Supporting RDM's Early Career Researchers

The Academic Career Panel (ACP) was established about a year ago to provide recommendations to RDM's Senior Leadership Team on early, mid and senior academic career progression opportunities for researchers in RDM such as applications for RDM PI status and nominations for Associate Professor titles.

The ACP met three times in 2024. Its members were instrumental in updating the RDM PI guidelines and application process, and in developing the Intermediate Fellowship Framework. This framework includes an Expression of Interest process for applying for intermediate fellowships in RDM, and an intermediate fellowship mid-point review process.

The ACP meeting on 7 February was busy. The panel reviewed applications for RDM PI status, Associate Professor titles and Expressions of Interest to apply for intermediate fellowships hosted in RDM.

It was quite exciting for me, as it was the first time that such Expressions of Interest had been received and reviewed. This is the culmination of nearly two years of work which I started when I joined the Department back in April 2023. The work aimed to address feedback from past and present Fellows about the need for greater transparency and consistency around how to get support to apply for intermediate fellowships, as well as greater support during and after the Fellowship.

It is early days, but I hope that the new Intermediate Fellowship Framework will create greater support for our extremely talented early career researchers so that they thrive in RDM and in their chosen career paths whether they be in academia or beyond.

The ACP's next meetings are in May and September and in these meetings the panel will consider further Expressions of Interest for intermediate fellowship applications as well as reviewing how the new intermediate fellowship mid-point progress review process is working.

If you are interested in applying for an intermediate fellowship hosted in RDM please do get in touch with the Research Strategy and Funding Team (funding@rdm.ox.ac.uk) for more information.