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Scheduled RDP workshops and events
The Researcher Development Programme provides year-round training and development opportunities to help you successfully complete your research degree, and prepare for your future
RDP workshops open for booking four to six weeks in advance, on a rolling basis, and close to bookings one working day before each session. If a workshop isn't bookable, add your name to the waiting list and we'll let you know when registration opens. Visit the all workshops pages for the full list of workshops taking place this year, and to access waiting lists.
If you have any questions about RDP workshops, or any issues with booking a place, email us researcher-development@sussex.ac.uk.
Understanding and using publication metrics responsibly
Theme: Realise
Date: Friday 12 April 2024
Time: 11:00-12:30 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop will introduce the benefits and disadvantages of a number of tools which provide publication metrics for both the individual researcher and for institutional level analysis.
Copyright in publishing: understanding your rights as an author
Theme: Realise
Date: Monday 15 April 2024
Time: 14:00-15:00 (UK)
Location: Library Seminar Room
Description: The session will outline the copyright relationship between authors and publishers for both journal and monographs, and summarise the different Creative Commons licenses, their uses and potential limitations.
Please note: This workshop has been cancelled.
Accessible presentations
Theme: Realise
Date: Wednesday 17 April 2024
Time: 10:00-11:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: In this session we’ll look at what we mean by accessibility and why it is important, then we’ll explore some practical techniques and useful resources for producing and delivering accessible presentations.
Please note that being familair with creating and editing files using Microsoft PowerPoint is a necessary prerequisite for this workshop.
Understanding and using publication metrics responsibly
Theme: Realise
Date: Thursday 18 April 2024
Time: 14:00-15:30 (UK)
Location: Library Seminar Room
Description: This workshop will introduce the benefits and disadvantages of a number of tools which provide publication metrics for both the individual researcher and for institutional level analysis.
Please note: This workshop has been cancelled.
One-day academic writing retreat for PGRs and ECRs
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 25 April 2024
Time: 09:30-16:30 (UK)
Location: The Keep room 2/3
Description: Are you struggling to get started with your academic writing? Or have you hit a block? If so, this intensive one-day writing retreat can help you get back on track and make significant progress with your chapter, article or book.
Re-using other people’s work and protecting your own work: an introduction to copyright
Theme: Realise
Date: Monday 29 April 2024
Time: 14:00-15:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop will summarise the principles of copyright, consider how and when UK fair dealing exceptions can be applied and how, through licensing and permissions, you can legally use other people’s work in your thesis and publications.
Scientific writing: structure, language and style
Theme: Thrive
Date: Thursday 2 May 2024
Time: 10:00-13:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop covers how to structure an original research paper, designing and planning your article, how to articulate your argument, what to highlight, good practice and what to avoid.
Posters: designing, presenting and networking
Theme: Thrive
Date: Friday 3 May 2024
Time: 09:30-12:30 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop is designed to introduce participants to effective poster design and networking strategy.
Open publishing: An introduction
Theme: Thrive
Date: Tuesday 7 May 2024
Time: 11:00-12:30 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop will introduce you to open publishing for your research outputs and what this means for you as a researcher.
Preparing for your viva (Sciences)
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 8 May 2024
Time: 10:00-13:00 (UK)
Location: Essex House room 18
Description: The viva can be a daunting event for postgraduate researchers. This workshop will de-mystify the viva process rules and requirements and provide you with useful guidance about how you can prepare for the big day throughout your PGR journey.
Open research: principles, practices and purpose
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 9 May 2024
Time: 11:00-12:30 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop will look at the concept of open research and explore opportunities for implementing open research principles into your own practice.
Figures, images and visualising information
Theme: Thrive
Date: Thursday 9 May 2024
Time: 14:00-17:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop covers the principles of visualising data, examples of excellent visualisations and poor visualisations and case studies including examples from the instructor’s own publications and experience.
Planning, structuring and writing your thesis (Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences)
Theme: Core
Date: Friday 10 May 2024
Time: 10:00-13:00 (UK)
Location: Essex House room 18
Description: This session provides advice and guidance on a variety of approaches to writing a thesis. As well as content on planning and structures, there will be space to write and to reflect together as part of a supportive writers' network.
Preparing for your viva (Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences)
Theme: Core
Date: Monday 13 May 2024
Time: 10:00-13:00 (UK)
Location: Essex House room 18
Description: The viva can be a daunting event for postgraduate researchers. This workshop will de-mystify the viva process rules and requirements and provide you with useful guidance about how you can prepare for the big day throughout your PGR journey.
