Grants Academy Training and Development

About Conversations on…. This is a series of facilitated sessions to bring together anyone from within the University (and beyond) with an interest in joining an early ideas discussion on a selected topic. Anyone can propose ideas for future sessions and     we are currently looking for topics for our Summer/ Autumn 2022 programme. Please submit ideas to grantsacademy@abdn.ac.uk or speak to your R&I Research Development Executive.

Conversations on...How do we get greener? Health Research and Sustainability

Summer 2022

More details to follow...

Conversations on...Women’s Health and Wellbeing

Tuesday 14th June, 1-4.30 pm, 7th Floor, Sir Duncan Rice Library

All welcome

The Grants Academy in conjunction with the Interdisciplinary Centres for Health, Nutrition & Wellbeing and Social Inclusion & Cultural Diversity are pleased to invite you to join this event which aims to disrupt, inspire and provoke participants to view women’s health from new perspectives and challenge perceptions of wellbeing.

The key aims of the session will be to enable participants to make connections, be curious, and seed collaborations. To guide discussion, we have tentatively identified four broad themes under which research questions/ challenges may sit:

(i) Quality of life & wellbeing

(ii) Inequalities & wellbeing

(iii) Wellbeing & the law

(iv) Societal perception of health and illness - portrayal of women’s health and the role of the arts and popular culture

Lunch will be available from 1 pm and the meeting will commence at 1.30 pm.

To register to attend please email the Aberdeen Grants Academy grantsacademy@abdn.ac.uk. For catering purposes we would be grateful if you could register, and advise of any dietary requirements, by Tuesday 7th June.

Online Conversations On....Dying and Grieving: Can we do it better?

9 June 2020, 13:00-14:30

COVID-19 has not only increased the rate at which people are dying, it has changed the circumstances and ways in which people die and are able to grieve and otherwise deal with death. We invite colleagues from all disciplines who have an interest in this topic (broadly construed) to a conversation on Microsoft Teams about what we know and what we might want to learn more about. After some initial sharing about previous and ongoing work, we have an opportunity to discuss the kinds of changes to policy and practice that might be needed, and the kinds of research that could be undertaken, to improve understanding in this area and to help improve experiences of death and bereavement.  Colleagues from across the University, and beyond, are invited to join.

Online Conversations on....Movement, Rehabilitation and Bioengineering

25 June 2020, 13:00-15:00

Join Dr Ed Chadwick for this session.

In this workshop we will explore the topics of ‘movement, rehabilitation and bioengineering’ – with a broad remit covering any and all of those parts, from the basic science of movement to advanced technologies with clinical applications.
 
To guide discussion, we will consider a number of questions under three broad themes:
 
Prevention and Prehabilitation 

How can injury, disability and chronic disease best be prevented across the lifespan through exercise? How can physical activity of all types support people to ‘live their best life’? What innovative strategies are needed for investigating and supporting different populations and/or different outcomes?

New Technologies and Medical Devices
 
How can technology support rehabilitation, in the clinic and at a distance? What possibilities are enabled by new technologies? In what ways can self-management be improved with technology? How can movement analysis be more efficient and more useful?
 
Data Science and Population Health

How could we integrate movement tracking with other data from the NHS and public services (councils, schools, social services, etc.) to address the interdependent issues that affect people's health? What new data should we consider collecting, and how?

These initial questions and themes are simply to guide discussion; we are by no means limited by those and people will be welcome to participate in any or all of them. We hope to welcome people from a wide variety of disciplines to explore key challenges and ways that we can work together to address them.
 
Key aims of the session will be to develop new collaborations; identify problems/areas where we can work together; suggest activities to further develop ideas; and prepare for submission of grant applications.

Introduction to online survey software

November 16th 2021, 2pm

Online surveys / questionnaires are a common component of research. Here we describe the range of survey tools available to researchers, the different features and benefits of each tool, and how to comply with data protection requirements, ensuring you can carry out your survey safely and securely. 

Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

November 18th 2021, 2pm

Confused as to when a DPIA is required? This session will lead you through the DPIA screening questions, help you understand whether a full DPIA is necessary, and help you meet your legal obligations to your data.

Data storage for researchers

November 23rd 2021, 2pm

All research in some way relies upon the gathering and processing of information. As researchers of all fields embrace digital ways of working, the volume of electronic data generated by the average researcher has exploded. This raises the obvious questions of where to keep it all, how to keep it safe and what costs are associated with doing so. In this session we will explore the storage solutions available to UoA researchers, their individual advantages, when to use them and when not to. We’ll also explain entitlements for researchers as well as the costing of new data storage for grant applications. 

 R programming: showcase

November 25th 2021, 2pm.

R is the world’s most powerful and most popular open-source programming language for statistical analysis. Intended for absolute beginners, this workshop will provide an introduction R studio and help you gain a foothold for future learning. 

 R Programming: Basic Data Manipulation Using dplyr

November 30th 2021, 2pm.

This short and informal workshop is aimed at beginners in R or those unfamiliar with tidyverse packages. Here we will briefly introduce the dplyr package and how it is used to make manipulation of data in R easy including; 

• Filtering data sets based on custom criteria. 
• Selecting a subset of variables from a dataset. 
• Sorting datasets. 
• Mutating data sets to create new variables. 
• Assigning data to groups.  
• Computing summary statistics (mean, standard deviation etc). 
• Joining datasets from different sources. 
• Use of pipes (%>%) to string commands together. 

