I’m delighted and excited to have been invited to speak to the Faculty of Computing & Engineering at Coventry University about the future of early-career research as we begin a new REF cycle. My talk addressed pretty much what it says on the tin: what the current state of early-career research in the UK is and what universities need to do to help early-career researchers prosper and to be able to benefit from their work and vision. It was exciting to present to an audience from a disciplinary background so different from mine!