carefully about doing things for free.

More on the issue of money from @DrFarihaShaikh. It's really important that we need more transparency around this #ECRday2022

@DrFarihaShaikh Now to @DrMagennis (@SalfordUni). Current Chair of @BAIrishStudies, Caroline's most recent book, *Northern Irish Writing After the Troubles* (@BloomsburyAcad) got a brilliant review from @deirdre_canavan.

https://twitter.com/deirdre_canavan/status/1522204035444621315

Caroline has published widely on NI 📖 & culture and is currently writing a literary history of the childless woman. You can find out more about @DrMagennis’s work here: linktr.ee/drmagennis and her writing here: drmagennis.wordpress.com

@DrMagennis Really appreciate some more honesty from Caroline about doing public engagement because she loves it & think it is hugely important.

@DrMagennis For any of us working in the UK system, Caroline's explanation of how 'impact' works in a #REF sense is really helpful. Also heartening to hear how, if counted properly, public facing work is really valued by universities.

@DrMagennis How helpful is this overview on 'Impact Case Studies'?! How generous.

@DrMagennis Caroline makes a brilliant point: if you do media work, start keeping records. You'll more than likely have to ask people for 'testimonials'--it can cringeworthy, @DrMagennis says, but a good way of making clear that your research is getting out into the world.

@DrMagennis If you are interested in getting involved with these kinds of things, @DrMagennis has some excellent tips on how to build up this profile 👇 on training, Caroline says the @UKMediaFactory training is phenomenal 🌟

@DrMagennis @UKMediaFactory Love how @DrMagennis says that harnessing the 'impact agenda' has enabled her to do the work that she wants to do & ensure it is valued by the university. This is how I feel about this, too.

Next up: @MauriceJCasey, now of @QUBelfast, formerly Historian in Residence @EPICMuseumCHQ. Maurice specialises in radical history, transnational history & queer history & is interested in how each can transform popular understandings of 🇮🇪 & its diaspora in the early C20th.

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ Maurice is currently working on a trade audience history book, provisionally tiled *Hotel Lux: An Intimate History of World Revolution*. You can find out more about @MauriceJCasey here: mauricejcasey.com

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ Truly insightful comments from @MauriceJCasey about how Twitter (the irony) profits off his academic work AND makes him anxious.

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ Maurice has some great tips for how to rethink your Twitter presence & activity:
1⃣Make a word doc & write your tweets here. If, at the end of the day, you still want to tweet these: go ahead (you probably won't).
2⃣Avoid Twitter before noon; it affects your ability to think...

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ 3⃣Everytime you want to write a twitter thread (again lolz at the irony! 🤭😅), write up a pitch and send this to a magazine/newspaper. You get a line in your CV and also get paid.

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ But Maurice also notes there are lots of real positives of Twitter, especially for ECRs, and he doesn't suggest we delete our accounts just yet!

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ We're into our Q&A section now. We've thought about whether social media is something that funders have a policy about?

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ Maurice & @DrMagennis are discussing their processes of getting agents. @MauriceJCasey says he looked into books he liked & enjoyed to see who represented the author, doing a lot of research. Caroline says she approached someone.

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ @DrMagennis Caroline also says it is wonderful to get support from an agent and to have your work championed (very different from academic writing). Both also said they are really excited about writing more accessible books and that these would suit their writing projects better.

@MauriceJCasey @QUBelfast @EPICMuseumCHQ @DrMagennis Those who are interested in Maurice's tweets about Twitter might find this by @DrMarkCarrigan really pertinent:
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocial…

Great points from @DrFarihaShaikh about how she writes differently for radio: not telling people what she knows like she is 'standing outside', but bringing listeners with her 📻

@DrFarihaShaikh Final #publicengagement tips from the panel:
🔹@DrFarihaShaikh-it's easier to build around & from engagement; it's not an add on.
🔹@DrMagennis-be a participant in the audience you want to engage with;
🔹@MauriceJCasey-it takes practice to write/engage effectively, so practice!

Final panel of #ECRday2022 is 'Careers Beyond the Academy'. We're starting with @tara_mcevoy talking about her work for @PushkinPress. Tara edits @thetangerinemag as well as writing her own work, which has been published in @BritishVogue, @observer, @3ammagazine & @stingingfly 🖊️

Tara is also a Writing & the City Fellow at the @HeaneyCentre and, I believe, has many adventures ahead of her in the next wee while...!

@HeaneyCentre Tara is talking about how her 'extra-curricular' activities while doing her BA definitely fed unto her interest in publishing, even if she didn't realise it at the time (love how @tara_mcevoy's 'extra-curricular' work including writing for Vogue 💁‍♀️💅)

Brilliant point from @tara_mcevoy about how you can use the time during your PhD to make connections and build your profile in other areas. If you are interested in non-academic writing, try to get some experience doing this.

The most important thing @tara_mcevoy did during her #PhD was establish @thetangerinemag (look at all those gorgeous issues 🍊). This gave her vital publishing experience.