Developing a Data Management Plan Using DMPonline

December 2nd 2021, 2pm.

Need to develop a DMP and not know where to start? We can help you understand requirements, provide access to standard text to save you time and effort, as well as guide you through DMPOnline – the tool available to support you with your plan. 

Introduction to GitHub

December 7th, 2021, 2pm.

Keeping track of the history of changes to your code is difficult enough when you’re the only one writing it. Things can get downright nightmarish when collaborating with others. In this session we will discuss how to use Git, and by extension, Github for version control and collaborative coding. 

R Programming: Basic Data Visualization Using ggplot.

December 9th 2021, 2pm.

This short and informal workshop is aimed at beginners in R or those unfamiliar with tidyverse packages. Here we will briefly introduce the ggplot package and how it is used to generate plots of data including; 

• Boxplots 
• Bar charts / Histograms 
• Scatterplots 
• Line fitting 

• Density estimates 
• Heatmaps 
• Titles, labels, subplots and colouring of data 

Funding Call Insight Sessions

2022 

AUTUMN

•  Royal Society of Edinburgh - more details to follow

SUMMER

•  AHRC - more details to follow

APRIL

• 28 April 2022 - Digital Health Hub Pilot Scheme (Internal Sandpit) 

MARCH

• 24 March 2022 - Leverhulme Trust Insights Session 

FEBRUARY 

• 3 February 2022 - UKRO Insighs Session

JANUARY 

• 31 January  - CRUK Insights Session
• 19 January - Digital Health Session

2021 

DECEMBER

• 7 December - MRC Insights Session 

OCTOBER

• 25 October - Wellcome Trust Insights Session

SEPTEMBER

• 30 September - ERC Starting Grants Insight Session
• 23 September - EPSRC Insights Session
• 13 September - BBSRC Insights Session

JUNE

• 10 June - MRC Multimodel Across Scales to Understand Human Disease -
• 2 June - Wellcome Trust - The slides from this session can be found here.

APRIL

• 29 April -  Horizon Europe Pillar 1 Health Clusters - The slides from this session can be found here.
• 27 April - EPSRC/BBSRC/MRC/Wellcome Trust Building Collaboration at the Physics of Life Interface 2021- Slides are available here.

MARCH

• 18 March - Inclusive Ageing - The slides are available here.

FEBRUARY

• 11 February - Transforming UK Food Systems for Health & Environment - The slides are available here.

ResearchBites Series: Research in Scope of the Nagoya Protocol

29 June 2022, 12:00-13:30

Research with genetic materials or their derivatives (e.g. proteins, enzymes) from outside the UK might fall under access and benefit-sharing (ABS) regulations. To be in scope of the Nagoya protocol, a legal framework enforcing these regulations, several conditions must be met. In this session, we will introduce newly published guidance of the UK government on the Nagoya protocol and discuss what type of research is in scope. This session invites especially all researchers that are unsure if their (planned) research falls under the regulations or what to do next if it does.

Sign up here.

ResearchBites Series: Online PERU Information Session

16 June 2022, 12:00-13:30

Do you want to engage with public audiences to showcase and discuss your research? Do you want to raise awareness of your research with local communities in the region and beyond? Join the Public Engagement with Research Unit for lunch and to find out how doing public engagement can benefit you and your research, upcoming public engagement opportunities, including Explorathon and the Festival of Social Sciences taking place later this year, and opportunities to access funding to deliver public engagement activities.

Watch the session here.

ResearchBites Series: Introduction to the Centre for Sensing, Imaging and IoT Systems (CENSIS)

15 June 2022, 12:00-13:00 

Introduction to CENSIS – The centre for sensing, imaging and IoT systems.  CENSIS, are one of the 7 Innovation centres setup by the Scottish Government to support innovation and collaboration between Scotland’s universities and industry.   This virtual lunchtime event will provide an introduction to the organisation, their capabilities and opportunities for funding.    CENSIS would also like to hear about current areas of interest at the university and opportunities to build collaborative projects together.

Watch the session here.

ResearchBites Series: In-Person PERU Information Session

8 June 2022, 12:00-13:30

Do you want to engage with public audiences to showcase and discuss your research? Do you want to raise awareness of your research with local communities in the region and beyond? Join the Public Engagement with Research Unit for lunch and to find out how doing public engagement can benefit you and your research, upcoming public engagement opportunities, including Explorathon and the Festival of Social Sciences taking place later this year, and opportunities to access funding to deliver public engagement activities.

ResearchBites Series: Research Culture Briefing

1 June 2022, 12:00-13:00 

Join Dr Jess Butler, Dr Claire Hawes, Jack Hellberg and Dr Ashish Malik to find out what research culture means, hear about the work of the University's Research Culture Group, and find out about related activities happening across the University.

Watch the session here.

ResearchBites Series: Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

26 May 2022, 12:00-13:00 

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is an Innovate UK funding scheme which promotes knowledge transfer between an academic and a company.  KTP projects connect businesses that have an innovation idea with academic expertise to help deliver it.  Funding is open to projects in any sector and there are five application rounds per year with at least £33M of funding available in 2022/23.

