Annie Vernon discusses the joy of failing, how to respond, and tips for those in academic careers.
Last month we welcomed Olympic silver medalist and award-winning author Annie Vernon to the University as part of our first Research Culture event in the 2023 series.
Annie has spent the past 15 years – following her race in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls final at the Beijing Olympics – thinking: Did we win a silver medal, or lose a gold medal?
Their quad won the World Championships in the three years before the Olympic Games, spent the majority of their race in the lead, and were set to make history as the first Team GB women’s boat to win rowing gold at the Olympics. The Chinese quad beat them on the line, and left the GB women reflecting on coming up just short.
Annie uses her experience of the extreme highs and lows of a career in sport to cast a spotlight on the way a lot of us view our professional careers. For her, failure was an equalizer. In order to improve, her more experienced colleagues in the quad had to go back to the drawing board too.
She reflected on the similarities between this situation and her partner’s career in academia. When research hits a wall, or an experiment produces an unexpected result, everyone is in the same boat – PGRs, early-career researchers, and researchers with decades of experience. It’s a vital part of our research culture as schools, faculties and an institution as a whole to respond to these situations as opportunities, not setbacks.
Annie also reflected on her time at Cambridge University and her participation in the annual Women’s Boat Race. You would expect that in a two-horse race, on the same course, the two universities would be swapping victory frequently. In fact, there tend to be five to 10 years of dominance from one team, before it swings back the other way. The reason why is simple: that’s how long it takes to acknowledge there are areas that can be improved, begin the process of fixing it, and embed these changes.
There is a striking parallel here between the Boat Race and our own efforts to enhance research culture, and part of the reason why this work is so important to the University. We want to create and sustain a research culture that values and celebrates the diversity of research and supports faculty, staff and students to achieve their goals. We have funded a fantastic mix of projects and look forward to sharing more details about them with you soon. For now, check out the upcoming Research Culture events below and register for your free tickets!
Research Culture 2023 events
Data Hazards Launch
29 March, Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
Learn more about Data Hazards (such as High Environmental Cost or Danger of Misuse) and how to use them in your own research, and join interdisciplinary discussions around research data ethics. Data Hazards Launch – get tickets
Future of Universities: The Future of Research
20 April, Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
What could future universities look like? What should their role in wider society be? Join us to hear a range of perspectives on how universities can evolve to remain a positive and rewarding place to work and study. This first event of three will focus on the future of research within institutions considering perspectives from researchers, funders and students. The Future of Research – get tickets
Histories of Tobacco
7 June, Watershed
The use and trade of tobacco has a long and complex history entwined with a number of global social issues, and Bristol’s role as a major colonial port during the slave trade must be remembered for the lessons we can learn. Join us to hear from experts on tobacco’s changing role through history, and how we can learn from the past to inform our future. Histories of Tobacco – get tickets
Celebrating Technicians
19 June, Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
Technicians are a vital part of the research process, supporting and furthering the innovative and groundbreaking research endeavours at the University. Join us to explore the history of the role in academia, hear from experts on the importance of technical support, and forge new links across the University. Celebrating Technicians – get tickets
Future of Universities: The Future of Teaching
29 June, Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
What could future universities look like? What should their role in wider society be? Join us to hear a range of perspectives on how universities can evolve to remain a positive and rewarding place to work and study. This second event of three will focus on the future of teaching within institutions considering perspectives from staff, students, and beyond. The Future of Teaching – get tickets
Future of Universities: The Role of Universities in Society
13 July, Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building
What could future universities look like? What should their role in wider society be? Join us to hear a range of perspectives on how universities can evolve to remain a positive and rewarding place to work and study. This final event in the series will focus on the role institutions play in society considering perspectives from government and other external stakeholders. The Role of Universities in Society – get tickets
Festival of Research Culture
19 July, M Shed
Thanks to two years of dedicated funding from Research England, we have supported academic, technical and Professional Services staff through a range of research culture activities. Join us for our annual celebration of these activities taken place to date, and a look forward to the future of research culture at the University of Bristol. Festival of Research Culture – get tickets