26Oct/15

GRADnet Winter School: Building your Leadership Potential

conference, GRADnet, postgraduate,

GRADnet Winter School: Building your Leadership Potential

8-10 February 2016

Discovery Park, Innovation House, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich CT13 9FF

For GRADnet postgraduate researchers

Please see attached document outlining an exciting new core activity for the GRADnet Winter School.  Register here.  Registration deadline Tuesday, 5 January 2016.

Core Activity – Columbia’s Final Mission

You will analyse the case of the Columbia Space Shuttle mission from launch to its fatal conclusion using materials supplied by NASA under the guidance of a consultant.  As the mission unfolds, you will work in teams, each team taking the role of one of the key NASA managers or engineers.  A team experiences only those events and has access only to information that that person had at the time of the mission.  This adds a rich dimension to the case experience as participants recognise how perceptions of the same event can vary.  With a combination of team working and plenary discussion, key principles and applications of leadership, management and communication unfold as the workshop progresses.

 Places are limited so register now!

09Oct/15

‘I Wish I Had Known Earlier’ – GRADnet Student-led Online Learning Proposal Call October 2015

awards, GRADnet, postgraduate

Once again GRADnet is offering a scheme in which its postgraduate researchers can create online learning modules to share their knowledge and experience with peers in earlier years.  We invite GRADnet PGRs to participate in this. Successful proposals will receive a £1,000 bursary for each online module they create. Details of previously created modules are available in the Summer edition of GRADnews and also on the VRE, log on to http://www.open.ac.uk/students/research/SEPnet/training/student-led-on-line-learning%20modules

Proposals can be to support the development of either technical skills (for example, theoretical methods and tools, or practical physics know-how and skills) or more transferable/genetic skills (for example, Managing your Time, or Presenting at Conferences).  Although we have provided these examples, we expect that you will have a much better idea from your own experience of exactly what you wished you had known when you had started or what you had difficulty getting to grips with. These modules are designed to help those coming behind you avoid the same problems.

You are asked to submit a proposal for an online module, see attached guidelines and form. The proposal should identify the topic, provide an outline of what a module needs to cover and what learning it is intended to deliver. If selected, you will receive mentoring in Autumn 2015 to help you develop a high quality virtual learning package in one of several possible formats (video, website, text etc). This is another skill to add to your portfolio.  Collaborative modules between groups of students are particularly welcomed. This is an excellent opportunity to develop your teaching skills and experience for your CV.

Before you submit your proposal, there will be a chance to discuss your ideas and see what previous students have done over the videoconference facility on Tuesday, 20 October 2015 at 14:00, Virtual Room SEPnet 6.  If you wish to participate in this session please email gradnetadmin@sepnet.ac.uk by midday on Friday, 16 October 2015.

I wish I had known application form and guidance 2015 Final

An example from last year’s high quality proposals can be found here.

17Sep/15

Successful GRADnet “Meet the Employers” event for Physics PhD students

Employer Engagement, GRADnet, postgraduate

Last night at the University of Southampton SEPnet’s Graduate Network (GRADnet) held a networking evening to facilitate collaboration and links between industry and physics with postgraduate research students and researchers (PGRs).

Attending the event were:

  • SEPnet PGR students who wanted to meet employers from physics-related industries to find out about career opportunities, make contacts and explore research and business ideas.
  • SEPnet partner researchers who wanted to build links with industry to explore how their research can create impact.
  • SMEs, businesses and employers in physics-related industries interested in developing links with universities and recruiting physics graduates.
Panel session

Introducing the Panel session

During the evening we heard from panellists Simon Crook of EPSRC; Anke Lohmann, KTN Head of Photonics & Quantum Technologies; Julian Potter of WP Thompson IP; Nick Walker of eOsphere; Andrew Witham of Symetrica; Maya Dillon, Community Manager of Pivigo Academy who talked about the benefits of knowledge exchange and what physics postgraduates and postdocs can offer industry.

This was followed by a “speed networking” event in which PGR students, academics and employers discussed how to build ongoing relationships between industry and researchers through placements, mentoring or research collaboration.

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Speed Networking
Speed Networking

Speed Networking

At the end of the evening there was an opportunity for informal networking over refreshments. Feedback from students, employers and academics was that the events was extremely successful and enjoyable. The next event is being planned and is likely to be at The University of Kent on the 27th January 2016. Details will be posted on the GRADnet VRE.

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More photos from the evening can be found on Google Photos:


09Sep/15

SEPnet sponsors the WISE ‘People Like Me’ Resource pack and app

Diversity, Outreach, , , ,

SEPnet is delighted to support the launch of new resources by Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) who have produced a set of training and teaching resources for teachers, STEM Ambassadors and an interactive app for girls to help educate and inspire.