This virtual lunchtime event will provide an overview of KTPs, and the application process. You will get to hear from our North of Scotland KTP team about the advantages of KTPs and the support available. The session will cover general information about the scheme as well as provide more detailed guidance on the application process, the support available to assist with assessing opportunities and preparation of applications/submissions.

Watch the session here.

ResearchBites Series: Pure - Take control of your Pure profile

18 May 2022, 12:00-13:30

How to share content confidently through the University’s research Information system, Pure.  The session will cover:

The public side of Pure:

• What information does Pure send to Staff pages, the Research Portal, and AURA
• Open access and Open research benefits

Security, confidentiality, and accuracy:

• Who can see your data, and why
• How to report issues or errors

Watch the session here.

ResearchBites Series: Sharing Data from Third parties for Research Projects 

12 May 2022, 12:00-13:30

Have you ever acquired data from an organisation for your research? Not all data is in the public domain and when you request data from a third party you might find there are some restrictions on how, when and where you can use it. This session will explore the need for data that is confidential, proprietary, or otherwise considered sensitive and help you to understand your responsibilities when utilising that data in your research project. We will explore the legal agreements that staff and students are often asked to sign and guide you through the approach taken at the university to minimise the risks involved in using third party data.

Sign up here.

ResearchBites Series: Practical Management of a Research Project

5 May 2022, 12:00-13:30

This session has been devised to support those who are encountering funded research activities for the first time.  Delegates should have applied for funding and/or secured their first research grant in the past 12 months. 

The session will detail the key milestones within a research project; from accepting an award from the funder, project kick off activities including recruitment and ethical approval, resource management, working with collaborative partners and reporting on activities and deliverables. 

Delegates will be taken through a series of scenarios relevant to each of these key milestones where they will learn some of the practical solutions that can be applied to common project-based challenges.

Sign up here.

ResearchBites Series: Nagoya Protocol Regulations - Accessing Genetic Material from Abroad

27 April 2022, 12:00-13:00

If you plan to carry out research with genetic materials or their derivatives (e.g. proteins, enzymes) obtained from outside the UK, chances are you need to follow rules regarding access and benefit-sharing with the country of origin. This session will explain why these rules are in place and which material falls under the Nagoya protocol, a legal framework established by the Convention of Biological Diversity. We will highlight the responsibilities you have as a researcher when accessing these resources and explain which steps will be necessary to comply with regulations. 

Watch the session here.

Advanced Evaluation - Train the Trainer with Jamie Gallagher

27 April 2022, 13:00-16:00 

This course will be approached from the perspective of the trainer and will take you through the simple questions to ask researchers to ensure they can not only demonstrate the success of the intervention but capture the long term impact of it. This course will allow you to help researchers plan effective evaluation for reporting. 

ResearchBites Series: Open Access, Open Data, Open Research - What do I need to Know

21 April 2022, 12:00-13:30

This session from the Scholarly Communications team in the library will give you an introduction to open research and how to make your research data and publications open access. We will cover the basics of open access, open data and open research. How they can benefit you, what you can do to make your research open and the services that are available to support to you. 

There will be time for you to ask any questions you might have and get some practical help with Pure etc. if required.

Watch the session here. 

Evaluation of Engagement  - Train the Trainer with Jamie Gallagher

20 April 2022, 13:00-16:00

This course will be approached from the perspective of the trainer and will take you through the simple questions to ask researchers to ensure they can not only demonstrate the success of the intervention but capture the long term impact of it. This course will allow you to help researchers plan effective evaluation for reporting. 

Evaluation of Engagement - An Interactive Course with Jamie Gallagher

23 and 30 March 2022, 13:00-16:00

Discover the secrets of evaluation. This three-hour interactive course will guide you through the creation of an evaluation plan, data capture, interpretation and reporting.

At the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

• Understand the purposes, uses and limitations of evaluation
• Apply event-appropriate evaluation methods in multiple scenarios
• Prepare useful, answerable and relevant evaluation questions
• Devise and deliver your own evaluation plan
• Interpret and report evaluation data

Researchbites Series: Introduction to Research Ethics

16 March 2022, 12:00-13:30

This session will provide an introduction to research ethics, its rationale and implementation in the context of research integrity and will provide researchers with an overview of the research ethics approval processes within the University.  There will also be a Q&A at the end.

Watch the session here.

Writing Lay Summaries

14 March 2022, 09:30-11:30

Writing summaries of research projects for lay audiences can be challenging. This two-hour session, with Jo Edwards, will demystify the process and offer the chance to polish your own lay summary and receive feedback.

The session will cover:

• Why writing for non-expert audiences is important
• What makes a good lay summary
• Examples of lay summaries from different disciplines
• How to approach your own lay summary
• Reviewing and editing your own lay summary, with feedback

Writing Lay Summaries 

7 March 2022, 13:00-15:00

Writing summaries of research projects for lay audiences can be challenging. This two-hour session with Jo Edwards, will demystify the process and offer the chance to polish your own lay summary and receive feedback.

