Help Your Researchers Step Into Independence
Tried and trusted programmes to ease the load for you – and empower them into fellowships and academic leadership.
From researcher to recognised voice – shaping the future of their discipline.
Navigating the 3Ps of person, project, place en route to independant funding is tricky. Growing into thought leader whilst managing teams and projects even more so.
I know I need to support them with fellowships, funding and leadership – but I’m buried under admin, chasing sign-ups, and trying to guess what they really need.
Sound familiar?
If you’re a researcher developer, you’re spinning plates. You’re tasked with helping postdocs and early career researchers become independent – but you’re navigating low engagement, squeezed budgets, and endless demands from above and below.
You need a training offer that researchers will actually attend and act on.
One that develops independence, not dependency. That helps them take ownership, step into research leadership, and write grants that get noticed.
Home grown talent solving global problems
Postdocs. Fellows. New leaders. Programmes for the journey.
Every single transition point on the journey of a successful researcher demands new knowledge, raises new concerns and stretches exisiting skillsets. Yet I know these bright, sparky, talented people step up to the challenge time and time again given the right support, at the right time. I’ve worked with hundreds of postdocs and fellows as they transition to the next stage.
That is why I will work with you to provide bespoke solutions based on tried and tested programmes that have boosted researcher careers in other competitive settings.
Sessions are always:
✅ Highly interactive – no passive “death by PowerPoint”
✅ Cohort-based – build networks, not just knowledge
✅ Designed with your context in mind – no cookie-cutter content
✅ Challenging and supportive
Managing your first research group
2 day residential for those looking to step into this role for the first time.
20 participants engaged with topics including:
- Leading whilst managing
- Vision and thought leadership
- Manging practicalities
- Difficult conversations
Future research leaders
2 day face to face course (orginally 6 week online including self paced materials) aimed at those with exisiting or new leadership responsibilities
20 participants engaged with topics including:
- Leading whilst managing
- Vision and thought leadership
- Creating postive research culture and thinking environment
- Time management
Bridge to Independence
20 selected cancer researchers from across the UK working on a six month programme. Aiming to boost applications to CRUK schemes from under represented researchers and institutions.
Engaged with topics including over three distinct days face to face:
- Ideation for your researcher niche
- Concept note development and mock panel
- Presenting and selling your research
Chancellor’s Associate Programme
2×2 day face to face programme aimed at growing Strathclyders into future academic leaders
Participants engaged in topics aligned with institutional framework:
- Leading in research and teaching
- Vision and thought leadership
- Creating postive research culture and thinking environment
- Stakeholder managemnet and visibility
Pathways to Independence
20 selected Sanger / ICR researchers wokring on a 3 day programme face to face and online.
Engaged with topics including over three distinct days face to face:
- Ideation for your researcher niche
- The researcher canvas
- Meet the funders
Hello I’m Dr Emma Williams
Does any five year old declare they want to be a researcher developer when they grow up?
I know it was a career I fell into after being a postdoc.
And then fell in love with as I worked with hundreds of researchers over 20+ years.
I even enjoyed seeing how the inner workings of our university machines (odd places aren’t they?).
In these roles we get to support bright sparky people doing amazing things – helping them move on positively, proactively and at the right time for them.
But you need to balance busy schedules, financial constraints and limited people power against a growing list of demands in the researcher world.
Research culture, EDI, PhD skills points, enterprise education – the list goes on!
I provide an experienced partner delivering excellence with creativity, insight, flexibility and empathy.
