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Postdoc Academy Training

Postdoc Academy course timetable

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Mon 16 Jun – Tue 9 Sep

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[ No events on Mon 16 Jun ]

June 2025

Tue 17
Postdoc Academy Workshop: Research and Creativity new Finished 10:30 - 12:30 Eastwood Room, Postdoc Centre, 16 Mill Lane

Creativity is thought to be associated with the arts, less so with research. Science is perceived as factual, rational and methodical. The scientific process is by nature very methodical - an experiment is designed to test a hypothesis - some would argue that this process doesn't leave much room for creativity.

Yet where does the hypothesis come from in the first place? How do you make sense of data that don’t fit the initial hypothesis? How can you assemble the pieces of a scientific puzzle to write a coherent research article?

Researchers do need a great deal of mental agility, a capacity to navigate complex ideas, and the ability to view things from multiple perspectives in order to succeed. In other words, a researcher’s creativity is an integral part of their work.

This workshop will start with a discussion on the nature of creativity and the role of intuition in research. Participants will then engage in a series of playful and creative activities to better assess their abilities, gain confidence and understand what promotes and hinders their own creativity.

At the end of the training, you will be able to:

  • silence your inner critic
  • give space to your own creativity
  • enjoy the playfulness of creativity
  • co-create and be a better team player.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Wed 18
Postdoc Welcome Event Finished 10:00 - 11:30 Eastwood Room, Postdoc Centre, 16 Mill Lane

The Postdoc Academy provides welcome events specific to postdocs joining the University of Cambridge - these are open to postdocs affiliated with the University, Colleges and University Partner Institutes.

These sessions include presentations from the Postdoc Academy, PdOC and Careers Service, followed by a Q&A and then networking.

You will be given information on how to navigate life as a researcher in Cambridge and then have the opportunity to network with other new postdocs and University services.

During the session, postdocs will learn about:

  • interacting with the Postdoc Academy
  • attending professional development activities and accessing the Careers Service
  • connecting to the wider postdoc community at Cambridge
  • accessing resources available to postdocs as staff members.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

If you have any questions or problems with signing-up, please email events.pda@admin.cam.ac.uk.

Thu 19

How can you manage a negative thought today? Enhance your focus, reduce stress and strengthen your resilience using techniques proven by science. This event is a follow-up from the previous one-hour Navigating Negative Thoughts session.

In this 30-minute session, we will:

  • practice how to manage a specific negative thought today
  • use therapeutic models evidenced by over 100 global studies
  • plan a useful next step to help resolve the situation.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, 74% of adults have felt so stressed at some point over the past year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.

You must complete the facilitator's Zoom registration form to access your personalised meeting link. See joining instructions for further details.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Mid-Contract Check-In for Postdocs Finished 13:30 - 15:30 Online

This event is for postdocs near the mid-point of their current contract at Cambridge and has been designed specifically for this key career stage to help you position yourself for the next step in your career (in academia or otherwise).

This interactive online session will cover:

  • What next - reflecting on your professional development and identifying what you would like to achieve during the rest of your contract.
  • Action planning - gain tools to ensure you know when and how to take the next steps during your remaining time as a postdoc.
  • How could you get there - sharing ideas for how to achieve your development goals, focus on key professional development topics, and where to find information and support across the University.
  • Q&A - informal discussion with the facilitators and other participants.

Please also complete this registration form when you make a booking so that we can tailor the session to suit the needs of participants. Your booking will be approved upon our receipt of this form.

The booking deadline is 12 June.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

Thu 26

This short, interactive workshop will introduce you to practical tools that will help you test and refine how you are articulating your research vision.

We will not generate ideas for new research projects in the session but, rather, explore what makes a potential research topic compelling. We will also explore how you can assess whether your ideas add up to a vision that is bold, exciting, coherent, and – hopefully – fundable.

This session would benefit researchers at the initial stages of developing a proposal for funding.

