Early Career Academics (ECA) are the future of academia. We want to support the professional development of ECAs to enable the creation of meaningful impact for the University of Greenwich, the academic and broader communities. These future leaders bring fresh and diverse perspectives, drive innovation, and contribute significantly to their fields, leading to more comprehensive research outcomes on a global scale. This is why the University is enhancing support for ECAs through a university-wide programme encompassing research and knowledge exchange skills, teaching enhancement, and mentorship.
The Early Career Academic Development Programme incorporates the following key activities:
- PhD supervision opportunities. The cross-university regulations for VC scholarships have been updated to include ECAs as part of PGR supervisory teams.
- Mentorship guidelines. Clear guidelines outlining the mentorship programme are being developed in conjunction with the People Directorate.
- Enhanced ECA training opportunities. Following consultation with staff, GRI conducted a survey to assess the needs for researcher training. GRI is now reviewing this information together with evaluation of training effectiveness based on participant feedback and observed improvements, to ensure training opportunities are optimised.
- Collaborative workshops “sandpits”. GRI is organising facilitated workshops where ECAs can brainstorm and develop interdisciplinary research project ideas.
- Knowledge Exchange initiatives. GRI is working to introduce activities to facilitate better understanding of KE among ECAs and external partners through a series of workshops.
- Enhanced teaching practices. Confirmation of teaching and learning training through existing programmes (e.g. PGCert) and wider research support for ECAs through cross-linkages with the pedagogical research initiative.
- Seed funding opportunities. The University has funded the following 30 projects for ECAs through a competitive application process.
Professor Petros Ieromonachou, GBS Associate Dean (Research & Knowledge Exchange) is leading on the R&KE staff development programme:
I am delighted that the University is supporting such a comprehensive and impactful Early Career Academic development programme focusing on research excellence, knowledge exchange, and professional development for academic and other relevant staff. This is a testament of our dedication to empowering our staff to innovate in a way that makes a difference academically, commercially, and socially. In addition to the ongoing programme of work on ECA development, we will next begin scoping for a Mid-Career R&KE staff development programme in the Autumn.
Funded ECA Projects
Principal Investigator | Title of project and summary | Faculty/ Institute |
Abdullah Ijaz | EmpowerCharity: Transforming Local Impact Empowering local charities in London through a series of workshops at the University of Greenwich, enhancing their capacity in strategy, leadership development, policy design, and data analytics. | GBS |
Alessandra Valentini | Online processing while reading and reading-while-listening: an eye tracking study The project aims to replicate and expand on a previous study conducted with monolingual children. The study will explore eye-movement while reading and reading while listening in adults, and how this affect word learning from stories, in both bilinguals and monolinguals. | ILD |
Angus McNelly | Mapping the Green Transition in the City of London The grant will enable me to identify the major financial actors in the City of London shaping the transition away from fossil fuels to green energy, pilot an innovative knowledge exchange methodology at November’s G20 summit and deliver a British Academy (BA) Small Grant application in November 2024. | ICE |
Anushka Athique Winterbottom | Landscape Encounters: A participatory methodology for developing trans-species empathy To run a 2-day workshop in a rural setting, which raises environmental awareness and trans-species empathy through participatory creative practice action research. The project will test an innovative method of community engagement, informed by relational and decolonial pedagogies, which develops participants’ understanding of their embodied relations with the more-than-human environment. | ICE |
Azar Mahmoum Gonbadi | Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy and practices in White Goods sector: A case study of a refrigerator recycling company- RECILEC To conduct research on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy effects on the White Goods sector. To conduct field interviews at a refrigerator recycling company (RECILEC) in Spain and Headquarter (HQ) in Belgium. This grant will also recruit a student from JobShop for conducting (grey) literature research on reverse supply chains and relevant policies and performing transcribing of interview scripts. | GBS |
