9^th September 2016, King’s College, London

Organised by Victoria Moul and William Barton

The end of the PhD is not only a time of transition to postdoctoral or ‘early career’ research; for scholars working on Neo-Latin topics the end of doctoral study also means facing questions over the institutional place of one’s research, the opportunities available for specialised Neo-Latin study and the positioning of one’s work in an academic landscape which is only just coming to recognise Neo-Latin literature as a field worthy of study in its own right. By gathering together the experience of Neo-Latin scholars who have navigated (and are currently navigating) the postdoctoral/ early career period, the SNLS “Beyond the PhD” event offered a day of lively and informal discussion on the options available to Neo-Latinists entering the phrase after their PhD. Presentations by academics from various backgrounds (including French, English and Classics) took participants through talking points from teaching fellowships and long-term research project applications through to the issues around book publishing and the road to a full-time position. The audience of 20 early career and late-doctoral researchers from institutions across Europe as well as the UK, with participants travelling from as far afield as Portugal, Austria, Germany and Croatia, contributed to a positive and energetic dialogue throughout the day, which often saw the exciting opportunities and prospects offered by Neo-Latin Studies at the centre of discussion.

The Day’s Program

10am – Arrival and coffee

10.30-11.30 – Introduction and presentation of Junior Research Fellowships and European opportunities. (Victoria Moul and William Barton)

11.30-12.00 – Coffee/tea break

12.00-1.00 – Presentation of Leverhulme and British Academy post-docs; and of post-docs attached to specific projects. (Lucy Jackson, Elizabeth Sandis and David McOmish)

1.00-2.00 – Lunch

2.00-3.00 – Teaching fellowships, temporary and permanent lectureships, and careers in school-teaching. (Bobby Xinyue, Ingrid De Smet, John Roberts)

3.00-3.30 – Tea

3.30-5.00pm – Strategies for career development: balancing teaching and research; where and when to publish; REF/TEF; preparing a book proposal (Victoria Moul, William Barton, Gesine Manuwald)

5.00 onwards – Drinks/dinner at a local venue on a voluntary basis