It is extremely important for us that the Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) is responsive to the needs and interests of early career researchers (ECRs). This is why the needs of our members inform all the opportunities and activities we offer. You don't have to take our word for it – read some of the comments and feedback we have received from our members. Their testimonials demonstrate the true impact of the Network and the community it has created.
Dr Sarah Preedy
University of Plymouth, South West and South Wales cluster
The Network has been a valuable platform for me to connect with other like-minded researchers, not just in my regional area, but across the UK. As a result of the online platform, I have just submitted a conference paper with another member of the network who is researching in a similar area to myself. We plan to develop this conference paper into a journal paper and are actively looking for funding opportunities to develop this exciting research area together. If it wasn’t for the ECR Network I might never have had this opportunity.
Dr Luis Medina Cordova
University of Birmingham, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
The British Academy's ECRN has been a terrific source of support, especially for understanding how to access external research funding in the UK. In 2022, a group of ECRs from the Midlands Hub organised and hosted a weekend Writing retreat in Leicester, where all participants could work on different funding applications uninterruptedly for two days. The programme included advice sessions, but the supportive environment was the most important element for me. I had the chance to develop my idea and discuss it with colleagues working on similar bids. The feedback and the opportunity to focus on one task made a big difference. I’m happy to report that my application I developed during the retreat for the British Academy Leverhulme Small Grant Scheme was successful, and my project – which will investigate how Latin American writers responded to the coronavirus pandemic – will be funded.
Dr Eun Sun Godwin
University of Wolverhampton, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
As Peris always emphasises, my experience of The British Academy ECR Network is not only for, but also by ECRs. I have attended so many valuable sessions organised and led by ECRs and also myself organised a couple of events with the ECRs from the Network. The British Academy enables ECRs with rare resources accessible to ECRs!
Dr Emily Gathergood
University of Nottingham, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
I write to express my appreciation for the professional development opportunities provided by the British Academy's ECRN. I joined the network as a minoritised (female, first-gen, disabled) and under-confident PhD student in a small department, looking to broaden my academic connections and horizons. I’ve benefitted greatly from the community of fellow ECRs, the training in career-building skills, and the panel sessions with experts and award-holders on successful grant writing. Being personally known in the network and having my questions directly answered has broken down the psychological barriers to applying for grants and jobs. I feel realistically prepared and excited about my next steps!
Dr Pushpi Bagchi
University of Edinburgh, Scotland cluster
As of April 2024, I have advanced to the position of Principal Designer at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, a hybrid research and design practice-based role at the University of Edinburgh. This open-ended position, developed based on my work as a post-doc, was one that I personally advocated for. The British Academy's ECR Network has significantly contributed to my achievements. Attending the SHAPE of Research Careers Policy Unconference provided invaluable insights into advocating for full-time positions for post-docs and navigating complex HR systems within academic institutions. This event also helped me strategically plan my career progression.
Furthermore, participating in sessions like "Demystifying British Academy Research Grants - Innovation Fellowships" has helped me refine my skills to craft bids and proposals for consultancy work. The financial support from the British Academy for attending events outside of my Cluster (Scotland) has been crucial, especially since I do not have access to such funding through my work. This support has enabled me to engage in professional development opportunities that have directly influenced my career trajectory.
Dr Glykeria Skamagki
Coventry University, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
For me, the Network has opened doors to areas I never thought I could be part of and allowed me to have conversations with like-minded individuals who see the best of the world we live in.
Dr Lenore Thompson
University of Derby, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
As an early career academic, the British Academy's ECRN has opened many doors for me. I have met so many brilliant academics that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to meet, who are eager to collaborate, share ideas, and offer support. Frequent training and workshop sessions address the needs of the ECR’s, ranging from media and policy training to bid writing support and advice on career progression. Opportunities are also available to get involved developing training and workshop sessions you feel would be valuable for the British Academy's ECRN community. The Network continues to create new, exciting, and useful opportunities for its members, and I am looking forward to continuing to be a part of it.
Dr Rebecca Woods
University of Plymouth, South West and South Wales cluster
Joining the ECR Network has given me validation, support, and a way of settling into creating my own weekly schedule for my current work. It is extremely challenging to be working from home all the time without the rigours of employment and formal meetings. The network has enabled me to run Writing Sessions which has increased my self-discipline and maintained my productivity this summer.
Dr Paul Tiong
Coventry University, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
I would like to thank The British Academy ECRN team for their time and effort in planning, organising and managing a range of events, including, arranging my travel/accommodation and processing my requisition for reimbursement of expenses. These activities have made a positive impact on my professional and personal development.
An example is the Winter Writing Retreat between 24 and 25 February, 2023 which was held at the University of Leicester. I was able to fully focus on writing because I was in a new environment and was without distractions, which enabled me to be very productive. Moreover, I was able to interact and network with colleagues in person and I greatly appreciated the feedback/advice that was given and also was able to give. The output of the session was a revised paper which has been accepted for presentation at the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) Annual Conference with Doctoral Masterclasses on 17-19 April, 2023 at the University of Sheffield. During the BAFA conference, I will be presenting a model for evaluating organisational transparency and accountability which, I hope, will advance practice and academia.
The British Academy ECRN has played a significant role in supporting my research journey, for which, I am most grateful.
Dr Daria Morozova
Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland cluster
Being new to the UK, I find ECR Network a perfect tool for networking in a new research environment. The range of activities they offer has been impressively broad: from familiar conference formats to informal sessions to discuss your day-to-day research-related issues, media trainings and narrative CV sessions. The Network team has been doing an amazing job in keeping things relevant to what their members are looking for.
Dr Liliana Fonseca
University of Strathclyde, Scotland cluster
I joined the network around 2022. I had recently moved to the UK, and so I was looking to build my personal and professional network, and to access opportunities for training, funding and other events. Because of the British Academy network I was able to start the process of applying for research funding, which I had never done before. I was invited to join a group for a British Academy Seed Grant proposal, and we were successful. Since then, we have continued working together and applying for other research and KE funding, and we have made other contexts to extend our little research hub. I think I can also call them friends!
I really appreciate this network and the opportunities that it provides to other researchers. Because of this, whenever I meet someone in humanities or social sciences, I can’t help but recommend they become members!
Dr Farah Sharin
Nottingham Trent University, Midlands and Mid Wales cluster
Through the network, my skills and knowledge about funding and interdisciplinary research have tremendously increased, and I shared this knowledge with colleagues at NTU, as I am on the Athena Swann committee. I am so proud to be an ECRN member. The red bottle which has the British Academy ECRN logo; even my mum (she has retired) wants it because I tell her many good things about British Academy ECRN. Now she has my red British Academy bottle to take with her to her book reading group (she lives in Malaysia). My parents read some information on the British Academy website and found the content is so diverse (this is what they said) and interesting.
Thank you, British Academy, their committees, and the ECRN committee for your endless support and enthusiasm. You make people like me so happy to do research or be part of someone's research to make the world a much better place.