David Finger, Ph.D., is a Research Co-Investigator in the Biological Chemistry Division of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sheffield (UoS). His research focus is nucleic acids enzymology. In addition to his research, David has been a member of the Board of Directors (BoD) of the United States (U.S.) National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) and the International Consortium of Research Staff Associations (ICoRSA). Furthermore, David serves on the steering committee of the United Kingdom Research Staff Association (UKRSA) and is a member of the U.S. National Organization for Gay and Lesbian Science and Technology Professionals (NOGLSTP).

David was born in a small town in southern New Jersey (greater metropolitan Philadelphia area) in the U.S. After graduating from high school, he earned his B.A. in Biochemistry from Ithaca College. David moved to Los Angeles to earn his doctorate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he investigated protein and nucleic acid structure predominantly using NMR. He then became a postdoctoral fellow at the City of Hope Beckman Research Institute. After this initial postdoc, David accepted a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellow (MC-IIF) at the University of Sheffield to work with Professor Jane Grasby.

Kassandra is a lecturer in Enterprise, at The University of Manchester. She studied in Manchester and holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, an MSc in Environmental Information Systems, and a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Studies and Applied Physics.

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Kassandra was a co-founder and committee member of The University of Manchester Research Staff Association, one of RSA the projects lead to the “Extended Access to emails and e-resources Policy for Research Staff” which contributed to the University’s HR Excellence in Research Award in 2016. 

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Kassandra’s experience includes technology development in collaboration with universities and industrial partners. One of her most innovative projects involved developing an acoustic reflectometry tool, Acoustek®. She was involved in the patenting and the commercialisation of the technology via The University of Manchester Intellectual Property, UMIP; the tool has been licensed to Pipeline Engineering - CIRCOR Energy. In 2016 Acoustek® was a winner in the UK Energy Innovation Awards organised by the Energy Innovation Centre for Best University Technology of the Year. This was awarded to celebrate the stand-out technologies and innovations that have a positive impact on the UK energy industry.

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She is a reviewer for the Journal of Applied Acoustics and for the Journal of Marine Engineering & Technology. Main interests: innovation management, technology development, enterprise, blockchain, project management, acoustics, oil & gas, pipeline inspections, reliability engineering, maintenance engineering.

I am a bio-medical scientist with a strong interest in improving health and am currently working in a multi-disciplinary project aiming to provide a set of medical devices for people affected by the rare skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

Having been a researcher for over 15 years, I have had the opportunity to at several research institutions including the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, QMUL, UCL and King's College London.

Throughout these years I juggled research and family commitments, which lead me to switch from working full time to part-time and back.  This has made me aware of the challenges and opportunities faced by those working part-time in fixed term research contracts and look forward to sharing learning from these experiences. I have additionally had roles whose remit covers both research and project management, thus enriching my experience with the perspective of working with professional services aligned to academia.

As a member of the UKRSA committee, I am committed to enabling other researchers to achieve their full potential and thrive in a perpetually shifting research landscape and support all research staff to lead a fulfilling career.

I completed a BSc degree in Neurosciences, followed by an MSc in Immunology (Marseille, France) and graduated with a Ph.D. in Food Science (peptide-Immunotherapy in allergy) at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. I then worked in the Department of Pharmacology at the UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas on the topic of lipid-mediated inflammation. I was subsequently recruited to the Adjuvant Research Group at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, to explore the vaccine applications of nanoparticulate materials. In April 2012, I joined the Bacterial Pathogenicity and Immunity group, at the Institute of Infection and Global Health (IGH), University of Liverpool.  I am currently chair of the IGH-Postdoctoral Association at the Institute of Infection and Global Health, and one the research theme leads at the Centre for Global Vaccine Research at the University of Liverpool.  My broad interest lies in advancing the current understanding of vertebrate immunology, whether in the context of metabolic or infectious disorders, with the ultimate goal of developing novel vaccine and therapeutic strategies. As such, I have been fortunate enough to work in various institutions on diverse aspects of the immune response. Since I started my employment at the University of Liverpool, I have been involved in multiple research projects with a particular focus on the pathogenesis of pneumococcal disease, the development of novel in vivo models for pneumococcal meningitis, and the understanding of early life immunity.

Research Fellow, European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, Cardiff, UK

Originally from the South Wales valleys, Lee followed at Cardiff University, followed by a PhD at the Institute of Medical Genetics at (what was then) the University of Wales College of Medicine.  This was followed by Postdocs in Melbourne and Cardiff, before taking up a fellowship at the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute in 2013 where his research now focuses on understanding and therapeutically exploiting the mechanisms that link the environment (diet & gut bacteria) to inflammation and colorectal cancer. 

