Hitchhiker’s Guide to Academia: Navigating the Unspoken Norms of Academia

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

This full-day workshop will examine challenges in academia and develop a practical toolkit for dealing with them.

Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre

This event is hybrid. Please indicate whether you will be attending in-person or online when booking your ticket.The workshop is open to all researchers and academics at any career level and from any institution.Academia is full of challenges that can be as frustrating as they are rewarding. Questions of authorship, deciding when to abandon a project, and the peer review process are often major sources of stress, anxiety, and even toxicity in research careers. These issues can strain collaborations, slow progress, and leave researchers feeling lost in a system that often lacks clear guidance.This full-day workshop is designed not just to examine these challenges, but to develop a practical toolkit for dealing with them. Through interactive sessions, shared experiences, and expert insights, we’ll explore key pressure points in academic life and work together to create strategies for managing them effectively. <h3>What will we cover?</h3><ul><li>Authorship: Who gets credit and who gets left out? A deep dive into the complexities of authorship decisions, power dynamics, and how to navigate difficult conversations about contributions.</li><li>Should I stay or should I go: Recognising when a project or paper should be abandoned. Understanding when a line of research is worth pursuing—and when walking away is the better choice for your time, energy, and well-being.</li><li>Peer review: How to review &amp; how to survive being reviewed. The dual challenge of reviewing others’ work fairly while learning to deal with difficult, vague, or outright unfair feedback on your own work.</li></ul> <h3>Confirmed speakers:</h3><ul><li>Dr Sam Westwood, Lecturer in Psychology Education at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &amp; Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London</li><li>Professor Mitul Mehta, Professor of Neuroimaging &amp; Psychopharmacology and Research Integrity Champion at King’s IoPPN</li><li>Dr Nick Puts, Senior Lecturer at King's IoPPN and Director of King’s Health Science Doctoral Training Centre</li><li>Dr Serena Mitchell, Research Integrity Manager at King's</li><li>Hanna Groothuizen, Research Culture Manager at King's</li></ul> If you’ve ever felt frustrated, uncertain, or burned out by these aspects of research, this event is for you. Not only should you expect candid discussions, real strategies, and a supportive environment to tackle these tough but essential topics, but you can also contribute to a practical toolkit to help others. Join on Microsoft Teams: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_ZWRmZGM5MGQtOTE0ZC00Zjc5LTkxYTktNjVjZmFlOTIyMzJj%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25228370cf14-16f3-4c16-b83c-724071654356%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522affbd7e9-6137-455f-a86b-308abfa71a62%2522%257d&data=05%7C02%7Camelia.remmington%40kcl.ac.uk%7C1c94600a45304a16131208dda9a8fde6%7C8370cf1416f34c16b83c724071654356%7C0%7C0%7C638853265447289881%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HK1l2wRTIkZOSD1B5rFahP2LLNKaJCwV%2B2DgUN374Dg%3D&reserved=0" title="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_ZWRmZGM5MGQtOTE0ZC00Zjc5LTkxYTktNjVjZmFlOTIyMzJj%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25228370cf14-16f3-4c16-b83c-724071654356%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%2522affbd7e9-6137-455f-a86b-308abfa71a62%2522%257d&data=05%7C02%7Camelia.remmington%40kcl.ac.uk%7C1c94600a45304a16131208dda9a8fde6%7C8370cf1416f34c16b83c724071654356%7C0%7C0%7C638853265447289881%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HK1l2wRTIkZOSD1B5rFahP2LLNKaJCwV%2B2DgUN374Dg%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Join the meeting now</a> Lunch and refreshments will be provided throughout the day for in-person attendees.Please note, photographs may be taken during the workshop.