April 2, 2015
New initiative to support early career academics
A new UOW initiative to support the engagement, development and retention of early career academics was launched on campus last Wednesday (25 March).
The Early Career Academic Network (ECAN) aims to bring together early career academics from across the University to provide a forum where they can network, share knowledge and experiences, and even potentially collaborate.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Judy Raper and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Eeva Leinonen are joint sponsors of the program.
“UOW is committed to supporting early career researchers thrive," Professor Raper said.
“We recognise the importance of this key group – they are on the cutting edge of medical and technological innovations. They are the ones who we will look to in the future for advances in cancer treatments, to solve issues around climate change and to create new technology around quantum computing.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Leinonen said the program would “provide a wealth of benefits, fostering personal and professional growth in all areas of academic life, building confidence, bringing opportunities for collaboration and promoting diversity and inclusive practices.”
"ECAN develops learning and teaching practices in a forum for connecting with like-minded peers."
Sina Naficy (pictured above) is a Global Challenges Research Fellow whose current research is looking into the development of new types of hydrogels, including tough hydrogels that could be used to develop next generation condoms, a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Sina is in the first year and a half of his academic career, and joined the network after taking part in an Early Career Researcher Development Program (ECR) in 2013.
“At the end of that program one of the main suggestions made by participants was that we need to be in contact with each other as early career academics, especially after the ECR program,” he said.
“Since there was no other network to cover the ECA I was very keen to join the current network. The launch event was very successful, and I met with some colleagues from other faculties and have already started communications with them.”
Faculty of Business Associate Lecturer Dr Christa Wood at the launch event.
Program coordinator Sharon Athanasios, from Professional & Organisational Development Services, said she hoped the program would continue to grow over the coming months.
“Our vision is for it to grow and be ongoing to support the development of academic staff, both professionally and personally and provide staff with beneficial connections,” she said.
“There are other such networks at UOW, such as AdminNet and TechNet, however this is the first academic network that encompasses staff from all areas.”
Academics who identify themselves as being in early stages of their career from any faculty are able to join the network, where they will meet with other early career academics at formal and informal events once every two months.