Oxford University Research Staff Society : welcome

Welcome to the
Oxford University Research Staff Society

Who is the RSS?

The Oxford University Research Staff Society (OURSS) is a society section affilated to the Oxford University Club which caters to the needs of research staff (postdocs).

What do we do?

As most research staff are not attached to a college and may be new to Oxford our social events provide a unique opportunity to meet researchers outside your group or department. Our membership consists of over 300 contract researchers from over 50 different departments who work for the University of Oxford.

As well as running social events one of our important roles is to act as a support group to contractual research staff employed by the University of Oxford and to raise awareness of general issues concerning contract research staff. See for instance the two initiatives listed below.

We hope you will decide to join us and very much look forward to meeting you at one of our events this year. We are currently looking for volunteers to join the committee and help run the society, please get in touch with us if you are interested - please email us here!

The RSS is currently promoting the following two new initiatives:

Oxford Post-doc Network

The Oxford Postdoc Network (OPN) is an initiative from the Research Staff Society (RSS) to raise the profile of postdoctoral researchers by providing a platform for discussion and enhancing communications between postdocs and other parts of the University and external organizations. There will hopefully be a time that postdocs are fully integrated within the University and postdocs can reach their full potential. This initiative is here to build towards that time.

Long-term Objectives

To establish a network of postdoctoral researchers to promote collaborations between different departments and divisions
To provide a platform for discussion on postdoc issues, such as their position within the university, and training requirements
To report any outcomes of discussions to other parties within the University
To liase with other institutions and industry to facilitate career development and to provide external guidance and mentoring
To provide information on subjects relevant to postdoctoral researchers, such as university committees, career development and appropriate external organizations
To encourage active participation of postdocs in University life

Please contact the organisers using: rss.opn at club.ox.ac.uk and you can join our mailing list by sending an empty email to
oxford-postdoc-network-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk

GraduatesPlus

Graduates plus is a new social and networking forum for 'older' postgraduate students and those who've returned to university from work, postdocs and junior academics. We hope to kick off in January 2006 with a weekly social and networking evening at The University Club to bring together people from these groups from across the university's departments and colleges. Graduates plus has its own website.

You can register your interest in participating or helping out by email and by joining our mailing list NOW by sending an empty email to
graduates-plus-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk