Research Staff Forum
The Medical Sciences Division Research Staff Forum identifies issues, and reviews policies and practice, related to the well-being, career development and working environment of researchers. It comprises Research Staff Representatives and Advocates for Research Staff from each department. It meets termly and reports both to the University Research Staff Steering Committee (RSSC) and the Medical Sciences Board's Finance, Research and General Purposes Committee (FRGPC).
About
- The Division’s Research Staff Forum connects the voices, views and experiences of research staff to processes and decision-making in the division and university. The Forum includes at least one researcher representative from each department and meets regularly to discuss issues affecting the experiences of research staff.
- The Forum is chaired by MSD researchers, Irina Chelysheva (Paediatrics) and Benjamin Foster (Biochemistry), in collaboration with John Frater (Divisional Advocate for Research Staff) and Mary Muers (MSD Research Culture Facilitator).
- The MSD Forum is connected to University-wide research staff representational groups, which have direct links to University-level committees and governance.
- Research staff representatives support two-way communication and networking with researcher communities in their departments.
- MSD departments are appointing a senior academic or researcher as their Departmental Advocate for Research Staff. These Advocates support the research staff representatives and champion positive initiatives for research staff and research culture within their department.
Membership
|
Department |
Research Staff Representative |
Advocate for Research Staff |
|
Nuffield Department of Medicine |
Jenner: Lisa Stockdale Wellcome Genetics: Mohammad Bahar |
|
|
Department of Biochemistry |
Benjamin Foster (co-chair) |
Fanni Gergely |
|
Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences |
Richard Webster |
Martin Turner |
|
Department of Experimental Psychology |
Sage Boettcher |
|
|
Radcliffe Department of Medicine |
Simona Valletta |
Leanne Hodson |
|
Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health |
Nicole Votruba |
Helen Townley |
|
Department of Oncology |
Ignacio Torrecilla |
|
|
Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences |
Anjali Shah; Nicholas Ilott |
Philippa Hulley |
|
Department of Paediatrics |
Irina Chelysheva (co-chair) |
Anindita Roy |
|
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology |
Charlotte Melia |
Mathew Stracy |
|
Department of Pharmacology |
Rumaitha Al Hosni; David Priestman |
Sridhar Vasudevan |
|
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics |
Claudio Cortes Rodriguez |
Sarah De Val |
|
Nuffield Department of Population Health |
Becky Im |
Sasha Shepperd |
|
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences |
Nicola Lindson; Lauren Bandy |
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce |
|
Department of Psychiatry |
Beata Godlewska |
Michael Browning |
|
Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences |
Dimitrios Doultsinos |
Fadi Issa |
MSD Research Staff Forum Steering Group
The steering group leads on agenda and actions, to support the smooth running and efficacy of the Forum.
- John Frater (chair) (Divisional Advocate for Research Staff)
- Irina Chelysheva (co-chair of Research Staff Forum)
- Benjamin Foster (co-chair of Research Staff Forum)
- Mary Muers (Research Culture Facilitator)
- Leanne Hodson (Departmental Advocate)
- Michele Warren (Head of Research Strategy and Funding Team, interim)
- Rachel Bray (Researcher Hub Lead)
Terms of Reference
1. Responsibilities
The Research Staff Forum shall be responsible under the Medical Sciences Board’s Finance, Research and General Purposes Committee for:
- advising on questions of policy and practice related to researcher career development, including in the context of the Concordat for to the Support the Career Development of Research Staff.
- keeping under review ways of promoting and facilitating researcher career development in Medical Sciences.
- facilitating the exchange of information about funder expectations for ECRs.
- assisting in contributing to the University’s overall policy and approach to areas related to researcher development, including: sharing and encouraging best practice in departments across the Division.
- addressing issues around the research environment including (but not restricted to) research integrity, research culture, contracts, awards and recognition.
- addressing issues around career development including (but not restricted to) training, teaching opportunities, line management and supervisory roles, mentorship, authorship, grant applicant status.
- addressing more general issues such as college affiliations and accommodations.
- addressing other key areas from the Concordat, especially those identified in the RSSC Gap Analysis.
2. Meetings
- The forum should meet once per term.