Energy Futures Lab is launching two new networks aimed at supporting researchers at Imperial College London working on energy topics.

A launch event tomorrow marks the official start of the Energy Futures Doctoral Network and the Energy Futures Early Career Researcher Network. The aim of the networks is to support their members in developing the necessary skills and expertise while providing and promoting opportunities for collaboration with peers across campus.

PhD students and Early Career Researchers (ECR) are the people working at the coal face of science. They are also future research leaders, within academia and industry. They need support now to ensure that the experience and training they get will help them fulfil their potential. The new networks build on the success of the Energy Futures Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), which was coordinated by Energy Futures Lab over the last five years.

“I think the breadth of projects we have run and supported through the CDT clearly demonstrates the appetite for these kinds of skills building activities,” says Sophie Smith, Energy Futures CDT Manager and the lead on the new networks “I am excited to be involved in both networks and look forward to helping support the future leaders of the entire energy sector.”

Both networks are open to anyone based at Imperial who is working, or interested, in energy. This diversity of disciplines strengthens the networks and will make for interesting collaborations. The Energy Futures Doctoral Network is for PhD students while the Energy Futures ECR Network is for any staff at the college who would like to get involved. The networks will run joint activities, building bridges between the two and helping their members to build relationships with potential collaborators.

The first event being organised by the networks is a panel discussion on Decarbonising the UK’s energy mix. Chaired by Professor Anthony Kucernak, Deputy Director of Energy Futures Lab, the panel will include Dr Niall MacDowell, from the Centre for Environmental Policy; Dr Billy Wu, from the new School of Design Engineering; and Dr Salvador Acha-Izquierdo from the Centre for Process Systems Engineering. The event is open to all Imperial staff and students but they should register in advance.

If you can’t make it tomorrow the networks are also hosting a monthly informal networking session on the last Friday of each month, just drop in, grab a coffee and have a chat with other researchers at Imperial. The first one is 27 February at 10am in the Energy Futures Lab meeting room.

There will also be a special series of training sessions for network members focussed on applying for fellowships and other opportunities for career advancement at the end of March, with the dates to be confirmed.

To join the Energy Futures Doctoral Network please complete the registration form.

To join the Energy Futures early Career Researcher Network please complete the registration form.

If you have any specific questions about the networks please contact Sophie Smith (sophie.smith@imperial.ac.uk) the networks’ coordinator.