Are you in the loop? (Tseen Khoo)

Photo by Evelyn Berg | flickr | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

You think you have FOMO?

We also have FOMO - on your behalf!

One of the things that makes me the most sadface at work is hearing about disappointed researchers who have missed out on workshops or events because they didn't know things were on.

This is especially the case when we have special events that take place only once a semester, feature invited guests (that is, presentations that may be one-offs), or that we're piloting and would've loved to have more feedback on.

If you have ever been in this position, read on and be in that position no more!

If you want to save your friends, colleagues, and graduate research students from that anguish, point them to this post!

To know all there is to know about what's on offer at La Trobe in the research education, development, and training area, here's what you do:

1. Bookmark the RED workshops page - the page features all the sessions RED offers, plus those presented by the Library, Digital Research, and Research Platforms.

2. Sign up to Graduate Research Scholar, a fortnightly newsletter compiled by RED and the Library that features workshops, special events, resources, training, tips, and news relevant to La Trobe researchers. You can browse back-issues of Graduate Research Scholar, too. You might be surprised at the range of information that's in there!

3. Subscribe to the RED Alert blog so you never miss a post. Look for the "Subscribe" widget at the top of the top right column on the blog - just drop in your email address and you'll have fresh posts delivered straight to your Inbox. I have to say, having posts delivered to my Inbox is the only way I manage to keep up with my favourite blogs these days.

4. Follow us on Twitter - we're at @LTUresearchers. As well as scintillating banter and classy memes, it's a great stream for online chats, virtual 'Shut up and write' sessions, workshop reminders, what's happening in research at La Trobe, livetweets of research events, and relevant links to good stuff on academic writing, publishing, grants, and being a researcher. Really, what doesn't this stream do?

5. Like us on Facebook - our page is La Trobe Researchers. People like it when they get the news and info they need where they live. So, Facebook. Yeah, ok, you're not there as much as used to be and you can give up anytime you want but, meanwhile, we're here in your Facebook neighbourhood sharing heaps of good stuff on research education and development programs, fab links and stories about research, and event photos.

But wait! There's more!

• Research Focus Areas (RFAs) and their newsletters/mailing lists. Are you a member of an RFA? You should join up! They convene great events and offer special opportunities for their members. And did you know you can be part of more than one if your work straddles those areas? 
• The College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Commerce (ASSC) has a newsletter that you can subscribe to. Contact them to be added to the distribution list. 
• All academic research staff should be signed up to Research Mailer. This is a bulletin that provides you with info on funding opportunities, grants rounds, research activities, and lots more. Here's how you subscribe: Send a blank email to Research-mailer-subscribe-request@latrobe.edu.au from your La Trobe email address. You'll then receive a confirmation email and be added to the list.

Was this post totally an advert for La Trobe research comms channels? You betcha!

So, c'mon then. Get moving and sign up to All the Things!

You will then have achieved excellence in being informed, beyond your wildest academic dreams. And that's all before semester starts - winning!

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Dr Tseen Khoo is a lecturer in research education and development with the RED team at La Trobe University. Melbourne. She has held research-only fellowships at the University of Queensland and Monash University, and was a research grant developer at RMIT University.

Tseen created and manages the Research Whisperer with Jonathan O'Donnell. 

She convenes the Asian Australian Studies Research Network (AASRN), and publishes on critical race studies, diasporic Asian cultures, and racialised academic identities. 

She's on Twitter at @tseenster.