SISB5 - Can a strong digital profile help researcher's careers?

Outline

Contemporary researchers need to be armed with a well-rounded science communication skill set. This arsenal includes a variety of different types of communication, from writing papers to tweeting about them. But all too frequently, researchers lack the resources available to develop these skills. For example, many scientists consider their published paper as an end-goal and return to the bench afterwards, but post-publication marketing and communication of their research is important. Creating a digital profile can achieve this.

Good research will always be well-read and cited. However, having the knowledge to increase the impact of a paper post-publication can have a real effect on that researcher’s career, the reach and re-use of their research and future collaborations, which will ultimately benefit their institution as well.

So what are publishers and institutions doing to support their authors post-publication? Do they encourage their researchers' online presence? Could they be doing more?

In this session, we’ll examine the existing frameworks in place for supporting researchers in building a digital profile, both for collaborations and publications, and discussing whether this should be part of a formal professional development. We'll look at case studies of successful researchers who have built a strong digital presence and the different benefits it has brought them.

Themes

• Engaging research leaders, principal investigators and supervisors to transform professional development of researchers and embed professional development in the research environment
• Research into researcher development