FORGING FUTURES SCHEME

This funding aims to support and develop a cohort of researchers by enabling them to explore the opportunities available to them in academia and industry and equipping them with the tools to work effectively between the two.

Outline of Scheme

SULSA has awarded 27 researchers from across our 11 member universities to participate in this scheme in early 2022. The main outcomes of this scheme, will be reported here as and when they occur. 

SULSA, in collaboration with Interface, created the Forging Futures scheme to support and develop a cohort of researchers by enabling them to explore the opportunities available to them in academia and industry and equipping them with the tools to work effectively between the two. 

The scheme has the added benefit of; enhancing the translation of research, catalysing cross-fertilisation across universities, building the confidence of researchers in collaborating across academic disciplines and industry sectors, increasing funding options for our researchers, and supporting their career progression.

This scheme includes:

  • A 6-week modular course with Skillfluence on how to engage effectively with industry (see drop-down below for more information)
  • Group coaching sessions with MyFuturePlan to help them on their career path (see drop-down below for more information)
  • Access to industry case studies and connections with industry through Interface
  • £500 toward professional development training

Our selected researchers will become SULSA Ambassadors for Industry Engagement within their institution. With this comes an expectation that they will pay it forward and work within their cohort to share the knowledge and insight they have learnt with their research community.

Forging Futures Webinar

A webinar detailing this scheme and its benefits took place on Tuesday 7th September with a talk from Tony Bradshaw (MyFuturePlan), Alison Gray (Skillfluence) and Siobhán Jordan (Interface).

Industry Ambassador Blogs

Check out our Industry Ambassador’s blogs about the Forging Futures Scheme over at SULSA Blogs

Apply for Round Two

Applications for round two of this scheme will open in August 2023. 

meet our postdoc industry ambassadors

Priscila Barbosa

Priscila Barbosa

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Robert Gordon University

p.barbosa1@rgu.ac.uk

Research Interest: Biochemistry / Molecular Biology

Natalia Cattelan

Natalia Cattelan

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Aberdeen

natalia.cattelan@abdn.ac.uk

Research Interest: Microbiology / Antibody Engineering

Gabriela Bezerra de Melo Daly

Gabriela Bezerra de Melo Daly

Visiting Scholar at University of St Andrews

gbdmd@st-andrews.ac.uk
www.gabrieladaly.com

Research Interest: Primate Anthrozoology | Human-Ape Socialization & Communication

Emily Dickie

Emily Dickie

Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Dundee

EDickie001@dundee.ac.uk
MRC PPU Bio | ResearchGate

Research Interest: Parkinson’s Disease biomarker discovery, in collaboration with industry

Ross Eaglesfield

Ross Eaglesfield

Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Glasgow

ross.eaglesfield@glasgow.ac.uk

Research Interest: Mitochondrial biogenesis and ROS generation

Fern Findlay-Greene

Fern Findlay-Greene

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Edinburgh Napier University

f.findlay-greene@napier.ac.uk

Research Interest: Immunology and Crohn’s disease

Laura Glendinning

Laura Glendinning

Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Edinburgh

laura.glendinning@roslin.ed.ac.uk

Research Interest: the microbiota of livestock animals

Sophie Holland

Sophie Holland

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University

s.holland@hw.ac.uk

Research Interest: environmental microbiology & acoustofluidics of marine microplastics

Rebecca McHugh

Rebecca McHugh

Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Glasgow

rebecca.mchugh@glasgow.ac.uk

Research Interest: Microbiology

Bettina Mihalas

Bettina Mihalas

Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Edinburgh

bmihalas@ed.ac.uk

Research Interest: Cell cycle and Reproductive science

Ronnie Mooney

Ronnie Mooney

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of the West of Scotland

ronnie.mooney@uws.ac.uk

Research Interest: Parasitology, microbiology, antimicrobial resistance

Boatemaa Ofori-Frimpong

Boatemaa Ofori-Frimpong

Postdoctoral Researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University

Boatemaa.oforifrimpong@gcu.ac.uk
GCU Staff Page

Research Interest: The GCU Tissue bank and Mesoscopic deep imaging of human tissue

Kiri Rodgers

Kiri Rodgers

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of the West of Scotland

kiri.rodgers@uws.ac.uk

Research Interest: anthropogenic impact on antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

Liam Rooney

Liam Rooney

Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Strathclyde

liam.rooney@strath.ac.uk

Research Interest: Microbiology and Biological Imaging

Stuart Woods

Stuart Woods

Lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of the West of Scotland

stuart.woods@uws.ac.uk

Research Interest: improving dosing and delivery of antimicrobials using NISV platform technology

meet our phd industry ambassadors

Liam Butler

Liam Butler

PhD Student at University of Strathclyde

l.butler@strath.ac.uk

Research Interest: The S-acylation of proteins in cellular pathways

Bill Carton

Bill Carton

PhD Student at University of Dundee

b.carton@dundee.ac.uk

Research Interest: Neurodegenerative disease

Lorenzo Croce

Lorenzo Croce

PhD Student at University of Aberdeen

l.croce.21@abdn.ac.uk

Research Interest: Neuroscience / Neuropharmacology

Josephine Giard

Josephine Giard

PhD Student at Heriot-Watt University

jmg2001@hw.ac.uk

Research Interest: Metagenomics, genome mining, discovery of natural products

James Gray

James Gray

PhD Student at University of St Andrews

jag33@st-andrews.ac.uk

Research Interest: Ghrelin-based therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Cian Greene

Cian Greene

PhD Student at University of the West of Scotland

Cian.Greene@uws.ac.uk

Research Interest: Shrimp health in aquaculture

Lisa Ivatt

Lisa Ivatt

PhD Student at University of Edinburgh

lisaivatt97@gmail.com

Research Interest: Cardiovascular Science

Chloe Jones

Chloe Jones

PhD Student at University of St Andrews

cej9@st-andrews.ac.uk

Research Interest: Innate immune response to viral infection

Sarah Kamli-Salino

Sarah Kamli-Salino

PhD Student at University of Aberdeen

s.kamli-salino.19@abdn.ac.uk

Research Interest: Medical sciences, diabetes and chronic kidney disease

Elmira Mohit

Elmira Mohit

PhD Student at University of Strathclyde

elmira.mohit@strath.ac.uk

Research Interest: Antimicrobial Resistance

Teodora Stoyanova

Teodora Stoyanova

PhD Student at Robert Gordon University

t.stoyanova@rgu.ac.uk

Research Interest: Cell and molecular biology

Lindsay Williams

Lindsay Williams

PhD Student at University of Edinburgh

Lindsay.Williams@ed.ac.uk

Research Interest: Plant immunity and biotechnology