Research Staff Forum
18th March 2012, 12-2 pm.
Seminar Room 3, Wolfson Research Exchange
1.
Welcome, introductions and apologies
Present: Susan Burrows (Chair), Caroline White (minutes), Kate Mahoney, Sandy
Sparks, Steph Humphrey, Hannah Grainger Clemson, Silvio Aldrovandi, Sian TaylorPhillips, Sharifah Sekalala, Nana Zhang, Karen Ruane, Ed Smith, Charlotte
Mathieson, Helen Albrow, Cheryl Rounsaville.
Apologies: Tim Jones, Paul Sutcliffe, Mairi-Ann Cullen, Vanessa Goodship, Sharon
Neil.
2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising
Minutes accepted. No matters arising.
3. Update from research reps
Susan Burrows (Physics):

Susan highlighted concerns about research staff not receiving annual reviews.
KR and ES reported similar problems in Life Sciences.

Physics are going to introduce a promotion awareness day.
Silvio Androvandi (Psychology):

Research staff in Psychology have been invited for the first time to the University
Council meeting.

Psychology has been reorganised into different research groups. After some
initial confusion this has been positive. For example, termly away days have
been organised so that researchers can get to know what others are doing (might
be 4 times a year). Research staff and academics are invited.
Sian Taylor-Phillips (WMS):

The first meeting of a WMS Early Careers Researchers’ group has taken place.
The Division of Health Sciences (about a fifth of the Medical School) already has
a policy for ECR with money set aside for conferences and mentoring. The ECR
policy for the whole Medical School is similar to this although money is not
available for conferences and time set aside for personal development is not as
much as it is for the Division of Health Sciences, which is half a day.
Caroline White (CEI):

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CW and Penny Smith (WIE) have recently re-launched the Educational
Researchers’ Network, with Mairi-Ann Cullen’s support, and are running a series
of 5 networking lunches funded by LDC networking funding. The ERN is hoping
to establish links with others involved in educational research across the
University. There was a good turnout for the first meeting, including staff from
WIE, WMS, Psychology and the Centre for Applied Linguistics. They will be
running another event on Tuesday 23rd April in Wolfson Research Exchange,
room 3. Just let Caroline know if you are interested in attending.
Karen Ruane (Life Sciences):

Monthly meetings are being held for post-docs to encourage them to
communicate following previous disruption. Meetings involve free coffee and
cake. Attendance is still low so they have decided to involve speakers who can
talk about how post-docs can move to become a lecturer and find out what
options are open to them. Life Sciences are also running a Women in Science
event on Wednesday 27th March , 5.00 – 9.00 pm in GLT3, Warwick Medical
School Atrium. The evening will include science career success stories and an
informal wine and cheese networking opportunity. Susan Burrows (Physics)
reported that their department had also run a ‘women in science’ day involving
lunch and talks. Sandy Sparks reported that the Science Faculty had also run
one.
4. Report from the University Research Committee
SB reported on an e-mail she had received from Paul Sutcliffe about research match
funding for collaboration, e.g. with Monash.
SS reported that a Strategy Bites session had taken place on the 13th March about
internal research funding. PowerPoint:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/ias/funding_opportunities/internalfunding/str
ategy_bites_-_internal_funding_march_2013.pdf
5. Report from Diversity and Equality Committee

SB attended a meeting in February which reported on STEM departments which
had achieved Athena SWAN awards, e.g. gold award for Chemistry and bronze
award for WMS.

That equality and diversity training was being held on 9th April and 11th June.

Induction for disabled undergraduate students was also discussed.

It was highlighted that all departments should have disability contacts.

There was also discussion about successful merit pay applications. For example,
43% of successful merit pay applications for research staff are female.
6. Post Doc Newcomers meeting
This was discussed at the last meeting (item 5). Today’s discussion led to questions
about general induction provision available at the University.
Action: SS will report back about provision for induction at the next meeting and
members will report back on induction provision for their departments.
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7. Update from service reps
LCD (Sandy Sparks): SS reported that her contract has been extended for a further
three years. She outlined forthcoming provision, e.g. an academic writing boot camp,
academic writing workshops, and a UK Data Services course on data management.
She drew attention to the new RAS website:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/ldc/researchers/
IAS Research Exchange partnership (Hannah Grainger Clemson): HGC
reported that a new journal is being created - Exchanges: the Warwick Early Career
Research Journal (working title), with a pilot issue being published in October 2013.
This will be a peer-reviewed online journal dedicated to the publication of high-quality
work by postgraduate and early career researchers from within and outside the
University. The journal will welcome articles from all academic areas, including
interdisciplinary research in order to encourage intellectual exchange and debate
across research communities. The journal will be edited by early career researchers
at the University, with a new editorial board created for each issue, and published biannually. The journal can receive articles that have been published and then
reworked for a broader, interdisciplinary audience. Each article will be reviewed by
two members of academic staff – an early careers researcher will be paired with a
more established researcher. Sharifah Sekalala from the Law School pointed out
that the parameters for word length, i.e. 2-5,000 words would not be suitable for their
journal articles which need to be longer. HGC suggested that there could be tiered
word lengths or a statement saying that if articles needed to be longer than 5,000
words, contact them.
Open Access (Cheryl Rounsaville): The Library's Open Access Officers, Helen
Albrow and Cheryl Rounsaville, gave an update on the revised Open Access policy
and funding. They presented a slide show ‘Guide to Compliance with RCUK Policy
on Open Access’ (which will be circulated to meeting attendees) and a recently
issued ‘RCUK Policy on Open Access and Supporting Guidance’, available at:
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/documents/RCUKOpenAccessPolicyandRevisedgu
idance.pdf. RCUK will produce full, final policy at the end of this month. HA and CR
will be disseminating policy and guidance, in particular guidance on embargo
periods. They encouraged meeting attendees to look at RCUK website and
suggested that research staff should keep an eye on what their funders are doing
with regard to open access. Funding will start from April 1st.
Vitae – Kate Mahoney: Kate Mahoney reported that VITAE’s regional hub will be
based at the University of Warwick till 2015. VITAE are setting up a Midlands
Research Staff Association in order to build a community of researchers who can be
supported regardless of where their next contract takes them. See:
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/596901/Midlands-Research-StaffAssociation.html. If you are interested in becoming involved, see website. There will
be a VITAE Research Staff conference on 7th November in Birmingham.
8. Any other business
SS reported that Nana Zhang runs a networking group for people researching on
China. SS also reported that the PIRLS and CROS Surveys will be in May 2013,
bench marking the University again.
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9. Next meeting date and appointment of next Chair
Hannah Grainger Clemson volunteered to chair the next meeting which will take
place in June.
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