Researcher training
Always learning, always improving.
Research is, by its nature, constantly evolving over time. To support our researchers, we provide a range opportunities to refresh and develop skills important for both conducting research and developing the next generation of scientists.
A good mix of learning on-the-job and targeted up-skilling.
A lot of the training in typical academic research takes place "on the job", where researchers are given with new and exciting responsibilities but often left to find the best solutions themselves. At Simula, we believe this can be more effective with some targeted training offered around (or even before) new responsibilities are taken on.
Below is a sample of the type of activities organised for researchers at Simula. And as employees of Simula, our researchers also have access to broader professional development. The majority of these activities are organised through Simula Academy, in close partnership with the research units.
Scientific leadership training - workshops are tailored to focus on topics that are particularly relevant in any given year. Previous topics have included providing academic feedback, leading teams in research, and decision making for research leaders. Some of these offers are focused on transferable skills, such as networking, leadership training, and interpersonal communications, while others are more tailored information sessions devoted to the practicalities of supervising graduate students in the Norwegian higher education system.
Supervisor training - Simula Academy organises a number of courses and workshops dedicated to developing the skills for excellent supervision. For researchers new to supervision, we provide an annual introduction to the important basics for providing good supervision, and encourage them to gather practical experience in supervision as part of co-supervisor teams for master's students and summer interns. For our more experienced supervisors, we facilitate 1-to-1 coaching sessions and hold dedicated retreats each year to discuss timely topics such as networking and interpersonal communications, as well as practical information sessions devoted to supervising graduate students in the Norwegian higher education system.
Grant support - Acquiring funding is an important part of establishing a career in research. Simula supports the preparation of grant applications through an internal Quality Assurance Process, which uses mentors and reviewers to hone the scientific idea, the finance team to ensure the budget aligns with both the call and with Simula, and several polishing steps to make the proposal easy for external reviewers to assess. Once a proposal is funded, Simula also provides training for the managers of newly funded projects.
Career support - gathering experiences and effective communicating these opens doors to new opportunities. Simula Academy offers targeted career training for early career researchers (PhD candidates and postdocs) to support the development of individualised career plans, be it in or outside of research. In addition, we workshops in scientific communications, offer public speaking coaching, and provide CV review opportunities.
Interested in becoming a researcher at Simula?