PhD Student Representative Board Member
Early Career Representative Board Member
Two exciting opportunities have arisen for an enthusiastic PhD Student and an Early Career Researcher to join the Board of the Regional Studies Association from 1st November 2023.
The RSA is an established globally engaged Association and a place on the Board will enable successful candidates to engage with colleagues from students and early career researchers through to high profile academics and policymakers internationally at meetings, conferences and social events. For more information on the RSA, please go to www.regionalstudies.org
The successful candidates will be actively involved and participate not only in the discussion and exchanges among the Board members at their (normally) three meetings per annum but will be expected to participate with them in the delivery of the Association’s aims and objects. These posts are observer posts and carry no right to vote and no associated liabilities but in practice post holders will be encouraged to participate openly in meetings.
During the term of office, the post holders will meet distinguished scholars, develop their organisational and interpersonal communication abilities and benefit from our Board Members’ experience. These positions offer a unique opportunity for career and network development.
Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the Association to attend the Board meetings two of which are normally held in London and third is usually linked to the Association’s annual conference which moves around Europe.
Student and Early Career Representatives have the following deliverables:
- to actively engage in RSA Board meetings either in person, online or by sending in papers for discussion;
- to proactively develop ideas on how to strengthen the RSA’s student & early career networks and how to engage those communities;
- to work strategically with the RSA office and Board to improve and refine the membership benefits for student & early career members;
- to proactively post, and encourage others to post, on the RSA Student and Early Career Facebook platform facebook.com/groups/156406957851069;
- to write a minimum of one short article per year for the RSA Blog https://blog.regionalstudies.org/
- to proactively, with support of the RSA office team, develop student/ECR sessions at RSA conferences or online sessions;
- to champion the RSA to suitable networks and individuals to help the RSA grow its network and reach globally.
The Student Representative position is open to current PhD Students who are members of the RSA. The Early Career Representative position is open to Early Career members of the Regional Studies Association who are within 5 years of the date on their PhD certificate or equivalent.
Additional information:
Candidates are more likely to be successful if they have already engaged with the Association i.e. through attendance at an event, applications for grants or through publication in any of our channels including Facebook and the blog.
The RSA runs three Board Meetings per year and the successful candidate will be invited to attend (in person or online) the Board & AGM on 8th November 2023 in London, UK.
Each appointment is for a one-year term with the option to extend for a second term depending on the deliverables being met. To learn more about the current RSA Board, visit: www.regionalstudies.org/about/committee/rsa-board
Application process:
Please send a letter of application (up to 500 words) in which you describe why you would be the ideal Student or Early Career Representative on the RSA Board, what initiatives you would plan to undertake to promote the RSA and engage with the regional studies/ regional science community, your CV and a reference from your line manager/supervisor to Daniela Carl at daniela.carl@regionalstudies.org.
The deadline for applications is 5th September 2023, 10.00 am BST.
Feedback by current and previous post holders:
Serving as the student representative at the RSA has been an incredibly enriching journey. It has provided me with first-hand insight into the remarkable contributions of the RSA to the urban and regional science community, witnessing their tireless efforts in building networks and nurturing individuals in the field. The amazing staff at RSA never once dropped a beat in providing a platform for the community to collaborate and exchange as we all navigated the demands of meeting online. In working with them, I had the privilege of participating in and conducting webinars, writing group sessions, and e-meetups. The open and collaborative spirit of the association, its staff and members have made it one of my best personal and professional experiences. I take great pride in being a part of this vibrant community and am deeply grateful for the chance to contribute.
Tanya Chandra, PhD candidate, Department of Architecture, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Student Representative 2020- 2023
My role as the Student Representative on the Board of the Regional Studies Association provided me with an incredible learning and networking experience. The opportunity to work with a dedicated high-performance Board of senior scholars and the remarkable RSA staff provided me with valuable leadership and strategic planning experience which will benefit me throughout my academic career.
Donna Carmichael, PhD student at London School of Economics, UK
Student Representative 2017- 2020
Becoming an Early Careers Representative with the RSA has contributed greatly to my personal as well as my career development. Understanding the core challenges of early career researchers and speaking up on their behalf on the board has been a unique opportunity to learn. I am proud of what we (myself and the Student Representative) have managed to achieve and hope that the voice of ECRs and students will continue to be heard in the Association.
Dr Camilla Chlebna, Postdoc Researcher, University of Oldenburg, Germany
Early Career Representative 2017-2021
Serving as the early career and previously as the student representative at the RSA has been a very stimulating and rewarding experience. It allowed me to engage in a broad range of activities and work closely with a vibrant network of people working in urban and regional studies, including scholars, practitioners, and RSA staff members. Through this position, I facilitated thematic webinars, writing group sessions, and other initiatives (during such challenging times due to the COVID emergency), which has not only been gratifying, but it has also contributed to my personal and professional development. The RSA is a fantastic organization that genuinely cares about supporting its members and providing unique opportunities. I am proud to be part of this community, and I am grateful I was given a chance to give back a little of all that this community gives me.
Dr Vanessa Guerra, Assistant Professor in Urban and Environmental Planning, School of Architecture, University of Virginia, School of Architecture, USA
ECR Representative 2021 -2023