Who are the experts?

Meeting of Minds will include talks by speakers from outside the University with specialist knowledge and experience in communicating research, applying for research funding and media skills.

Dr Jon Copley

A lecturer in Marine Ecology at the University of Southampton; Dr Jon Copley is also a director of and trainer for SciConnect, an acclaimed firm of science communication and media training consultants, as well as working as a freelance science writer for New Scientist, Nature, newspapers and magazines. 

Previously a full-time reporter and news editor at New Scientist and former co-ordinator of a NERC research programme, Dr Copley is an experienced broadcast interviewee (from Radio 4's Today Programme to the Paul O'Grady Show), has taken part in documentaries for the BBC and Discovery Channel and frequently gives public lectures about his research in deep-sea biology, including the Charles Lyell Award Lecture at the 2007 BA Festival.

Dr Carole Symes, Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is the largest cancer charity in the UK, and a major funder of cancer research supporting over 500 research groups throughout the UK (including the University of Bath), through research institutes, clinical centres, programme and project grants.

Dr Carole Symes, a Senior Research Manager at Cancer Research UK with seven years' experience of application and grants management, will be delivering a presentation on how to produce an effective funding proposal, including what a funding body such as Cancer Research UK is looking for and how specialist research should be communicated. 

Dr Tracey Stead 

The University of Bath's Postgraduate Skills Training Coordinator, Dr Tracey Stead works with faculties, schools and departments at the University to help them embed skills development into research degree programmes. As well as delivering training herself, she sources experts and training providers from both inside and outside the University, seeking to ensure that training opportunities across departments meet the recommendations of the Roberts Agenda.