Postdoc Academy Podcasts

We talk to two postdocs who recently joined the University about their experiences and advice on being new to Cambridge and making the transition from PhD to postdoc.

Jenny is joined by Nandini Karthik and Ahsen Ustaoglu from the Department of Oncology.

You can also hear Ahsen on her own podcast, Coffee Break Science.

This episode is part of a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to Graeme Ross about understanding visas and UK immigration.

We talk about:

• the pros and cons of Skilled Worker and Global Talent visas
• the different application routes for each
• applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and dependant visas
• and the advice, practical help and financial support that postdocs can access.

University of Cambridge postdocs can find the guidance Graeme mentions here, contact his team on [email protected], and sign up for Graeme's termly information sessions on the Postdoc Calendar.

This episode is part of a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to Selen Etingu about public engagement with research.

We talk about how to choose an activity that suits your project, what researchers can gain from public engagement, and what skills they need to do it.

University of Cambridge postdocs can find training, funding, and advice for public engagement activities here.

This episode is part of a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to Veronica Phillips, Assistant Librarian at the Medical Library, about writing for publication in STEMM disciplines.

We talk about how to choose where to try and publish your research, tips for getting your writing done, and what to expect from the peer review process and working with co-authors.

University of Cambridge postdocs can find the Cambridge University Libraries training courses here.

This episode is the first in a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to communications coach, Paula Rosen, about public speaking and presentation.

We talk about strategies for difficult conversations and job interviews, ways to feel comfortable giving an engaging presentation, and how to channel your inner blowfish.

University of Cambridge postdocs can sign up for a 1:1 coaching session with Paula here.

Part two of a catch-up with the first cohort of Postdoc Academy Fellows. In this episode, Jenny is joined by three incredible individuals who, since completing their Fellowships in 2019, have developed successful careers in academia. We discuss the challenges and rewards of pursuing this path.

Our guests are:

• Pietro Sormanni - Principal Investigator, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge
• Chris Proctor - Associate Professor in Bioelectronics, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford
• Paulo Amaral - Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Insper, and Researcher at the Albert Einstein Medical Institute in Sao Paulo

With huge thanks to Pietro, Chris and Paulo for this inspiring conversation!

Find out more about the Postdoc Academy's Fellowships

Part one of a catch-up with the first cohort of Postdoc Academy Fellows. In this episode, Jenny is joined by three incredible individuals who, since completing their Fellowships in 2019, have embarked on amazing careers outside of academia - spanning the United Nations, World Health Organisation, Amazon, and national government. And who have a wealth of insights to share about finding your path in life.

With huge thanks to Velislava Petrova, Luke Meredith and Matias Acosta for this inspiring conversation!

Episode notes: We recorded this conversation earlier in the year, and since then Luke and Matias have moved on to new roles. Luke is now Director of Deploy Laboratory Solutions and a consultant for the WHO, and Matias is Founder and Director of Shaping Horizons.

Find out more about the Postdoc Academy's Fellowships

We’re joined by a very special panel of guests - the first postdoc award winners from the Department of Sociology. We're talking to them about the work that they’ve been doing to create a positive, inclusive and kind research culture in their department.

Our guests are:

• Liz Simmonds - Assistant Head of the Postdoc Academy and Chair of the University of Cambridge Working Group on Research Culture
• Rachell Sanchez Rivera - Postdoc in the Department of Sociology
• Marcin Smietana - Postdoc in the Department of Sociology
• Shannon Philip - Postdoc in the Department of Sociology
• Olga Löblová - Postdoc in the Department of Sociology

Find out more about the University's Research Culture Action Plan and the Department of Sociology Postdoc Awards.

We’re talking to three extraordinary postdocs about how the pandemic has affected their research, how a small grant scheme made a big difference to their experience, and about how they approach planning for the future in an increasingly uncertain world.

Your hosts Jenny Hayward and Karina Prasad from the University of Cambridge Postdoc Academy are joined by Olivia Remes, Rasha Rezk and Rafael Romero.

We discuss parental leave as a postdoc, planning for it and planning to come back from it, how to incorporate it into your CV or career plans more generally, and what support you should expect from your employer.

Your host Jenny Hayward from the Postdoc Academy is joined by Diane Caldwell, Postdoc Careers Advisor, and Gina Warren from the University's Equality and Diversity Section.