Postdoc Academy Podcasts University of Cambridge Postdoc Academy

We talk to two postdocs who recently joined the University about their experiences and advice on being new to Cambridge and making the transition from PhD to postdoc.

Jenny is joined by Nandini Karthik and Ahsen Ustaoglu from the Department of Oncology.

You can also hear Ahsen on her own podcast, Coffee Break Science.

This episode is part of a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to Graeme Ross about understanding visas and UK immigration.

We talk about:


the pros and cons of Skilled Worker and Global Talent visas
the different application routes for each
applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and dependant visas
and the advice, practical help and financial support that postdocs can access.

University of Cambridge postdocs can find the guidance Graeme mentions here, contact his team on complianceteam@admin.cam.ac.uk, and sign up for Graeme's termly information sessions on the Postdoc Calendar.

This episode is part of a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to Selen Etingu about public engagement with research.

We talk about how to choose an activity that suits your project, what researchers can gain from public engagement, and what skills they need to do it.

University of Cambridge postdocs can find training, funding, and advice for public engagement activities here.

This episode is part of a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to Veronica Phillips, Assistant Librarian at the Medical Library, about writing for publication in STEMM disciplines.

We talk about how to choose where to try and publish your research, tips for getting your writing done, and what to expect from the peer review process and working with co-authors.

University of Cambridge postdocs can find the Cambridge University Libraries training courses here.

This episode is the first in a short series where we’re getting bitesize nuggets of advice from people around the university who offer training and support to postdocs. Jenny speaks to communications coach, Paula Rosen, about public speaking and presentation.

We talk about strategies for difficult conversations and job interviews, ways to feel comfortable giving an engaging presentation, and how to channel your inner blowfish.

University of Cambridge postdocs can sign up for a 1:1 coaching session with Paula here.

Part two of a catch-up with the first cohort of Postdoc Academy Fellows. In this episode, Jenny is joined by three incredible individuals who, since completing their Fellowships in 2019, have developed successful careers in academia. We discuss the challenges and rewards of pursuing this path.

Our guests are:


Pietro Sormanni - Principal Investigator, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge
Chris Proctor - Associate Professor in Bioelectronics, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford
Paulo Amaral - Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at Insper, and Researcher at the Albert Einstein Medical Institute in Sao Paulo

With huge thanks to Pietro, Chris and Paulo for this inspiring conversation!

Find out more about the Postdoc Academy's Fellowships