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Questions for PhD training. The wind-up. EPSRC commit to maintain DTA funding 2008-11 In flat cash Looking for strategic use at University level By 2007 EPSRC were supporting new PhD students per year : ca 1200 DTA ca 120 DTC ca 600 Project PhD students.
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The wind-up.. • EPSRC commit to maintain DTA funding 2008-11 • In flat cash • Looking for strategic use at University level • By 2007 EPSRC were supporting new PhD students per year: • ca 1200 DTA • ca 120 DTC • ca 600 Project PhD students. • The 2008 Centres for Doctoral Training call will add from 2009: • ca +400 DTC student starts pa • 2008 DTC call NOT capacity building. Criteria influencing shortlisting included: • built around research capacity with international standing • added value in the programme, beyond DTA • training with focus and track record • coherent vision of the programme across 4 years • Next major DTC-like funding call expected with new funding cycle (3 yrs). No assurance that DTA allocations will continue thereafter. WILL YOU BE READY?
What is a PhD for? • How is it used? • How should it be? • Warwick Complexity DTC aims to: • train a new generation of complexity scientists at PhD level, • teaching knowledge and skills to • understand, control and design complex systems • do innovative research in complexity science • via • critical thinking • interdisciplinary teamwork • end-user interaction.
The leaders of tomorrow Presentation Communication Vision Teaching Theoretical analysis Networking Focus Practical skills
Designing the programme… • Benefits from specific training? • Learning from everyone… • Added value in the programme? • How does one maximise the impact? • Role of Transferable Skills
Warwick Complexity DTC Research Training Taught MSc modules: • Self-organisation and Emergence. • Complexity Science in the real world. • Complexity in the time domain. • Advanced Statistical Methods. • Time Series from a Stochastic Viewpoint. • Micro to Macro: PDE methods and applications. • Quantifying correlation and spatio-temporal complexity • Option from MOAC or Systems Biology. • Skills training: • Teamwork, • collaboration, • public communication of research, • decision making, • career advancement • Two 10/12 week miniprojects (summer term, summer vac) • 3 year PhD projectseach having two supervisors (different depts) • currently listed research areas • Agent-based modelling • Networks and Emergent Behaviour • Self-Organisation and Assembly • Non-linear Dynamics • Spatio-temporal Complexity • Management & Bounding of Complexity
Who owns a PhD project? Stakeholders include: • Student; • Supervisor; • Research unit; • Funding agency How do they relate?
Environment and Events • Seminars & Colloquia • Structured research fora – e.g. Journal clubs • Dedicated research days (tutorial front end?) • Joint events/schools with other Centres • ‘Retreat’ style events – include the students! • Highlight lectures - let students see who staff look up to!
What can students lead? MOAC: DTC conference (1617 April): 100% organised by 2004 cohort for MOAC, CBC and White Rose. Publicity group: Improving open days, web sites, photos, interviews, podcasts. Industrial mentor group: Ian Nussey (IBM) plus 3 students have established a web-system for mentors and mentees to sign up. 15 ‘marriages’ to date. Already led to IBM giving seminars and arranging problem solving workshops for students. Newsletters Adobe illustrator training course Cake days
Capacity and Critical Mass? Opportunities for discussion & collaboration: • within peer group • beyond supervisor’s own group • across disciplines/areas • internationally Near peer role models of post-PhD success: • Academic • Research employment • Professional (non-research) employment • UK & international
Some key words … • Grounding • Specialisation • Collaboration • Teamwork • Presentation • Teaching • Networking • International • Role models • Inspiration • Leadership
