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Postdoctoral Researcher Forum

Postdoctoral researchers make up one of the largest contingents of the School's staff whose main focus is on conducting research at the School of Physical Sciences (SoPS).

The School of Physical Sciences (SoPS) Researcher Forum aims to serve and support this group with the key aims of:

  • Representation within the School
  • Providing a place to meet with other postdocs within the School (social events, discussion of issues, sharing of relevant knowledge)
  • A platform to enable consultation with postdocs about events and issues within the School that affect researchers, such as planned building works/changes to key services
  • Disseminating information that is relevant to postdoctoral staff, such as changes in staff/services, the existence of career development courses or progress in Athena SWAN applications/Equality & Diversity issues.

Format of the Forum

The SoPS Researcher Forum meets quarterly and is co-chaired by two members of the postdoctoral staff, appointed by the postdoctoral researchers. The makeup of the forum is predominantly postdoctoral staff and research fellows. Invitations are extended to members of academic staff to attend when they have something they wish to bring to the attention of the PDRAs; there is also an opportunity to forward documents to the co-chairs to pass on to the PDRAs at the forum.

At each forum a speaker is invited, either from academia/industry, careers advisory services or from other backgrounds as requested by the PDRAs; the main aim of this is to offer postdoctoral staff in career development.

The Researcher Forum also provides a place to discuss issues, particularly to raise issues anonymously, which could then be put forward to decision making committees within the School. Additionally, to incorporate a social aspect the forum also organises ‘mixer’ type event following every postdoctoral forum, to enable discussions with speakers and PDRAs from other groups.

The forum also aims to arrange larger events, such as an annual postdoctoral research seminar, enabling postdoctoral staff to present their research to their Department or the School as a whole.


For the Researcher Forum to work most effectively, it requires participation from as many people as possible. If you have any suggestions or ideas please send an email to SPSforum@liverpool.ac.uk, contact one of the committee's members listed below or submit anonymous comments or suggestions.