POSTED: 16 Jul, 2025

The 2025 HDR & Postdoc Winter Retreat brought together HDR students and early career researchers from across various disciplines, providing them with invaluable insights into shaping their future careers.

Day 1 – Defining Professional Identity and Exploring Careers Beyond Academia

Day 1 focused on preparing researchers for career pathways beyond their PhDs. Led by Associate Director for Research Training, Professor Glenda Caldwell, the day’s activities helped participants reconnect with the broader skills developed during their research journey. Workshops included:

• Defining Professional Identity: Led by Karen Cavu (FHEA) and Glen Murphy (QUT Entrepreneurship), researchers learned how to articulate their professional identities, empowering them to recognize the value they can bring to various industries.

• Informational Interviews & Networking: Dr Abigail Winter (SFHEA) and Karen Cavu emphasized the power of informational interviews, guiding researchers on how to leverage these conversations for career growth.

• Industry Careers Panel: Featuring Dr Tom Williamson (Stryker), Dr Anjali Jaiprakash (Gelomics), and Dr Maria Hameed Khan (QUT Centre for Decent Work & Industry), the panel shared inspiring stories about transitioning from academia to industry, showcasing the diverse career paths available for researchers.

The day concluded with a relaxed networking session with drinks and pizza, providing an opportunity to connect and reflect on the day’s insights.

Day 2 – Research Career Success on Your Own Terms

The second day featured a full-day workshop led by Prof Inger Mewburn, also known as the Thesiswhisperer, titled “Research Career Success (on your own terms).” This workshop brought together researchers from various QUT research centres, focusing on:

• The real career landscape for researchers today.

• Exploring diverse career opportunities for PhD graduates.

• Practical strategies for career development, including traditional networking and the use of cutting-edge AI tools.

Throughout the workshop, Inger gathered live feedback, which reflected the growing confidence and evolving career perspectives of the participants. The session provided both a reality check and an empowering look at the many career opportunities available to researchers.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved, especially Prof Inger Mewburn for leading such a transformative session. We look forward to putting these insights into action as we continue to support our researchers in their career development.