# ECR Rep Committee Meeting Notes - AIM RSF

These are rolling notes for our committee meetings.

For further information about ECR community development and training, please contact **Dr Emma Karoune** at [e-mail] or the RSF at [e-mail]

**Privacy statement**
In line with [The Alan Turing Institute's Privacy Policy](https://www.turing.ac.uk/privacy-policy), this HackMD will be made available in a private GitHub repository for the use of the AIM research consortia and research groups only.

## Schedule for meeting facilitator
*Dates may change due to need for less meetings. But, do let Emma know if you can't make the meeting date below where you are facilitating and we can swap you with someone.*
* 28 Feb 2024 - Asra Aslam
* 27 March 2024 - Sami Adnan
* 24 April 2024 - Emilia Holland
* 22 May 2024 - Rafael Henkin
* 26 June 2024 - Ellie Harvey
* 24 July 2024 - Guillermo Romero Moreno
* 28 August 2024 - Cancelled
* 25 September 2024 - Muhammad Usman
* 23 October - Lucy Smith - cancelled due to ECR day on 24th Oct
* 27 November 2024 - Emma K
* ~~11 December 2024 - Lucy Smith~~ (cancelled)

## Facilitator responsibilities
* Welcome everyone as they come into the zoom meeting and share the link to the notes in the chat
* Get all attendees to write their name in the roll call section and answer the icebreaker question:
* You can choose the icebreaker question by looking at some of these links - https://www.parabol.co/resources/icebreaker-questions/, https://teambuilding.com/blog/icebreaker-questions
* Start the meeting at a few minutes past the hour.
* Tell everyone what the agenda is.
* Start the discussion about the first agenda point and move on to the next ones when needed.
* If something has to be decided - ask attendees to vote by raising hands or other method of voting.
* Try to move on the discussions to other agenda points if we are running out of time so that we have covered everything - sometimes it is not possible to cover all the points and thats ok!
* After all agenda points have been covered, ask if there is any other business (AOB).
* Go over any action points that have been decided.
* Thank everyone for coming and tell everyone when the next meeting is.

-----

## MEETING NOTES TEMPLATE

## Next meeting - 27 November 2024
- :round_pushpin: Join Zoom Meeting - (https://turing-uk.zoom.us/j/96904204486?pwd=MWpyMzYvTXJ1T25ISFJHT1ArUysyQT09)

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Guillermo
* Asra Aslam
* Lucy Smith
*

### Agenda

* Plan for ECR meetings
* November - Asra
* December - Lucy Smith
* January - Duncan
* February -
* March - Maurice

We have two other possible speaker.
- What else do you want to prioritise in the other two 2025 meetings?

* possible meeting themes
* Sharing is caring - Asra
* ECR talks
* Conference workshop themes
* Working together to address the challenges in AI for MLTC
* **How can we mobilise knowledge that has been generated by AIM? - this could link with sharing/caring idea?**
* What are the strategies & good practices for engaging and sustaining patient communities?
* How can we champion early career researchers in MLTC research?
* What technical support is needed for the next stage of translation/impact?
* Who do we need to engage to ensure broad collaboration for translating research?
* How would we move towards system thinking and transdisciplinary research in MLTC?

* Decisions about how we want connect after the end of March 2025 - AIM RSF.
*

* AOB

### Notes
- We have 2 lunchtime sessions booked for the new year (Duncan John Reynolds and Maurice O'connell)
- topic for ECR lunch discussion
- G & AA - mobilising knowledge topic.
- patients comms and co-production.
- Emma, maybe we can plan Feb ECR lunchtime session around mobilising knowledge, where we also discuss co-production.

* keeping ECR network
* Slack workspace for ECRs - LS
* Linkedin group - G - on positive side,
* most people have a Linkedin
* you can see what everyone is doing and where they are
* no problem with changing emails, access etc.
* Asra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asra-aslam-phd-501a4261/
* Emma: Bluesky is another platform - https://bsky.app/
* google groups - mailing group.
* JISC - https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/mailinglists/a-z/index.html

Extra idea:
- AA - 1 day workshop about writing proposals and have judge. In-person.

