Department of Biology So, you wanna set up a Post Doc Soc? Liz Rylott Biology Post-doc committee member.

Department of Biology

So, you wanna set up a Post Doc Soc?

Liz RylottBiology Post-doc

committee member


How to get started…

Don’t try and do it alone… Get a mate or two…

And then support from your department:

HR (Nina Pirozek)AcademicsHoD

Organise free refreshments, book a location, choose a good time, invite all the post-docs, lure volunteers!


The Biology Post-Doc Society

Committee members:• Simon Baker (Jack Birch Unit)

• Amanda Barnes (Biomedical Tissue Research Group)

• Katrin Beβer (Centre for Novel Agricultural Products)

• Fiona Frame (Cancer Research Unit)

• Tim Ganderton (York Structural Biology Laboratory)

• Erica Kintz (Centre for Immunology and Infection)

• Liz Rylott (Centre for Novel Agricultural Products)

(3 year position, no chair- terms of ref on our website)

Established:• Terms of reference (copy ours for starters!)

• Who do you listen to?

• Who do you report to, to take action?

• A pot of money and a grant code



What we have achieved:

• A University of York website

www.york.ac.uk/biology/intranet/postdocsociety







• Visibility to outside world!








• Editable post-doc staff profiles on Department website








• Editable post-doc staff profiles on Department website

• Sponsored post-doc networking events



Coffee & Pastries (21% attendance)






• Post-doc staff profiles on Dept. of Biol. Website (editable!)

• Post-doc networking events

• Coffee & Careers- since Jan 2014

• Post-doc reps on Departmental committees


Post-Doc representatives for Departmental Committees

Research Committee – Simon Baker (JBU)

Biology Board of Studies – Fiona Frame (YCR CRU)

Concordat Implementation Group – Liz Rylott (CNAP)

Athena Swan Committee – Melanie Smee (Ecology & Evolution)

Staff Committee – Fiona Whelan (Biochemistry & Biophysics)

Outreach Committee - Robert Howlett (Microbiology)

Research Away Day Organising Committee – Ellie Harrison (Evo. Bio.)

Making the Difference Award – Matthew Warner (CII)

Enterprise Group – Thilo Winzer (CNAP)

Health and safety – free

Environmental performance – Georgina Palmer






• Post-doc staff profiles on Dept. of Biol. Website (editable!)

• Post-doc networking events

• Coffee & Careers- since Jan 2014

• Post-doc reps on departmental committees

• Careers events- Feb & Nov 2014 Sarah Blackford

• Lecturing/tutoring opportunities (Behind the Scenes)

• Buddy Scheme

• Developed a support network for post-docs:

We tell them stuff about their career their PI maybe won’t..!


The PDSC – What we are doing in the future?

• Website (www.york.ac.uk/biology/intranet/postdocsociety)

• Post-doc networking events (next Coffee & Pastries 21th April 2015)

• Lecturing/tutoring opportunities

• Buddy Scheme

• Skills Share

• Socials (liaising with Social committee- chocolate and whisky tasting)

• Helping the Dept. continue to support post-doc career development

• (Annual?) Post-doc & PhD Careers Day

• Continue to listen to our fellow post-docs


Tips/ Summary

Do’s

• Structured committee

• Communicate with post-docs

• Find a supportive, friendly ear in the Dept.

• Keep records of attendance to justify continuing budget

• Prepare an Annual Report

• Transparency- meeting minutes, electing to positions

Don’t’s

• ‘Free flowing’ leave it to the individual

• Take on too much

• Timetable events post-docs can’t make

• Insult the intelligence of a post-doc by suggesting they can be easily ‘bought’ with a free croissant…


Thanks for listening!

Questions?

Department of Biology So, you wanna set up a Post Doc Soc? Liz Rylott Biology Post-doc committee member.

Documents

department of biology

postdoc reps

department website slide

university of york website

attendance slide

website editable

post doc soc

grant code slide