A committee with responsibility for working environment, professional and personal development of early career researchers

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To improve the culture, communications and departmental organisation we set up the Hub Committee. The Hub Committee is made up of and represents research staff and PhD students in the school and is centred on the working environment (a large open plan office) and was open all Research staff and PhD students. The inception of the Hub Committee was proposed and driven by a member of the department management team. The committee meets every two weeks to discuss a range of environment, personal development and social related activities. The committee has held regular ‘brown bag’ seminars, covering topics such as: careers, doing presentations, ‘speed dating’ (where staff and students get to know each other using a speed dating format) and regular social events – for example, ‘international lunches’ and ‘cake sales’ where staff and students can bring in food to share with colleagues. The Hub Committee chair has had meetings with senior management in the school to discuss the role of the committee. There is also representation on the committee of the chair of the University’s research staff association.

The committee produces minutes and feeds into the broader school structure via school staff meetings, meetings with the senior management team and informal networking with colleagues in the school. The purpose of the committee is to encourage better information flow across all members of the school and to support initiatives that develop an inclusive working environment.