How has joining the CARICE Board contributed to your professional growth?
Joining the CARICE board has contributed to my professional growth by exposing me to how research agendas and priorities are set. . By being able to share my thoughts, particularly as an advocate for other early career researchers and what is helpful in supporting them, this has helped build my confidence in advocating and articulating my positions in the professional sphere. I’ve been exposed to different perspectives outside my research niche that has helped broaden my thinking and deepen my understanding. In particular, learning about the strategy (and ways of getting there) necessary for the successful running of a research centre has been very valuable and I deeply respect the tenacity of my senior colleagues. I feel I better understand the role of senior academics in the current academic climate.
What have you learned as a result of your experience on the board. What specific skills have you gained or strengthened through your board role (e.g., leadership, communication, the value of networking?
By being privy to and participating in discussions around seed funding, I’ve learnt better what stands out in funding applications, and how therefore to better engineer my future applications to help the reviewer understand and synthesise the information clearly and easily. It has also helped me understand the skills I have space ti improve on, and also how my perspective differs from others with perhaps a different view of academia, which has been very helpful for reflection and personal & professional growth.
Has the experience gained on the board helped to move your career towards more leadership roles?
Yes — serving on the board has helped me better understand the strategic thinking used by senior colleagues. Observing their varied and extensive experience has given me valuable insight into higher‑level decision‑making, which is helping me develop the skills needed for future leadership roles.
Would you recommend joining the CARICE Board to early‑career researchers?
Yes, absolutely - it is a very meaningful way to support other early-career researchers. The CARICE board members are very experienced and supportive, so it is a positive, friendly environment to gain the insights set out above. Further, whilst life needs to be about more than just doing something because it looks good on your CV - it does look pretty good on your CV!