NIHR RSS New & Developing Researcher Workshop Series 2025
Programme

09.15-09.25
Welcome & Introduction
Sophie Hyndman

09.25-10.05
Predoctoral Fellowship, Pre-Application Support Fund, LA-SPARC & SPARC Schemes
Tanya Probart

10.05-10.30
Hearing from Successful Applicants:
• Kate Harvey, successful applicant, LA-SPARC award
• Charlotte Dando, successful applicant, Pre-Application Support Fund
• Billie Cooper, successful applicant, Predoctoral Award (Local Authority)
• Emily Leach, Predoctoral Award (Clinical-Academic)

10.30-11.00
Q&A with NIHR Academy, Panel Members, RSS USP SCPH and Successful Applicants
• Sarah Vollam, Health & Care Professionals Predoctoral Funding Committee, and Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oxford
• Michaela Rogers, Local Authority, Social Care and Public Health Funding Committee, and Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of Sheffield
• Sally Hopewell, Methodology Funding Committee, and  Professor of Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis, University of Oxford
• Rachel Rowe, Member, Pre-Application Support Award Funding Committee
• Kate Harvey, successful LA-SPARC applicant
• Billie Cooper, successful applicant, Predoctoral Award (Local Authority)
• Emily Leach, Predoctoral Award (Clinical-Academic)
• Tanya Probart, Programme Manager, NIHR Co-ordinating Centre

11.00-11.15
TEA/COFFEE BREAK

11.15-11.45
• Doing Research in Local Authorities: Politics and Practicalities (Adam Briggs)
• Balancing a Clinical-Academic Career (Jody Ede)

11.45-12.05
What Makes a Good Research Area?
Milensu Shanyinde

12.05-12.25
Doing a Literature Search to Support Your Research Area
Nia Roberts

12:25-12:45
The Narrative CV: How to Present Yourself Well
Sophie Hyndman

12.45-13.05
Choosing a Host and Supervisory Team
Liz Stokes

13.05-13.15
Introducing activities for your next steps:
• Apply for RSS support
• Find supervisor/s (mentors, where relevant) for your award
• Draft out a narrative CV
• And if applicable:
• Sit down with your local healthcare librarian, conduct a search, read and take notes on relevant papers
• Draft out your research area one-pager/ case for support (see worksheets)
• Start thinking about PPI

09.15-09.25
Welcome

09.25-10.25
Working with people and communities & the importance of research inclusion

10.25-11.00
Planning public involvement

11.00-11.15
COFFEE/TEA BREAK

11.15-12.10
Thinking through the design needs of your proposed future project

12.10-12.40
Developing your career development/training plan

12.40-13.05
Q&A 

13.05-13.15
Introducing the optional coursework

09.15-09.25
Welcome

09.25-10.00
The narrative CV: How to present yourself well

10.00-11.00
Writing tips: Audience, story, style and sales pitch

11.00-11.15
COFFEE/TEA BREAK

11.15-11.45
What a good supporting letter looks like

11.45-12.15
Working with your finance team to cost your proposal 

12.15-13.00
Q&A

13.00-13.15
Next steps & continuing support from the RSS & SCPH