Tag: Doctoral Students

CfAE ‘Speaking with Impact in STEMM’ sessions (Summer Term)

Are you coming up to an assessed viva, an assessed elevator pitch, an assessed project presentation or are you simply keen to work on your public speaking skills?

CfAE ‘Speaking with Impact in STEMM’ sessions are a structured programme to enhance your skills and boost your confidence in preparation for any presentation.

We are running 6 weekly sessions in the summer term. These are 50-minute on-campus sessions (South Kensington).

They are grouped into two blocks of three, but you are free to attend one, some or all sessions.

  1. Engaging your audience (Thursday 8 May 13.00-14.00)
  2. Using your voice (Thursday 15 May 13.00-14.00)
  3. Rehearse your presentation in our ‘Café Scientifique’  (Thursday 22 May 13.00-14.00)
  4. Building your narrative (Thursday 29 May 13.00-14.00)
  5. Guiding your audience (Thursday 5 June 13.00-14.00)
  6. Rehearse your presentation in our ‘Stand up and speak’ session (Thursday 12 June 13.00-14.00)

In addition, we offer 20-minute 1:1s, both online and on campus, if you would like individual advice on your presentation skills. Book here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-english/speaking/advice/.

Empower – Connecting Black Researchers in the UK (29 May)

Are you a Black researcher in the UK?  Then this is for you!

Join us for Empower 2025, an event hosted by Imperial’s Black Doctoral Network that promotes community, collaboration, and career growth for Black researchers across the UK.

📅 Date: Thursday 29th May 2025
📍 Location: Imperial College London South Kensington

This is an opportunity to connect with researchers from diverse disciplines—from art and history to biotech and theoretical physics. Together, we’ll discuss challenges, share our triumphs, and build lasting networks.

What to Expect:

  • PhD project showcases from researchers across the country
  • Panel talks on PhD and post-PhD experiences from Black professionals
  • Interactive workshops on career development in and beyond academia
  • Networking sessions—with flowing food and drinks!

We understand how isolating research can be, and the Black Doctoral Network is committed to building a strong, supportive community. We’re incredibly proud of this event and can’t wait to see you there!

📢 Help spread the word! Share with your networks so this reaches those who need it most.

Sign up here: https://shorturl.at/MnP82

Survey: Exploring researcher engagement beyond academia (deadline: 23 May)

Survey: Exploring researcher engagement beyond academia

The Developing Business-Aware Academics project is running a survey to understand how researchers engage beyond academia.

Whether you regularly collaborate with partners beyond academia, are just starting out, or if you have never considered working with businesses, non-profits and policy organisations, we want to hear from you!

Complete the 10-15 minutes survey before the closing date on 23rd May to be sure to have your say!

By sharing your insights, you will inform the design of researcher training and networking programmes in universities.

The survey is being carried out by Developing Business-Aware Academics, a project responding to calls by universities, industry and government for greater research collaboration with non-academic organisations to realise the full potential of the UK’s research and innovation talent.

Applications open for Venture Catalyst Challenge (deadline: 15 June)

The Venture Catalyst Challenge (VCC) is now open for applications!

This is your chance to be part of Imperial Enterprise Lab’s flagship programme and compete for a share of £100,000 (equity free) in prize money, receive expert coaching, and access to our network of investors, mentors, and industry leaders.

VCC is open to current Imperial students, ECRs and recent alumni working on innovative solutions across these key tracks:

🧠 AI & Robotics
🌍 Creative & Consumer
🔬 Digital & Finance
🌱 Energy & Environment
🧬 Health & Wellbeing

You’ll benefit from:

✅ Weekly masterclasses
✅ Personalised venture coaching
✅ Pitch training and feedback
✅ The chance to pitch at the Grand Final for prizes and exposure

📅 Deadline to apply: Thursday 15 June 2025

Click here to apply

 

Annual Research Symposium 2025 – Thursday 29th May 2025, SK Campus

About the 2025 Research Symposium:

The research symposium is an annual event, held with support from the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI), and brings together multi-disciplinary faculty researchers and current PhD scholars to present their ongoing research across the College. While the event is primarily targeted at postgraduate students, everyone who is interested is welcome to attend.