### Actions

---
## Meeting archive

## :date: ~~23 October 2024~~ meeting cancelled
## :date: 25 September 2024
- :round_pushpin: Temporary zoom link
- Join Zoom Meeting
https://turing-uk.zoom.us/j/96904204486?pwd=MWpyMzYvTXJ1T25ISFJHT1ArUysyQT09

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Emma Karoune
* Batool Almarzouq
* Asra Aslam
* Lucy Smith
* Guillermo Romero Moreno
* Rafael Henkin
* Ellie Harvey
*
*
*
*

### Icebreaker question
How has your September back to work/new academic year been? Any exciting plans?
* With energy after the holidays :)
* It was tiring due to 5-year-old holidays, feeling better on school openings but catching up with lots of work :-)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

### Agenda
* Reflections from AIM conference
* Any help needed for ECR day in October?
* ECR activities for next 6 months
* Sustaining the network - how to do this?

### Notes

- Feedback from AIM Conference
- Lucy: it was the 1st conference she attends, the format is good & interactive. DECODE work is wonderful. There were many important messages. We would love if there are a session about best practices between RCs.
- Ellie: We brought some of our PPI members along to the conference, and it definitely highlighted to us, like, even within DECODE, where we have a learning disability nurse and a speech and language therapist.
- Rafeal: catering was good,
- It will be nice to have a talk presented by ECR who benefited from sharing their work, suggested by Asra. What are Advantages of Sharing and Disadvantages of Not-Sharing. Few graphs will be helpful. Suggestion on looking at existing papers like that.

ECR day - 25 in person and 5 online
- Accommodation is finalised
- help needed?
- One of the PPI contributors has signed up.
- We will follow up with all partcipants
- Accessibility fund for 2 partcipants, they will join with their family

ECR activities
- workshop topics - themes across the next few months similar to the themes from conference workshop
- mobilisation of data
- ECR careers/networks
- talking about the case studies

Suggestions for talks/speakers
- Asra's sharing is caring.
- Asra has a paper - October.
- talks from people that have submitted paper.
- Sian Holt - perception paper
- Lucy Smith - scoping review

EH - highights of coming paper - short ones 10 mins.

### Actions

- Batool will share prompts from our workshop around transdisciplinary
-

## :date: 24 July 2024 - 9.15am - 10am
- :round_pushpin:
- Join Zoom Meeting

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Emma Karoune
* Batool Almarzouq
* Ellie Harvey
* Rafael Henkin
* Guillermo Romero Moreno
*
*

### Apologies
*
*
*
*
*

### Icebreaker question
What's your favourite summer activity for this sunny weather?
*
* Not leaving home, be close to AC all time.
* British beaches - mainly digging sandcastles
* BBQ
* Beach!
*
*
*
*

### Agenda

* **Review of ECR activities**
* **In-person days**
* Liverpool - 2nd July
* Oxford - first week of September?
* Edinburgh - 24th October
* Need speakers suggsutions
* Registrations will open next week
* Batool to send a placeholder for ECRs
* Batool to send info about Registrations forms to Imane

* **Training**
* Grants training resources now available, later today we will go over narrative CVs in the lunchtime session.

* **Any other training or activties needed?**

### AIM Conference - any other feedback?

Draft schedule can be seen here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HHcQ-1DBrFWI56N7GARZfMi3M8NMwJMU0er-bvEuifw/edit?usp=sharing

Day 1 is now fairly fixed.

Day 2:
There will be posters for ECRs and lightning talks for 8-10 people (depending on the timings on Day 2).

* Any feedback/ideas on workshops and sessions for the AIM Conference Day 2?
* Further input you want to have?