We will not review specific funding schemes or application materials in this workshop.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 14:00 - 16:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

Fri 27
Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 10:00 - 12:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

Mon 30

Our core values define what is most important to us, but few of us spend time consciously exploring these.

Understanding whether our goals, aspirations, decisions and actions align with our values can help us to identify what motivates us. This can also help us understand when and why we experience joy or frustration in our day-to-day lives.

In this interactive virtual workshop, you will be given time and space to:

  • reflect on your personal values and what is important to you
  • consider how you can better satisfy these values in your work and personal life
  • support (and receive support from) your peers.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 14:00 - 16:30 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

July 2025

Wed 2

Postdocs frequently report very positively on the valuable peer learning that occurs in our workshops. So, we've created these peer learning and support sessions to expand this opportunity. In these regular one-hour sessions, postdocs interested in developing their leadership awareness, knowledge, and skills can come together to discuss challenges, ideas and solutions with their peers.

These sessions also provide the time and space for postdocs to reflect on their current leadership practice and activities. In a recent survey by Advance HE on Higher Education Leaders, 99% of HE leaders agreed that taking time to reflect on leadership practice is important, but less than half of respondents found the time to do this regularly.

By embedding this practice at the postdoctoral phase of the academic career journey, participants will set themselves up to become successful future research leaders, as well as better enabling themselves to perform effectively in their current roles.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Thu 3
Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 14:00 - 16:10 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

Fri 4
Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 10:00 - 12:30 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

Mon 7
Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 15:00 - 17:30 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

Tue 8
Postdoc Academy workshop: Strategies for a successful postdoc new Finished 10:00 - 12:30 Sanders Hall, Postdoc Centre, Eddington

The postdoctoral period is a pivotal career stage during which you will need to balance new learning and strategic forward-planning with the day-to-day responsibilities of your role.

There is no single formula for achieving success as a postdoc, because success and the potential avenues to it can differ widely between individuals. However, setting and clearly communicating your expectations and understanding what others expect of you can have a positive impact on the degree of progress/accomplishment vs uncertainty/frustration you might experience in your role.

In this workshop, you will:

  • have time and space to reflect on what you would like to achieve during your time as a Cambridge postdoc and a chance to discuss how you will make it happen and overcome potential obstacles
  • explore approaches for developing a strong working relationship with your PI/supervisor/line manager/group leader to support you in achieving your goals
  • broaden your perspectives by exploring fictionalised narratives about researchers’ experiences - these pieces read like fiction, but are based on actual experiences and research data from the Action Research on Research Culture project
  • consider ways to strategically broaden your professional network and find mentors.

Please help us (the Action Research on Research on Research Culture team and the Postdoc Academy) evaluate the usefulness of the workshop and the value of using Creative Non-Fiction by participating in pre-and post- workshop surveys (~ 5-10 mins) and a longer term follow up survey. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a £5 lifestyle voucher for participation in the 3-months follow-up test (~ 15-20 mins).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Mon 14
Virtual Writing Retreats Finished 14:00 - 16:30 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

Wed 16

Do you know about the Global Sustainable development goals (SDGs)? Perhaps you think that these goals are not relevant to your research or too lofty for your research to make a difference? Think again. The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. Research plays a crucial role in addressing the SDGs and SDG- aligned research is high on the agenda with funders and universities. Aligning your research with SDGs not only adds transparency to your work -showing how you can contribute to the global effort to achieve these goals -it can also help you attract funding and collaborations from organizations that are committed to the goals.

Join our interactive workshop to learn practical ways to identify which SDGs apply to your research and how you can integrate them into your research process—from design to reporting.

