Early career research

By Anonymous (not verified) , 6 October, 2021

Professional advice for early career researchers (ECRs) - from PhD students to postdocs and those vying for early faculty roles – alongside tips for those who manage ECRs. Find insight to support academic career development and protect well-being from higher education peers around the world. Our contributors provide guides on writing, presenting, getting published, time management, mental health, networking and much more.

By Laura.Duckett , 3 June, 2026

A trauma-informed approach to research

A group of research participants sitting in a circle
Practical strategies for researchers engaging with trauma-related issues and participants with experience of trauma
Reading time
4minutes
By kiera.obrien , 3 June, 2026

How LinkedIn helped me create research collaborations

A woman smiles as she checks her phone
LinkedIn can help researchers build international collaborations, but only when it is treated as a professional community, not just a digital CV. Follow these tips to grow your profile
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 21 May, 2026

How to get your research found on Google Scholar

Young man working at laptop
If people can’t find or access your work, they won’t cite it. Here, Darshan Vigneswaran explains how to ensure your academic articles surface in search and contribute to building your profile
Reading time
3minutes
By kiera.obrien , 13 May, 2026

Guide research students to think like scientists

A scientist drops liquid into glass vials
Research supervision is about helping students develop a scientific mindset as much as it is about imparting knowledge. Find how to guide them with these practical tips
Reading time
4minutes
By Laura.Duckett , 30 April, 2026

Look for research opportunities in everyday teaching

A smiling university professor in a campus hallway
Low-effort ways to conduct pedagogical research that can transform teaching work from routine into discovery, inviting us to question longstanding assumptions, experiment with innovative approaches and contribute meaningful insights
By Laura.Duckett , 21 April, 2026

From research to reach: working with marketing and comms teams

A researcher being interviewed for a podcast
If research is to shape public debate, support students and inform society, academics must learn how to collaborate with marketing and communications teams to extend its reach beyond the journal page, says Bertha Martínez
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 21 April, 2026

Four ways to strengthen the PGR community and sense of belonging

Research students having coffee
The doctoral experience doesn’t have to be isolated. Here, Maisha Islam and Natasha Palmer share four recommendations to enable an inclusive, collaborative research culture and communities for postgraduate researchers
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 11 April, 2026

Why universities should be turned upside down

Upside-down toy house
Reversing the flow of knowledge – so students, rather than established professors, drive enquiry – could help the next generation of scholars prepare society, and themselves, for the future, writes Robert Gibbs
By Eliza.Compton , 9 April, 2026

Guiding doctoral students through research struggles

Illustration of puzzled man with hand unlocking keyhole in thought bubble
The PhD path is often paved with ambiguity and rejection. Supervisors need to take a more bespoke, multidisciplinary approach to bring out the best of their doctoral candidates
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 3 April, 2026

An academic career is rarely a straight line

Neurons
A scientist’s path can include studying abroad, experience in industry, research and teaching as well as setbacks and uncertainty. Here, Kinga Vörös offers reflections as an early career neuroscientist and why the journey is most meaningful when research reaches patients
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 26 March, 2026

Show graduate students how to identify careers beyond academia

Male forestry officer in high-visibility gear looking at a tree
Graduate students often feel unprepared for roles outside research or teaching. Ashley Dayer offers advice for equipping them with practical skills, professional networks and the confidence to pursue diverse paths
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 20 March, 2026

White out: how to defeat the blank page

Start written on black page with hand holding a pencil
Efficient academic writing requires a shift in mindset from simply counting words to incremental planning and using techniques that make progress visible even when the page looks empty
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 9 March, 2026

What established academics can learn from ECRs

reverse mentoring
Professors can gain immediate, practical benefits if they listen to early career researchers, through inter-generational exchanges such as reverse mentoring. Here, Ian Williams offers five capabilities that ECRs can offer more seasoned scholars
By Eliza.Compton , 6 March, 2026

What does it mean to ‘make it’ in academia?

Illustration of man climbing a mountain of books
The arrival fallacy can eat into scholars’ sense of achievement, reducing milestones to prerequisites for the next step. Here, Rachel Hagan shares ways to redefine success and acknowledge even quiet wins
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 25 February, 2026

Why turn your thesis into a book?

Book with pages fanned
Publishing a book can boost your profile as a researcher, improve your h-index and increase your competitiveness on the job market. Here, Jessica Gildersleeve walks through the steps from thesis to book
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 11 February, 2026

Advice for protecting writing time and motivation

Young Asian woman concentrating working at laptop
Social media, reading and the fragmented schedules of academia can all eat into precious writing time. Based on her experience supervising PhD students, Zhen Sun offers advice for supporting doctoral candidates to set and stick to a plan
Reading time
4minutes
By Laura.Duckett , 10 February, 2026

A guide to building a research career in Japan

A researcher in a lab sorting test tubes
For those willing to put in the effort, Japan offers strong research environments, lasting professional networks and a distinctive academic culture that shapes careers long after researchers leave, says Daniel Moraru
Reading time
4minutes
By Laura.Duckett , 22 December, 2025

Content curation to build academic visibility

A laptop and a hand scrolling social media on a phone, surrounded by visualisations symbolising likes, comments and followers
Content curation offers academics a practical way to share knowledge beyond the academy. Kelvin Ke Jinde outlines different approaches and shows how they can help researchers extend their reach, save time and engage wider audiences
Reading time
4minutes
By Laura.Duckett , 11 December, 2025

How teachers can learn to lead

A woman in professional attire smiling to canera
Success in the classroom doesn’t automatically make you a good manager. Garth Elzerman offers advice on building trust with the colleagues you lead
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 26 November, 2025

Turn your research into a Hollywood-worthy story

View from a sailing ship on the ocean
Take a leaf out of a master storyteller’s book. If you want your research to be noticed, transform it into a story. After all, it worked for Charles Darwin…
Reading time
3minutes
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