The WMG Researcher Forum was set up by Principal Research Fellow, Vannessa Goodship in 2011 to encourage research staff to take charge of developing their own capabilities to become world-class researchers. As a first stage, the Forum aimed to concentrate on network development, increasing communication between researchers and developing high impact research skills such as paper writing. Further grants have been awarded to continue to support researcher development activities and WMG has also committed to support the forum longer term.

This is also used as a forum to provide support to female researchers by communicating opportunities available to them and how to pursue them.

The Researcher Forum now has regular informal breakfast meetings including updates on events at WMG and the wider University, and presentations from a wide range of speakers including researchers, PhD students and support staff.

The Forum is now co-ordinated by a team of research staff including Dr Sumit Hazra and Dr Beth Middleton, with the opportunity open to other members of the research team as a development opportunity.

Helena Simmonds, Lead Engineer, WMG Automotive Composites Research Centre:

" The researcher breakfast is a great opportunity to have contact with other researchers within the department. It allows me to understand the research beyond my own, and I regularly learn something completely new. This forum enables me to build my internal network at WMG."

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