In this episode we hear from Dr. Nigel Eady, Dr. Amy Moore and Dr. Kathy Barrett. All our guests began their careers in research and now have roles at King's College London where they support the training and development of PhDs and Research staff. We hear from them about their own career journeys, what they do from day to day in their current roles and their professional challenges. They also share their reasons to be cheerful about the future of healthy workplaces for researchers and their top tips for someone thinking about working in their roles.

You can find out more about support for PGR well being at King's College London here and how we support our staff here.

Professor Evelyn Welch, Senior Vice-President for Service, People & Planning at King’s and Professor of Renaissance Studies talks about her own career journey from when a PhD was expected to last 10 years (hers didn't!), balancing temporary jobs with childcare and no maternity leave to today, in her new role as Senior Vice-President and a Wellcome Senior Investigator. She is keen to use her experience and role to support researchers to thrive in their careers through job design, career planning, secondments, collaboration, community and more. 

Listen to this episode of Careers in Your Ears to understand more about a very experienced academic's route.  Kate Murray talks to Simon Wessely (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/professor-sir-simon-wessely), Professor of Psychiatry at King's College London, about his experiences as a clinician and epidemiologist, about the peaks and troughs of research life and the excitement of making an impact.  We also discuss the SMaRteN (https://www.smarten.org.uk/) network, a student-led research network looking at student mental health issues, and talk about the issues involved in understanding research studies looking at perceptions of mental health and stresses in occupations.  Simon describes the importance of a healthy social network, and of a good manager, in promoting good mental health.

KCL PGRs can access the new PGR Wellbeing Hub here: tinyurl.com/pgrwh 

Please email [email protected] if you would like a transcript of this podcast.

In this episode of Careers in Your Ears, we talk with Tim Newton, Professor of Psychology as Applied to Dentistry and Dean for Research Culture at King's College London. We hear about Tim's journey in academia and why he ventured into Ethics and now Research Culture.  Tim shares 4 key pillars for the work of research culture; ethics, governance, integrity and community.  We talk about the role of community in supporting researchers' mental health, what needs to change and what's working well. 

For a transcript of this episode please email [email protected]  

Roger Carles-Fontana is a PhD student at King's College London and Mental Wellbeing and Events Lead at King's Doctoral Students Association (KDSA). He talks with us on this episode of Careers in Your Ears about why PGR students might struggle with their mental wellbeing and what they can do to address it.  Roger invites you to follow @KDSA_KCL on Instagram and/or Twitter to find out more information about events and resources.  They will also provide updates here about the new Mental Wellbeing Hub. You can also email them on [email protected] 

King's Counselling & Mental Health Support: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/counselling

King's Counseling & Mental Health Support (internal pages): https://self-service.kcl.ac.uk/article/KA-01164/en-us 

If you would like a transcript of this episode please email [email protected] with the title 'Careers in Your Ears' transcript.

This episode is the second part of a conversation about race and identity in research careers which we recorded in June 2021. Alexandria Mitchell, a PhD student at King's College London (KCL) and co-chair of the KCL Race Equality Network (www.kcl.ac.uk/hr/diversity/get-involved/networks/race-equality-network) talks with Mary Okesola who is also a PhD student at KCL and Dr. Bernadine Idowu of KCL and University of West London. (Listen to the first part of this conversation where we find out how the speakers got into academia and what that was like without visible representation of female black scientists: www.anchor.fm/careersinyourears/episodes/Series-6--Episode-8-Race-and-Identity-in-Research-Careers-Part-1-e12ffs6)    

In this episode, you’ll hear the speakers discussing how the Black Lives Matter movement has affected EDI spaces in academia and science, and how we can move forward. You will also hear how, as academics, they deal with set backs (cue, conversations about resilience and the importance of not just having one, but multiple, mentors!),

Bernadine runs the annual BME Early Careers Conference. Follow them on twitter you can stay up to speed with future plans for the conference: @BmeEcr 

If you require a transcript of this episode please email [email protected] with the title 'Transcript for CinYE S6E9'

Follow us on Twitter @kcldo1thing

This episode is the first part of a conversation about race and identity in research careers. Alexandria Mitchell, a PhD student at King's College London (KCL) and co-chair of the KCL Race Equality Network (www.kcl.ac.uk/hr/diversity/get-involved/networks/race-equality-network) talks with Mary Okesola who is also a PhD student at KCL and Dr. Bernadine Idowu of KCL and University of West London.

In this episode, you’ll hear why the speakers went into science and what that was like without visible representation of Black female scientists. You’ll also hear their thoughts on mentoring, job hunting and learn more about the day to day life of a senior academic.

Bernadine runs the BME Early Careers Conference (www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-5th-black-and-minority-ethnic-early-career-researchers-conference-2021-tickets-143563764083) which has a waiting list for this year's event on 09 July 2021 however if you follow them on twitter you can stay up to speed with future plans for the conference: @BmeEcr 

If you require a transcript of this episode please email [email protected] with the title 'Transcript for CinYE S6E8'

In this episode we wanted to explore what’s happening with recruitment to roles in academia and in sectors outside academia, which PhDs and Research Staff are typically attracted to. To do this, we spoke with Rebecca Oakey, a King’s Professor of Epigenetics and Dean for Doctoral Studies and Andrew Wright, Head of Employer Engagement in King’s Careers & Employability. Listen out for advice from Rebecca about getting into academia, the value of the PhD and from Andrew, listen out for his thoughts on skills which are increasingly needed by employers and how sectors are recruiting at the moment.

NB: we recorded this episode over July and August 2021, and the information shared here is time sensitive.

If you require a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected]quoting Transcript CinYE S6E8.

Please do leave a review if you like what you hear!

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

King’s Student Services  - advice on visas: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/campuslife/services/advice/advice#Immigration

Institute of Student Employers (ISE) survey [available to organisation members only] this article covers some of the information Andrew referred to in this episode: https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/65171-graduates-lack-work-ready-skills-that-businesses-need-during-covid-ise-student-development-survey#!/ccomment-comment=288

Virtual work experience (and a specific programme for King’s PGRs): https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=4487645

Follow us on Twitter @kcldo1thing

Remember King’s Careers and Employability can review your applications for jobs and help you with you career decision making. Simply book a 1-1 appointment, looking for ‘PhD and Research Staff’ under appointment type: https://kcl.targetconnect.net/unauth

Dr Jason Myers is a Data Scientist with Faculty AI.  Prior to this, he completed his PhD with the 'Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Non-Equilibrium Systems' (CANES) Centre for Doctoral Training at King's College London. Jason joins us on Careers In Your Ears to talk about his (not always easy) experience finding work after the doctorate. He also shares insights into his current role and answers a question a current PhD student shared with us about the difference between coding in academia and in industry.  Jason gives us insights into tackling issues around diversity in tech.

If you have questions you'd like to ask our speakers on Careers in Your Ears, please tweet us @kcldo1thing or email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.

King's PhDs and Research Staff can book an appointment via kcl.targetconnect.net by looking for 'PhD + Research Staff' under appointment type.

If you would like a transcript of this episode please contact [email protected].

Dr. Hilary Jones is a former post-doctoral researcher who has worked in careers and employability, started her own business, is in training to be a psychotherapist and is now working for a non-profit organisation. In this episode she tells us her career story so far and gives us her insight into her varied career path.

King's PhDs and Research Staff can book an appointment via kcl.targetconnect.net by looking for 'PhD + Research Staff' under appointment type. Check out our Career Change course: https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=4821037

If you would like a transcript of this episode please contact [email protected].