Our blogs cover a whole range of topics, to help early career dementia researchers (ECRs). Our contributors share information about their research, from social care to basic science, share advice from their own experiences, careers tips, what they learned from recent training events and conferences and much more. We have a small team of ECR staff bloggers who write each month, on a whole range of topics and every year we add more people who discuss their experiences of studying at particular places or on different topics. In addition to our staff bloggers, we welcome one-off contributions, and curate and link to content from other great sources, including our charity partners, the LSE Impact Blog, Nature Careers and where ever great support can be found.
To help find what you're looking for, you can browse through the articles, or use the filters on the right to find blogs by a particular person, or on a particular topic.
We are always on the lookout for new contributors, so if you would like to write for us, just head to the forum to drop us a line, or email dementiaresearcher@nihr.ac.uk
All of our blogs (since April 2020) come with narrations from the writer. You can listen while you read along on our website, or enjoy our blogs on the move via your podcast app. You can subscribe to our narrated blogs in your podcasts app, look for Dementia Researcher Blogs, or visit one of these platforms, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify and Goodpods.
Blog – Appraising and planning for the next year
It's important to map out your work! Embrace planning ahead with Dr. Anna Volkmer's blog, as she talks about her work and whats coming on the horizon.
Blog – Moving forward from disappointment
Had some bad news? Explore Dr Anna Volkmer's journey through the trials of academic funding and learn how resilience shapes success.
Blog – The (core) academic skill of receiving feedback
Discover the art of feedback with Dr Anna Volkmer's blog - a guide to embracing critique for personal growth and academic success.
Blog – Building blocks and supervision skills
Dr Anna Volmer shares the story of her transition from PhD Student to PhD Supervisor, focusing on student growth and research team building.
Blog – Study Recruitment and the Sample Size Jinx
Dr Anna Volkmer unpacks study recruitment challenges in PCA. Learn about ethical dilemmas, sample size, and patient willingness. A must-read for researchers
Blog – Visiting other research labs, a personal reflection
Dr Anna Volkmer talks about visiting other labs as a valuable opportunity to enable collaboration, inspiration & personal growth, providing fresh perspectives.
Blog – Does my patient understand what my research study is about?
Are people with dementia and communication difficulties being omitted from research by the policy thats there to help them? Dr Anna Volkmer discusses consent.
Blog – Every penny counts, small grant applications
Dr Anna Volkmer may be a Senior Researcher, but she still applies for small grants and she thinks you should too, and here is why...
Blog – Writing a paper with lots of co-authors
Dr Anna Volkmer shares her tips on writing a manuscript with multiple co-authors, a daunting process for any early career researcher.
Blog – Finding your cheer team: Maintaining resilience in academia
How do you feel when your colleagues win grants? Is it okay to celebrate success, when others around you are less fortunate? Anna has been conflcted
Blog – Going on my own: Being my own boss for my new fellowship
Stepping out on your own doesn't have to be scary, if you got this far, you're ready. Dr Anna Volkmer discusses her new found research freedom.
Blog – The outcome: My NIHR Advanced Fellowship App
Anna has some big news... and some top tips for anyone applying for an NIHR Advanced Fellowship, essential reading for Clinical Academics
Blog – Study Pre-registration: Say it, do it, share it.
Future-proof your research and Preregister your next study. In this blog Dr Anna Volkmer will explain why and the benefits.
Blog – Can Conversation Analysis infiltrate mainstream Dementia Research?
Do research funders and those responsible for comissioning service favour quantative research over qualitative? Dr Anna Volkmer thinks so
Blog – Aphasia, public awareness
Aphasia, Apraxia and Dysarthria something the public may be more aware of since news of Bruce Willis's diagnosis. and it's Dr Anna Volkmer's specialist subject.
Blog – The making of the clinical academic…the façade is slipping
Dr Anna Volkmer questions how you sustain the Academic element of being a 'Clinical Academic', and how many hours per week justifies keepin the title?
Blog – The Academic Interview
Dr Anna Volkmer goes through her approach for preparing for the NIHR Advanced Fellowship Interview, and shares her experiece of the process.
Blog – Open access publishing & dissemination
Dr Anna Volkmer describes the trials & tribulations of going for gold, in other words getting and open access publication.
Blog – Intervention planning in dementia
If your research discovers something that could help people what happens to it? Anna explores the challenges of translating research into clinical services
Blog – Green & Gold: Issues with open access publishing
Publishing your research is great, but its even better if read. Dr Anna Volkmer discusses her current efforts to make a new publication open access.
