Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey In the PTES 2010 students said: Social & study space could be better • The Library made additional dedicated postgraduate study space during its redevelopment • Graduate Schools are working to ensure the postgraduate taught environment and support at Edinburgh are the best possible They needed better feedback • The University launched its enhancing feedback website
The PTES 2011 is launching Monday 14 February Tell us what you
(or don’t)!
Introduction from Eric Chen, EUSA Postgraduate Convener Welcome to the first Postgraduate Festival ever held by Edinburgh University Students’ Association. Postgraduates make up over 30% of the University’s students, but because we are either hidden away working on our own research projects or are taking one of the many specialised – and sometimes quite small – Masters courses available in the Uni, we tend not to be as visible - or as loud - as undergraduates. There are also not many opportunities to meet and talk to postgrads from other areas of the University – other than the Postgrad Society Socials during semester! And opportunities to talk to Postgrads outwith your immediate area about your work are rare indeed! Postgrads have as many issues and interests that need to be met as undergrads. This Festival focuses on these needs, including the provision of fun and relevant social events;
the delivery of personal and professional development opportunities through courses and training workshops; and opportunities for skills practice, research diffusion and networking. EUSA is committed to delivering for Edinburgh Postgrads. Feedback from our Postgrad Freshers’ Week events was overwhelmingly positive, and the Postgrad Festival aims to build on this success. Working with the Careers Service, the University’s Transkills Unit and the Scholarship and Financial Aid Office we have put together a programme of skills, careers’ and personal development that we hope you will find helpful, relevant and fun. With the EUSA Entertainments division, EUSA Societies and your Postgraduate reps, we have programmed some social and networking events that we hope will keep you entertained… and, excitingly, the week sees the first ever EUSA Postgraduate Conference!
Contents Social & Networking Events Skills & Career Development Events (Taught Postgrads) Skills & Career Development Events (Research Postgrads) The Postgraduate Conference 2011
I hope to see you at the many events during the week. Enjoy! Eric, on behalf of the EUSA Postgraduate reps 3
Social & Networking Events
Monday 14th February Lecture: ‘Food Security and Sustainability: One Can’t Make an Omelette Without Cracking Some Eggs’, Professor Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, City University London Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22 George St 6-7.30pm This lecture, hosted by People and Planet, will propose the need for open and democratic debate about food futures. It will warn against technical triumphalism and urge a more balanced integration of societal and supply chain change.
Lecture: Edinburgh University International Development Society (EUID) - Gender Inequality and Women’s Empowerment Location and Details TBC 6pm Check the EUID website for further details: http://euid.eusa.ed.ac.uk
Tuesday 15th February Postgraduate Society Social Teviot Loft Bar 8pm-Late The regular Postgrad Society social. Come along, mingle and meet new friends in the relaxed atmosphere of the Teviot Loft Bar.
N.B. Most social and networking events in the PG Festival are free/turn up events. However tickets must be bought from www.eusalive.com for the Ceilidh and 5 Decades of Music Disco.
Wednesday 16th February Communities and Volunteering Fair Teviot Debating Hall 10-12 noon Come and find out about all the opportunities that EUSA and EUSA Societies offer to live a more ethical life and get involved in the community. Postgraduate Campaigning and Engagement Teviot Balcony Room 1-3pm Are you a current Postgrad rep or are you considering running in the EUSA elections? Do you want to find out how to campaign effectively – whether it’s to improve the Library, to increase teaching contact time or to achieve world peace? This workshop is for you!
Art Society: Life Drawing Classes Resource Centre, Infirmary Street 5.30-7pm and 7.30-9pm Postgraduate Speed Networking/Speed dating followed by a tea tasting by the SocieTEA and possibly something stronger! Teviot Dining Room 7-10pm This event is limited to 60 people – come early to avoid disappointment! Valentines Day may have been on Monday, but Postgraduate love should be celebrated all year long! This is not (really) an event for those looking for love, but for those seeking new friends, collaborators or just a good postgraduate night out – come along and meet some new people – and then stick around for a tipple or a TEApple…
Thursday 17th February Tai-Chi Society, Postgraduate Tai-Chi Taster session Pleasance, Ochil Room 7-9pm Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Disco… ‘5 Decades of Music’ Potterrow, The Venue 9pm Tickets £3 students (£4 nonstudents), through EUSALIVE – www.eusalive.com. Back by popular demand! A night especially for Postgrads and mature students – strictly over 21s (so don’t forget your photo ID!). Potterrow will celebrate 5 decades of Music, with a progression through the night from the sixties right up to the naughties. Dress up in the style of your favourite decade – or don’t – it’s totally up to you! Whatever you do, don’t miss this great night!
