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Queen's launches new Postdoctoral Development Centre

A new Postdoctoral Development Centre (PDC) launched this week will ensure that postdoctoral researchers across Queen's are equipped with the support and guidance to enable them to fulfil their potential.

Joanne Clague, Dr Rebecca Loader, Dr Alice Dubois, Dr Suha Dadou, Professor Ian Greer, Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Osman, Professor Emma Flynn
Left to right: Joanne Clague, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer; Dr Rebecca Loader, Research Fellow in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work; Dr Alice Dubois, Head of the Postdoctoral Development Centre; Dr Suha Dadou, Research Fellow in the School of Pharmacy; Professor Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor; Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Osman, Research Fellow in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Professor Emma Flynn, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise.

The University's PDC will help postdoctoral researchers get the best out of their time at Queen's, supporting their development by providing information and bespoke resources and promoting a supportive environment and culture.

The key aims of the PDC are to:

  • Provide a first point of contact for researchers’ queries and provide them with the information they need to succeed and navigate their role at Queen’s
  • Welcome new postdoctoral researchers and facilitate the transition from PhD
  • Coordinate and communicate development opportunities
  • Facilitate the career development of postdoctoral researchers, in academia and beyond
  • Influence relevant policies and develop good practice guidance
  • Co-ordinate postdoctoral representation across the institution
  • Promote the recognition of postdoctoral researchers

Announcing the launch of the PDC on 13 October, Professor Emma Flynn, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, said:

"This is an important investment in our postdoctoral researchers, who play a significant role at the heart of our world-leading research and innovation; in teaching and mentoring our students and building relationships with our partners beyond Queen’s, as well as helping to set the culture that makes our University such a vibrant place to work.
"In line with Strategy 2030 and our Research Culture Action Plan, we, as a University, take seriously our responsibility to ensure that, at this exciting and challenging transition stage in their careers, postdocs are equipped with the support and guidance to enable them to fulfil their potential and achieve success in their career, whether that is here at Queen’s, elsewhere in academia, or beyond higher education."

The opening of the PDC builds on the ambitious action plan developed by Faculty Postdoctoral Representatives, academics and staff at Queen’s to implement our obligations relating to the Researcher Development Concordat. It follows a successful pilot within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, where the initiative has been very effective in improving the professional and career development support for the Faculty’s postdoctoral community.

For more information, please visit the Postdoctoral Development Centre website. 

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