Tara is making excellent points about how industries can be hard to 'crack' with no work experience; so trying to make your own experience is crucial. Below is a list of resources that @tara_mcevoy consulted when applying for jobs.

@tara_mcevoy Super interesting insights from Tara about differences between academic & trade publishing; you need to be aware of these if you are going for an interview. @tara_mcevoy also notes that there is still a little bit of a London bias--so keep this in mind!

@tara_mcevoy Top tips from @tara_mcevoy :
🔹think outside your experience;
🔹think holistically about how you can use your skills;
🔹don't be scared of taking a left-field approach!
Echoing some of the points made by Alice of the @QUBPostdoc yesterday.

@tara_mcevoy @QUBPostdoc Next up is @DrJamesJBailey talking about his experiences moving beyond the university. James is writer and researcher based in Manchester. His articles can be found European Journal of English Studies & Contemporary Women’s Writing 💻

@tara_mcevoy @QUBPostdoc @DrJamesJBailey James is the author of *Muriel Spark’s Early Fiction: Literary Subversion and Experiments with Form* 📖(@EdinburghUP, 2021): edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-muriel-sp…

Really enjoying @DrJamesJBailey's talk so far and there's so much insight—from not thinking your academic work is your whole identity & the importance of keeping your options open, especially if you have a sense that you might want to do other things.

@DrJamesJBailey Lots of sobering honesty from @DrJamesJBailey about how difficult the 'performative overwork' and toxic conditions of academia were really difficult for him to deal with. So important to keep talking about this side of academia.

@DrJamesJBailey Great discussion about the importance of seeking a positive work-life balance; not wanting to work weekends; wanting to be healthy & happy from @DrJamesJBailey—and feeling this was incompatible with academia.

@DrJamesJBailey James says he started looking at non-academic jobs during the end of his PhD. He did find this process quite difficult but had several years of non-academic work with the third sector between MA and PhD.

Brilliant idea from @DrJamesJBailey: producing a 'skills based' CV not a chronological one. Would love to see an example of this—what a great idea! #ECRday2022

@DrJamesJBailey Another great tip—@DrJamesJBailey says it is worth getting in touch with potential employers to discuss advertised roles if you have a more unusual background.

@DrJamesJBailey Highlights of working outside academia:
🔸hobbies (maybe 'cooking & gardening should be on my bio');
🔸sleeping;
🔸seeing friends & family;
🔸not working weekends;
🔸flexible work environment.
Does sound pretty good!

@DrJamesJBailey And James still publishes (including his wonderful book!) but with a new sense of joy & drive. Here's his book, again: edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-muriel-sp…

Last speaker of #ECRday2022 is @LucieWhitmore. Lucie is Curator of Fashion at @MuseumofLondon. She received her @ahrcpress-funded #PhD from @UofGlasgow: her thesis was titled ‘Fashion Narratives of the First World War’ 👗🪡

@LucieWhitmore @MuseumofLondon @ahrcpress @UofGlasgow Lucie is telling us how she decided she wanted to work in a museum and how she approached various people in a museum setting to ask about their careers & roles.

Alongside her PhD, @LucieWhitmore volunteered for one day a week at the Museum of Edinburgh which she says was absolutely invaluable in setting her up for her career.

@LucieWhitmore Her is @LucieWhitmore's brilliant CV, too! Thanks so much for sharing 🙌 Lucie is talking about some of her rejections, too, including a really painful rejection from a 'home' institution (much like @Sarah_natters talked about earlier).

@LucieWhitmore @Sarah_natters Another incredible resource from @LucieWhitmore—
a list of how her experience matched up against the job criteria & a list of questions she wanted to ask in the interview. How amazing!

Now @LucieWhitmore has, she says, 'her absolute dream job' at @MuseumofLondon. She loves finding out about new objects (and quickly) and telling their stories to diverse audiences.

@LucieWhitmore @MuseumofLondon Super generous top tips from @LucieWhitmore about applying for museum jobs. Remember it's not a back up or a second choice: so many people would love a museums job.

Excellent point from @SDeedigan on #ECRday2022 as a whole: the people who seem to be having the most success are those who are doing things that bring them joy 🎊

@SDeedigan we're getting loads of brilliant questions on this final panel of the #ECRday2022 on non-academic careers: definitely something we need more support with in AHSS!

We ended on such a wonderfully positive note! @LucieWhitmore says working with other people in the best part of her museum job & she can still do bits of teaching and publishing if she likes. @tara_mcevoy says she really enjoys the pace & variety of trade publishing.

@LucieWhitmore @tara_mcevoy and @DrJamesJBailey mentioning again how great it is to have the balance between work and hobbies; and that you can still do the most fun bits of academia, too.

That's a wrap on #ECRday2022! thanks so much to @DNIRE1, Alice at @QUBPostdoc, @WrayRamona & @QUBResearchPol for everything 💐 and to @SDeedigan for chairing today! We hope to have recordings available soon so please watch this space.
Thanks again to all who spoke & joined us!

@threadreaderapp unroll please