Bioscience Futures Workshop Programme
Tuesday 8th April
ARRIVAL AND INTRODUCTIONS
The workshop will be held in the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) where we will make use of the Atrium, Concourse and Training Suite.
4.00pm Registration opens (LEC Concourse)
5.30 pm Welcome and overview (Training Suite 2)
Prof Bill Davies (Lancaster University)
Bill is the Director of LEC and is also a member of the SEB’s Education Committee (amongst other things).
6.00pm Introductions and MBTI feedback
Sarah Blackford (SEB)
Everyone will have been sent a Myers-Briggs questionnaire to complete prior to the workshop (See Pre-coursework link on the main page). This informal session will serve to give you feedback on your Type and also to allow you get to know each other.
7.30pm Put up posters (part of your pre-course work – see link on the main page)
Hot buffet dinner incl. wine.
Held in the LEC Concourse and Atrium, you will be able to view the posters and mix with the other people on the course as well as the tutors. Your poster will be grouped with 5 others and you will be working in these groups the following day so it will give you a chance to preview their research and get to know your fellow group members too.
9.00pm – Finish
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Wednesday 9th April
ENHANCING YOUR RESEARCH CAREER
9.00am Introduction to the day
9.15am Plenary lecture
Prof Ottoline Leyser (University of York)
What does it take to be a successful researcher in academia?
10.00 – 12.15 Effective poster evaluation and presentation
Dr Jeremy Pritchard (University of Birmingham)
Presenting your poster in an effective way is crucial to getting the most out of your conference trips. This peer-assessment exercise will help you to appreciate what makes an engaging poster to increase your profile.
Tea/coffee/biscuits available during this session
12.15 – 13.00 Plenary Lecture
Dr Mark Bacon (Enterprise & Business Partnerships, LEC)
Why do we do research?
Universities are being increasingly looked to in contributing to the economic performance of the UK, in increasingly competitive global markets. What role does research have in this and what role could you have in ensuring the outcomes of your research are fully exploited, whether to improve quality of life, the environment or generate significant wealth? This session will explore the changed roles of Universities, the increasingly ‘mission-led’ nature of research funding and the new opportunities this brings to early career scientists.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 17.00
Turning the business of research into technology business
Dr Frank Cave (Institute of Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development, Lancaster University)
How often have we taken part in those fantasy conversations or daydreams about how our research might change the world, or at least a little bit of it? How often has that been the end of the matter? What holds us back? It may be fear of the unknown, or a lack of confidence to take the first steps, or even lack of knowledge of what the steps are and in which order they should come.
The purpose of this session is to rapidly:
- help you understand the main steps in changing your research based fantasy into a business
- develop communication, collaboration and decision-making skills
- develop the skeleton of a simple plan for a technology commercialisation.
17.00 – 18.00 Refreshment break
18.00 Presentations (InfoLab)
For this final exercise of the day we will move to the award-winning InfoLab at the other side of campus where each group will make a short presentation to a panel of judges who will ask them a few questions too. We will award prizes for the best three presentations and awards will also be made for the winners of the poster exercise earlier in the day.
19.30 Conference Dinner (InfoLab)
After a hard day’s work you can now relax and unwind.
9.30pm Finish
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Thursday 10th April
CAREER MANAGEMENT SKILLS
9.00 Recap of previous day and introduction
9.15 – 11.00 Identifying and selling your skills
Sarah Blackford (SEB) and Dr Peter Lumsden (UCLan)
Regardless of whether you want to stay in research or pursue another career it’s important that you can recognise the skills you have developed during your research and through other activities. These could be management, technical or essential communication skills which are transferable to any career as well as being essential to your career progression in research.
In addition to identifying your skills we will also look at ways in which you can present yourself on a CV depending on the job you are applying for. We will also show you examples of academic, targeted and skills CVs.
11.00 Tea/coffee
11.15 Interview technique
Sarah Blackford (SEB) and Dr Peter Lumsden (UCLan)
Presenting yourself effectively for job interviews (research and non-research) is the final step towards your next career move. How do you make the best impression? Predicting the kinds of questions you may be asked and preparing for them is as essential as revising for exams. We will invite participants to volunteer to be interviewed by a panel in group situations (please bring a copy of your CV with you for this exercise – see pre-coursework link on the main web page).
12.45 Review and Action planning
13.30 Finish.
