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 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
By Laura.Duckett , 21 November, 2025

Subtle steps that protect your authorship

A padlock secured to a lightbulb
Many early career researchers working with code, data and analysis assume goodwill is enough to secure authorship – it isn’t. Here’s how to protect your contributions and build fair, transparent collaborations
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton , 14 November, 2025

Are academics becoming overexposed on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn page
Social media is key to building an academic network but what about the darker side of putting your professional life on global display? Larisa Yarovaya explores the balance between polished presence and oversharing
By Eliza.Compton , 11 November, 2025

Teaching responsible use of GenAI in graduate studies

AI and integrity concept
When graduate students learn to use AI transparently, to seek approvals, respect Indigenous consent and critically assess outputs, they develop skills essential for both academic success and professional practice
Reading time
4minutes
By Laura.Duckett , 28 October, 2025

How to get started with pedagogic research (and actually publish it)

A woman researching at a desk in a library
Pedagogic research is increasingly central to teaching excellence in higher education, yet many academics are unsure how to begin. Discover how to shape your idea, secure funding, navigate ethics and find the right publication for your work
Reading time
5minutes
By kiera.obrien , 13 October, 2025

Why employability gaps widen as academic identity deepens

A graduate wearing a mortarboard
The more tightly researchers’ identities bind to the university, the less ready they often feel for life beyond it. Naming two modes of working, depth and outbound, can help universities close the employability gap
Reading time
5minutes
By Laura.Duckett , 11 September, 2025

An academic’s survival guide

A life ring flotation device being thrown in the air against a backdrop of column-flanked neoclassical building
Academia offers rich rewards but these sit alongside job insecurity, spiralling workloads and repeated rejection. This survival guide explores how scholars can navigate key challenges in order to find fulfilment in their academic careers
By Eliza.Compton , 9 September, 2025

Why researchers should consider a narrative CV

Young man working on document with laptop
The narrative CV moves away from the usual academic metrics of publications and grants and allows university researchers to tell the story of their journey and impact. This guide offers practical tips for writing one
Reading time
4minutes
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