Careers in Your Ears

“You need to have input from other people. It's not something you can do by yourself.” Dr Ilyas Alav, recent recipient of the Wellcome Trust Early Career Award and Teaching Fellow at the University of Birmingham, shares his advice for progressing as an Early Career Researcher. We discuss the importance of being open to opportunities, developing a researcher identity and the value of collaboration as well as strategies for coping with rejection in academia. Ilyas gives insights into the fellowship application process as well as practical tips for developing collaborations, avoiding burn out and managing priorities strategically.  Early-Career Awards – Funding for Early-Career Researchers | Wellcome BBSRC fellowships – UKRI Support for Researchers: Careers in Academia | KEATS 

“All it takes is time, collaborative spirit and that connective tissue.” When navigating the transition between industry and academia, Dr Renasha Khan, Lecturer of Religion and Social Science at Kings, found that reaching out to others allowed her to both explore career options and build a support network. She shares how her love of storytelling led her from working as a TV producer to researching British Bangladeshi women and their digital experiences. She speaks openly about the challenges of undertaking a PhD, feeling like a fraud and how she found connection and community in academia. Renasha also highlights the importance of networking, taking opportunities, even if at first they seem outside of your comfort zone, and backing yourself!    Careers support for King’s students and researchers Department of Theology & Religious Studies at King’s  British Sociological Association 

How different is 'industry' to academia and what can we do to adapt to those changes and survive the learning curves?Dr Sam Keightley, Senior Behavioural Science Researcher at BeHive Consulting answers those questions and gives us plenty more fascinating insights into his first role since completing his PhD.Join us as we discuss change, uncertainty, communication styles, the dreaded perfectionism, and self-advocacy.Sam KeightleyBeHive ConsultancyCheck out our KEATS page on Careers Beyond Academia for Researchers

"I can do this and be successful, but does it bring me joy?" Offering valuable insights for PhDs and research staff interested in ‘academic adjacent’ roles, Dr Eleanor Gurney, Senior PGR Manager at King’s, shares her journey from academic research to a fulfilling role in professional services.Dr. Gurney reflects on her diverse career path, including her work in international development and her PhD research on low-fee private schooling in India. She candidly talks about the challenges and isolation she faced during her PhD and how she realised that the traditional academic track wasn't the right fit for her.We discuss the rewarding aspects of Eleanor’s  current role, which involves overseeing faculty support for postgraduate research programs, using her knowledge of the academic landscape and many transferable skills, to improve PGR student experience. Dr Harold Moody Studentships for Black UK residents to undertake a PhD at King’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Public Policy at King’s Careers Support for King’s students and researchers 

In this episode we are delighted to be joined by Teresa Bautista Solans who shares her transition from a research career in theoretical physics to quantitative finance. It's a fantastic testament to the transferability of the skills developed in research such as critical thinking, analytical skills, and research communication which are so valuable in her role as a Senior Analyst and Model Validator at ICE Clear Europe. It is also a brave and honest account of finding a way through a mid-career change balancing researcher identity, home life, and practicalities with finding a rewarding career. Useful resources: ICE Clear Europe Teresa Bautista Solans King's Careers & Employability

In this episode, we delve into the intersection of research and entrepreneurship with Dr. Mercy Ofoya, founder of the Mami app, and Dr. Ema Talam, Entrepreneurial Skills Manager.  Our discussion explores how Mercy, with support from the King’s Entrepreneurship Institute, took an idea for a life-saving health app and made it a reality.  Ema tells us about the entrepreneurial mindset and how developing 7 key skills can help researchers succeed both in and beyond academia.  Together, they challenge perceptions of commercialisation, outline practical steps for validating ideas, and emphasise the value of articulating the ‘threads’ that run through your work.  Useful links: Dr Mercy Ofuya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercy-ofuya-phd-02053380/ Mami App: https://mymamiapp.com/ CupArise: https://cuparise.org/ King’s Entrepreneurship Institute: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/entrepreneurship King’s Careers & Employability: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/careers

This week's guest is Pippa Sterk, a postdoctoral teaching fellow at King's who was curious about where their research could take them. Seizing an opportunity, they successfully applied for a place on the King's Parliamentary Research Internship (for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers). Pippa tells us the valuable lessons they learned through this work experience and how it has shaped their future career plans.

In this episode we meet Dr. Lienkie Diedericks, a King's PhD graduate. After completing her PhD Lienkie worked for the Royal Institute of British Architects on their equality and diversity initiatives. She has now returned to work at King's on research culture in our Faculy of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. In this episode we discuss the unexpected turns researchers careers can take, being an international student and professional in the UK, what higher education institutions need to do to be more equitable and what research culture means in practice.

Adrian Signell, a Senior Associate at Boston Consulting Group, shares his journey from completing a PhD in Biology and Genomics to thriving in strategy consulting. He highlights how skills from academia, especially in healthcare, are highly transferable. Adrian discusses the fast-paced consultancy environment compared to academia and the importance of extracurriculars. He also provides insights on crafting compelling applications and emphasizes the consulting industry's commitment to diversity and inclusion, showcasing the value of unique backgrounds.

In this episode we meet Joe Shute, a humanities PhD researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University. Joe is also a journalist and is about to publish his third book. In this podcast he talks about combining his three careers and offers us his insights on how they compliment each other. He also provides us with tips on getting started in writing and how he manages the multiple demands on his time. We also get to find out more about creative non-fiction. We'd like to thank the Leverhulme Trust for their introduction to Joe and their generosity with their time and support to make this episode possible.