The session will cover:

• Why writing for non-expert audiences is important
• What makes a good lay summary
• Examples of lay summaries from different disciplines
• How to approach your own lay summary
• Reviewing and editing your own lay summary, with feedback

CANCELLED ResearchBites Series: My Grant and Research Finance

2 March 2022, 12:00-13:30

This workshop will provide an overview of what to do when you receive grant funding and the service that the Research Finance team will provide to help a PI with the financial aspects of their grant.  In the workshop we will consider: 

• Who to contact when you receive new funding
• Information required to get a grant code set up
• Financial updates throughout grant period – monitoring budget v spend
• Eligible/Ineligible Costs on a grant
• Financial Reporting to funder
• When amendments are required – e.g. change in end date, virement between budget headings

There will also be time for a Q&A with the RFS team. 

ResearchBites Series: Introduction to Research Contracts

23 February 2022, 12:00-13:30

This session will give a basic overview of the role of research contracts within the University.  We will look at reasons why we need a contract, how we form contracts, the benefits from contracts and how they are put in place to help improve and protect our research within the University.  There will also be a Q&A session. All welcome to attend.

Watch the session here.

ResearchBites Series: Impact Part 2 - Embedding Impact into Grant Applications

16 February 2022, 12:00-13:30

Impact is an integral part of the research process. By embedding impact into your research project, it will become easier to identify who your key stakeholders are, develop relationships, optimise communication and perhaps even work with them to shape the research questions. By considering impact early on, you can also build in the means to evaluate the impact of your research at later stages. This session will outline the steps needed to embed impact into your research and demonstrate open access e-toolkits available to support this process.

Watch the session here. 

ResearchBites Series: An Introductory Workshop on Public Engagement

 2 February 2022, 12:00-13:30

What is public engagement? What can it do for me? What can the University offer in terms of opportunities? Public engagement has a lot to offer, it can increase the impact of your research, empower researchers and help develop new and transferable skills. These are a few of the points that we will cover in this session, as well as discuss upcoming opportunities to engage different audiences with your research.

ResearchBites Series: Impact Part 1 - Creating Impact from Existing Research Projects

26 January 2022, 12:00-13:30

Put your research into action by creating and/or maximising impact from an existing project. Using practical examples from across the University, this session will give you an understanding of what is needed to realise and/or accelerate your own impact, tips and strategies for engaging with or accessing stakeholders groups as well as some of the considerations needed when planning and evaluating your impact. If participants would like to contact us with queries in advance, we would be happy to include a maximum of two worked examples in the session (examples should be made available by mid-December; please note that these will be anonymised).

ResearchBites Series: The Conversation

20 January 2022, 12:00-13:30

The Conversation is a news analysis and opinion website written by academics and funded by more than 80 UK and European universities. Working with an editor, researchers write short pieces that deliver academic expertise directly to the public.

In this session we'll take you through what The Conversation is - our origins and aims; what we do and why.

We’ll look at why you should communicate research to the public, what writing for The Conversation involves and what the benefits are for academics and universities.

We’ll give you tips on style, tone and structure (with examples), look at how to pitch (with examples) and look at different approaches and article types.

Benefits of attending

- Find out how to raise your profile in the media and among your peers

- Understand what makes a good story

- Understand how to pitch to editors.

ResearchBites Series: Introduction to Digital and Information Services

18 January 2022, 12:00-13:30

This workshop is ideal for any researcher who plan to write grant proposals and wishes to know more about how Digital and Information Services can help with this:

• Data collection tools and support
• Data Management Planning including DMPs
• What technologies are available to support research
• How to costs IT into projects
• What other services and support are available across the project lifecycle

There will also be time for Q&A's

ResearchBites Series: European Funding - Securing fund through Horizon Europe

14 December 2021, 12:00-13:30

This workshop will provide an overview of the European Commission’s commitment to Research and Innovation through their flagship investment mechanism, Horizon Europe, which will invest over €100 billion in projects over the next 7 years.  Through our new status as an Associated Country to Horizon Europe, the UK will continue to benefit from these funds in the same way as when we held EU Member State status. Whether you have held, or currently hold a grant from the European Commission, or are entirely new to the process of seeking and securing research funding; this topical workshop will cover a variety of thought provoking scenarios that may change the way you view and plan your next project.

In the workshop we will consider:

• The division of funds across the structure of Horizon Europe and the different types of projects supported
• The practical arrangements that are in place to support EU projects at the University of Aberdeen
• Advice for forging future collaboration with EU partners and joining consortia

 The session will be rounded off with a Q&A portion, so please join us to find out more.

Watch the session here. 

ResearchBites Series: Introducing the UKRI Narrative CV

1 December 2021, 12:00-13:00

Traditional academic CVs often emphasise positions and publications. They don’t systematically capture the wider range of contributions necessary for world-class research and innovation. UKRI has recently piloted a new narrative CV format, to allow researchers to demonstrate how they develop teams, contribute to the research community and engage with users of research.

This session will talk you through the format and the pilot, and will include advice from Professor Gary Macfarlane on making the switch.

Watch the session here. 

