My name is Gavin Buckingham, and I’m a cognitive psychologist who works as an academic at a UK university. When you secure your first lectureship, there’s an awful lot to learn, and almost no time to do it. You find yourself constantly trying to stay afloat in the sea of information with tasks thrown at you with almost no time to prepare. I want to help you prepare.
Short bio
I was awarded my Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen (UK) in 2008, before working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Brain and Mind Institute at Western University (Canada). In 2013, I returned to the UK to join the Psychology Department of Heriot-Watt University as a lecturer. Then, in 2016, I joined the University of Exeter (UK) where I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences. Recently, my work has been mostly focused on how we move, perceive, and learn new skills in physical and virtual environments. But mostly I really enjoy helping young academics navigate the treacherous waters of university life in the UK. I spend too much time on twitter, where I post as @DrGBuckingham.
“When starting my first faculty position, Gavin’s blog was essential! I didn’t really understand all the roles and responsibilities associated with the job, but in the months between accepting the position and starting, Gavin’s blog helped me prepare myself.”
— Dr Chris Madan, University of Nottingham
“Gavin’s blogposts have been an extremely useful resource in navigating both securing and surviving my first post as a Lecturer! I really appreciate Gavin’s honest thoughts in dealing with different aspects of being a faculty member, as well as in taking a wider view at career progression and experiences. From negotiating start-up funds, navigating the world of grant applications (and associated internal paperwork), and reflecting on workload allocation, the blogposts have been a brilliant resource to refer to and get another perspective on things. I’ve also been lucky enough to have been at a talk given by Gavin targeted at early career researchers, and really enjoyed it – Gavin is approachable and friendly, and happy to have discussions about the highs and lows of academia, which is refreshing to experience.”
— Dr Lizzie Bradford, University of Dundee
Making it as an early career academic 