Emma Post-Docs

Enabling great research to achieve even greater impact and leading the way in Collegiate Cambridge, by establishing a community of 100 post-doctoral researchers at Emma

Javier Ortega-Hernandez

Post-doctoral researchers (post-docs) are early career academics, usually on short-term contracts with departments, who drive forward much of the world-leading research within the University. Currently, of the 4000 post-docs in Cambridge, only 10% have a college affiliation, which means the majority miss the interdisciplinary conversations and contacts that colleges offer, and that accelerate both discoveries and careers.

Thanks to many generous donations to Emma enables, we will be welcoming the first 37 post-docs to Emma in October 2023, in disciplines ranging from Architecture to Zoology to Palliative Medicine. Our aim is to establish a thriving community of 100 post-docs at Emma over the next few years.

Full college membership will give our post-docs a base and access to an interdisciplinary, stimulating, like-minded community; to networks; to mentoring opportunities; and to funding for research, travel and technology. As well as enabling post-docs to flourish and pursue world-changing research, the whole Emma community will benefit from seminars and lectures they will run, and the expertise they will bring to undergraduate teaching.

The opportunity provided by our new spaces and buildings allows us to be one of the first colleges to establish such a post-doc community.

MAKE A GIFT TO SUPPORT OUR NEW POST-DOC COMMUNITY

“50 years ago Emmanuel enabled a Lincolnshire farm boy to start on his career in plant science research. They gave me a cutting edge education and an excellent grounding in academic life. Now I want to help do the same for future generations from unlikely backgrounds. From personal knowledge of the postdoctoral experience from both sides, I am enthusiastic about the plan to host a hundred postdocs at Emma. This will be a win:win deal for the postdocs and for the future of Emma.” (Herb, 1960)