Brona Martin | Erddig House: Acoustic Heritage and Place Phase 1 Creation of a new immersive 3D heritage work which will explore the domestic soundscape of Erddig House, A National Trust Property, building on sustained track record and enabling this research to be eligible as a Greenwich REF outputs. The project will be created using the new SHIFT facilities such as the 32 Channel Ambisonic Sound Studio and the Immersive Theatre, Bathway | ICE |
Carlos Arranz | Identifying the factors enabling a digital innovation ecosystem in UKs SMEs To investigate factors influencing digital technology adoption in UK manufacturing SMEs. Leveraging European Union’s data and conducting interviews, we will identify barriers and drivers, providing insights for SME managers and policymakers. | GBS |
David Hockham | Scoping Exercise: Immersive Pan-Impairment Storytelling - Ideation Immersive Storytelling, by its nature, is a sensory experience. But for audience with disabilities and who are neurodivergent this can be overwhelming and not accessible. We plan to explore ideas of storytelling and neurodivergence for 1 week to help frame 4 work streams / bids with international reach / impact | ICE |
Genevieve Breau | Developing a co-produced video to promote bowel cancer screening among adults with learning disabilities The aim is to co-produce a video regarding bowel cancer screening among adults with learning disabilities. This idea was proposed by a group of self-advocates with learning disabilities with a local service provider group (Bexley Mencap) that I am collaborating with as part of a REF case study. | ILD |
Hamid Salehi | Investigating the Effect of Powder Temperature on Surface Roughness in Additive Manufacturing This project aims to investigate the impact of both powder and build plate temperatures on surface roughness in additive manufacturing (AM). Partnering with the University of Salerno, utilizing their high-temperature testing facilities, we aim to enhance understanding of this critical aspect. The grant will be used for research travel. | FES |
Harry Farmer | Investigating how depersonalisation/derealisation affects empathy for pain. This grant will be used to purchase physiological recording equipment, vouchers for participant payment and a part time research assistant to conduct research testing the impact that the experience of depersonalisation has on people’s empathy for others ask measured via skin conductance response to observing painful stimuli. | ILD |
Isabella Qing Ye | Exploring air travel pre-clearance experiences – a multi-stakeholder approach Career development of two GBS ECRs in establishing stakeholder relationships, towards producing high-quality REF-able research outputs and impact case studies. Funding will support the planning and delivery of key project activities as outlined below, with an eye on serving as the seed funding for further collaboration towards external grant application. | GBS |
Jane Dunlop | Crowds, Choruses, Composites The grant will support the initial research, international partnership development and public presentation for the multimodal research project ‘Crowds, Choruses, Composites’. This includes travel to the immersive arts centre SPEKTRUM (Luxembourg), initial research and creation, and a public event with SPEKTRUM head curator to present the project and initial artwork. | ICE |
Jiawei Li | The role of artefacts in socio-cultural sustainability – An investigation of perceptions from artists and artefact SMEs The grant will be used to support data collection for a mixed-methods project, including: 1. Costs for research activities, such as observations, focus groups, interviews, workshops, and surveys. 2. Travel expenses to various locations in the UK, covering public transportation and accommodation. 3. Catering costs for research dissemination seminar. | GBS |
Jingxi Huang | Empowering Women on Their Menopause Journey: The Role of Telehealth Services in Overcoming Psychological Reactance The grant will be used to conduct four in-person focus groups in different locations in the UK (including Greenwich, Exeter and Lancaster) in June 2024. This grant will be used to provide participant incentives, refreshments during focus groups, research assistant recruitment, travel to focus groups (rail fares), and the cost of transcribing focus groups. | GBS |
Jingxi Huang | Emerging Self-employed Craftsman Entrepreneurs in Jingdezhen, China: Identities, Challenges and Career Trajectories The ECA pilot project fund will facilitate fieldwork (5 days, Jingxi Huang and another researcher to be confirmed) in Jingdezhen, China, in June 2024. The grant will be used to cover the costs of recruiting a research assistant, the research trip, data collection (interviews, participant incentives), and transcription. | GBS |
Katie James | Investigating the Combined Effects of Biopesticides and Pesticides on Hoverfly Reproduction and Larval Mortality under Climate Change Scenarios This project seeks to examine the combined impacts of temperature and humidity variations, representing different climate change scenarios, on hoverfly mortality, growth, and longevity. By assessing the potential synergistic effects of biopesticides/ pesticides under varying environmental conditions we investigate the lethal/ sublethal effects of biopesticides and pesticides on hoverfly larvae. | FES/ NRI |
