scholarly journals Empowering Early Career Researchers to Improve Science

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianne A Kent ◽  
Constance Holman ◽  
Emmanuella Amoako ◽  
Alberto Antonietti ◽  
JAMES MBA Azam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Funding ◽  
Systemic Change ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Communication Of Science ◽  
Scientific System

Early career researchers (ECRs) are important stakeholders leading efforts to catalyze systemic change in the conduct and communication of science. Here, we summarize the outputs from a virtual unconventional conference (unconference), which brought together 54 invited experts from 20 countries with extensive experience in ECR initiatives designed to improve science. The event was focused on why ECRs are needed to improve science and the obstacles they face when trying to promote reform. Our discussions also highlighted the additional obstacles that ECRs in countries with limited research funding experience when working to improve the scientific system. We provide the lessons learned from successful ECR-led or ECR-focused initiatives and outline actions that individuals and organizations can take to further support ECRs who are working to improve research culture and practice.

scholarly journals How to connect academics around the globe by organizing an asynchronous virtual unconference

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 156
Author(s):  
Constance Holman ◽  
Brianne A. Kent ◽  
Tracey L. Weissgerber
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Scientific Publishing ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Virtual Networking ◽  
Main Components ◽  
New Strategies

Many conferences and in-person meetings have transitioned to virtual platforms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we share strategies and lessons learned from organizing an international virtual unconventional conference, or ‘unconference’. The event focused on how early career researchers can advocate for systemic improvements in scientific publishing and research culture. The virtual unconference had three main components: (1) a virtual networking event, (2) asynchronous virtual brainstorming, and (3) a virtual open space, where participants could join or lead in-depth discussions. The unconference format was participant-driven and encouraged dialogue and collaboration between 54 attendees from 20 countries on six continents. Virtual brainstorming allowed participants to contribute to discussions at times that were convenient for them. Activity was consistently high throughout the 48 hours of virtual brainstorming and continued into the next day. The results of these discussions are collaboratively summarized in a paper entitled Empowering Early Career Researchers to Improve Science, co-authored by the unconference participants. We hope that this method report will help others to organize asynchronous virtual unconferences, while also providing new strategies for participant-driven activities that could be integrated into conventional virtual conferences.

scholarly journals How to connect academics around the globe by organizing an asynchronous virtual unconference

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 156
Author(s):  
Constance Holman ◽  
Brianne A. Kent ◽  
Tracey L. Weissgerber
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Scientific Publishing ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Virtual Networking ◽  
Main Components ◽  
New Strategies

Many conferences and in-person meetings have transitioned to virtual platforms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we share strategies and lessons learned from organizing an international virtual unconventional conference, or ‘unconference’. The event focused on how early career researchers can advocate for systemic improvements in scientific publishing and research culture. The virtual unconference had three main components: (1) a virtual networking event, (2) asynchronous virtual brainstorming, and (3) a virtual open space, where participants could join or lead in-depth discussions. The unconference format was participant-driven and encouraged dialogue and collaboration between 54 attendees from 20 countries on six continents. Virtual brainstorming allowed participants to contribute to discussions at times that were convenient for them. Activity was consistently high throughout the 48 hours of virtual brainstorming and continued into the next day. The results of these discussions are collaboratively summarized in a paper entitled Empowering Early Career Researchers to Improve Science, co-authored by the unconference participants. We hope that this method report will help others to organize asynchronous virtual unconferences, while also providing new strategies for participant-driven activities that could be integrated into conventional virtual conferences.

scholarly journals Data Collection Challenges and Recommendations for Early Career Researchers

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marylen Rimando ◽  
Andrea Brace ◽  
Apophia Namageyo-Funa ◽  
Tiffany Parr ◽  
Diadrey-Anne Sealy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Research Mentoring ◽  
Data Collection Process ◽  
The Social

Data collection is critical to the social research process. When implemented correctly, data collection enhances the quality of a social research study. However, doctoral students and early career researchers may encounter challenges with data collection. This article reports on the data collection challenges in dissertation research encountered by doctoral students enrolled in a public health program at a southeastern United States urban university. Each doctoral student shared at least one challenge and how it affected the data collection process. Additionally, the doctoral students shared how the identified challenges were addressed or suggested recommendations. Understanding these experiences of doctoral students is helpful for doctoral students and early career researchers conducting social research. The lessons learned may guide faculty in research mentoring and structuring research seminars for doctoral students.

scholarly journals Ten simple rules for creating a brand-new virtual academic meeting (even amid a pandemic)

