Hi all
Long introductory email but forgive me.
Just to let you all know that I have taken over as YNiC engagement coordinator. This role is designed to identify ways of improving the experience of researchers using YNiC. Alongside this ongoing goal (that will need input from everyone) I am putting together a programme of weekly events that aim to build [1] community within and across research experience, [2] increase both internal and external collaboration and [3] facilitate peer and professional user support from conception to publication.
While all that sounds lofty and ambitious - because we are still a relatively small neuroimaging community at York - what I am really hoping to achieve is to reach a state of community that is "matey" and welcoming without slipping into cliquey!
To that end I propose to brand Tuesdays "*Tues YNiC*" days. [image: image.png] *When: Tuesdays ~1-2pm *(but we encourage as many researchers to work at YNiC as long as you can on Tuesdays) *What's planned? *Different events each week that fall into the following categories.
1. Work in Progress (WIP; 1-2 per term) - Any researchers (although we will prioritise ECRs) will be invited to give an informal talk on their current neuroimaging projects. 2. New Project Pitch (NPP; 1 per term) - Any researcher will be welcome/encouraged to pitch their neuroimaging projects to a friendly audience at the planning stage. This is not compulsory for new projects but we hope will be valuable. 3. Internal seminars (IS; ~2 per term) - To encourage attendance of talks outside our immediate field and promote community, I propose we pitch these at a graduate summer school level, asking speakers to convince the audience why they should care about this research and how it affects them - either at a methods, theory or functional level. 4. External seminars (ES; ~2 per term) - To encourage volunteers for internal seminars anyone who has given a talk will be given the opportunity to invite an external speaker to ynic the following year. In the interests of promoting external collaborations, we would like guests to be invited who you think have a strong likelihood of contributing in some way to future work at ynic either for yourself or, even better, for other colleagues in the department. 5. Journal Clubs (COGs; ~2 per term) - Informal discussion on wide interest, high impact papers. Volunteers needed. 6. ECR research skills (RS; 1 per term) - ECRs will be invited to request an informal workshop/panel Q&A from faculty or the YNiC team to support neuroimaging skills. I appreciate this requires planning and negotiation so will not be sprung on any member of staff. Further there is no expectation that the request is always met. 7. Special Seminars (SS; 1 per term) - YNiC staff will be invited to present on a variety of topics close to their hearts such as Open Science, Diversity or the new toys/analysis techniques we should know about. 8. Town hall (TH; 1 per term) - Likely linked to another event, this will be an open forum to share what is working and what is not working to better support each other, the community and the centre. 9. Hack-a-thons (+ analysis clinic; 1 per term) - If you have data you have left of the back burner then this is meant to be a fun, supportive few hours where we prioritise the fun parts of science. 10. Writing clubs (1 per term) - Similarly, in the quieter weeks we could also use the space as a mini writing retreat, lunching informally together at the Link. 11. Summer/Winter socials (1 per term) - Yet to be worked out but a lunch time meet up at one of the campus cafes, or a picnic to celebrate the end of term.
Other events are being considered and suggestions on the above will be welcomed.
To promote attendance I will work to ensure that these events are properly advertised and easily findable on our webpages, internally and externally. However, as the title suggests - YNiC needs you - the centre, and our work is stronger when our community is closer. Therefore please, despite our busy work days, and the 10 minute walk, let's try to prioritise spending time in the special community that we are so lucky to have available to us.
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Finally, while this mailing list is likely up to date, our webpages https://www.york.ac.uk/psychology/research/york-neuroimaging-centre/people/ are not. I will be in touch again to deal with this.
Best wishes, MaryAnn
