In 2018, FLEET began an ongoing partnership with the ARC Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) to run a yearly ECR workshop building skills in communication, methods for pitching and presenting science, and working collaboratively with others.
In between the teams’ pitch preparation and delivery, formal training sessions included science communication, oral presentations and how to craft an engaging research pitch.
The Idea Factory challenged small, diverse teams of ECRs to develop and pitch a research proposal to a panel of judges.
The ability to explain a proposal’s significance and innovation to a technically-competent but broad audience is a key skill for ECRs.
As well as developing these pitching and communication skills, the workshop focuses on collaboration. Each teams’ mix of institutions and research areas, including theorists and experimentalists, gives participants additional challenge, and value.
The ability to collaborate across traditional boundaries is key for future careers.
The Idea Factory develops necessary skills for a research career, whether in industry or academia, or wherever the future lies