The National Postdoc Conference 2021 (NPDC21), hosted by the University of Liverpool on 24 September, is open for registrations.
The virtual NPDC21 conference is an opportunity for postdoctoral researchers to engage with industry stakeholders, funding agencies, policy influencers, researcher developers and career development professionals.
The N8 Research Partnership will be supporting the conference as the event’s main sponsor. 2021 will mark the first year the UK NPDC will be held in the North of England and in one of the eight universities the N8 represents.
Click here to view the programme and register for sessions.
The NPDC21 coincides with the last day of National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW), which celebrates the significant contributions researchers make to delivering and progressing research excellence.
The conference includes a keynote from CEO of UKRI Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, and a panel on Collaborative Research Practices which will include Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, President of Universities UK.
Ahead of the conference, a series of informal networking sessions will take place in August and September, these are available to book now on the NPDC21 web pages.
Those registered for the conference can download the NPDC21 app, which will enable them to create their own timetable of talks and events.
The event is hosted on behalf of the University of Liverpool by its Leadership, Organisational, Professional & Academic Development Academy, leading a national steering group of postdoc representatives from diverse research and non-research intensive universities, and research consortia across the country.
Dr Joan Chang, PDRA, University of Manchester and initiator of UK NPAW said: “National Postdoc Appreciation Week will close with NPDC on the Friday 24th September. It has been a tremendous pleasure to assist with organising the NPDC, which focuses not just on careers but also emphasises mental health and well-being of Postdocs. The NPDC will facilitate discussions on how the landscape could transform in a way that brings equity to all, regardless of one’s background or institutional affiliations. I sincerely believe that the excellent programme put together by the Liverpool team will help tackle these feelings, and allow Postdocs to feel empowered and better prepared, both in terms of knowledge and know-how, to tackle any challenges we may face in the near future. I look forward to meeting and interacting with Postdocs in the networking events prior to NPDC, and the actual day of the conference!”
Professor Anthony Hollander, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research & Impact at the University of Liverpool said: “We at the University of Liverpool are honoured to be hosting the National Postdoc Conference this September. I hope that Postdocs across the UK will join us to celebrate brilliant research and innovation by postdoctoral researchers in our sector, gain insights from leaders at different research organisations and share ideas and experiences with peers.”
Dr Annette Bramley, director of the N8 Research Partnership, said: “We’re excited to welcome the National PostDocs conference to the North of England for the first time. Coinciding with the N8 Research Partnership’s 15th anniversary, I am confident that now more than ever the conference will empower the postdoctoral community and showcase the diverse range of research currently being undertaken across the country.
“I would encourage as many individuals as possible within the postdoctoral community to sign up for this event and take advantage of the many professional development and networking opportunities it offers. The N8 Research Partnership can’t wait to see you then!”
Joining N8 Research Partnership as sponsors are UKRI, IBM, Singular Talent, Codeswitch Consultants, Inkpath and Facebook Reality Labs.
Please direct any queries about the National Postdoc Conference 2021 to Dr Saneeya Qureshi, Head of Researcher Development and Culture on Saneeya.Qureshi@liverpool.ac.uk