Listening & Supporting Dementia Researchers

Dementia Researcher

In this episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast, we discuss the challenges and support needs of early career dementia researchers (ECRs) across Europe. Our discussion centres on a recent study titled Supporting Early Career Dementia Researchers: Identifying Support Needs and Ways Forward via a European Study. The study sheds light on the unique difficulties faced by ECRs and offers practical recommendations to enhance professional journeys. -- Speakers: 🔹Adam Smith: Programme Director for Dementia Researcher and today's guest host. 🔹Dr Charlèss Dupont: A postdoctoral researcher at Freie University in Brussels with a background in nursing and communication. Charlès's work primarily focuses on communication and palliative care in dementia. 🔹Dr Pascale Heins: With a background in occupational therapy, Dr. Heins works at Maastricht University, where her research explores ways to support social life in people with dementia. 🔹Dr Sara Laureen Bartles: A postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and Maastricht University, Sarah's research spans chronic conditions management, including dementia. -- Key Takeaways: 🔹Funding and Career Support: The study identifies a significant need for better financial support mechanisms, particularly in the transition from PhD to postdoctoral roles. 🔹Work-Life Balance: The pressures of academia often lead to an unhealthy work-life balance, with expectations set by supervisors. The study calls for more proactive support from institutions. 🔹Mentoring and Training: The importance of mentoring and training, both within academia and for careers outside of it, is emphasised as a way to better prepare researchers for diverse career paths. 🔹Dissemination: There is a need for improved dissemination strategies, ensuring that research findings reach a broader audience, including those directly affected by dementia. Tune-in as we explore these critical issues and discuss actionable solutions to support the current and next generation of dementia researchers. -- Essential links / resources mentioned in the show: Supporting early-career dementia researchers: Identifying support needs and ways forward via a European study - https://bit.ly/3WN1yju How are early-career dementia researchers considered and supported on a national level by dementia plans and organizations? An overview of global policy approaches - https://bit.ly/3YMxrLq ISTAART and University College London survey turns a spotlight on early career researcher life and challenges - https://bit.ly/4dMmoWK Join ISTAART - istaart.alz.org Pascal's PhD Defence - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDjURgVH6YM -- Full biographies on all our guests and a transcript can be found on our website: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk -- Like what you see? Please review, like, and share our podcast - and don't forget to subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode – and if you prefer to listen rather than listen, you’ll find an audio version of this podcast with a transcript on our website. -- This podcast is brought to you by University College London / UCLH NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in association with Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia who we thank for their ongoing support. -- Follow us on social media: http://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/ http://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/ http://twitter.com/demrescommunity http://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social