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e1008485
Author(s):  
Scott Rich ◽  
Andreea O. Diaconescu ◽  
John D. Griffiths ◽  
Milad Lankarany
Keyword(s):  
Computational Neuroscience ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Institutional Support ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Virtual Tools ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Virtual Meeting ◽  
Simple Rules ◽  
Early Proof

The increased democratization of the creation, implementation, and attendance of academic conferences has been a serendipitous benefit of the movement toward virtual meetings. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated the transition to online conferences and, in parallel, their democratization, by necessity. This manifests not just in the mitigation of barriers to attending traditional physical conferences but also in the presentation of new, and more importantly attainable, opportunities for young scientists to carve out a niche in the landscape of academic meetings. Here, we describe an early “proof of principle” of this democratizing power via our experience organizing the Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight (CCNS; crowdcast.io/e/CCNS), a free 2-day virtual meeting that was built entirely amid the pandemic using only virtual tools. While our experience was unique considering the obstacles faced in creating a conference during a pandemic, this was not the only factor differentiating both our experience and the resulting meeting from other contemporary online conferences. Specifically, CCNS was crafted entirely by early career researchers (ECRs) without any sponsors or partners, advertised primarily using social media and “word of mouth,” and designed specifically to highlight and engage trainees. From this experience, we have distilled “10 simple rules” as a blueprint for the design of new virtual academic meetings, especially in the absence of institutional support or partnerships, in this unprecedented environment. By highlighting the lessons learned in implementing our meeting under these arduous circumstances, we hope to encourage other young scientists to embrace this challenge, which would serve as a critical next step in further democratizing academic meetings.

Developing future research leaders

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynette Browning ◽  
Kirrilly Thompson ◽  
Drew Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Development Programme ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Career ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Research ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Researcher Development

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel strategy for building research capability in a young university with an emerging research culture. Investment in building research capacity is essential for universities to remain competitive, but one of the challenges for younger universities is developing the research capability of individuals in an emerging research culture. Design/methodology/approach – To gain a better understanding of how leading researchers become research leaders and how universities can design strategies to attract, retain, develop and promote researchers, we carried out a study of 30 research leaders in Australia. We then designed and implemented a cohort-based career development programme for early career researchers. Findings – From our research, and the programme we developed, we have found that developing early career researchers does not mean teaching them how to do research – it means teaching them how to build a track record, which can lead to a research career. A development programme for early career researchers is a short-term investment for longer-term returns, but these programmes do have immediate impact on research productivity for the individual researchers and for the organisation. Practical implications – We consider the success of the Early Career Researchers Programme is due to the regular face to face workshops, the development of the research career plan and the supportive research environment provided by the me. Originality/value – The investment in this programme clearly demonstrates the value of researcher development on research outputs and research careers. These methods could be applied to researcher development training programmes elsewhere.

scholarly journals Towards inclusive funding practices for early career researchers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte M de Winde ◽  
Sarvenaz Sarabipour ◽  
Hugo Carignano ◽  
sejal davla ◽  
david eccles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Funding ◽  
Academic Career ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
New Principal ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Track Record ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
Global Representation ◽  
Funding Success

Securing research funding is a challenge faced by most scientists in academic institutions worldwide. Funding success rates for all career stages are low, but the burden falls most heavily on early career researchers (ECRs) - young investigators in training and new principal investigators - who have a shorter track record and are dependent on funding to establish their academic career. The low number of career development awards and the lack of sustained research funding results in the loss of ECR talent in academia. Several steps in the current funding process, from grant conditions to the review process, play significant roles in the distribution of funds. Furthermore, there is an imbalance among certain research disciplines and labs of influential researchers that receive more funding. As a group of ECRs with global representation, we examined funding practices, barriers, facilitators, and alternatives to the current funding systems to diversify risk or award grants on a partly random basis. Based on our discussions, research, and collective opinions, we detail recommendations for funding agencies and grant reviewers to improve ECR funding prospects worldwide and promote a fairer and more inclusive funding landscape for ECRs.

scholarly journals Mitigating the impact of conference and travel cancellations on researchers’ futures

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracey Weissgerber ◽  
Yaw Bediako ◽  
Charlotte M de Winde ◽  
Hedyeh Ebrahimi ◽  
Florencia Fernández-Chiappe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

The need to protect public health during the current COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated conference cancellations on an unprecedented scale. As the scientific community adapts to new working conditions, it is important to recognize that some of our actions may disproportionately affect early-career researchers and scientists from countries with limited research funding. We encourage all conference organizers, funders and institutions who are able to do so to consider how they can mitigate the unintended consequences of conference and travel cancellations and we provide seven recommendations for how this could be achieved. The proposed solutions may also offer long-term benefits for those who normally cannot attend conferences, and thus lead to a more equitable future for generations of researchers.