### Sustaining the ECR network
* Do you want to sustain the network?
* How could this be done?

### AOB
* Cancelled August meeting - see you all at the september conference!

#### Notes

* Liverpool - 2nd July
* Oxford - first week of September?
* Edinburgh - 24th October
* Need speakers suggsutions
* Registrations will open next week
* Batool to send a placeholder for ECRs
* Batool to send info about Registrations forms to Imane
* We had low attenadnce for Grant workshop but we are happy to re-run it again if there is a demand.
* In today's ECR lunchtime session, we will be narrative CV

* AIM conference
- RH - gap between what the research should be - the data we have does not exist at the scale we can work with.
- GRM - mismatch between what you plan and what you actually do. project management, reflecting on big project and problems.
- Emma suggested unconference sessions similar to SSI CW: https://www.software.ac.uk/workshop/collaborations-workshop-2024-cw24
- Ellie suggested to move it to the morning (more brain power)

- lightning presentations - what is the idea/purpose behind this?
- to have a lightning talk and poster recommended
- coordination between the consoria in case their PI & ECRs are giving talk at different time

- Sustainability of the ECRs network in case AIM RSF ends in Oct
- Option 1: One of teh ECRs is taking over but this might be challanging
- Option 2: Sustain as a group (e.g.mailing list, Linkedin group)
- Option 3: Involving the network in the health grand challange within the Turing
GRM - some sort of informal network such as linkedin group or mailing group.
EH - have liked this group, because it boost our confidance (e.g. applying for grants in the future)

---

## :date: 26 June 2024 - 9.15am - 10am
- :round_pushpin:
- Join Zoom Meeting

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Emma Karoune

### Apologies
* Rafael Henkin
* Ellie Harvey
*

### Icebreaker question
What's your favourite summer activity for this sunny weather?
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

### Agenda

* **Review of ECR activities**
* **In-person days**
* Liverpool - 2nd July
* Oxford - first week of September?
* Edinburgh - 24th October

* **Training**
* Grant writing - 28th June and 10th July
* please sign up! and ask your group ecrs to sign up as it's this friday.
* 28th June - https://turing-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqd-6trzgiHtYK3Ikl2rLnk2gQjbar3MwN
* 10th July - https://turing-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJItcO2sqj0qH9CmbzBHIQoiSsP82NaswypQ

* **Any other training or activties needed?**

### AIM Conference

Draft schedule can be seen here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HHcQ-1DBrFWI56N7GARZfMi3M8NMwJMU0er-bvEuifw/edit?usp=sharing

Day 1 is now fairly fixed.

Day 2:
There will be posters for ECRs and lightning talks for 8-10 people (depending on the timings on Day 2).

* Any feedback/ideas on workshops and sessions for the AIM Conference Day 2?
* Further input you want to have?

#### Notes

---
## :date: 22 May 2024 - 9.15am - 10am
- :round_pushpin:
-
- Join Zoom Meeting
https://turing-uk.zoom.us/j/96904204486?pwd=MWpyMzYvTXJ1T25ISFJHT1ArUysyQT09

Meeting ID: 969 0420 4486
Passcode: 225224

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Rafael Henkin
* Emma Karoune
* Guilllermo Romero Moreno
* Ellie Harvey
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

### Apologies
* Sian Holt
* Emilia Holland
* Asra Aslam
* Batool A

### Icebreaker question

What is your favourite ice cream flavour?

* Turrón
* Pistachio
* Salted Caramel
* Coconut

### Agenda

#### Review Uni of Edinburgh plan schedule - interdisciplinarity

* University of Edinburgh's updated plan - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UQqnV_kq_J0t3knAbM4eu4F0OW75lu0F/edit
* Oct 24th
- Provide an outline of the event programme*
9.15-10 Tea/coffee + icebreaker event
10.15-11.15 ECR lightning talks around the topic of interdisciplinarity
11.30-12.30 Panel discussion ‘Challenges of AI in medical healthcare’
12.30-13.30 Lunch break
13.30-14.30 Bazaar for discussion groups around different themes (session 1)
14.45-15.45 Bazaar for discussion groups around different themes (session 2)
16-16.30 Concluding remarks and gathering feedback

#### Notes
* interdisciplinarity focus - how we have worked in mixed groups and peoples personal experiences.
* lightning talks from ECRs
* Panel of more experienced people - PIs, others.

