New post-doc association for School of Life Sciences

In line with its reputation for innovation and advancement, the School of Life Sciences has leant its backing to the School of Life Sciences Post-doc Association (SLSPA) - a new venture initiated by a group of Dundee Post-docs.

Currently the UK has only a few Post-doc associations and trails behind the US in supporting the needs of this group, who are often highly productive cogs in the research machine. The SLSPA has been formed with help from Neil Perkins, Principal Investigator in the Department of Gene Regulation and Expression.

SLSPA Co-Chairperson Mhairi Towler explained, "The key aims of the SLSPA are to support Post-docs in a number of ways: encouraging and assisting in career development, providing a voice within the School of Life Sciences, helping with local and departmental orientation and providing a catalyst for interactions and collaborations through a seminar series and social events. A School-wide Post-doc mentoring system is also on the horizon."

In addition to a series of fortnightly seminars held for and by Post-docs, there will also be a number of events open to everyone in the School, including talks by external speakers on issues such as moving into industry, science publishing and scientific fraud and ethics, amongst others.

Mhairi added, "The inaugural lecture was a big success. Paul Andrews spoke about the aims of the Society, and Ian Porter and Dina Dikovskaya gave talks on their research. It also offered a chance for Post-docs from different divisions to get to know each other in an informal setting."

Dean of the School of Life Sciences Professor Pete Downes is supporting the Association. He said,”Looking after our Post-docs and giving them a voice in the way things are run is a priority for the School of Life Sciences. Last year a poll conducted by "The Scientist" named the School of Life Sciences as the best European Institution in which to work in Science. I believe that initiatives like SLSPA will help to keep us at the top of the European league."

For more information visit: www.dundee.ac.uk/lifesciences/postdoc/index.html