ParryL3@cardiff.ac.uk

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/cancer-stem-cell/contacts-and-people/staff/dr-lee-parry

Senior Lecturer (Reader as of August 2017) in Alternative Education Studies, Newman University, Birmingham, UK

Helen is a Senior Lecturer in Alternative Education Studies at Newman University, and has been in a full time post since 2014, starting as a lecturer. Helen feels that UKRSA helped immensely when she was in a fixed term post and found herself made redundant. It was a source of information and sense of community, offering the idea that Contract research Staff have power and voice, she felt it really helped her feel like she was not alone in her situation.

https://newman.academia.edu/HelenELees

H.Lees@staff.newman.ac.uk

Christina is an engagement manager at the British Science Association, where she leads a range of programmes with volunteers, community groups, and other regional partners across the UK, focusing on targeting audiences that are underrepresented in science. Previously she trained and worked as a cognitive neuroscientist, earning her PhD at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and spending 2.5 years as a postdoc at University College London. During her work as a researcher she also led and volunteered for a variety of outreach programmes before transitioning into a career in science engagement. She is passionate about connecting people with science in ways that are relevant and interesting to them. She joined UKRSA early on in her postdoc as it offered a number of opportunities to communicate with other researchers and to provide a collective voice for research staff. Alongside other volunteering opportunities Christina believes her time as co-chair of UKRSA helped her develop many skills important to recruiters from the Science Communication fields.

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https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/researcher-career-stories/what-do-research-staff-do-next-career-stories/christina-fuentes-tibbitt

Research Fellow, Water Research, Department Civil Engineering University of Sheffield

Chairperson Engineering Researcher Society, University of Sheffield

First Degree and Masters in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering at the University of Surrey, PGCE at the University of Bristol, and from teaching to current role as Researcher at the University of Sheffield starting in 2003 investigating the behaviour of material and the microbial processes in drinking water distribution systems with the outcomes transforming how these systems are managed. The long term experience of being a Researcher (and yes, still on fixed, if open-ended, contracts) highlights professional research is possible, if insecure. Continue to support Researchers, using lessons learnt on national level from UKRSA to deliver benefits locally and campaign for recognition of professional status.

After a first degree in Economics at Swansea University, Alex studied for an MSc in Health Economics at the University of York with the support of a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) studentship. The Master’s included a three-month placement at the Heath Foundation, during which time Alex investigated whether the characteristics of a GP practice, or characteristics of patients signed up to a GP practice, help determine the amount of funding allocated by NHS England. She analysed data about GP practices and funding from 2013-2014, and, at the end of her MSc, stayed at the Health Foundation for an extra month to analyse and compare data from 2014-2015. In November 2015, she joined the NIHR CLAHRC South London’s public health team at King’s College London as a research assistant in statistics and health information, looking at the variations in alcohol commissioning decisions taken by 55 local authorities in England (what services were commissioned and which organisations were commissioned to provide them), and what effect those decisions have on quality of care, as measured by Public Health England performance indicators. Alex joined the King’s Improvement Science team in January 2017 and will provide health economic support on a number of different projects, during her two-and-a-half year pre-doctoral fellowship.

Director of Post-Graduate Student and Early Career Researcher Experience Reader in Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, UK

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After studying Applied Chemistry at the Polytechnic of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (before it became Northumbria University), Patrick completed a PhD in Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Strathclyde. His major research interest from this time onwards has focussed on the mechanisms of arterial remodelling (predominantly atherosclerosis and angiogenesis) in health and disease. Following his PhD Patrick had successive post-doctoral positions in the University of Edinburgh before attaining a tenure-tracked position in 2006.

Patrick is currently a Reader in the Centre for Cardiovascular Science in Edinburgh and has recently been appointed Director of Post-Graduate Student and Early Career Researcher Experience for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. This appointment was related to Patrick’s long-held interest in research staff careers, including being involved in establishing the first Post-Doctoral society in Edinburgh, approximately 14 years ago. This led to involvement with Vitae and in the formation of what is now the UKRSA. He was on the UKRSA committee for a number of years, latterly serving as co-chair.

Patrick.Hadoke@ed.ac.uk

Program Director with the Central Michigan Science, Mathematics, and Technology Center & Associate with the Michigan Math and Science Centers Network, Michigan, USA.

David now serves as an educator and manager of programs that support student services and funding opportunities for student-centered programs. He is also a Scientific Review Officer at CSRA Inc., where he manages peer review of funding applications to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, and Adjunct Faculty in Chemistry at Saginaw Valley State University, where he teaches biochemistry and general chemistry laboratories.  Previously, David was AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure at the National Science Foundation, and a Research Associate and Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow with the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy at the National Academies. David completed his postdoctoral research in structural biology at the University of Dundee in Scotland, where he was Co-chair of the College of Life Sciences Postdoc Association (CLSPA; now the School of Life Sciences Research Staff Association), and where he helped to establish the UK Research Staff Association to provide a collective voice for UK researchers. He completed a doctorate in chemistry at the Pennsylvania State University.

Through David’s involvement in advocacy for research staff he developed an interest in science policy and moved to Washington, DC upon completion of his second postdoctoral contract and subsequent return to the US. After volunteering for several months in Washington DC, he was selected as Mirzayan Fellow at the US National Academies. He credits his selection for this fellowship on his role as a founding UKRSA co-chair, along with Liz Dodson. Subsequent opportunities have presented themselves thanks in no small part to having been a Mirzayan Fellow and having worked at the US National Academies.

http://www.djproctor.com

djproctor@gmail.com