* RH - had a postdoc conference at QMUL - we had similar bazaar session - each table had a facilitators, had to write a summary. This was then combined into a report.
* EK - Bazaar table - how are you thinking about making the bazaar work online?
* Some topic in person and some online - could swap over so that all online get access to all topics.
* GRM - will send arounf topics to ECRs to get feedback from them and gage the interest levels in the topics.
* RH - Which PIs are you expecting to attend? - just for the panel properly.

#### Grant writing session plan review
* Session 1
* Overview of current funding landscape for health/data science grants and fellowships
* Principles of writing a research grant
* The overt focus of this session isn't so much on 'writing skills' (i.e. short sentences, short paragraphs, active verbs, avoiding jargon and hyperbole, signposting and labelling content etc). However, I think the underlying principles are crucial to understanding why clear writing is so important. I will certainly weave concrete examples of how to achieve the 'quick to read', 'easy to understand' requirements into the draft bid. The Abstract exercise also gives practical insights into writing skills.
* Abstract writing exercise - We give participants a badly written abstract: jargon, acronyms, crucial missing information etc and ask them to critique it over lunch and make suggestions about how to improve it.
* Session 2
* Competence: teams, track record and the R4RI
* The research team is the foundation of a successful funding application - if the investigating team is weak or unqualified then success is unlikely. However, what makes a team or investigator 'competent' depends on many factors - scheme, agency, career stage, complexity. I'll take a look at these factors and refer back to Emmy's talk. And then move on to how to evidence competence across the whole application - but particularly in relation to the CV, track record and R4RI. I'll devote lots of time to the R4RI as a new and complex challenge - explaining what the approach aims to achieve and how best to work within the restricted template.
* Resume 4 Research/narrative CV exercise
* We assign everyone into a pretty mixed 'team' of 3-5 people (or whatever is most usual in your discipline)? We can give them a very generic outline of a project proposal and the skills required (line management, networking, methods, working with users, policy...whatever seems interesting) and ask them to work together to come up with up to 10 pieces of evidence for each of the four headings? They need to balance out the contribution of each team member and showcase their strengths. No room for the clash of the egos here...when we re-convene, we get their insights into the process.

* Questions to ask ECRs:
* how does content look?
* Whole day or two 2/3 hour sessions on separate days?

* GRM - like the interactive part of it. does have uni courses but this is mostly presentation.
* separate days - too long, people won't take them.
* EH - 2 sessions would be best.

* Follow up session would be good - writing resume for researcher.

* EH, RH, GRM - not much experience of grant writing in the past but starting to think about it.

### Notes

### Actions

-----

## Session arcvhive

## Next meeting!
## :date: 27 March 2024

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Batool Almarzouq
* Sian Holt
* Sami Adnan
* Ellie
* Guillermo Romero Moreno
* Rafael Henkin
* Asra Aslam

### Icebreaker question
**Where would you like to travel now and why?**
* Batool: Jeju City
* Guillermo: back to the Highlands
* Sian: Japan
* Sami: Tokyo 🌸
* Ellie: Iceland
* Asra: Norway because of Nature Beauty

### Agenda
* Hi to Sian - intros if needed
* Review The programme for the ECR day from Oxford Application
* Review The programme for the ECR day from Liverpool
* Review The programme for the ECR day from Edinburgh
* AOB

### Notes

**Feedback for Oxford's appolication.**

The event coincides with the RSF Conference and precedes the AIM conference by a few days. Spanning 4 days, requires a bit of a commitment, so the timing might be a bit tight. It is recommended that you share stories from past attendees, and highlighting the benefits of coming along, including some testimonials, would really help in getting people to apply and committee to the 4 days. Plus, it's good to point out that if people can only make it for the first few days, skipping the hackathon, that's totally fine. There also variety of potential attendees can be wide (e.g. patients, tech industry, research, clinicians etc.) so consideration needs to be given to how the information is 'pitched' to ensure it can reach and be understood by a wide audience – although you might already have considered that.

**Feedback for Liverpool's appolication**

ECR reps agree that the programme is well-developed programme with good theme and the only thing to flag is it's all presentations. Communication is so important and something we academics don't always do well. It's also great to see an event including PPIE. I'm not sure about the link between the speakers and theme of communication - could these be lunchtime talks instead? Also maybe include Public contributors as speaker.