Early-Career Researchers’ Perceptions of the Prevalence of Questionable Research Practices, Potential Causes, and Open Science

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 365-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Stürmer ◽  
Aileen Oeberst ◽  
Roman Trötschel ◽  
Oliver Decker
Keyword(s):  
Open Science ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Questionable Research Practices ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Incentive Structures ◽  
Exploratory Survey ◽  
The Future

Abstract. Young researchers of today will shape the field in the future. In light of current debates about social psychology’s research culture, this exploratory survey assessed early-career researchers’ beliefs (N = 88) about the prevalence of questionable research practices (QRPs), potential causes, and open science as a possible solution. While there was relative consensus that outright fraud is an exception, a majority of participants believed that some QRPs are moderately to highly prevalent what they attributed primarily to academic incentive structures. A majority of participants felt that open science is necessary to improve research practice. They indicated to consider some open science recommendations in the future, but they also indicated some reluctance. Limitation and implications of these findings are discussed.

Field Research: A Graduate Student's Guide

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezgi Irgil ◽  
Anne-Kathrin Kreft ◽  
Myunghee Lee ◽  
Charmaine N Willis ◽  
Kelebogile Zvobgo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Sampling Strategies ◽  
Early Career Researchers

Abstract What is field research? Is it just for qualitative scholars? Must it be done in a foreign country? How much time in the field is “enough”? A lack of disciplinary consensus on what constitutes “field research” or “fieldwork” has left graduate students in political science underinformed and thus underequipped to leverage site-intensive research to address issues of interest and urgency across the subfields. Uneven training in Ph.D. programs has also left early-career researchers underprepared for the logistics of fieldwork, from developing networks and effective sampling strategies to building respondents’ trust, and related issues of funding, physical safety, mental health, research ethics, and crisis response. Based on the experience of five junior scholars, this paper offers answers to questions that graduate students puzzle over, often without the benefit of others’ “lessons learned.” This practical guide engages theory and praxis, in support of an epistemologically and methodologically pluralistic discipline.

scholarly journals Activating Open Science Communities in Göttingen: From Policies to Real Meet-Ups

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Open Science ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Service Areas ◽  
Data Policy ◽  
The Individual ◽  
University Of Göttingen ◽  
The University

Watch the VIDEO.Over the last two decades several research institutions have created policies which target Open Access to publications and research data, and are now moving on to Open Science from a wider perspective. These policies formulate an ambition with references to reality. This reality might look good on paper however, the challenge is to make this vision work at the individual and research group level.One way to bring these visions forward is to activate and grow a network of institutional Open Science practitioners and enthusiasts – by involving researchers, librarians, research managers/administrators and others, and creating opportunities for exchange and collaboration. In particular early career researchers will have very concrete ideas on what works for them, what is missing and what their challenges are when stepping into Open Science practices. The University of Göttingen is committed to make research results accessible and reusable for academia and the wider society. Its revised OA policy dates from 2016 (the first version dates from 2005) and the research data policy from 2014 [1].These policies serve as a reference point for desired practices as well as existing and emerging service areas. However, often these policies may not play an explicit role in researchers’ day-to-day practices – some elements may already be part of “normal science” while others have not been fully implemented yet.The presentation will focus on the practical vision and establishment of the Göttingen Open Science Meet-ups [2], as well as experiences and lessons learned from nearly two years of operation (at the time of the Munin conference). The initiative was launched in Autumn 2016 by a group of librarians. We will elaborate on how we reach out to and work with early career researchers, and what types of meetings are requested, e.g. informal technology-focused meetings (Hacky Hour Göttingen [3]). Moreover, we will provide some insight into how the sessions facilitate learning together and from each other (both in terms of topics as well as mind sets). From the library perspective there are also opportunities to link Open Science learning to service areas, in particular where new demands emerge, and to make existing services better known.Last, but not least, the Open Science network facilitated by these meet-ups provides opportunities to better link institutional policies with researchers’ practices – in particular, through discussions on opportunities and how to overcome obstacles as well as how to increase benefits and incentives. To this end, although the meet-ups mainly aim at strengthening a bottom-up approach, they also provide opportunities to inspire next steps for Open Science from a leadership perspective and to lift emerging good practices to a higher level. 

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