icould is a free, inspirational resource, offering an insight into real career stories told by real people, containing around 1,000 stories accessible to the user, on film, online. These stories are wide ranging, covering a whole spectrum of experiences, occupations and career and education pathways across all sectors of work, told by a wide variety of people from all kinds of backgrounds. Its purpose is to inspire young people to think differently about their futures, by giving them a vivid insight into the working lives of real people in real jobs. icould is managed by CRAC. To learn more about icould please visit: www.icould.com
Vitae, in collaboration with icould, undertook a pilot project to produce around 20 films of the career stories of people with a research background, currently working within and outside HE and from a variety of backgrounds, disciplines and levels.
There were two main aims for this project:
- to create a series of films to illustrate the range and variety of careers that people with a research training go on to do, in order to highlight turning and tipping points
- to create a set of career profiles to begin to demonstrate the wider impact of research careers on society/the economy.
To view the films please click on the links below.
Alison completed her doctorate on the work of Dod Procter RA. She is now Head of Learning and Teaching at the London College of Fashion.
Matt has a doctorate in music. Having discovered an interest in training he is now working as a Postgraduate Transferable Skills Training Officer at the University of Cambridge.
Suzanne is a professional composer. Having previously worked at Music Theatre Wales as an associate composer she is currently undertaking her doctorate in music composition to broaden her horizons.
Jean completed her doctorate on Andy Warhols's audio tapes and is now a senior lecturer at UCA Rochester and an art critic working with, amongst others, The Art Newspaper TV interviewing artists.
Mathew has a doctorate in information science. He has previously worked as a lecturer and is now an education adviser at Queen Mary University of London. As part of this role he undertakes educational research.
Mark completed his doctorate in cell biology. He then undertook four to five years of postdoctoral work before moving into industry to work for Smith & Nephew in York, where he was taken on as a cell biologist and is now a team leader.
Paddy completed his doctorate in biology/life sciences at Strathclyde University. From there he took on a series of contracts and he is now a senior academic fellow in pharmacology at the University of Edinburgh developing his own research team.
Dr Paul Thomas
Paul completed his doctorate in plant ecophysiology. Deciding to follow an entrepreneurial path Paul has set up and is Managing Director of his own business growing and selling truffles.
Cara completed her doctorate in molecular pathology then worked for three years in educational development, where she, amongst other tasks, taught PhD researchers. Through this she became interested in medicine and made the decision to train as a medic.
Maggie's first role was with the Ministry of Defence combining knowledge from her first degree in physics with her doctorate in mechanical engineering. She returned to academia to work on building an instrument to bolt on to the Gemini telescope. She is currently working in both industry and academia as a space scientist and science communicator.
Dr Richard Anson
Having worked in investment banking after his undergraduate degree Richard undertook his doctorate in engineering geology and became an engineering consultant. Five years later he completed an MBA and is now the Chief Executive Officer of his own business.
Norman completed his doctorate in maths and geology. His first position after this was as a statistical analyst at Safeway. He then took a role as a trainee fund manager at Scottish Widows in Edinburgh and he is now a financial adviser at Turcan Connell.
Ron started out as a research assistant for a pharmaceutical company. He completed his doctorate in synthetic organ chemistry and then became a lecturer and eventually principal lecturer and reader in organoanalytical chemistry at the University of Greenwich. He is now running a private forensic consultancy.
Andrew completed his doctorate in computer science at the University of Kent at Canterbury. He has had a variety of positions including at a government research organisation in Germany, at the University of York as a researcher and at a large internet company as a systems analyst. He recently took the decision to change direction and is now working as a potter.
Matt completed his doctorate in climate modelling at the University of Cambridge sponsored by the Met Office. He is now a principal consultant in climate change at the Met Office communicating climate science to a variety of different customers.
Neil completed his doctorate in climate change and since then has formed his own company, Student Switch Off. He is also one of two Ben and Jerry's climate change ambassadors in the UK.
Linda completed her doctorate in geology. After this she worked on a project at the Free University in Amsterdam. She then obtained funding to be a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, followed by funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh. She is now working as a research fellow funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council.
Dr Steve Margetts
Steve completed his doctorate in computer science, after which he worked in a company based in Cardiff. He and some of his colleagues then decided to follow an entrepreneurial path and set up their own business, of which he is now one of the directors.
Prior to her doctorate in chemistry Maggie worked in industry for companies such as Pfizer. After completing her doctorate she worked as a university researcher and then as a research fellow at the University of Cambridge. After undertaking an MBA at the Judge Business School in Cambridge she moved on to become a research translation specialist at the University of Michigan.
Dave completed his doctorate in artificial intelligence. He has worked as a lecturer and is now a professor of applied logic at the University of Edinburgh and Head of School Elect for the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh.
Dr Nathan Ryder
Nathan completed his doctorate in maths, pure Knot Theory. After applying for several positions he decided to follow an entrepreneurial path and now works as a freelance skills trainer and consultant.
Martin completed his doctorate in glaciology at Cambridge University. He then gained a lectureship at the University of Wales in Aberyswyth, followed by a lectureship at the University of Bristol. He is now Head of the School of Geosciences and Professor of Geosciences at the University of Edinburgh.
Elizabeth gained a scholarship to undertake a doctorate in high energy physics and she completed her research at Cern in Switzerland. She began her career as a research associate in the medical imaging department at the University of Manchester and from there moved into intellectual property protection for a medical imaging company in Edinburgh. She is now working as an intellectual property management and innovation consultant.
Matthew completed his doctorate in metallurgy. His first role was with a large material supply company. He went on to found an internet business where he became Chief Operating Officer and is now working as a business operations consultant.
Fiona completed her doctorate in marketing and is now Head of Graduate Development, Kings College London.
Dr Barrie Hopson
Barrie completed his doctorate in psychology whilst working as a research assistant at the University of Leeds. He has followed an entrepreneurial path and has a portfolio career, working on a number of projects at any given time.
Having completed his doctorate in psychology Sam now works as a researcher in the area of wellbeing and quality of life at the Centre for Wellbeing at the New Economics Foundation in London.