Blog – Anxiety dreams & short terms contracts
Dr Anna Volkmer had a strange dream... one we fhope won't come true. In this blog Anna share her tips for surviving the unstable & insecure life as an ECR
Blog – Future funding: Applying for an NIHR advanced fellowship
Dr Anna Volkmer discusses her career path & provides tips for Clinical Academics navigating the NIHR Academic Training Programme
Blog – Including the voices of people with dementia
Dr Anna Volkmer shares how she approaches PPI when those people have cognitive and communication difficulties - advice for 1st timers.
Blog – Using research to deliver change
Dr Anna Volkmer writes about her work to influence commissioners to deliver what patients really want, effective research outcomes implemented.
Blog – Moving from supervisee to supervisor
Dr Anna Volkmer shares her top nine reasons for supervising students and shares her own experiences of transitioning from student to leader
Blog – Using qualitative methods: A guide to thematic analysis
Dr Anna Volkmer has used both qualitative and quantitative research methods in her work, in this blog she discusses Thematic Analysis.
Blog – Dementia care over the last 25 years
Making best use of the available dementia research funding. Dr Anna Volkmer takes us through a few of the discoveries research has found in the past 25 years.
Blog – Implementing Dementia Research Findings
What drives you and gives you the passion continue? Dr Anna Volkmer discusses her own work, and how she finds the implementation of discovery exciting
Blog – A little bit of Conversation Analysis
Dr Anna Volkmer talks to the value of conversation analysis, as a tool for life, not just for dementia - read or hear Anna read her own words.
Blog – The measure of COVID-19 on loneliness in dementia
Dr Anna Volkmer questions the value of the rating scales we use in research to assess loneliness, and Speech and Language Therapy interventions.
Blog – Applying for a NIHR Development Skills Enhancement Award
Dr Anna Volkmer blogs about her experience of completing her PhD, and how she worked to ensure she didn't 'fall off the edge'.
Blog – Doing a virtual viva and completing PhD amendments
Anna Volkmer (now Dr Volkmer) shares the story behind her on / off viva, and working on amendments, parenting and work during lockdown.
Blog – Preparing for a virtual viva
At this slightly strange time, Anna Volkmer shares (from experience) her top tips for preparing for the virtual viva, as she prepares for her own this week.
Blog – Why are we excluding the best brains from dementia research?
Is to possible to have security and stability while also pursuing a career as a researcher? Anna Volkmer discusses research culture, and what needs to change.
Blog – Tips & hints on surviving life post-thesis, pre-viva.
Do you get a sense of loss after hitting those major milestones? In this Blog Anna Volkmer reflects on dealing with the pre-viva lull.
Blog – Getting consent right!
There are many things that researchers can do to maximise the person’s ability to participate in decision making. Here are some top tips from Anna Volkmer
Blog – Cultivating a research culture in the NHS
Can the research culture inside the NHS be improved? What role can non clinicians play? Blog from Anna Vollkmer discussing research culture inside the NHS
Blog – Meeting of minds: Qualitative Research in Dementia
Anna Volkmer - sharing further info from last weeks 1st meeting of a group of researchers all interested in using qualitative research methods with people with communication difficulties and dementia.
Blog – Consenting study participants in dementia research
New blog from Anna Volkmer - tips and hints and guidance (and how to use them) for anyone attempting to produce an information or consent form for their study.
Blog – My experiences of applying for my fellowship.
Anna Volkmer, discussing her experience of successfully applying for a fellowship from the NIHR - sharing tips that could help you get NIHR Funding
Guest Blog – Retaining research study participants
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, talking about her experience of finding and retaining dementia research study participants.
Blog – Dissemination: Building up to a podcast
Anna Volkmer, talks about her experience of podcasting with Dementia Researcher. How could podcasting help you reach more people?
Blog – The Thesis: Sitting on the edge of the precipice looking into the abyss
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, sharing a few tips and hints that seemed small but have really helped her on route through her PhD.
Blog – When will we know more about dementia?
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, Reflecting on what we do and don't know as we start 2019, and what more can and should be done.
Blog – ICFTD 2018 in Sydney
New Blog from Anna Volkmer, Cutting to the good stuff - 10 great things about this years ICFTD Conference from Sydney, Australia
Blog – Doing PPI on my PhD project
PPI with people with language led dementia: the barriers & the facilitators
Blog – My experience of being a nice committee member
Dr Anna Volkmer shares her experience working with NICE to develop new guidelines on decision making and mental capacity.
Blog – Things I wish I had known before I became a clinician and an academic
Blog from Anna Volkmer, sharing her experiences with the benefit of hindsight and sharing tips for early career researchers

