Day 1 - Tues 24th March, 13:30 - 14:30

Navigating the Fellowship Journey

Facilitator: Justina Heslop, NUAcT Fellowship Scheme Manager

In this informative panel session a group of Fellows funded by different schemes will discuss their experience of applying for a Fellowship, being a Fellow and their future career plans.  A Q&A session will allow you to ask any questions you have about this career route and see if it is for you.

Panel Members:

• Kezia Sasitharan, SNES, Leverhulme Early Careers Fellow - Nanomaterials and emerging photovoltaic technologies
• Reece Paterson, ENG, EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow - Design and characterisation of electrocatalysts for water splitting
• Omnia Elshorbagy, SNES, Robert Little Fellowship - Plant pathology, biosecurity and diagnostics
• Tiago Costa, MSP, NUAcT - Computational astrophysics modelling
• Laura Wadkin, MSP, NUAcT - Mathematical models for biological and ecological systems

Day 2 - Wed 25th March, 13:30 - 14:30

The Prosper Programme: Reflect, Explore and Act

Facilitator: Farhana Chowdhury, Senior Organisational Development Advisor

Prosper is a career development tool designed to support postdoctoral researchers in exploring and preparing for a wide range of career pathways, both within and beyond academia. Developed through a national collaboration between universities and employers, Prosper provides structured opportunities for researchers to reflect on their skills and motivations, explore different career options, and take practical steps towards their future goals.

This taster session will introduce the three core pillars of the Prosper programme: Reflect, Explore, and Act. Participants will gain insight into how these stages help researchers better understand their strengths and values, investigate potential career directions, and develop actionable plans to progress their careers. The session will provide a brief overview of key tools and activities used within Prosper and offer attendees a chance to experience elements of the programme firsthand.