Workshops

“You’re NOT good enough…those people to whom you compare yourself are every bit as superior as you think they are. They know more than you…and they’re going to find you OUT!”

Sound familiar? This is how you speak to yourself when you think you’re a fraud but all the hard evidence of your success says otherwise. This self-doubting, confidence-draining voice in your head is the so called Imposter Syndrome.

But you DO know enough and as part of this Masterclass community, you will connect with others who feel the same.

You will discover the hidden histories behind the personal and professional origins of the Imposter Syndrome. From new research directed by Dr Marc Reid, trainer and an award-winning scientist, academic, and author of “You Are (Not) a Fraud”, you will acquire the tools and frameworks to prevent your self-doubt from interfering with your day-to-day life and career.

This is NOT an Imposter Syndrome course, this is the course that will convince you to ditch the term ‘imposter syndrome’ forever. Recast ‘syndrome’ as ‘phenomenon’ and build your path towards teaching others how common the imposter experience actually is.

Find out more about Marc and the training here.

The Essentials of Data Visualisation short-form training offers attendees a crash course in learning about the visual communication of data.

Attendees will learn about:

• the key principles that characterise the best of data visualisation work.
• the variety of charts and their roles
• the little details of presentation design, such as the potential features of interactivity, the vital components of annotation, the effective employing of colour choices, and the layout decisions of composition.

The emphasis is on learning the underlying craft of visual communication, how to do it efficiently and do it with impact. It is a skill relevant to everyone and anyone whose role encounters data in any way.

The training will be delivered by Andy Kirk, a UK-based data visualisation expert: design consultant, trainer, lecturer, author, speaker, and researcher. He is the editor of visualisingdata.com and host of the ‘Explore Explain’ video and podcast series. Since founding Visualising Data Ltd in 2010, Andy has worked with a wide range of clients, including Apple, S&P Global, Arsenal FC, Google, EU Council, and Pfizer. Andy has delivered post-graduate teaching with MICA (USA) and Imperial College (UK), and is now an adjunct lecturer at UCL (UK), teaching data visualisation on the MSc Business Analytics programme.

Find out more about Andy and the training here.

Participants learn a combination of project management, productivity and time management skills and methods applied specifically to the challenge of completing a high-quality project (such as a thesis) on time with minimal stress and anxiety. The workshop addresses ‘big picture’ issues as well as providing specific productivity ‘tips & tricks’. Participants leave the workshop with increased confidence and optimism about completing their projects on time.

Delivered by Dr Jamie Gallagher on behalf of Skillfluence.

Jamie is an award-winning engagement professional specialising in engagement, impact and evaluation. He works across dozens of institutions and subject areas has improved the reach, profile and impact of research engagement in almost every academic discipline. He has a PhD in Chemistry and Electrical Engineering and was named one of the “100 leading practising scientists in the UK”.

Find out more about Jamie here.

The goal of this workshop is to help researchers improve their scientific writing, become better communicators of their complex scientific ideas and increase their impact their strategic writing techniques. This workshop will provide practical insights and strategies that attendees can easily apply after the workshop. The workshop contains numerous interactive elements and activities to stimulate engagement amongst participants. A workbook will be available for the attendees that will include key points, useful online resources, and activities that will be covered in the workshop.

Effective academic writing

This section will emphasize how to clearly communicate your ideas in research articles by discussing how to implement effective strategies — related to brevity, ambiguity, and logical flow — in writing. We then review strategies to improve readability to ensure that complex scientific ideas are more easily understood and accessible worldwide.

Writing effective titles, keywords, and abstracts 

This section begins with how to write a title that will catch the reader’s attention when they are looking for articles online. We then discuss the importance of keywords and strategies for choosing ones that will increase your discoverability. Finally, we discuss strategies for writing an impressive abstract to improve your impact and influence in the field.

Delivered by Dr Ian Green on behalf of Nature Research Academies. Ian has a PhD in clinical epigenetics from Imperial College London, and previously was Senior Editor of Nature Communications.

This workshop introduces researchers to the process of applying for a fellowship. During the session, you will learn where to look for appropriate fellowship funding, how to apply, and things to take into consideration when writing a fellowship application. Specific areas covered in the training include:

• Highlighting the importance of research and how best to articulate this on applications
• Remit and eligibility of finding funding
• Understanding the application process in detail and looking at the flow of applications including objectives, milestones, deliverables and impact
• Guest speaker will join to provide insight on their own fellowship progress and provide tips and tricks followed by Q&A

“It covered the whole process of applying to a fellowship, highlighting very well how to structure our message to improve chances of success.”

Delivered by the Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre, Imperial College London. Find out more about the Centre here.

A crash course on Intellectual Property (IP) and Patents! Interested to know more about how IP and patents relate to you and your research? By attending this workshop you will:

• Learn the fundamentals of what IP is and its different forms, ownership of IP and the impact on researchers
• Gain insight into the timescales and costs of patent protection and the role of patent attorneys
• Come away with an overview of areas within battery research which can be protected with patents, and gain knowledge of good practice for capturing and recording inventions.
• Take away tips and insights on lessons learned and strategies from a client in the battery sector who has experienced real-world IP and business experience.

Delivered by Callum McGuinn, Partner and European Patent Attorney at Mewburn Ellis LLP. Find out more about Callum and Mewburn Ellis here.