Remember, remember the fifth of November

07 November 2009

By Tennie Videler

Thursday was the first Vitae research staff conference. It was Guy Fawkes day, so I could make lots of jokes about proverbial fireworks, it being a cracker or that it was not a damp squib… In fact, Brian Iddon MP’s presentation finished with a picture of him dressed up as Guy Fawkes, holding a barrel of gunpowder for a stunt he had once done as part of a ‘Magic of Chemistry’ show in parliament.

I had a completely fantastic day: there were over eighty members of research staff gathered and you were all really actively participating. Thank you to everyone who took part, it was a pleasure to meet so many of you. Your reaction was overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

The plenary speakers included Brian Iddon, MP, Sara Williams who outlined the UK-wide initiatives already being undertaken for the support of research staff and David Proctor who spoke thoughtfully of the challenge of a sustainable, representative national organisation for research staff. 

The workshops covered topics such as fixed term contracts, researcher careers, implementation of the Concordat to support the career development of researchers, the CROS survey and setting up communities. There was also a chance for research staff to input into consultations such as the REF and the researcher development framework.  

I now have volunteers to form a research staff advisory group to input into Vitae’s activities. But the main outcome as far as I am concerned was the desire to reinvigorate a national organisation for research staff in some form (See Liz’s post ‘Postcard from London’).

Let’s hope we can do it again next year!

For those of you who attended- what was your favourite workshop? Your favourite speaker? Any comments?

Does anyone want to share any of the actions they committed to?