Developing the careers of new researchers

Northumbria has been working steadily to increase its research profile in recent years. Thanks to this strategic push, the University has made a significant investment to recruit more research-active staff and encourage more early-years researchers to develop their careers here. Northumbria University News spoke to two researchers to find out why they were attracted to Northumbria.

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After spending his entire academic career from undergraduate to post-doctoral research at Sheffield University, Dr Richard Morton was intrigued when he saw an advert to become an Anniversary Research Fellow at Northumbria. Richard, who was keen to develop his career and become an established independent researcher, specialises in solar physics. His research aims to understand why the Sun’s outer edge is much hotter than its surface.

“I admit I didn’t know a huge amount about Northumbria before the advert, other than it being seen as very forward thinking and always looking to improve and better itself,” he said. “It was an amazing opportunity to come here and be independent after working for someone else, and the University really does offer a lot of support to researchers to drive forward.” a Hawaiian volcano, will be the world’s largest solar telescope when built.

Richard’s achievements have been recognised by the Royal Astronomical Society who awarded him the Society’s Winton Capital Prize in January. The Society describes him as “a scientist of exceptional talent and promise, who has already made significant contributions to magnetohydrodynamic wave theory and magneto-seismology of the Sun. He has led a number of original studies… and has been a tireless and effective communicator of his research to the general public.”

Dr Duschinsky joined Northumbria from Cambridge University in 2011 as a Lecturer in Social Science for Social Work. Since then he has had over 40 articles published or accepted for publication, as well as six book chapters and three encyclopaedia articles. He has also edited two books, three journal special issues, and organised two international conferences.

Today, he is the Research and Innovation lead for the Department of Social Work and Communities and is the Principal Investigator on a new £391,000 Wellcome Trust project looking at attachment theory and its use by clinicians and social workers concerned with infant mental health.

“The position of Northumbria as a ‘Professional University’, developing knowledge which can be used by practitioners, really was central to my decision to move here,” said Dr Duschinsky. “Northumbria has one of the largest and most well-regarded Social Work programmes in the country. It covers all levels – from a professional undergraduate degree, to CPD opportunities for current practitioners, to full-time and part-time doctoral study.

“I have a real interest in understanding how psychological knowledge regarding children and families moves into professional practice and policy. For this reason, the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues in the Faculty from a variety of professional backgrounds continues to be a highlight of the job. I’ve learnt so much from my colleagues.”

He added: “When I began at Northumbria in 2011, the research profile of Social Work was relatively low in comparison to how things stand now. There has been growing strength in research around child safeguarding, intellectual disabilities, and family justice – with publications blending theory with practice accepted in high-impact journals, and successful applications for contract income and research grants.

“Teaching in the department has also become increasingly enriched by research activity, as have our relations with local partners and stakeholders.

As an illustration of the growing capacity in research expertise, the department had four PhD students at its formation in 2012, and now has a PhD community of 11, with further expansion anticipated in 2015. There are also lots of exciting projects afoot for the future. For instance, the department is collaborating with colleagues in Law to organise an international conference on Family Law in 2016, a high-profile cross-Faculty project with implications both for academic research and for contemporary practice.

“In general, it feels like the research profile of the Department of Social Work and Communities, as well as the Faculty as a whole, has changed dramatically in the last three years. It has felt a real privilege to be a part of it.”

Since arriving at Northumbria in 2012, Richard has applied for grants and received an independent Leverhulme Trust fellowship. He is part of a consortium that has received £2.5 million from the Science and Technologies Facilities Council to work on the development of cameras and data monitoring for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope. The telescope, which sits on the top of

“My career really has changed a lot since I arrived at Northumbria,” said Richard. “From working for someone else before I arrived, I’m now collaborating with colleagues at institutions including NASA, America’s National Center for Atmospheric Research, UCL, St Andrews and Queens University Belfast and also mentoring a PhD student who is helping me with my own research projects. I’ve been very well supported from immediate colleagues through to senior management and I’m excited to make a success of my work on the telescope before it is completed in 2019.”