Event Details:

  • Date: Thursday 29th May 2025
  • Time: 10:00-18:30
  • Location: Main Foyer and Lecture Theatre (Room 200), City and Guilds Building, South Kensington Campus (map)
  • Format: in-person conference with refreshments served
  • Registration and more information: Eventbrite link here

CfAE’s summer term ‘Writing a research paper’ sessions (May 2025)

Writing a paper for publication?

Register for CfAE’s ‘Writing a research paper’ activity sessions! 

In these sessions, you will be trained to become more reader-aware through guided analysis of published research papers to identify the structure, language and strategies used by successful writers in your field. This training will both speed up your writing and ensure your paper truly communicates the value of your research to an increasingly global and interdisciplinary readership. Many participants who’ve benefited from this training have fed back that it’s transformed their approach to writing papers.

In case you’re not aware, all members of Imperial (whether or not English is their first language) at all stages of their degree or academic career have the opportunity to benefit from CfAE provision.

These weekly 50-minute sessions are offered both online and on campus (South Kensington).

Upcoming sessions:

Writing a successful abstract: 6 May

Writing a successful introduction: 13 May

Writing a successful results section: 20 May 

Writing a successful discussion and conclusions section: 27 May

Get Hired – Scale Space Careers Fair 2025 – Thu 15 May, 15.30-18.30, White City Campus (RSVP as spaces are limited!)

 

Register for the Scale Space Careers Fair and connect with innovative start-ups and scaleups shaping the future.

WHEN AND WHERE
Thursday 15th May 2025 | 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Scale Space, Imperial White City Campus, 58 Wood Lane, London W12 7RZ

WHY ATTEND?

We are connecting Imperial student talent with fast-growing businesses from Scale Space and I-HUB—companies hiring bold thinkers and future leaders. Explore roles across Health & Life Sciences, Digital & AI, Sustainability, and Security.

WHO’S IT FOR?
This event is exclusively for current Imperial students who are:

  • Final-year undergraduates and Master’s students
  • MBA students and other experienced learners
  • Technical and specialist students (Technicians, Researchers, PhDs)

WHAT YOU’LL GET

  1. Access to open roles—full-time, part-time, internships, short-term projects, and placements
  2. A chance to meet hiring teams from a range of innovative, high-growth companies
  3. Free ice cream and refreshments while you network!

WHAT TO EXPECT
You will meet a selection of hiring businesses from Scale Space and I-HUB who are actively looking to connect with Imperial talent. These companies are ready to share opportunities and exciting challenges for those ready to make an impact.

A week before the event, we will send you a brochure with confirmed participants. In the meantime, feel free to browse the Scale Space and I-HUB company directory—but keep in mind, not all companies listed will be attending the fair.

WHAT IS SCALE SPACE AND I-HUB?
Scale Space is based on Imperial’s White City Deep Tech Campus—a thriving hub for start-ups and scaleups working at the cutting edge of Health & Life Sciences, Digital & AI, Sustainability, and Security.

It is also home to the Imperial White City Incubator and the Greenhouse Accelerator, bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators in one collaborative space. Just a short 3-minute walk away, the I-HUB is also part of this dynamic community.

Together, Scale Space and the I-HUB form a powerhouse of over 110 fast-growing companies—and some of them will be at the Careers Fair, ready to meet you.

HOW TO SIGN UP
Register here to secure your place. Attendance is free, but spaces are limited—so don’t wait!

We look forward to seeing you there. For any questions, email careersfair@scalespace.co.uk.

—
Scale Space
58 Wood Lane, White City Campus, London W12 7RZ
careersfair@scalespace.co.uk

PhD Career Panel (21 May 2025)

All PhD students and postdocs are warmly invited to the annual PhD Careers Panel, organised by the Imperial College Careers Service, is taking place on Wednesday 21st May from 18:00 to 19:30 online (Teams). You can book your place at: PhD Career Panel 2025

Postdocs will need to register with the Careers Service to book. To do this go to https://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/about/jobslive/ and register as Imperial College staff. If you have any issues with the system, email careers@ic.ac.uk.