In this hands-on/practical workshop, you will:

  • Gain increased awareness and knowledge of SDGs and access to a curated list of resources of information related to SDGs
  • Explore the 17 SDGs
  • Use resources to identify SDGs, goals and targets and indicators relevant to your research
  • Explore how to practically integrate SDG alignment into your research process—from design to reporting
  • Identify pathways and stakeholders to plan and advance your research and its outputs towards addressing SDG targets

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Fri 18
Virtual Writing Retreats [Places] 09:35 - 17:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

Fri 25
Virtual Writing Retreats [Places] 10:00 - 12:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

Thu 31
PdA and PdOC Postdoc Town-Hall Meeting new [Places] 11:00 - 12:30 Online

All postdocs are invited to join this session to help you feel more confident when exploring opportunities, and discuss current community needs and the activity of departmental postdoc committees.

Co-hosted by the Postdoc Academy and Postdocs of Cambridge Society, the session includes a talk by guest speaker Emeritus Professor Robin Langley.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions and feed into a town-hall style discussion, as well as joining a Teams chat to keep the conversations going.

During the session, we will cover:

  • departmental postdoc committees
  • community-wide postdoc needs
  • advocating for yourself, confidence and navigating barriers.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

If you have any questions or problems signing up, please email events.pda@admin.cam.ac.uk

August 2025

Mon 4
Virtual Writing Retreats [Places] 09:35 - 17:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

Thu 7

Postdocs frequently report very positively on the valuable peer learning that occurs in our workshops. So, we've created these peer learning and support sessions to expand this opportunity. In these regular one-hour sessions, postdocs interested in developing their leadership awareness, knowledge, and skills can come together to discuss challenges, ideas and solutions with their peers.

These sessions also provide the time and space for postdocs to reflect on their current leadership practice and activities. In a recent survey by Advance HE on Higher Education Leaders, 99% of HE leaders agreed that taking time to reflect on leadership practice is important, but less than half of respondents found the time to do this regularly.

By embedding this practice at the postdoctoral phase of the academic career journey, participants will set themselves up to become successful future research leaders, as well as better enabling themselves to perform effectively in their current roles.

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

This is one of the formal development opportunities that you can engage with as part of your minimum 10 days (pro rata) of professional development under the Researcher Development Concordat (2019). To learn more about the Concordat, the responsibilities of the University and its research staff therein, please visit our Professional Development Guidance page.

Virtual Writing Retreats [Places] 14:00 - 16:10 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

Wed 13
Virtual Writing Retreats [Places] 10:00 - 12:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

Fri 29
Virtual Writing Retreats [Places] 10:00 - 12:00 Online

Do you have a deadline coming up or a piece of writing that’s long overdue? Or maybe some data analysis that keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list?

Our online retreats give you time, peace, and space to think and write. Each session will provide a friendly and constructive environment in which to meet like-minded peers, discuss challenges, and work in a focused way using the Pomodoro technique.

These virtual retreats are being hosted collaboratively across several institutions to encourage researchers across career stages and institutions to come together in a sustainable writing environment.

The retreats will take place several times per month throughout the academic year and you can attend as many as you like (within booking limits for each session).

Please note: It is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process of importing the course appointment to your calendar.

September 2025

Tue 9
Postdoc Welcome Event [Places] 13:00 - 14:30 Newman Library, Postdoc Centre, Clifford Albutt Building

The Postdoc Academy provides welcome events specific to postdocs joining the University of Cambridge - these are open to postdocs affiliated with the University, Colleges and University Partner Institutes.

These sessions include presentations from the Postdoc Academy, PdOC and Careers Service, followed by an opportunity to network with other postdocs and ask the presenters questions.

You will be given information on how to navigate life as a researcher in Cambridge and then have the opportunity to network with other new postdocs and University services.

During the session, postdocs will learn about:

  • interacting with the Postdoc Academy
  • attending professional development activities and accessing the Careers Service
  • connecting to the wider postdoc community at Cambridge
  • accessing resources available to postdocs as staff members.

Please note: it is important that when you book this course, on the booking confirmation page, select Add to Calendar to start importing the appointment to your calendar.

If you have any questions or problems with signing-up, please email events.pda@admin.cam.ac.uk.