The Research Staff Working Group represents the interests of research staff and seeks to improve the working environment and career management of researchers.
Lewis is a UKRI Future Leader Fellow and Reader in Pure Mathematics and has a great understanding of the challenges of the postdoc career stage. He is also a Departmental Research Staff Coordinator and will support the Research Staff Working Group from first-hand experience of both being an early career researcher and being a line manager of postdoctoral research staff. Lewis says:
I'm thrilled to take up this position. Our research staff are critical to the success of many of our research activities. Supporting them is an essential step towards building and maintaining a positive research culture. I'm hoping to find new opportunities to enable this in the coming years.
Professor Julie Barnett, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) who leads the University’s work on enhancing research culture has welcomed the appointment. She says:
Lewis has joined the Working Group at a particularly important time as we look to reimagine the postdoctoral experience at Bath. We are keen to strengthen the role of the Departmental Research Staff Coordinators in supporting our postdoctoral researchers and I look forward to working with him on this and our other activities to in the coming years.
Lewis is appointed for a three-year term to provide continuity and support as we implement our HR Excellence in Research Action Plan 2023-2026.