At this online panel event we will host 5 STEM PhD graduates (two with postdoc experience) who have now gone to work in different career areas. They will share their experiences of moving from PhD research into their current jobs. You can ask them questions about their career paths – for example what motivated them to pick their current career, what it’s like to do their job, how to succeed in applications and interviews etc. Our speakers include PhD graduates now working in finance, consultancy, patents and R&D. This is a great chance to get inspired about all the different options for your post-PhD career path!

Confirmed speakers:

  • Jake Dunn, Machine Learning Engineer at JPMorganChase; PhD in Mathematics
  • Tatiana Lopes, Strategy Insights and Planning Associate at ZS; PhD in Clinical Medicine
  • Chris Poll, Patent Attorney at Kilburn & Strode; PhD in Materials Sciences + postdoc
  • Arushri Swarup, Medical Device R&D Engineer, OrganOx; PhD in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering + postdoc
  • Sophia Vorderwuelbecke, Senior R&D Engineer, Ansys (France); PhD in Mathematics

 

Engaging with Entrepreneurship and Innovation Retreat for PhD Students – Monday 14 & Tuesday 15 July 2025, Hilton Kensington London (apply by midnight 9 May 2025)

Dear PhD students,

Imperial’s Medical Research Council (MRC) Doctoral Training Partnership will hold an Entrepreneurship and Innovation retreat in July developed by Imperial’s Enterprise Lab for PhD students –

Engaging with Entrepreneurship and Innovation Retreat

Dates: Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 July 2025

Location: Hilton Kensington London, Holland Park Avenue – accommodation including breakfast and lunch, will be provided.

 

This retreat in aimed at MRC funded PhD students, however, limited places are available free of charge for PhD students from departments across Imperial who are currently in year 2 or above. If you are interested, please use this form to apply for a place:  https://forms.office.com/e/2s1Gtu3DMz

The deadline for applications is midnight on 9 May 2025 and places will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis.  In the event of all places being taken before this date, a waiting list system will be used.

Below are the draft overview and learning objectives, however, final content may change.

Retreat Overview

This 2-day retreat, based in White City, is designed for PhD researchers from the MRC MultiSci Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) at Imperial College London. The retreat focuses on developing skills for translating complex scientific research into commercial opportunities and effectively communicating with industry partners, investors, and non-academic audiences.

Day 1: Customer Discovery & Market Testing

The first day focuses on self-reflection, career pathways, and commercialisation strategies. Participants explore their StandOut assessment results, engage in career planning activities, and learn about identifying commercial potential in their research. Through interactive workshops, they develop skills in customer discovery and market testing applicable to scientific innovations.

Day 2: Refining Your Story & Making an Impact

The second day emphasises communication skills, focusing on crafting compelling narratives and delivering impactful presentations. Participants learn storytelling techniques, work with a professional magician to enhance their stage presence and receive coaching on their pitches. The day culminates in a pitch session where participants present to a panel of industry experts for feedback.

Learning Outcomes

  • Leverage Personal Strengths for Professional Growth
  • Evaluate Commercial Potential of Research
  • Engage with Stakeholders and Validate Ideas
  • Communicate Complex Scientific Ideas Effectively
  • Develop Actionable Commercialisation Plans

Opportunities for PhDs/Postdocs (Quant research roles)

Options Group is hiring in for an important hedge fund client who manage >$10bn in aum.  The client is looking to speak with entry level PhDs or Postdocs focusing on Machine Learning/AI, Math, Stats, Physics, Computer Science for various quant research roles based in London.  Additionally, about the client’s search:

They are looking for exceptional generalists—either applied researchers or theorists with some coding experience. Historically, statisticians have been the most common hires, but last year they hired more pure math candidates than any other background. They’ve also brought on people with publications in machine learning journals and active GitHub profiles. Their hires include computer scientists, including those focused on theoretical CS. One of their Partners in London, for example, comes from a theoretical physics background..

Interested parties can contact Keith Macksoud (Options Group, Executive Director) immediately with a CV.