Network
The BERA Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network aims to offer support to those who are in the process of completing their masters or doctorate in education, as well as those who have completed their studies within the past 5 years, or longer if including a career break. It seeks to meet the needs of not only those who are pursuing studies and/or careers as researchers within Higher Education, but also those who are practitioners seeking to undertake research to support their development.
The principal objectives of the ECR Network are to provide opportunities for early career researchers (ECRs) to engage with their peers to develop their knowledge and skills; to network and collaborate; and to be connected with BERA and the broader academic community within education. The ECR Network accomplishes this in a number of ways, from targeted correspondence with ECRs – including its termly newsletters, routine features within Research Intelligence, and a dedicated Twitter account (@BERA_ECRNetwork) – to events designed specifically to meet the needs of this community, such as the Network’s annual symposia series and ECR Conference.
The ECR Network also provides bursaries to enable ECRs to access developmental opportunities – such as the Career Development Scheme – as well as offering awards to recognise high quality work that is undertaken within the wider research community, including the Undergraduate Award, Masters Dissertation Award and Doctoral Thesis Award.
Director of Research & Director of Impact and Innovation at University of St Andrews
Sin Wang (Ph.D., SFHEA, FRSA) is Director of Research and Director of Impact and Innovation at the International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute, University of St Andrews. Concurrently, he is Honorary Research Professor, Head of...
Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast
Leanne Henderson is a lecturer in education studies in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast. Her research centres on young people’s educational trajectories and transitions. She was...
ESRC-funded doctoral student at University of Nottingham
Brittany Wright is the Early Career Researcher Network Regional Rep for the Midlands. Brittany Wright is an ESRC-funded doctoral student in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham. Her research explores women’s experiences of...
Lecturer in Education at University of Cumbria
Rebekah Ackroyd is the Early Career Researcher Network Regional Rep for the North of England. Rebekah is a lecturer in education at the University of Cumbria working on postgraduate provision. Her PhD research examined how teachers of Religious...
Lecturer in Education Studies at University College London
Yan is the ECR Regional Rep for the South East. Yan is a Lecturer in Education Studies at University College London. Yan was a Teaching Fellow in Childhood Studies and Programme Leader for MA Childhood Studies at the University of Leeds after she...
Lecturer in Teacher Education at University of Dundee
Lisa is the ECR Network Regional Representative for Scotland Lisa is a lecturer and ECR in Teacher Education at the University of Dundee. She was awarded her doctorate from the University of Cumbria in 2021, which is focused on the importance of...
Lecturer in Education at Ulster University
Nicola is the regional rep for Northern Ireland. Nicola is a lecturer in Education and course director of the PGCE English with Drama and Media Studies programme at Ulster University. Her research interests include writing pedagogy and how...
On this 2nd ECR Annual Conference we continued to celebrate the ECR journeys and welcomed educational researchers and practitioners to join us in Leeds. This year’s conference was anchored on...
This ECR Conference celebrated the journey of “becoming” an educational researcher. It was an opportunity to celebrate and disseminate small and big successes in ECRs’ journey from research...
This podcast series is for Early Career Researchers by Early Career Researchers. Listen for advice on academic publishing, reviewing, navigating ethics, practical research and more.
The Early Career Researcher Network Career Development Fellowship is a flexible package of benefits intended to support ECRs in the first three years following completion of their doctorate,...
The BERA Undergraduate award celebrates recent graduates who have demonstrated excellence while completing their undergraduate degree in a field related to educational research. When naming the...
Call for abstracts: Submission deadline: 10 February 2025. This vibrant forum will provide doctoral students and early career researchers with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the...
Every year BERA recognises academic excellence and rigour in research by a Master of Education student. This underscores BERA’s commitment to championing educational research, and celebrating...
Every year BERA recognises academic excellence and rigour in research by a Doctoral student. This underscores BERA’s commitment to championing educational research, and celebrating and recognise...
Developing your researcher profile and skillset is essential as you go through the early part of your research journey, whether you are doctoral student, practitioner researcher or postdoc or...
Who is it for? The ECR Network’s symposia series is targeted at early career researchers (ECRs) – be they current Masters or Doctoral students or those in the early post-doctoral phase....
This BERA ECR Network’s coffee hour will give you the opportunity to find out more about the ECR Network and its activities as well as get to know a little more about the team behind it. There...
Holding a position of responsibility in a field within which the researcher is researching can pose challenges in terms of remaining true to professional values while maintaining research...
Continue reading blog postWe are recruiting a convenor to help co-ordinate, oversee and develop the mission and activities of the BERA Early Career Researcher Network