Using Elements: Your Sussex research profile explained
Theme: Thrive
Date: Tuesday 14 May 2024
Time: 14:00-15:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This workshop will demonstrate the University's central research management system, Elements.It will explore the benefits of building your digital profile to showcase your research, professional and teaching activities.
Resolving conflict in the research environment
Theme: Thrive
Date: Wednesday 15 May 2024
Time: 09:30-12:30 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: The focus of this workshop is on learning to manage conflict in a more effective way, choosing from a range of techniques for handling conflict in contexts that are relevant to you.
Improve your literature searching skills
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 15 May 2024
Time: 14:00-15:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Literature searching is an essential part of postgraduate research. This workshop explores how to effectively apply search strategies and techniques to online databases to find the most relevant literature to support your research.
Thesis Boot Camp
Theme: Core
Date: Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2024
Time: Satudray 10:00-20:00 (UK) and Sunday 10:00-16:00 (UK)
Location: Jubilee Building
Description: Thesis Boot Camp is an intensive and supportive writing environment for late-stage postgraduate researchers. It is designed to give the necessary time, space, and encouragement to make significant progress on your thesis draft.
Please note: The weekend is fully catered, but no overnight accommodation is available, selected attendees are expected to make accomodation arrangements themselves.
Podcasting
Theme: Thrive
Date: Wednesday 22 May 2024
Time: 14:00-15:30 (UK)
Location: Jubilee Building room 118
Description: Podcasting is one of the fastest-growing means of communication for universities, be it a recorded series of lectures, a snapshot of research, or an advertisement to attract new students and/ or funding. This interactive workshop helps you build the skills to present a podcast in either a talk or interview format.
Open publishing: An introduction
Theme: Thrive
Date: Thursday 23 May 2024
Time: 14:00-15:30 (UK)
Location: Library Seminar Room
Description: This workshop will introduce you to open publishing for your research outputs and what this means for you as a researcher.
Introduction to reference management software
Theme: Core
Date: Friday 24 May 2024
Time: 15:00-16:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This session will outline the principles behind reference managers and introduce three specific tools: Zotero, Mendeley and Endnote. The workshop will also signpost you to some self-guided training materials to enable you to set up the software of your choice.
Communicating your research to non-specialists
Theme: Thrive
Date: Thursday 30 May 2024
Time: 09:30-12:30 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Communicating your research to non-specialists in a concise and engaging way is a premier skill for researchers: not everyone does it well, yet everyone has the capacity to do so.This intensive workshop brings together the crucial factors for success.
World Café - Life beyond you postgraduate research degree
Theme: Thrive
Date: Thursday 30 May 2024
Time: 13:30-15:00 (UK)
Location: Student Centre
Description: Join the Careers services for a dynamic and interactive career World Cafe-style event focused on exploring PGR careers and entrepreneurship.
Using Elements: Your Sussex research profile explained
Theme: Thrive
Date: Friday 31 May 2024
Time: 11:00-12:00 (UK)
Location: Library Seminar Room
Description: This workshop will demonstrate the University's central research management system, Elements.It will explore the benefits of building your digital profile to showcase your research, professional and teaching activities.
How to edit your own academic writing
Theme: Core
Date: Tuesday 11 June 2024
Time: 10:00-13:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Through activities and tutorials, you’ll learn techniques for getting your writing into shape. After the workshop, you will have a polished chunk of writing and a clear strategy for tackling the rest of your publication.
PGR employers' panel
Theme: Thrive
Date: Thursday 13 June 2024
Time: 13:30-15:00 (UK)
Location: Student Centre
Description: During the panel, the employer representatives will have an opportunity to share their insights and experiences on topics such as relevant career paths, qualities that they look for when recruiting PhD graduates, and industry trends.
Social media bootcamp
Theme: Thrive
Date: Friday 14 June 2024
Time: 10:00-13:00 (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: This online workshop is tailored for researchers aiming to build a robust online presence and enhance their career opportunities through social media.
Undertaking a literature review (Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences)
Theme: Core
Date: Friday 21 June 2024
Time: 13:00-16:00 (UK)
Location: Jubilee Building room G22
Description: Through clear examples, individual exercises, and group discussion, this workshop gets you started with your review.
One-day academic writing retreat for PGRs and ECRs
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 4 July 2024
Time: 09:30-16:30 (UK)
Location: Bramber House room 255
Description: Are you struggling to get started with your academic writing? Or have you hit a block? If so, this intensive one-day writing retreat can help you get back on track and make significant progress with your chapter, article or book.