ResearchBites Series: European Funding - Securing Funds through Horizon Europe

30 November 2021, 12:00 - 13:30

This workshop will provide an overview of the European Commission’s commitment to Research and Innovation through their flagship investment mechanism, Horizon Europe, which will invest over €100 billion in projects over the next 7 years.  Through our new status as an Associated Country to Horizon Europe, the UK will continue to benefit from these funds in the same way as when we held EU Member State status. Whether you have held, or currently hold a grant from the European Commission, or are entirely new to the process of seeking and securing research funding; this topical workshop will cover a variety of thought provoking scenarios that may change the way you view and plan your next project.

In the workshop we will consider:

• The division of funds across the structure of Horizon Europe and the different types of projects supported
• The practical arrangements that are in place to support EU projects at the University of Aberdeen
• Advice for forging future collaboration with EU partners and joining consortia

 The session will be rounded off with a Q&A portion, so please join us to find out more.

 Sign up here!

ResearchBites Series Writing Lay Summaries

24 November 2021, 12:00-13:30

Writing summaries of research projects for lay audiences can be challenging but is an essential aspect of funding applications and dissemination activities. This session will articulate what makes a good lay summary, address challenges and common pitfalls and provide useful tools. You will then have the chance to analyse and discuss lay summaries from different disciplines.

Sign up here!

ResearchBites Series Getting Started with Consultancy and Contract Research

17 November 2021, 12:00-13:30

Learn more about these important sources of income and the support available from first approach to project conclusion.  We will walk you through the steps involved, the forms to complete and the pros and cons of each option.

Sign up here!

ResearchBite Series: Building your Budget

10 November 2021, 12:00-13:30

Identifying the correct funder and grant scheme for a research project, evaluating the resources required to deliver that project and building the requested budget around those requirements and the funder’s guidance and eligible costs.

Sign up here!

ResearchBite Series: Getting Started with a Funding Application

26 October 2021, 12:00-13:30

This session is most suitable for those who are new to making research funding applications. It will provide a starting point from which to approach a first grant application and will cover what you need to think about, who can support you and the internal University process.

Sign up here! 

ResearchBite Series: UK Funding Landscape

6 October 2021, 12:00-13:30

Join Dr Andrew Phillips, Business Development Officer within the R&I Team who will provide you with resources to help you identify internal and external research funding opportunities and an introduction to the UK Funding Landscape.

ResearchBite Mini Series: Patient and Public Involvement in Research

Begins 1 September 2021, 12:00-13:00

This lunchtime mini-series will provide an exciting opportunity to hear from colleagues about their experiences working with patients and the public in research. The series will present an in-depth look into approaches used across the research cycle - from a pre-funded to funded stage. Colleagues, together with research partners, will share valuable lessons learned, as well as honestly speak about the benefits and challenges of undertaking work together.

Session 1
1 September 2021: Hosted by Dr Kathryn Martin and research partners covers PAINSTROM: How effective PPI can enhance research design and Funding Application  Book your place using this link www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking/11077

Session 2
8 September 2021: Hosted by Professor Val Speirs: How PPI shaped developing the Breast Cancer Now tissue bank and their continued involvement in its operations.  Booking details to follow

Session 3
15 September 2021: Hosted by Mirela Delibegovic: Details to follow

Session 4
22 September 2021: Hosted by Stefanie Doebl: Find out why Stefanie engaged with patient partners during her PhD, how they worked together and how their work influenced the way research was planned and carried out. Book your place using this link www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking/11088

Session 5
29 September 2021: Hosted by Professor Phyo Myint - Tips on recruiting subject specific PPI members and joint working - A researchers and PPI members perspective.  Book your place using this link www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking/11086

ResearchBite Series: Applying to the European Commission for Research Funding - An Introduction

10 June 2021, 12:00-13:30

If you are interested in applying to the European Commission for a research grant for the first time through the newly launched Horizon Europe schemes, this introductory session has been designed to support your needs.  We will acquaint you with the fundamentals of making an application for funding for your research project, finding partners and highlighting the practical steps that all new applicants will need to engage with.  We will introduce you to the European Commission’s Funding and Tender portal, where all calls are launched, applications made and projects managed to completion.  We will explain the roles of the Coordinator and the Beneficiary, explaining where responsibilities for tasks lie and the support that is in place at the University at each step of the granting process.

ResearchBite Series: Horizon Europe for Early Career Researchers

13 May 2021, 10:00-11:00

This event is tailored towards ECRs who wish to apply for EU funding. Hear from European Business Development Officers Anpu Varghese and Susie Hastings about the upcoming calls, building your EU networks and the application process. This event will be hosted by Prof David Burslem and will have an inter-disciplinary focus, particularly the Health, Food, Environment and Biodiversity calls.

The slides are available here and here.  Watch the session here. 

ResearchBite Series:  Realising your Research Impact, Now and for the Future

12 May 2021, 12:00-13:30

This session will look at ways to embed impact into your research project and provide an overview of a variety of online support tools and resources available to help you plan your impact pathway. All disciplines welcome.

The slides are available here.

ResearchBite Series: Involving your Patients and the Public in your Research, Why, How and When?

5 May 2021, 12:00-13:30

This session will be an introduction to PPI (Public and Patient Involvement) and will cover the benefits of incorporating PPI into your research,  different models and methods of effective PPI,  getting started and how to apply for PPI costs on funding applications.

