On Being an ECR

What does it mean to be an Early Career Researcher? A new podcast episode, plus the Music Highlight

Photo by Kvalifik on Unsplash

Last week, we were discussing what an ECR (Early Career Researcher) is in Are you an ECR? In the poll that I created, the three people who voted (thank you!) were split in three equal groups. One said it is someone who has finished their PhD, one said towards the end of their PhD and the last one said they were uncertain.

So, what is it?

I did a lot of reading and the lines are a bit blurred. In some places, it said that it is people who have finished their PhD and in the first years of working in academia. Most of the resources I read though included PhD studnets in the ECR category.

Taylor Brooks, a reader of the Substack and also one of my top commenters - which I really appreciate - sent me this article which I found very very interesting: Early Career Researchers by the UKRI (UK Research & Innovation). It is talking about funding and support for ECRs, and what I found in this article was the most enlightening of anything I had read thus far. What I really liked and found fascinating is what it says about dividing ECRs in three distinct categories - it says (highlighting my own):

Our support for early career researchers (ECRs) is structured around three distinct ECR stages:

• doctoral

• immediately post doctorate

• transition to independent researcher.

What I love about it is that it includes us in all the phases of our PhD - while we are doing it; as soon as we finish; and in the first years of researching independently. What this organisations does, and I am sure a lot do this too, is that it builds a community of experienced and less experienced PhDs who can benefit from each other!

What do you think?

Thank you so much, Taylor!

Linguistics Now - New Podcast Episode!

I am back to podcasting after a long hiatus due to some family issues which have thankfully been resolved.

Episode 3 of Linguistics Now podcast is here! My amazing guest is Matthew John Hadodo, PhD. We discuss minoritised languages, his family and their languages, being a heritage speaker and so much more. You will also hear the occasional sprinkle of Greek words between us!

Listen on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

The Music Highlight

My big sister Eugenia (and top commenter on this Substack!) was listening to this yesterday and she WhatsApped (is this even a verb? Hahah!) it to me!

So this is from Eugenia and me, for all of you! Our fellow Canadian, Bryan Adams! (I’ll tell you a story about how my dad met Bryan Adams another time - and I WILL connect it to doing a PhD : )