• When: 01 May 2025 15:00 – 16:30
• Where: Flaxman L518
• Registration: Through MS Outlook Invite
• For Who: University of Staffordshire Staff Only

After a short break the Step-Up-to-Research team is pleased to announce the return of the ‘Step up to Research’ programme, reimagined as a cross-department collaboration between the C3 and LEVELS research centres.  LEVEL’s Sharon Coleclough and C3’s Mark McKenna will be convening a packed programme of activity over the coming months that includes:

• Beginning to Write – Book chapters and Journal Articles
• Curating the work of Others: Edited Collections and Journal Special Issues
• Developing Book proposals
• Creative practice and alternative outputs
• Studying for a PhD – what you need to know
• Curating an exhibition or live event
• Grant capture do’s and don’ts

The series is aimed at the research curious, but everyone is welcome to attend and even if you are further along on your research journey, we would welcome your input into the sessions as we grow a vibrant and connected research community here at Staffs.

We are keen to be as responsive to your needs as possible and plan to conduct a skills audit as part of these sessions, in order to ascertain where the gaps are and how we might best support you. We have designed these sessions to give you practical advice on the processes involved to enable you to grow your research profile.

Since conference season is almost upon us, we would like to begin with:

• Conferences – a guide to attending and presenting

In this session we’ll cover everything from where to find the various call for papers requests in your area of expertise, to responding to those calls, and from preparing and delivering your conference paper, to networking and any post conference considerations. We understand that conferencing can be daunting, even for the more experienced among us, so consider this your one-stop-shop to get you ready for the summer season.

These are informal sessions in which a range of staff will share their experience and expertise of each of the topics providing the foundation for a broader discussion of how we might support you in achieving your own research goals.  The is an open forum for researchers to gain knowledge, get answers to questions and to feel supported in their research moving forwards.

We look forward to seeing you.

Mark and Sharon

If you have any queries or suggestions please contact:

Sharon as the representative of LEVELS: @Sharon Coleclough

or Mark McKenna as the representative of C3: @Mark Mckenna

Please note the session will take place in person in Flaxman L518, but we would encourage you to accept the Teams meeting so we can gauge numbers.

• When: 2 sessions each month
• Where: Online
• Registration: Through C3 MS Teams Channel “C3 Ideas Space”
• For Who: C3 Members Only

We are organising various monthly 60 minute mini online writing retreats for anyone who wants to pop in, and reserve some time for writing or getting some advice on

• Drafting research bids
• Writing articles
• Idea creation for new bids
• Reviewing article drafts
• Or anything else that involved writing in the pursuit of research or enterprise activities.

Bring a virtual cup of coffee/tea and get those fingers warmed up. I (Carola Boehm) will be there, so if you want to

• bounce of any ideas around publications,
• get some first reviews of your funding-bid drafts, or
• need some advice on how to put your output into STORE,
• or have a quick chat about your research,

just feel free to pop in.

60 minutes will be divided into:

• 5 minute intro, chat, committing to what to focus on
• 20 minute writing
• 5 minute chat break
• 20 minute writing
• 5 minute goodbye and plans for next steps

Link is available on our C3 Centre MS Teams Channel “C3 Ideas Space”

Carola

• When: Several sessions, Spring 2025
• Where: Hybrid
• Registration: Through MS Outlook and C3 MS Teams Channel “C3 Ideas Space”
• For Who: C3 Members Only

We welcome you to a Research Overview session which will take place on Teams and in two different slots to hopefully allow all staff who want to attend to do so. Ian Brown will lead on these sessions and they will take place on Tuesday 18th at 1:15 and be repeated on Wednesday 19th at 12.

The session is intended for those who are currently research active, those that are interested in becoming research active, or just curious about research, and want to know more. It is aimed at staff who would potentially be submitted to either Unit of Assessment 32 (Art & Design: History, Practice and Theory) and 34 (Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management) and so covers a diverse range of research from different disciplines and departments (from Philosophy to Games, for example). This overview will discuss the variety of forms that research can take, the roles of research centres (and how to get involved), institutional support, funding and REF. Further, more specific, sessions will take place at a later date.

Contact Ian Brown for further dates.