Building Sustainable Academic Careers

A sustainable career is one in which you remain healthy, productive, happy and employable throughout (De Hauw & Greenhaus, 2015). This event is designed to help PhD candidates reflect on and plan for a sustainable career in academia.

We will begin with a panel of three academics who will discuss their own experiences of their careers. Our three panellists reflect a range of levels (lecturer, senior lecturer and professor), as well as gender and nationality. Each of them have experience of conducting and publishing research relevant to the SBE (Sustainable Growth, Business, Work and Economic Productivity) Pathway.

This session will provide real and contextualised insights into the journeys and decisions that are involved in academic careers, with a view to broadening the discussion beyond a narrow definition of success. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion, so you will be an active participant in this event.

Lunch will be provided for all participants (1:00-2:00pm). Following lunch, there will be a planning and reflection session (2:00-4:00pm) to allow you to apply any insights from the panel to your own development, as well as providing an opportunity to build meaningful networks with your fellow PhD candidates. The planning and reflection session is optional, and you are welcome to attend just the morning panel if that is a better fit for your current development needs.

Outcomes

Participants in this event will gain:

• Strategies for building a more sustainable career;
• A better understanding of UK Higher Education;
• A realistic job preview for a career in academia.

Contributors

Dr Ciara Kelly, Lecturer in Work Psychology at the University of Sheffield and Deputy Director of the SBE (Sustainable Growth, Business, Work and Economic Productivity) Pathway for the WRDTP, will be chairing.

The panellists will be:

• Prof Jenny Pickerill, Professor in Environmental Geography at the University of Sheffield;
• Dr Paul Tobin, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester;
• Dr Jiao Ji, Lecturer in Finance at Sheffield University Management School.

Please note: The WRDTP is committed to sustainability and waste reduction. If you have booked a place but are no longer able to attend an event, please let us know at least 3 working days in advance by emailing training@wrdtp.ac.uk or cancelling your place on Eventbrite. Failure to do so may result in the cost of your place being deducted from your RTSG (if you are funded by the WRDTP), or a charge being made to your department (if you are not funded by the WRDTP). Thank you in advance for your cooperation.