The steps for building a research group or lab are vague and unclear. For people with a great idea, hoping to build a business on it, there are coaches, start-up programs, business information sessions, incubators, co-working spaces, mentors, seminars, workshops, and more. Yet for research there is very little. In this blog I look at the business advice and translate that into advice for researchers. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/how-to-build-a-research-group-2/

Have you turned your PhD topic or experiences into a small business? How did you do it? I was an entrepreneur before it was cool. Before being an innovator or being agile was a thing. I was an entrepreneur when it was called owning your own business. Being self-employed. For some, there’s an attraction to the idea of turning some or all of your PhD into your job. And that was what I did. Here, I talk about the steps that I think are necessary to go from PhD to business. Link to...

What are your tips for being more competitive and organised when it comes to writing a grant? Here are 6 from me: Prewrite. Know your funding sources. Prepare your application based on those funding sources and their preferences. Say “no” – Not all people, grants or situations are equally worthy. Plan ahead (a year calendar will help). Practice – You cannot improve without practice. Link to transcript:...

We are constantly told to self-reflect. But if you’re not in the practice of it, reflection can be really hard. In his book 20 Questions for Humans, Craig Harper helps readers do just that – answer 20 questions that will help them self-reflect. In this blog, I look at each question Craig poses and suggest the equivalent in the context of your PhD or research. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/twenty-questions-for-humans-who-are-studying-a-phd-3/

Are you thinking about leaving academia but finding it hard? Why not write a good-bye letter? The transition from one sector to another is difficult. So is a change in job or a change in a career. But when you’ve had your heart set on a career – like many in academia – that transition is even harder. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/why-you-should-write-a-good-bye-letter-to-academia-2/

Five transferable skills for all PhD students: Problem solving. Project management. Written communication. Oral communication. Presentation skills. Be careful when identifying your transferable skills from your PhD – not all are created equal. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/five-skills-i-can-use-to-develop-my-career-beyond-my-phd-2/

So you’ve been told to find a mentor. Take these four steps: List the traits you’re looking for. Note who in your network has those traits. Meet with them. Confirm the relationship Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/how-to-get-a-mentor-2/

As an academic, at some point you’ll need to take your research social. If you like pictures, use Instagram. If you like writing, use LinkedIn. If you like video, use YouTube and then share. If you want to connect with other academics, use Twitter. If you want to engage with the general public then Facebook or Instagram will be better. LinkedIn will be best for getting industry partners.   How did you come to choose the social media channels you are on? Link to transcript:...

How do you identify transferable skills? One way is a time in motion study or a skills audit. Or, you can google “transferable skills” and see what the internet tells you. Here are five skills - tenacity, collaboration, comprehension, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and software use – and why I think they are transferable. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/five-forgotten-transferable-skills-2/

PhD students have some of the poorest mental health of ANY professional – inside or outside research. Even worse, the turbulence associated with science and research careers does not make things easier. Thus, building resilience and copying strategies before you need them will be important to long-term health and success. Here are 6 strategies - note your thoughts, analyse your thoughts, be mindful, note good things in your life, have a balanced life, live in alignment with your values.

As researchers, it is easy take on everything. Writing, researching, promoting. The lot. However, doing it all is probably not the most effective use of your skills. In this blog I challenge you to take a closer look at the work you do and ask yourself, “Can someone else do this?”

With all of the trouble being faced by universities and researchers, I go thinking about the things I would do if I were a vice-chancellor for a day. I made a list of 11 items. The cover gender equity, PhD training and recruitment, staff development, and the allocation of IP ownership. You can hear more on my podcast. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/if-i-were-a-vice-chancellor-2/

PhDs are large undertakings for both the student, and their supervisors. Yet, not much time is spent considering the type of supervisor a student might need or want. Furthermore, little thought is devoted to how this might change throughout the process. In this blog I look at three approaches – boss, colleague, mentor – and how each might be beneficial at different stages of the PhD. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/should-my-phd-supervisor-be-a-mentor-colleague-or-boss-2/

Leaving academia isn’t easy. Especially if that’s what you’d thought you’d do your whole life. So, although this post won’t help you deal with the emotional side of leaving, it does offer 38 practical things you can do to help make the transition easier. Link to transcript: https://drrichardhuysmans.com/thirty-eight-things-to-help-you-transition-out-of-academia/

People can think you’re either “good” or “bad” at presenting. But I think the truth is that you can get better (or worse). And, through practice you can improve. In this podcast, I went through some of the things I do when preparing a talk. I covered what I think is important when it comes to presenting your research work, and suggested an approach to try, next time you give a talk.

Competitive research grants aren’t getting any easier. One way to address the problem is through finding and working with an industry partner. Imagine if you spent the same time building an industry connection as you did write a grant….? What would that world look like? How could/would you make that happen? Link to transcript: https://www.drrichardhuysmans.com/using-your-network-to-establish-industry-connections-2/

In this podcast I go through 12 questions that might indicate you're addicted to academic work, and it's time to change your habits. Academics tend to portray themselves as working all of the time and in all places. However, that’s not sustainable IMHO. In a recent group coaching session we discussed both approaches. Both seemed successful for those in the group. However, I don’t believe both will be useful long term. Making academic life the centre of your life, might be fine for short...

Different people will have their own ideals. What and how they want to build a career. But what I can say in all cases, making the opportunity (rather than waiting for it) will be a faster path to your success. And, in many instances leaving a job and an employer has FAR more upside than downside..   So, if you’re wanting more from your job, career or business, start making it happen.   In this podcast I go through three career building cases studies. Link to transcript:...

Rather than working more hours, one of the best things you can do to ensure your PhD finishes on time is to improve your productivity.   But, knowing how or where or when can be hard.   In this Tuesday Talk, I ran through some of the things I do to stay productive. I also covered the advice I give academics and how different approaches have worked (or not) for them.

COVID has taught us so much. Including the value of a good plan. And the value of getting rid of old plans when they no longer suit us. One planning technique often named, but rarely implemented well is the strategic plan. If you’ve often wondered what’s the difference between a plan and a strategy. Or what the differences are between a strategic, business or operational plan – come along to to this workshop!

Most people have experienced coaching in some form or another in their life. From sports, to music, to art, and to life. People are coaching and being coached all of the time. However, most people assume coaching is telling – by an expert to a novice. But if that were true, no elite performers would have coaches. Instead, think of coaching as asking. And to be an expert coach you need to be an expert at asking good questions. Link to transcript:...

Four responses to things changing in research: Turn around and go home – Essential forget the goal for now. Wait it out – Do nothing. Take a different path – See if someone can help fill the gaps. Adjust your goal and therefore your route – Change approach.   All 4 are valid. All 4 are useful. And all 4 need to result in a change to your research plan. Link to transcript: https://www.drrichardhuysmans.com/when-to-change-your-research-plan-2/ 

Grants and grant writing is boring. I get it. So, we’re all looking for a way to make it better. More fun. Easier to get funded. I’m not sure I have any magic answers. But I do know we’ll cover some of the things that help make grant writing less difficult. That help turn a good application, into a great one. That help improve the quality and reduce the time it takes to write grants in the long run.

If you're finding your current project or planning approach is not effective. If you're finding you're not getting the stuff you want to do done, then you need to change something. Change what you do or change your plan. If you want to improve your project management and planning game try these 3 things: Have plans that cover different timeframes. Follow routines to make progress (rather than setting goals to hit). Make tasks small and easy enough that it is hard to not do.