Makuochi Nkwo | Towards a human-centric trustworthy AI design framework Developing robust recommendations for designing and evaluating trustworthy AI systems that are human-centric and addresses the machine-based challenges (technical issues), while promoting the adoption of ethical principles of trust, accountability, inclusion, and sustainability by design. | FES |
Manuela Carnaghi | Trematode identification for Schistosoma prevalence study in wild snails in Benin This project will establish whether field-collected snails from Benin are infected with the trematode that causes human Schistosomiasis. By adding vector/parasite associations to our study on biological control of these snail we will expand the impact and scientific value of our work, thus maximising the outputs toward a 3/4* publication. | FES/ NRI |
Mikhell Hector | An investigation into the use of Finger-marks for proteomic profiling and time since deposition studies To provide a baseline of research involving the use of proteomic workflows for human identification from finger-marks and time since deposition (TsD) estimation. To evidence the usefulness of forensic proteomic analysis. | FES |
Neil Tanday | Developing Novel Beta-cell senolytics for targeted diabetes therapy Funds will be used to generate preliminary data that will support larger grant applications (Diabetes UK RD Lawrence Fellowship), to develop myself as an independent researcher. Funds will go towards consumables to generate hybrid compounds to study and research pancreatic islet beta-cell aging in vitro and novel therapies against this. | FES/ MSP |
Oindrila Dutta | Crafting tomorrow's leaders: Enhancing university students’ employability through an internship programme for connectedness, autonomy and competence I intend to use the funding to hire a Postgraduate Research and Teaching Assistant (PGRTA) who will support qualitative data collection, analysis, and report writing, as well as to cover the costs associated with conference travel where the research findings will be disseminated. | ILD |
Rami Shamseen | Understanding the impact of the built environment on quality of life: A case study on Sheffield Funding would allow piloting a questionnaire to 300 residents in Sheffield regarding how they perceive the impact of the built environment on their quality of life. The questionnaire will be distributed via Qualtrics. | GBS |
Sadaf Ashraf | Reprogramming of sympathetic neurons and the persistance of chronic inflammatory pain Purchase consumables to assess the impact of pain-mediators and pro-inflammatory factors on reprogramming of pain-sensing neurons, a hallmark of chronic painful conditions (arthritis). | FES/ MSP |
Tamin Chalati | Metal organic framework nanoparticles synthesis optimisation using microwave. To purchase CEM MARS 5 microwave to prepare metal organic framework nanoparticles (MOF-NP). The instrument will be used in collaboration with Dr Juliano Katrib from the School of Engineering to study the nanoparticles synthesis optimisation. Moreover, the instrument will be used to prepare MOF-NP for my projects in drug delivery, including supporting current PhD research projects. | FES |
Tiffeny James | Neighbourhood engagement for people living with dementia in care homes. This grant will support the development of a future funding bid to the NIHR. It will fund visits to 4 care homes in England to: 1) identify best practice to inform an academic paper, and 2) support patient and public involvement and knowledge exchange activities for the future funding application. | ILD |
Titilayo Oshodi | Exploration of attitudes of nursing students towards Statistics: A Case Study To conduct a Case Study exploring the attitudes of nursing students towards Statistics and how best to deliver statistical information to nursing students, using a Case Study. This Case Study aligns with KEF3 Perspective of ‘working with Business’ and ‘working with the public’ which will involve consultation with the NHS, schools and colleges. | ILD |
Vahid Baeghbali | Dry concentration of buckwheat protein as a novel functional food ingredient This study aims to develop a sustainable process to produce buckwheat protein concentrate as a functional gluten-free ingredient using the dry fractionation method. The grant will be used to cover the cost of consumables, small laboratory equipment (related to the project), and staff time. | FES/ NRI |
Yanga Wu | Mapping the key challenges and opportunities in mini-grid investment in refugee camps To organize workshops and seminars in Oxford and Greenwich, aiming to foster collaboration among researchers and stakeholders. Hire research assistant for interview and coding when possible. | GBS |
Zohre Mohammadi | A Food-Centric Approach to Accessible Tourism The grant will fund research on enhancing A Food-Centric Approach to Accessible Tourism using secondary data from online social platforms. It will cover expenses for data collection by 2 research assistants. The project aims to inform industry practices and contribute to societal inclusivity in tourism experiences. | GBS |
