Te Kahui Houhare Rangahau Hauora
The Early and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Group aims to support EMCRs to achieve research excellence by facilitating networking and promoting career development opportunities within the Division. We can be contacted here:
Email hsemcr@otago.ac.nz
Our Mission: Promote research excellence and sustainability within Aotearoa’s unique research environment
Research careers are dynamic, exciting and hugely rewarding, but can also be daunting and precarious, particularly when starting out.
The Division of Health Sciences Early and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Management Committee was set up by a group of passionate EMCRs in order to support colleagues across the division to develop research excellence at the University of Otago. As EMCRs ourselves, we understand the trials and tribulations that come with this ultimately rewarding career and want our researchers to achieve excellence while maintaining a holistic life balance.
Working with the Divisional Research Committee, we aim to strengthen our research community across all areas of health science and organise and promote career development opportunities for our EMCRs within the Division. To achieve this, we hold regular symposia, listen to, promote and advocate for EMCRs, and support EMCRs with funding, networking opportunities, and professional development workshops.
We also have a dedicated Blackboard page that includes a calendar of events and other useful information, from grant peer review support, funding opportunities, guides for research impact, Māori Health Advancement, and Vision Mātauranga, and much more. The link is in the Resources section of this page. If you have any problems gaining access to Blackboard, just email us at the address below.
We want to hear from you to know what you need to cultivate a satisfying research career. If you would like to know more, or have any ideas about how we can better support EMCRs, feel free to email us or catch us on Twitter:
Email hsemcr@otago.ac.nz
Twitter https://twitter.com/EMCR_OtagoHS_NZ
Upcoming events
Professional Development Series 2023
Details coming soon.
Early and mid career academic development
Early and mid career academic development planning guide (PDF)
Division support
Drop-in sessions
Drop-in sessions available for feedback on your Māori Health Advancement and/or Research Impact section(s) of your grant application(s).
Weekly sessions are available with:
- Howard Maxwell, Scientific Officer for Māori Health Advancement on Tuesday and Wednesday 11:00am and 11:30am
- Maria Larcombe, Research Fellow in Research Impact on Monday 1:00pm and 1:30pm and Thursday 2:00pm and 2:30pm
Additional sessions are available close to HRC and MBIE deadlines.
Seminars
2022 seminars are available to watch on Echo360.
Rutherford Discovery Fellowships, Marsden Fast-Start, Hercus Fellowships, HRC Project Grants.
To access Echo360, check the HS EMCR Support group on Microsoft Teams or email: healthsciences.research@otago.ac.nz
Division of Health Sciences Accelerator Grant 2023
The Accelerator Grants 2023 round is now open!
Please read the memo and submit your application using the provided application form by Thursday 6 April, 5.00pm to: hsemcr@otago.ac.nz
This year one of our grants will be allocated to a parent returning from parental leave.
2023 Memo (PDF)
2023 Application form (DOCX)
NZ-RST-CV Template (DOC)
If you have any questions about the Accelerator Grants, please email Catherine: catherine.collins@otago.ac.nz
Previous EMCR Accelerator Grant rounds
- In 2022, we have awarded 17 researchers (12 early career; 5 mid-career) with grants that will be used to kickstart and support their awesome research ideas.
Read more about the grants and the recipients. - In 2021, in our inaugural EMCR Accelerator Grant round, we awarded approximately $53,000 to EMCRs. Read about successful projects.
EMCR Management Committee members
Each Management Committee member is involved in two areas of focus and strategic oversight is provided by the Chair.
The EMCR Management Committee currently comprises 8 members from across the three main campuses.
Catherine Collins (Co-Chair)
Lecturer
Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences
Twitter handle: @cjcollins_nz
Catherine's profile page
Claire Henry (Co-Chair)
Research Fellow
Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health, Wellington Campus
Twitter handle: @DrClaireHenry
Claire's profile page
Sarah Appleby
Research Fellow
Christchurch Heart Institute, Christchurch
Abigail Bland
Assistant Research Fellow
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dunedin
Twitter handle: @AbbyBland8
Abigail's profile page
Michael Garelja
Assistant Research Fellow
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dunedin
Twitter handle: @MGarelja
Michael's profile page
Matthew Jenkins
Senior Research Fellow in Mental Health
Department of Psychological Medicine, Wellington
Twitter handle: @Dr_MattJenkins
Matthew's profile page
Sarah Rhodes
Lecturer
School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin
Twitter handle: @sarah_rhodes_PT
Sarah's profile page
Makhdoom Sarwar
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Christchurch
Twitter handle: @makmedicine
Makhdoom's profile page
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Email hsemcr@otago.ac.nz
Links and resources
Internal Resources already available to EMCRs
- Division’s grants application support, 2023 (PDF)
- Funding opportunities
- Mentoring for female academics
- The Early Career Researchers Advancement Group (EAG)
- Mental health support
- HEDC
- HEDC – opportunities for academic staff with teaching responsibilities
- HEDC – Supervising postgraduate students
- Māori at Health Sciences
- Pacific at Health Sciences
- Māori health research advancement
External links
- Royal Society Te Apārangi ECR Forum
- ECRs in Aotearoa after COVID-19 (RSNZ ECR Forum) (PDF)
- ECRcentral
- MBIE Narrative CV Webinar and slides (find under Narrative CV webinars)
- Narrative CV: Additional Resources (PDF)
Downloads
- Terms of Reference (PDF)
- Strategic Plan 2020–2025 (PDF)
