I love interesting challenges. I have been a skills trainer and consultant since completing my PhD in 2008 and I currently work exclusively with postgraduate researchers and research staff in the HE sector. My focus is to help people achieve real growth, realise their potential and help them take control of their development.

I regularly work with North West HEIs, and have delivered training sessions to over 2400 postgraduate research students and research staff. These include courses covering a wide range of skills areas that are essential for research success.

I am passionate about the development of innovative resources and programmes for promoting personal effectiveness, teamwork and creativity. I have created original exercises for strengthening teamwork, collaboration and communication.

I am always looking for novel methods to get people talking about themselves, thinking about their development and acting to greatly improve their skills.

I have produced online content to support training courses, and written articles for GRADBritain, Manchester STEPS and the University of Liverpool’s PGR Newsletter.

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I have been involved on local GRADschools in many roles. As well as providing tutoring and facilitation on these programmes, I am an experienced Course Manager and Course Director. I have tutored on the National GRADschool programme at Windermere and have facilitated on Vitae’s Effective Researcher programme, both for PGRs and Research Staff. I have also been involved with the Collaborative Researcher and Leadership in Action programmes as a facilitator.

In 2010 I was awarded Vitae Innovate funding for “NonZeroSum,” an original training game to support researchers exploring collaboration. This Creative Commons-licensed resource was released in May 2011 and is available here. In 2010 and 2011 I was a Guest Director for the University of Liverpool’s First Year Skills Workshops, a programme that I have been involved with since 2008. I continue to be involved as a Guest Tutor on the programme. In 2011 and 2012 I facilitated Introduction to Research workshops for the University of Manchester’s EPS Faculty.

I am the creator and host of the Viva Survivors podcast, which started in June 2012. On the podcast I interview PhD graduates about their research, their viva and life after the PhD. The podcast is ongoing and is always looking for more people to take part.

In January 2013 I published Fail Your Viva, an ebook about viva preparation. This is the first in a planned series of books about topics and areas relevant to PhD students and researchers.

In my spare time I enjoy reading a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, and am always looking for interesting creative projects: writing, making things, playing tabletop games and knitting! I enjoy travelling: highlights include a five week road trip across the USA in summer 2009 and re-visiting New York and Las Vegas on honeymoon with my wife in 2010.

Writing on holiday in Japan, September 2009 Get in touch if you would like me to deliver a skills training workshop for you, or if you have an interesting challenge. I am always happy to discuss your requirements. If I am not able to offer something that you are looking for I am happy to point you in the direction of someone who can help.

I am always on the lookout for interesting projects to be involved with!

Phone: 07968 583223

Email: nathan@nathanryder.co.uk

Twitter: Follow @DrRyder for me and @VivaSurvivors for the Viva Survivors podcast.