Dr Sara Shinton

Dr Sara Shinton. Director, Future Leader Fellows Development Network

Dr Sara Shinton

Director, Future Leader Fellows Development Network

Contact details

Role in the IAD

I am the Head of the Researcher Development Team. We provide support to all the researchers in the University including doctoral students, research staff, research technicians, principal investigators and research leaders. We also work with senior management to implement new university strategies which relate to our researchers.

I have oversight of the programmes we deliver to our researchers and work closely with colleagues in the Edinburgh Research Office, Careers Service, Human Resources, Library, Counselling Services, Health and Safety and other services to connect our support for researchers. Like everyone in IAD, I collaborate closely with colleagues in Schools and Colleges to develop the research culture and environment in the University. I also sit on a number of committee and groups relating to research and researchers’ interests.

Professional interests

For the last 20 years my work has focused on supporting researchers in higher education, principally through training workshops, published guides and partnerships with institutions, funders and professional bodies. I previously worked at the University looking at the emergence of doctoral training cohorts and the impact these have on researcher development.

I am passionate about the transformative effect of education at all ages. I sit on the Management Board of Borders College and am the Director of a community science festival, Bang Goes the Borders, which creates public engagement opportunities for researchers and connects children with inspiring role models. I am a member of the Institute of Directors.

Selected publications

Shinton, S. (2016) Resilience Toolkit – Building and Maintaining Wellbeing, Institute of Physics.

Shinton, S. (2016) Collaborations - A physicist's Guide to Working in Partnership, Institute of Physics.

Shinton, S. (2016) Career Opportunities. In Greenfield, T. and Greener, S. (eds) Research Methods for Postgraduates, 3rd Edition, Wiley, pp 470-478. 

Shinton, S. (2015) Navigating the Funding Landscape, Institute of Physics.

Goodman, A., Mitchell, A., Pateman, H., Shinton, S., Videler, T, and Wilkinson, J. (2014) The Enterprising Researcher, Vitae.

Shinton, S. and Daley, R. (2013) How can impact be planned into research proposals? In Denicolo, P (ed)  Achieving Impact in Research, SAGE, pp 65-81.

Shinton, S. (2013) Equilibrium - Managing Career Breaks and Achieving Career Balance, Institute of Physics.

Shinton, S. (2012) #betterconnected-a perspective on social media Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 402(6):1987-9 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-011-5633-8

Shinton, S. (2011) Moving On – PhD Students’ Guide to Boosting Employability, Institute of Physics.

Shinton, S. (2009) Career break, not career broken, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 394(6):1509-11 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-009-2815-8

Full publication list available on request