At the British Science Festival in Bradford yesterday, Stephanie McGovern, journalist and broadcaster, hosted the launch of the ‘People like me’ resource pack and app which is is the first novel approach to increasing the number of girls in science in 30 years. Research conducted by WISE in the Not for people like me report, found that talking about scientists and engineers and what they do often doesn’t attract girls. Instead, allowing girls to look at the sort of person they are and how their attributes correspond to roles in these sectors does.

SEPnet’s Professor Averil MacDonald produced the Not for people like me report and spoke at the launch of the new resource packs.

The resource packs are available from  here: PeopleLikeMe_SEPnet_mainpack

PeopleLikeMe_SEPnet_leaflet

PeopleLikeMe_SEPnet_poster

07Sep/15
GRADnet Summer School

SEPnet shortlisted for Times Higher Education award

Employer Engagement, GRADnet, postgraduate, ,

We are delighted that SEPnet has been shortlisted for the Times Higher Education (THE) Award for Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiative for our work with postgraduate research students.

 

Hundreds of nominations from institutions, departments and individuals were submitted across 18 categories covering the full range of university activity.

 

The full shortlist for all 18 categories is published in Times Higher Education and is also available on the awards website: www.the-awards.co.uk   The winners will be announced on Thursday 26 November 2015 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.

25Aug/15
Big Bang Fair

Joint Ogden Trust/SEPnet Outreach Officers

Jobs, Outreach

Outreach Officers

Looking for challenging jobs in Physics Outreach & Public Engagement? Two universities within SEPnet are looking for Outreach Officers, both part-funded by the Ogden Trust. The roles are quite different but both include delivery and development of schools outreach. Herts will be developing a public engagement programme for their physicists while Open will be developing a new citizen science project.

University of Hertfordshire:

http://www.herts.ac.uk/contact-us/jobs-and-vacancies/academic-vacancies

(Doesn’t allow a direct link, so please follow academic vacancies link).

Deadline: 14 September 2015

The Open University:

http://www3.open.ac.uk/employment/job-details.asp?id=8706&ref=ext

Deadline: 30 September 2015

Both roles will get support from The Ogden Trust and their networks. They will also get support from the SEPnet Outreach team including the Director and the current officers.

SEPnet also provides seasonal SEPnet Outreach Officers Meeting, bespoke training for officers and an annual SEPnet Outreach Officers Away Day. Please get in touch with SEPnet’s Outreach Director if you’d like to talk about both roles and their links with SEPnet. For enquiries about each role, please get in touch with the respective university.

10Aug/15

Connecting Industry and Researchers in Physics

Employer Engagement, postgraduate

A SEPnet Networking Event: SEPnet’s Graduate Network (GRADnet) is organising a networking evening to facilitate collaboration and links connecting industry and physics with postgraduate research students and researchers (PGRs)

Wednesday 16 September 17.00-20.00, University of Southampton.

Who should attend

  • SEPnet PGR students who want to meet employers from physics-related industries to find out about career opportunities, make contacts and explore research and business ideas.
  • SEPnet partner researchers who want to build links with industry to explore how their research can create impact.
  • SMEs, businesses and employers in physics-related industries interested in developing links with universities and recruiting physics graduates.

During the evening:

  • Hear from panellists Kathie Bowden of Institute for Environmental Analytics and UK Space Agency; Simon Crook of EPSRC; Anke Lohmann, KTN Head of Photonics & Quantum Technologies; Julian Potter of WP Thompson IP; Nick Walker of eOsphere; Andrew Witham of Symetrica and others talk about the benefits of knowledge exchange and what physics postgraduates and postdocs can offer industry.
  • Participate in a speed networking session
  • Build ongoing relationships between industry and researchers through placements, mentoring or research collaboration
  • Refreshments will be provided.

How to register:

This event is FREE to attend.  Book early by clicking on the following link: http://bit.ly/1Kr2ij4. For enquiries, contact gradnetadmin@sepnet.ac.uk

THIS EVENT IS SUPPORTED BY THE INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS

31Jul/15

Reflecting Photonics IYL garden voted Best Garden

awards, Outreach

Designer Helen Elks-Smith’s Reflecting Photonics won a Gold medal and the People’s Choice Award at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) show at Tatton Park. The garden was inspired by the International Year of Light and the fibre optics work being carried out at University of Southampton. An outreach team of post-graduate students from Southampton took part in the event and spoke to over 2,000 people, handing out information on the garden and fibre optics research at Southampton.

Pearl John, Southampton’s SEPnet Outreach Officer and Public Engagement team leader for Physics and Astronomy, who has been working on the project said, “I’m very glad that the enthusiastic response we’ve had from people visiting the garden and talking to our outreach team. Having our outreach team there really helped the garden win the People’s Choice Award for Best Garden.”

The International Year of Light themed garden was also featured in a special BBC programme on the RHS Tatton Show, which can be seen here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b063jx7p .