Odette Dewhurst
Dr Odette Dewhurst PhD BSc
Senior Research Training and Development Officer. Tel: 0113 343 6883
Email: l.o.dewhurst@adm.leeds.ac.uk. Parkinson Building 1.35
Role at Leeds
Odette works in the area of research and academic staff development across the University of Leeds. Her main area of expertise is research funding and she runs a number of bespoke programmes across the University, supporting researchers applying for grants and fellowships from UK funding bodies. In addition to research funding, Odette is the programme manager for a range of programmes for research and academic staff on areas including leadership for research staff, writing research for publication and support for those new to the role of Principal Investigator.
Odette also has responsibility for running the biennial Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) and is the Research Councils UK contact for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (www.researchconcordat.ac.uk)
Background
Following completion of her PhD, Odette undertook two post-doctoral posts, one in Cardiff and one here at the University of Leeds, both in the field of cancer cell biology. During her time in research, Odette published five research papers and a book chapter in addition to supervising undergraduate student research projects.
After leaving research, Odette worked in the field of e-learning as both a learning technologist and an e-moderator, before moving into the area of researcher training and development in 2005.
National Profile
Odette represents the University externally in her role as Chair of Vitae’s Research Staff Development Advisory Group (ReSDAG) which provides expertise around research staff issues and informs the strategy and practice of the Vitae programme. Building on the work of the UKHERD Taskforce, it ensures that issues relating to research staff are placed at the centre of Vitae's mission and activities. http://vitae.ac.uk/resdag
Odette also represents the University as member of the Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) Steering Group and is a member of the advisory board for “Overview” which is the Vitae quarterly publication for supervisors and principal investigators.
Qualifications
BSc: Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Sheffield
PhD: Pharmacological Manipulation of In Vitro Melanoma Cell Invasion, University of Sheffield
Myers Briggs Type Indicator Step 1 Practitioner
Postgraduate qualification in the Application of Learning Technologies, University of East London
Awards
Some of her bespoke programmes were recently “Highly Commended” at the first Staff Development Impact Awards 2009 (http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/membership/sdcs/sdc2009/awards/)
Selected Invited Workshops and Presentations
Dewhurst, LO [2011] "Issues Facing Research Staff" invited keynote, Research Symposium, Queen's University Belfast, January
Dewhurst, LO: [2010] "Planning Your Research Career" invited presentation, CCHD Retreat, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Dewhurst, LO: [2010] "Career Development Choices for Bio-medical PhD Candidates in the UK" invited presentation, Comprehensive PhD Programs in Biomedical Sciences: steps towards better training and higher scientific performances of young researchers conference, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Dewhurst, LO: [2010] “Issues Facing Research Staff” invited keynote, Post-doc Symposium Queen’s University Belfast, February.
Dewhurst, LO: [2009] “CROS: What the Statistics Say” invited presentation, Vitae Yorkshire & North East Hub regional event Sheffield, November
Dewhurst, LO & Denney, F: [2008] “So, you’re new to developing postdoctoral researchers…” workshop, Vitae National Conference London, September.
Dewhurst, LO & Baxter J: [2006] “Sharing Good Practice” workshop, UKHERD National Conference London, September
Dewhurst, LO: [2006] “How balloons, playing cards and buckets really DO help PhD researchers develop their transferable skills” workshop, UK GRAD National Conference London, September