The slides can be found here.

ResearchBite Series: Introduction to Ethics

21 April 2021, 12:00-13:30

This session will provide an introduction to research ethics, its rationale and implementation in the context of research integrity and will provide researchers with an overview of the research ethics approval processes within the University.

The slides are available here.

ResearchBite Series: NVivo 2 - Importing and Coding Data and/or Literature

18 March 2021, 12:00-13:30

This introductory session will show you how to import or link to files (text, images, audio, video) and how to code your data and/or literature. You will get much more out of the session if you download NVivo in advance of the session, see https://www.abdn.ac.uk/toolkit/systems/nvivo/ This is so that you can try things out as we go along and ask questions.

The slides are available here

**POSTPONED**
ResearchBite Series:Research involving the NHS: Where Do I Start and What Approvals Do I Need?

3 March 2021, 12:00-13:30

Do I need a Sponsor for my research project? Who can ethically review it? Do I need R&D permission?

Whether you wish to conduct a research project recruiting NHS patients into your study, or your project will involve NHS data, staff, premises or equipment, getting the right advice on the approvals you require at the earliest stage is vital for setting up and running your project quickly and efficiently.

This session aims to break down the approval process for research involving the NHS. It will cover what Sponsorship is and why it is needed, the type of ethical review required and what R&D permission is. The session will also briefly touch upon the use of unconsented data in research and other approvals that may be required. There will also be an interactive workshop at the end to put your newly acquired knowledge to the test. Please note that a smartphone with QR code reading abilities will be required to participate in the workshop.

ResearchBites Series: Bidding for Academic Conferences

24 February 2021, 12:00-13:30

Are you interested in hosting a conference in Aberdeen?  Are you a member of a society or association?  This dedicated workshop will provide you with the information you require to take that next step and host a conference in Aberdeen.  CPD Services, in partnership with Aberdeen Convention Bureau and P&J Live, The Event Complex Aberdeen, will provide an overview of the support services on offer to help attract academic conferences to the region.  Learn more on how you can raise the profile of your research amongst peers, enhance the reputation of your institution and contribute to the city’s economy

by attending this online workshop.    

The slides are available here.

ResearchBites Series: Consultancy and Contract Research

17 February 2021, 12:00-13:30

Learn more about these important sources of income and the support available from first approach to project conclusion.  We will walk you through the steps involved, the forms to complete and the pros and cons of each option.

The slides are available here.

ResearchBites Series: Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and Working with Industry

11 February, 12:00-13:30

Discover some of the funding options for working with industry including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Innovate UK and Innovation Vouchers.

Laura Dee from the North of Scotland KTP Centre will provide an overview of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funding scheme and the services available from the KTP Centre team to help you secure funding and support live KTP projects.  Zachary Hickman from the Impact & Knowledge Exchange team will highlight industry-relevant funding opportunities, how to apply for them and the support available for you. 

The slides are available here and here.

ResearchBites Series: Altmetrics

3 February 2021, 14:00-15:30

Join us for an introduction to altmetrics and Altmetric Explorer. Learn what altmetrics can tell us about the potential impact of our research and the attention that research is receiving online. We'll cover:

1. Altmetric basics - what are altmetrics and what can they tell us?
2. Live demo of how to use the Altmetric Explorer database, including saving searches, and running reports.
3. Introduction on how to use altmetrics in a narrative format to tell the story of your work.

Patty Smith from Altmetrics based in Chicago hosted this session.  The slides can be found here.

ResearchBites Series: Update on the UK's Access to EU Research and Innovation Funding

28 January 2021, 12:00-13:30

This session will provide an update on the UK’s relationship with the EU following the conclusion of the Brexit Transition period, with a focus on the EU’s Research funding mechanism, Horizon Europe. 

European Business Development Officers, Susie Hastings and Anpu Varghese will address the key changes in the UK’s relationship with the EU and will update participants on the attempts to secure access for UK participants to access EU platforms for Research and Innovation.  This will cover funding opportunities for collaborative activities, as well as individual research awards.

ResearchBites Series: Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis Software (NVivo)

21 January 2021, 12:00-13:30

Learn more about how you can use NVivo software for literature reviews, coding and comparing participants by attributes. This session is very much an overview and  introduction for those who haven’t used the software before but would like to know what it can (and can’t) do. Covering where/how to download the software, what can go in a project and how the software can be used in qualitative data analysis.

ResearchBite Series: Data Management and Digital Support

13 January 2021, 12:00-13:30

This workshop is ideal for any researcher who plan to write grant proposals and wishes to know more about how Digital and Information Services can help with this:

• Data collection tools and support
• Data Management Planning including DMPs
• What technologies are available to support research
• How to costs IT into projects
• What other services and support are available across the project lifecycle

ResearchBites Series: Social Media and your Research

9 December 2020, 12:00-13:30

Social media is used by most people most of the time. It is embedded in our social lives.  This session will look at the ways in which it can be used as a research tool. In times of COVID when face to face interactions are restricted this can become a useful alternative.

ResearchBites Open Access, Open Data, Open Research - What do I need to know?

