Aim:
Through the ECR WG, we hope to create a supportive space for ECRs who specifically work in environmental biotechnology to support, inspire, and empower each other. This is an opportunity to bring together ECRs in the EBNet community who are geographically dispersed and spread amongst different universities, departments, and disciplines across the UK.
While most universities nowadays provide a wide array of career development opportunities for ECRs, our EBNet ECR WG will create a space for researchers working in diverse research strands of âEnvironmental Biotechnologyâ and facilitate discussions, events, and workshops tailored to help them identify and thrive in areas of their interest.
If you are interested in contributing ideas or helping to organise events and activities relevant to you, contact EBNet@EBNet.ac.uk or any of the members below. We are a friendly cross-disciplinary group from a number of universities and industries and your input is welcome.
Working Group Activities
Coming soon – The Next Wave: Skills Development for Emerging Professionals – a joint EBNet/Institute of Water event. Friday, 25 October 2024, at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Ansty Park, Coventry, CV7 9JU.
This event is FREE to the first 25 EBNet ECR members who register through our EBNet Eventbrite page: HERE
We have EBNet ECR Travel bursaries worth up to ÂŁ250 towards travel/accommodation. Join the group for an informal gathering on Thursday evening (Thursday, 24th Sept – Drinks Reception and Networking – details tbc), with the event itself from 09.30 – 17.00 on Friday, 25th September 2024. See the Flyer here.
In combination with the Institute of Water-Midlands Area committee and MTC Coventry, the ECR WG have organised an unparalleled opportunity to network, gain valuable careers skills and develop their professional connections via facilitated workshop activities. Join us for an engaging and impactful day designed to elevate your career and expand your professional network. This event offers a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights, enhance your skills, and connect with like-minded professionals.
Throughout the day, youâll participate in sessions focused on career development, mentorship, and effective communication. Whether you’re looking to refine your public speaking abilities, learn how to write compelling research papers or gain insights into career planning, this event has something for everyone.
Agenda:
The agenda is subject to change, and speakers/facilitators will be announced soon.
- 9:30 AM – Welcome Remarks
- 9:45 AM – Panel 1: Career Planning and Mentorship
- 10:45 AM – Break & Networking
- 11:15 AM – Parallel Sessions:
- Visualising Science (EBNet)
- AMP8 Skills Shortage (IWater)
- 12:00 PM – Workshop: Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
- 1:30 PM – Lunch
- 2:15 PM – Workshop: Writing to ImpressâCrafting Exceptional Abstracts, Papers, and Reports
- 3:30 PM – Panel 2 / Specialist Talks
- 4:30 PM – Networking Session
- 5:00 PM – Event Close
Donât miss this chance to invest in your future and take your career to the next level. Participants will need to bring their own laptop to benefit fully. Recommended hotels are: the Holiday Inn Coventry M6, J2, an IHG Hotel, Hinckley Road, Walsgrave, Coventry, CV2 2HP and Premier Inn Coventry East (Ansty) hotel. The venue is approx. 45 min by bus (X30) from Coventry rail station. We look forward to seeing you there! Register HERE now.
Travel Bursary details: Up to ÂŁ250 Travel Bursaries are available for our UK-based EBNet Early Career Researcher members towards one nights accommodation and travel expenses. Standard University Rules apply – no first class travel, alcohol purchase or Airbnb. Details on request.
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Available now – Special Issue Call for papers. CIWEM: Water and Environment Journal: Environmental Biotechnology
Submission deadline: Friday, 31 January 2025
The guest editors are Dr Tao Lyu, Cranfield University and Dr Anjali Jayakumar, Newcastle University â heads of our PFAs and ECR Working Groups respectively. This special issue is open for participants of the EBNet ECR24 conference AND also the whole EBNet community. Take a look and get your work published HERE.
Past Activities
- ECR Workshop: Realising the potential of your ideas through partnership and funding: 10-11 October 2023, Sheffield. Brought to you by BBNet, HVB, EBNet and the Supergen Bioenergy Hub. Registration closed at 10:00 on Monday 18 September 2023.
- In Conversation with Environmental Biotechnologists Career Talk #1: Journeys of Academic Pursuits: 14 Aug 23, 13:00-14:15. Registration closed.
- Why not meet up at ECR23 – the free EBNet ECR conference, Edinburgh, 30 Aug-1 September 2023.
- In Conversation with Environmental Biotechnologists Career Talk #2: The Road from Academia to Industry: 21 Nov 2023, 14:00-15:15. Featuring: Dr Stephen Woodgate, Managing Director, Beacon Research Ltd and Dr Becky Greaves, Research Manager, Biogen UK Ltd. Registration closed.
Other Activities
Sign up now for the 6th EBNet ECR conference – free to attend, with a travel bursary for UK-based ECR members. This year it will be held from the 26-28th July 2024, Newcastle. Deadline for abstracts: 20 May 2024. See here.
Working Group Co-ordinator:
Dr Anjali Jayakumar, Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Newcastle University since December 2022. She studies and designs sustainable materials produced from renewable resources such as biomass, mineral wastes, and microorganisms and utilise them to improve food-energy-water security. Anjali was winner of âBest Presentationâ at the annual EBNet ECR conference 2022. Email: anjali.jayakumar@ncl.ac.uk.
Working Group Members:
- Alice Banks, Imperial College London
- Becky Greaves, Biogen (industry member)
- Deborah Hall, Harper Adams University
- Natalia Jawiarczyk, Isle Utilities (industry member)
- Szabolcs Pap, University of Highlands and Islands
- Karthika Sangilidurai, Cranfield University
- Manpreet Bagga, Newcastle University
See:
A good general guidance on ECR support is provided online by the AHRC. Read their “Guidance on training and developing early career researchers in the arts and humanities” here. For more general UKRI support see here. And for access to free outreach material for kids on Biochar find a link to ‘Char Comic‘ here.