**Feedback for Edinburgh's appolication**.

ECR reps have positive feedback – they liked the hybrid element and inclusivity - they recommended that you use interdisciplinary research as a theme or look into a bit focused theme that doesn't overlap with the conference and previous events. You can focus on gathering feedback on what did and didn't work well and what we've learnt from these multidisciplinary projects. Perhaps a workshop on different themes/topics?. As this is the final event, it will include a lot of learnings from the 2 previous events. It could be beneficial for RSF to include a survey or any specific questions you'd like answered in the feedback forms for the Liverpool and Oxford events that can also help you shape your event more.

## Next meeting!
## :date: 28 February 2024
- :round_pushpin: Join Zoom Meeting
https://turing-uk.zoom.us/j/95501814278?pwd=cWhQR0loelduNXRqRTRzb2FVeFJNQT09&from=addon
- Meeting ID: 980 5195 9704
- Passcode: 248457

### Roll call (please add your name)
* Batool Almarzouq
* Emma Karoune
* Guillermo Romero Moreno
* Sami Adnan
* Ellie
* Usman
* Rafael
* Asra

### Icebreaker question
**What animal best represents you today and why?**
* Sloths +1 to Sloths
* Lemur
* Cat

### Agenda
* ~~Hi to Sian - intros if needed~~
* Comments about the ECR in person day planning docs
* Review of ECR in person day applications
* Training needs - training working with PPIE before conference
* speaking to lay audiences
* inclusion - good for interviews on questions of EDIA.
* AOB

### Notes

- The ECR in-person day application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMHUyzyWnGKl1FZQxAKR2vm_ghaA_5uq614IwzdlEyNbfvqw/viewform?usp=sf_link
- The ECR toolkit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ejC45rLYS0TsH4373zbuS5spzzjaTilq7qIpRaYuEQ/edit#heading=h.wv1orbywdzw7
- Question about if it has to be hybrid or not.
- hybrid will score higher in the rubric but we don’t require all the ECR in-person events to be hybrid (if they can't).
- Date
- date frame March to October.
- AIM CISC is aiming for end of Oct
- We might need to change the date limit input in the application
- Ellie has suggested if the materials can be centralised in a single place.
- It will be good to link to some instructions we have in the ruberic
- Asra suggested creating a list for target audience questions to make it easier to select and fill in the form.
- Asra asked if anyone has any question, they can get in touch with [e-mail]
- Comments in the toolkit include:
- Add when the response will be received (in the planning section)
- Asra suggested what role are expected in the event and how RSF is supporting
- Batool asked what more documentation is need to help folks who would like to integate the event in bigger events (e.g. bootcamp, conferences, ..etc). Emma suggested adding "what is the benefit of associating the ECR day in bigger event"
- Sami suggusted adding press kit (e.g. logos), making more clear that you can integrate the event in bigger events.
- Guillermo: We are considering to include a poster session as one of the main activities for our ECR Day, as it allows to have some structure while leaving flexibility for networking and talk about more focused topics. However, it's not easy to apply it to a hybrid format.
- Emma suggested using GatherTown that is good for posters or Lightening talk (with timer) like 1 slide presentation.
- Emma mentioned doing traning around working with PPIE as this was (as feedback) from AIM Conference 2023. EIA form that we attached to the application is extremely suseful.
- Sami asked about having two webinars? One for PPIE and another for EDI?
- Emma suggested having this traning in one of the ECR in-person events
- Guillermo mentioned that AIM CISC has people who support PPIE interaction and training
- Sami wilbe

### Actions

- [X] Batool to see if we can add date range.
- Google doc can't do range, so I changed it to text box
- [ ] Batool to add minmum text input in the application
- [X] Batool will add document that have RCs interested
- It has been added here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-U8Fh3MEPDfcgNDIiof5NbFyIyb6G6w7zPUqxJ0GBLw/edit?usp=sharing
- [ ] Batool will create more instructions/template about timeline for in-person events.
- [ ] Batool will create a list for target audience questions to make it easier to select and fill in the form.
- [X] Batool to provide a budget breakdown template to be added in the application