2 December 2020, 12:00-13:30

This session from the Scholarly Communications team in the library will give you an introduction to open research and how to make your research data and publications open access. We will cover the basics of open access, open data and open research. How they can benefit you, what you can do to make your research open and the services that are available to support to you. 

There will be time for you to ask any questions you might have and get some practical help with Pure etc. if required.

ResearchBites Series: Involving Patients and the Public in Your Research  - Why, How and When?

25 November 2020, 12:00-13:30

Involving Patients and the Public in Your Research  - Why, How and When?

This session will be an introduction to PPI (Public and Patient Involvement) and will cover the benefits of incorporating PPI into your research,  different models and methods of effective PPI,  getting started and how to apply for PPI costs on funding applications.  

Introduction – how effective PPI will enhance your research

Dr Kathryn Martin, Institute of Applied Health Sciences

Funders and PPI: how to address  PPI in your grant application

Dr Juliette Snow, Research and Innovation

PPI in practice - supporting delivery and dissemination

Dr Barbara Gorgoni, Public Engagement with Research Unit (PERU)

PPI in action – a researcher’s and patient partner’s experience

Stefanie Doebl, Institute of Applied Health Sciences

Q&A - Discussion

ResearchBites Series: GDPR and Research

11 November 2020, 12:00-13:30

Ever wished that you felt more confident when dealing with personal data, whether this be of research participants, colleagues, funders or external partners?  If so, please come along and hear more about GDPR and how it impacts your work.

ResearchBite Series: Funding Opportunities through the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Qatar National Research Fund

5 November 2020, 12:00-13:30

Our membership of the Association of Commonwealth Universities brings with it many benefits for staff and students- come and hear about the Association’s activities and funding opportunities.

We will also talk about tapping into the Qatar National Research Fund for research and networking opportunities with colleagues and partners in Qatar.

ResearchBite Series: Introduction to Public Engagement

28 October 2020, 12:00-13:30

An Introductory Workshop on Public Engagement with Dr Barbara Gorgoni, Elaine Sinclair and Alex Ross.

What is public engagement? What can it do for me? What can the University offer in terms of opportunities? These are a few of the points that we will cover in this introduction to one of the most interesting developments in academia and research in the last few decades. Public engagement has a lot to offer, it can empower researchers, help develop new and transferable skills as well as influence your research. This workshop will explore the world of engagement and introduce you different approaches.

ResearchBites Series: My Grant and Research Finance

7 October 2020, 12:00-13:30

This workshop will provide an overview of what to do when you receive grant funding and the service that the Research Finance team will provide to help a PI with the financial aspects of their grant.  In the workshop we will consider: 

• Who to contact when you receive new funding
• Information required to get a grant code set up
• Financial updates throughout grant period – monitoring budget v spend
• Eligible/Ineligible Costs on a grant
• Financial Reporting to funder
• When amendments are required – e.g. change in end date, virement between budget headings

ResearchBites Spring Series: Introduction to Research Contracts

30 September 2020, 12:00-13:30

This session will give a basic overview of the role of research contracts within the University.  We will look at reasons why we need a contract, how we form contracts, the benefits from contracts and how they are put in place to help improve and protect our research within the University.  All welcome to attend. 

ResearchBites Series: Getting Started with a Funding Application

23 September 2020, 12:00-13:30

This workshop will guide you through the steps you need to take and things to be considered as you begin to make applications for research funding. By the end of the workshop you should have an overview of who can help you with funding applications within the University and the internal processes to be followed. We will also provide tips and advice on approaching the application process.

We expect this workshop to be most suited to those with limited experience of making research funding applications. It will also provide a useful introduction to the internal process for supporting research applications at the University and so is suitable for those who are either new to the University or who would like a refresher.

ResearchBites Series: Funding Landscape

17 September 2020, 12:00-13:30

Funding for research activities in the UK is available from a diverse range of organisations, can range from small sums of money to multi-million pound projects, and can target a wide range of research activities and research areas.

This workshop will aim to demystify funding options in the UK. We will consider who the key funders are in the UK, the types of research they typically support and how you can identify suitable funding opportunities.

We expect this workshop to be most beneficial for those who have limited experience of securing research funding in the UK but welcome those with experience to share.

ResearchBite Summer Series: Research involving the NHS: Where do I start and What approvals do I need?

24 June 2020, 12:00-13:30

Do I need a Sponsor for my research project? Who can ethically review it? Do I need R&D permission?

Whether you wish to conduct a research project recruiting NHS patients into your study, or your project will involve NHS data, staff, premises or equipment, getting the right advice on the approvals you require at the earliest stage is vital for setting up and running your project quickly and efficiently.

This session aims to break down the approval process for research involving the NHS. It will cover what Sponsorship is and why it is needed, the type of ethical review required and what R&D permission is. The session will also briefly touch upon the use of unconsented data in research and other approvals that may be required. There will also be an interactive workshop at the end to put your newly acquired knowledge to the test. Please note that a smartphone with QR code reading abilities will be required to participate in the workshop.

ResearchBite Summer Series: Open Access, Open Data, Open Research - What do I need to know?

17 June 2020, 12:00-13:30

This session from the Scholarly Communications team in the library will give you an introduction to open research and how to make your research data and publications open access. We will cover the basics of open access, open data and open research. How they can benefit you, what you can do to make your research open and the services that are available to support to you. 

