Dr Esther Wilkinson

Personal details Back to top

Title

Dr

Forname

Esther

Surname

Wilkinson

Gender

Female

Date record last updated

Thursday 14 October 2010

Navigate this page:

• Contact information
• References
• Experience
• Specialist areas
• Additional information

Contact information Back to top

Regions prepared to work:

East of England; London; Midlands; North West; Scotland and Northern Ireland; South East; South West and Wales; Yorkshire and North East; International 

E-mail:

esther.wilkinson@esrc.ac.uk

Reference one Back to top

Title:

Mr

Name:

Adrian

Surname:

Alsop

Job title:

Director for Research

Intitution:

Economic and Social Research Council

Contact method:

adrian.alsop@esrc.ac.uk / 01793 413008

Reference two Back to top

Title:

Dr

Name:

Janet

Surname:

Wilkinson

Job title:

Consultant

Intitution:

ThreeTimesThree Consulting

Contact method:

Janet.Wilkinson@threetimesthree.co.uk / awaiting details

Experience Back to top

Job title:

Head of Longitudinal Studies

Current institution:

Economic and Social Research Council/Red Coaching and Development Ltd

CV

Download file

Relevant qualifications:

BSc Chemistry (First Class) PhD Chemistry Diploma of Imperial College Prince2 Project Management Qualified Qualification in ‘Introduction to Team Leadership’ (Foundation) - Chartered Institute of Management

Personal profile:

Esther has worked for the UK Research Councils since 2000, currently as Head of Longitudinal Studies. Esther has worked in a number of roles in the Research Councils. Esther's PhD is in Inorganic Chemistry therefore demonstrating the transition between natural and social sciences. Esther has worked in other public sector roles, including a Police Officer in the City of London Police Force and working at the Open University. Esther has been involved with the UK GRAD Programme since 1995, attending a GRAD School as a PhD student. On entering into employment Esther was keen to become more involved in the delivery of the Programmes, attending an ‘Insight into Management’ course as a tutor (2001); National GRAD mentor in the same year and progressing to tutor on nine National GRAD courses and five Local GRAD courses (Edinburgh, Exeter, Oxford Brookes) to date. Esther has tutored on many, many GRAD courses, and has recently started Directing Local GRAD schools. Esther has also shadowed an ‘How to be an Effective Researcher’ courses targeted at first year PhD students. Esther has delivered many case studies during this time, the two most significant being ‘Castlefield Challenge’ and ‘Controversy’. For both of these Case Studies I have provided feedback and developed many of the course materials, advising other tutors and sharing personal materials. I have also delivered the case studies ‘And Its Goodnight From…’; ‘Xtreme Brand Makeover’; ‘Wonder Widget’, 'Who Pays the Price', 'Research Sandpit' and sessions on stress management.

Biography:

So far, Esther?s career path has been a not so long but particularly winding road. Esther graduated in 1997 from Imperial College with a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry. During the latter months of her PhD, Esther decided she didn?t want to spend her career as a researcher and needed some 'life experience'. She applied to join the City of London Police as a Police Constable in the hope of joining the Scenes of Crime Unit to pursue a career in forensics (Esther wanted to be ‘Quincy’ from an early age!.). After completing her police training the opportunities to follow such a career path did not transpire and realising the streets of London were not paved with gold, in late 1999 Esther left the Police Service to work at the Open University. Esther became Office Manager for Professor Colin Pillinger, lead scientist for Beagle2, the British effort to land on Mars (2004). As part of this role Esther took on the role of 'Planetary Protection Officer', which involved establishing methods of sterilisation of the Beagle2 Lander in order to avoid contaminating Mars. This was a very enjoyable but demanding role, working with the UK and EU Governments, European Companies, Blur (!) and being very prominent in the media. Due to family circumstances Esther moved to Wiltshire in May 2000, taking a position at the Research Councils (EPSRC) as an Associate Programme Manager managing the nuclear physics portfolio of research. Shortly afterwards, Esther moved to become EPSRC's Public Affairs and Marketing Manager, raising the profile of EPSRC with opinion formers, in particular Parliamentarians, spending much of her time working with Parliamentary Select Committees and MPs. Seeking a new challenge, in early 2003 Esther moved to Research Councils UK, a body set up a year earlier to be the collective voice of the Research Councils. This was a diverse role, focusing on science/research policy and coordination of activities across the Councils. Esther developed astute negotiation, facilitation and communication skills in this role. From this, an opportunity arose in the Economics and Social Science Research Council (ESRC) where Esther moved in October 2006 to work in research policy. In 2007 Esther moved to the Research Directorate in the Economics, Business and Society Team, and has recently moved again to be the Head of Longitudinal Studies in the Council. Esther is dedicated to spending time with her seven year old son and teenage step-daughter. Esther is the Secretary to and child Welfare Officer of her sons local Football Team. Any 'spare' time is spent swimming, circuit training and a few GRAD schools thrown in for good measure!

Testimonial one:

I have worked with Esther on several occasions, as a tutor at the Edinburgh GRADschool 2008, and also in my role as Director at the Bournemouth GRADschool 2008. Esther is literally an inspiring colleague to work with, both from a programme management point of view, but also in terms of her commitment and enthusiasm with students on GRADschools. One example is her running, for the first time, the case study 'Controversy' at my Bournemouth GRADschool. Esther meticulously prepared and delivered this session, and the result was quite frankly stunning. The students immersed themselves into the case study and were able to try out new roles, and develop / hone their skills set. The culmination of the case study was an excellent debate and discussion and the fact that more time could have been allocated was evidnece of just how much the students were engaged. The success of this case study was testimony to how Esther prepared, introduced, facilitated and closed the session, providing an excellent narrative throughout. Esther's ability to lead content is also the main reason why she has been chosen to direct the Bath-Bristol-Exeter local GRADschool this summer. Finally though, Esther is a great tutor, and her feedback is consistently very high from participants - she listens well, has a very calm but confident approach, and her enthusiasm is infectious. The students like her, and she likes her students! In short, Esther comes very highly recommended indeed, and I am entirely confident of her ability to tutor on more GRADschools to a very high standard. Dr Steve Gaskin Head of Skills University of Exeter

Testimonial two:

Esther is a competent and experienced Grad School tutor who brings a great mix of energy and experience to Grad Schools. She gets good reviews from the groups that she works with and she contributes to the whole of the Grad School to ensure it meets the participants expectations. Her experience of working across the Research Councils brings invaluable experience and insights to a Grad School as well as helping participants engage with alternative careers for postgraduate researchers. Robin Henderson

Audience:

• Postgraduate researchers
• Principal investigators
• Research staff
• Senior staff in HE
• Staff developers/trainers

 

Specialist areas Back to top

Type of work:

• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Research into skills development
• Training design and development

Subject areas:

• Enterprise and entrepreneurship
• Interpersonal skills development
• Knowledge transfer
• Leadership
• Policy development and strategic management
• Project management
• Research relating to skills and career development
• Well-being and work life balance

Experience of delivering
Vitae programmes:

• GRADschool Director
• GRADschool Tutor

Additional information Back to top

Additional information:

In addition to National GRADSchools, I have been involved with local GRADs at Cambridge, Liverpool, Loughborough, Bath/Bristol/Exeter, and Sheffield. Directed local GRADs at Bath/Bristol/Exeter and Sheffield.