What we do
Smart Lark delivers impactful skills and knowledge training for individuals and groups working in the research environment. Whether you're new to research or highly experienced, our workshops and webinars help strengthen skills, build capabilities, and foster best practice.
Why not download our comprehensive training brochure above to find out more?
Amplify and Engage
Mastering Research Posters guides you through the essentials of developing a research poster covering structure, clarity, flow, visuals, layout, and colour.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as a 2-hour webinar or a 3-hour in-person workshop.
Alternative and Creative Science Communication shows how storytelling, theatre, and comedy can transform the way you share your work. You’ll challenge traditional approaches, discover your authentic voice, and start creating your own short, engaging science communication piece.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
The Blogger’s Toolkit is a practical session aimed at developing compelling blog posts to communicate your research and ideas.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as a 2-hour webinar or a 3-hour in-person workshop.
Showcase your research through compelling short stories gives you the choice of two options:
Firstly, a dedicated workshop that teaches you the techniques to excel at written storytelling; or secondly, the workshop plus the opportunity for those at your institution to have their short stories published in a specifically designed book.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 3-hour webinar.
Deliver online presentations like a pro guides you to master online presentations with this practical workshop. It optimises your setup, enhance your on-screen presence, and deliver your research with confidence, clarity, and impact.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar (introductory level) or 2 x 2-hour webinars (advanced with coaching).
Engaging with Policy and the Pathways to Impact builds practical skills in understanding the policy landscape, mapping stakeholders, and identifying realistic routes to influence and impact while raising the profile of your research.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as 2 x 2-hour webinars or 4-hour in-person workshop.
Crafting Policy Impact and Planning for Action develops practical skills in crafting clear, persuasive messages, using briefing notes effectively, and building the confidence to secure support and ask for action - helping you turn evidence into a focused plan for policy engagement and impact.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as 2 x 2-hour webinars or 4-hour in-person workshop.
Build your online profile (without selling out or burning out!) demonstrates the importance of a professional online presence that attracts the right opportunities with a strategic, sustainable, and values-aligned approach - without becoming a full-time content creator or compromising your authenticity.
Format: this workshop is delivered as 2 x 2-hour webinars or 3 x 3-hour webinars.
How to talk about your research in ways that generate the attention you want helps you communicate your research clearly, compellingly, and strategically by identifying the audiences that matter most and understanding what they care about.
Format: this workshop is delivered as 2 x 2-hour webinars.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI Assisted Grant Writing provides practical skills to use generative AI in the grant writing process whilst maintaining originality, integrity and funder compliance.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2.5-hour webinar plus an additional 60 minute live proposal clinic for direct feedback on real world bids.
Create online content efficiently using AI helps you harness AI as a genuine collaborator in your content workflow, while maintaining your authentic voice and ensuring everything you publish reflects your expertise and values.
Format: this workshop is delivered as 2 x 2-hour webinars.
Responsible and Effective use of Generative AI across the Research Lifecycle helps researchers use generative AI tools confidently and ethically in tasks such as: literature reviews, coding assistance and writing.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Applied AI and Machine Learning for Research Questions is a two-part series that helps researchers decide when and how to use machine learning in their projects.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a two-part series, each 2 hours long: part 1 focuses on concepts and framing; part 2 on a live, end to end example.
Research Methods
Exploring Qualitative Research introduces the core principles of qualitative research in a supportive environment, helping participants build confidence and apply key ideas to their own interests. Ideal as a standalone workshop or part of a series, it equips learners to understand when and how to use qualitative methods, recognise high-quality research, and plan effective analysis.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as a 2.5-hour webinar or a 3-hour in-person workshop.
Using Interviews in Qualitative Research showcases qualitative interviewing as a core research method, helping participants build confidence in planning, conducting, and understanding interview data. Ideal for beginners or as a refresher, it offers practical guidance on designing interviews and generating meaningful, credible insights.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as a 2.5-hour webinar or a 3-hour in-person workshop.
Using Focus Groups in Qualitative Research highlights focus groups as a qualitative research method, showing how group discussion can generate rich insights. Ideal for beginners or as a refresher, it covers planning, facilitating, and analysing focus group data in a practical, accessible way.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as a 2.5-hour webinar or a 3-hour in-person workshop.
Writing PhD Applications
Applying for a PhD in the UK: a step-by-step guide for international students guides international students through the UK PhD application process. It covers how to find programmes, choose supervisors, and write strong proposals. The session suits anyone exploring or preparing to apply for a PhD in the UK.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Applying for a PhD in the Social Sciences and Humanities shows how to design a strong proposal, find supervisors, and meet selection criteria. It’s perfect for anyone exploring or applying for a UK PhD in these fields.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Standing out as a PhD Applicant: Thinking like a Researcher develops practical skills in evidencing key researcher qualities and crafting a clear, compelling research narrative—helping STEM students communicate their experience, potential and readiness for doctoral-level study.
Format: this workshop can be delivered as a 2.5-hour webinar or a 3-hour in-person workshop.
Supporting Neurodivergence
Supporting neurodivergent students and staff explores key concepts, common barriers faced by neurodivergent students and staff, and how to address them. It’s ideal for supervisors and line managers looking to create more inclusive, supportive academic environments.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Empowering neurodivergent postgraduate and doctoral students highlights the common barriers faced by neurodivergent postgraduate students and early career researchers, alongside your rights, support options, and approaches to disclosure. This course offers practical strategies to navigate academia, advocate for your needs, and adapt working practices to better suit you,
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Strategise your Career
Understanding what you want from life beyond your PhD / Postdoc helps you to reflect on what you really want from your next role in this interactive workshop for PhD researchers and postdocs. You’ll identify your strengths, clarify your priorities, and create a personal guide statement to help you move forward with confidence and direction.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Exploring your career options as Research Professionals explores the many career options a research background opens for you. We then design a personalised career transition strategy for exploring, testing and finalising your career options over the next six to 12 months.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Preparing proactively for life beyond your PhD is an interactive, group coaching-style workshop which helps you step back, get intentional, and make the most of the time you have left. You’ll explore what really matters to you, learn how to choose opportunities wisely, and take practical steps toward a future that fits.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar or 3-hour webinar.
Translating your skills for employers beyond academia helps you translate your experience into language that resonates beyond academia. You’ll learn what employers are really looking for and gain practical strategies to present your skills and achievements confidently in applications and interviews.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar or 2-hour in-person workshop.
Creating a strong and compelling LinkedIn profile (to be proud of) will show you how to build an authentic LinkedIn presence that attracts your ideal audience, showcases your expertise and contributions in an engaging way, and helps you build a strong community on LinkedIn.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
How to explore your career options beyond academia gives PhD researchers and postdocs a clear, structured starting point. You’ll turn uncertainty into focused questions and leave with a practical, realistic plan for investigating your options and moving forward with confidence.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar or 2-hour in-person workshop.
Strategies to help you get seen, heard and valued by hiring managers outside of academia is ideal for research staff who want to move into a new career direction but who struggle to showcase their expertise in a non-academic context. The session helps you describe your achievements eloquently and confidently, in a way that resonates with employers from different sectors and industries.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
Raising your visibility on LinkedIn (in a way that feels just right) helps you gain traction for your research and engage with your ideal audiences. This session will help you build confidence in communicating with your research community and show you simple ways to comment, share, and post your own contributions.
Format: this workshop is delivered as a 2-hour webinar.
N.B: this is a follow-on session from “Creating a strong and LinkedIn profile.”