News

Researchers in Residence gets the Green Flag

School scheme can boost proposal quality

Establishing links with local schools can benefit research grant proposal scoring, according to a nationwide school placement scheme, funded by RCUK.

The scheme, Researchers in Residence provides free, expert training and places early-career stage researchers in host secondary schools, where they get the opportunity to engage 11-19 year olds about their work. Activities include running practical demonstrations, presentations or university tours.

Participating researchers can demonstrate on-going or planned arrangements for promoting the public understanding of science. Importantly, assessors take this into consideration when reviewing and scoring research grant proposals.

Open to PhD students and post docs, Researchers in Residence also helps develop teaching and communication skills both of which are impressive abilities on any ambitious academics’ CV.

School placements are flexible and can be organised around lab and field work. Each placement is expected to require researchers to commit 14 to 24 hours of student contact time.

To participate researchers should visit www.researchersinresidence.ac.uk or call 0845 365 7470.

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Researcher training event dates for 2010:

5th July 2010 - West Midlands - (venue The Studio, Birmingham)

26th July 2010 - North West - (venue The Studio, Manchester)

02/06/10 - Researcher training event dates for 2010:

18 June 2010 - East Midlands - (venue The Studio, Birmingham)

06/05/10 - Researcher training event dates for 2010:

19 May 2010 - Scotland - (venue Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh) 

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11/02/10 - Researcher training event dates for 2010:

30 March 2010 - SW/Wales - (venue @ Bristol Harbourside) 

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21/12/2009

New researcher profiles available

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09/12/2009

Workshop opportunity in France for Researchers in Residence

The British Council in France is looking for active STEM researchers with experience in outreach to run a series of workshops in French high schools next year.

You would be expected to run a 2 hour workshop, in English to classes of 14+ year old pupils learning science in English ("Sections européennes" classes) using enjoyable and stimulating methods and learning processes.

The British Council has no particular preference in terms of the science field that is used; last year they worked with a team at the University of Bristol (Bristol Chemlabs) and found that chemistry was a good medium through which to provide stimulating visual and scientific demonstrations. 

Researchers with experience in science communication/outreach work as well as being a diverse team in terms of gender, age, ethnicity would be of particular interest to the British Council.

Why?
The aim of the project is to bring the pupils into contact with successful role models from the research world with whom they can easily identify, in order to encourage young people from ethnic minorities in particular to engage in scientific studies and careers.

When?
Visits need to be undertaken before March 2010 (for financial reasons). A maximum of two schools per day will be visited for a period of five consecutive days.

Where?
Visits will take place in one French local educational authority (Académie de Lille, in the north of France), according to a list of schools chosen by the French Ministry of Education.

How?
Travel, accommodation and transportation of materials costs for the UK team can be covered by the British Council France.

To register your interest contact Sarah Bagshaw by Tuesday 15 December.  
Tel : +33 1 49 55 73 43

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29/09/09 - Follow Researchers in Residence on Twitter.