There will be time for you to ask any questions you might have and get some practical help with Pure etc. if required.

ResearchBite Summer Series: CPD

10 June 2020, 12:00-13:30

In this session, you will get an introduction to what’s possible with virtual and hybrid conferencing and research dissemination; exploring functionality, good practice, the user journey and costs.

This session will be done via Collaborate Classroom.

ResearchBites Summer Series:  Involving Patients and the Public in your Research - Why, How and When?

MS Teams, 3 June 2020, 12:00-13:30

This session will be an introduction to PPI (Public and Patient Involvement) and will cover the benefits of incorporating PPI into your research,  different models and methods of effective PPI,  getting started and how to apply for PPI costs on funding applications.  

Involving Patients and the Public in Your Research  - Why, How and When?

This session will be an introduction to PPI (Public and Patient Involvement) and will cover the benefits of incorporating PPI into your research,  different models and methods of effective PPI,  getting started and how to apply for PPI costs on funding applications.  

Introduction – how effective PPI will enhance your research

Dr Kathryn Martin, Institute of Applied Health Sciences

Funders and PPI: how to address  PPI in your grant application

Dr Juliette Snow, Research and Innovation

PPI in action - supporting delivery and dissemination of your study

Dr Kathryn Martin, Institute of Applied Health Sciences

Dr Barbara Gorgoni, Public Engagement Research Unit, PERU, Research and Innovation.

Q&A - Discussion

Online ResearchBites Summer Series..Practical Management of a Research Project.

27 May 2020, 12:30-13:30

This session has been devised to support those who are encountering funded research activities for the first time.  Delegates should have applied for funding and/or secured their first research grant in the past 12 months. 
The session will detail the key milestones within a research project; from accepting an award from the funder, project kick off activities including recruitment and ethical approval, resource management, working with collaborative partners and reporting on activities and deliverables. 
Delegates will be taken through a series of scenarios relevant to each of these key milestones where they will learn some of the practical solutions that can be applied to common project-based challenges. 

ONLINE ResearchBites: Introduction to Ethics

20 May 2020, 12:00-13:30

This session will provide an introduction to research ethics, its rationale and implementation in the context of research integrity, and will provide researchers with an overview of the research ethics approval processes within the University.

Researcher Development supports postdoctoral researchers with all aspects of their professional and career development including academic leadership, career management strategies, communication and engagement, and transferable skills. We support fellowship applications though our workshops, and can offer tailored training packages for fellowship applicants.

The University delivers a generic online training course on research ethics and governance for all research staff and students, developed in consultation with the University's Ethics Committees/Review Boards.   All researchers are strongly encouraged to complete this training.  The course includes training on the key generic issues which underpin research ethics and governance and is applicable to all disciplines.

The training can be accessed through MyAberdeen:  www.abdn.ac.uk/myaberdeen (log in required)

Research ethics and governance training is also available locally across the institution, where there is a requirement for compliance with external regulatory bodies or legislation (such as the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; amended by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 Amendment Regulations 2012/3039). This does not affect any specific training requirements by the NHS or home office regulations.  Staff who undergo ethics training as part of their clinical training or who have to complete research ethics training provided by other parties as part of their professional development are not required to complete the institutional ethics & governance training.

For more information, please contact Mrs Dawn Foster, dawn.foster@abdn.ac.uk, or for PGR students, pgrs-training @abdn.ac.uk.

Please see here for further information on our University Research Governance processes

The University delivers a mandatory online training programme on research integrity for all research staff and students, and also staff involved in supporting research activities.  The training programme was developed by the University of Dundee and has been licensed for use by the University of Aberdeen with the approval of the University's Research Policy Committee. The programme includes training on the key generic issues which underpin research integrity and is applicable to staff at all stages of their career and to all disciplines.

The online training can be accessed through MyAberdeen:  www.abdn.ac.uk/myaberdeen (log in required)

 Information on local training requirements should be sought from the appropriate School, or via line management.

For more information, please contact Mrs Dawn Foster, dawn.foster@abdn.ac.uk, or for PGR students, pgrs-training @abdn.ac.uk. 

Please see here for further information on our University Research Governance processes.

Delivered by the Grants Academy these workshops are aimed at staff planning to make an application to one of the 7 UK Research Councils in the near future. The UKRI Bootcamp will provide a dedicated space for bid development and, across the 5 workshops, has been designed to enable applicants to transform their creative ideas into a draft proposal that can ultimately be submitted to a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Research Council. The workshop is open to researchers at any career stage who haven’t secured UKRI funding in the last 10 years and who have begun to develop a project suitable for a UKRI funder. Those who wish to join the workshop should be nominated by their Head of School or School Director of Research and submit a lay summary of their proposed project (up to 4000 characters).

Workshops will be participatory in nature and participants must commit to attending all five workshops and be prepared to share their research ideas with the group (confidentiality rules will apply). Some directed tasks will be allocated between sessions but these are not onerous and are designed to ensure the workshops deliver the intended outcomes.

The Grants Academy coordinates a diverse calendar of events for our researchers. Stay up to date with latest news and events by following the link.