---
# Notes archive

## First meeting! :raised_hands:
## :date: 24 January 2024 - 11am-12pm
- :round_pushpin: Join Zoom Meeting
https://turing-uk.zoom.us/j/98051959704?pwd=OVJmYm4xck5nU0gwbFlUVkRpN2hydz09
- Meeting ID: 980 5195 9704
- Passcode: 248457

### Roll call
* Asra Aslam
* Guillermo Romero Moreno
* Emilia Holland - Meld B
* Sami Adnan - CoMPuTE
* Batool Almarzouq
* Rafael Henkin
* Emma Karoune
* Ellie Harvey
* Muhammad Usman

### Agenda
* How this committee is going to be run such as how often we need meetings, organisation of the meetings, structure and decision making of the committee.
* Plan for ECR in person days - review [planning documents](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ejC45rLYS0TsH4373zbuS5spzzjaTilq7qIpRaYuEQ/edit?usp=sharing), which AIM projects want to host, possible schedule/dates, topics for these events.
* ECR lunchtime sessions

### Notes

- Welcomed the new ECR committee members and thanked them for their time
- The goal of the committee is for members to help shape ECR events and activities to ensure they meet the needs of ECRs
- ECR committee members should act as a conduit, gathering input and information from other ECRs at their institutions and bringing it back to the committee
- Shape the events and activities over the next year to be really worthwhile and impactful for ECRs
- Discussed frequency of meetings
- Agreed to start with monthly meetings and review after a few months
- No objections to having the first monthly meeting in February
- Set a recurring meeting on the 2nd Monday of each month at 11am
- Discussed communication channels
- AA - slack contact as well between the meetings with a deadline.
- EmH and ElH - both said they don't use slack, have trouble logging in and need help. Also help with Github needed as don't use it currently.
- Agreed to use email for contacting group but also by slack/github so multiple communication channels.
- Will use email threads for now as some members are not yet familiar with Slack and GitHub
- Batool and Emma will provide training on Slack and GitHub
- Suggested rotating the facilitator role rather than having a single chair
- Facilitator runs the meetings but does not have to do pre-meeting preparation
- Emma will send out the agenda before each meeting
- Discussed decision making process
- Aim for general consensus. All need to be given a chance to approve decisions. In meeting but if not present - approval by email with deadline to comment/approve, (slack not great for everyone)
- 4 in-person events are planned around the UK, but will be hybrid events
- ER toolkit here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ejC45rLYS0TsH4373zbuS5spzzjaTilq7qIpRaYuEQ/edit
- This will be send out to PMs shortly and so by the next meeting we should have some plans to look at for in person days.
- Want the ECR committee to help shape the program and content of each event
- Topics and activities have been suggested already based on previous feedback
- Will share the planning document and ask for input on priorities
- Monthly ECR lunchtime sessions will continue
- Speakers and topics welcome - contact Emma with ideas
- Training should be tailored to ECR needs
- Send ideas for training sessions that would be useful

### Actions

- [x] Batool to send placeholder for all ECR reps.
- [x] Batool to set-up ECR GitHub repo with issue
- [x] EK - Create a table for rotating chairs, facilitating.
- [ ] Batool + Emma to set-up training for Slack and GitHub
- [ ] Onboarding to Slack (at the top of the document) as suggested by Sami
- [x] Adding funding/support for grants as one of the topics in the ECR toolkit. discussions of successful and unsuccessful grants.
- [x] Sami to contact Sue Ziebald (NIHR) about speaking on grant applications.

---
## MEETING NOTES TEMPLATE

## :date: [ADD DATE]
- :round_pushpin: Join Zoom Meeting
https://turing-uk.zoom.us/j/98051959704?pwd=OVJmYm4xck5nU0gwbFlUVkRpN2hydz09
- Meeting ID: 980 5195 9704
- Passcode: 248457

### Roll call (please add your name)

### Icebreaker question

### Agenda

### Notes

### Actions