Friday 18th February Dancing Taster Sessions Teviot Debating Hall 6-8pm Run in association with EUSA Dance Societies Demonstrations from a variety of EUSA dance societies including West Coast Swing and Cheerleading. Keep checking www.eusa.ed.ac. uk/postgraduatefestival for more styles you can get a taste of at this fun event! Postgraduate and Mature Students Ceilidh Teviot Debating Hall 8.30pm-Late Tickets £3 students (£4 nonstudents), through EUSALIVE Get your Postgraduate dancing shoes on at this traditional Scottish Ceilidh, led by the Yoohoo Ceilidh band. No Scottish dancing experience necessary. Just come along and have some Scottish-themed fun! 5
Skills & Career Development Events (Taught Postgrads)
Monday 14th February Preparing and Printing Large Format Posters Main Library, Room 1.08 1-2.45pm Seminar: 45 minute presentation followed by practical work. This seminar outlines the skills and tools required to design and print a large format colour poster (A1 or A0 size), and describes some of the facilities available in the University to help you. Introduction to PebblePad ePortfolio Main Library, Room 1.08 3-4.45pm Delivered by Information Services Seminar: 45 minute presentation followed by practical work. An e-portfolio is a collection of digital items that provides evidence of a person’s learning and/or ability.
PebblePad is the University’s e-portfolio system and it is available to all students. You can use PebblePad to record, reflect, review, discuss and share your thoughts, feelings, achievements and plans related to any aspect of your learning. This seminar shows you some key things you can produce with PebblePad, such as action plans, blogs, CVs, webfolios (websites) and learning profiles, and gives you a chance to try them out.
Tuesday 15th February Careers and Social Media - managing your digital footprint and harnessing social media in career planning and job hunting Pleasance (48a Lower) 10-11am Delivered by the Careers’ Service Study Problems - 10 ways to get unstuck Pleasance (48a Lower) 11-12 noon Delivered by the Institute for Academic Development This hour-long interactive workshop will consider different responses to the common problem of feeling “stuck” in studying and you will have the chance to share practical ways of getting “unstuck.”
Effective CVs Pleasance (48a Lower) 12-1pm Delivered by the Careers’ Service
MBTI taster workshop Pleasance (48a Lower) 2-4pm Delivered by the Careers’ Service
Understanding what makes an effective CV and how to get this essential job hunting tool right!
This introductory session will give you an overview of the MBTI personality profile, which provides an insight into how you prefer to operate and importantly what that can mean for the way you work and interact with others.
Managing Bibliographies with EndNote Course: 3 hours of demonstrations and practical exercises Main Library, Room 1.10 2-5pm Delivered by Information Services EndNote is used for managing bibliographical references and is available for Windows and Macintosh. This is an introductory course showing you the basics of EndNote X2. The course shows you how to manually enter references or import them from on-line databases, before generating your bibliography in a wordprocessed document.
Learning to love your dissertation... Pleasance (48a Lower) 4-5pm Delivered by the Institute for Academic Development In this hour-long interactive workshop you will have the chance to reflect on the challenges of longer essays and dissertations, discuss some strategies and practical suggestions and identify actions for yourself.
Wednesday 16th February
Thursday 17th February
Producing a Thesis using Word 2003* Course: 3 hours of demonstrations and practical exercises Main Library, Room 1.08 10-1pm Delivered by Information Services
Postgraduate Conference 2011 See page 18 for details
This course is primarily aimed at students intending to produce a thesis or dissertation using Word 2003, and looks at how to get the most out of Word to produce a quality document. The course introduces you to the concepts involved in planning and production before you complete the practical exercises which take you through the whole process of creating your document. You should have a basic knowledge of Word 2003 before attending this course.
This gives an opportunity for Postgrads to disseminate their work in progress and discuss their work in a friendly, supportive, interdisciplinary environment. Each panel will be facilitated by an academic discussant.
N.B. All these events have limited spaces! If you are interested in taking part in any of these events, please email postgrad@eusa. ed.ac.uk with the Title ‘Postgraduate Festival’ in the subject line. Please state in your email the session(s) that you would like to attend and your contact details. We will reply to confirm your place.
7
Skills & Career Development Events (Taught Postgrads)
Friday 18th February Study Resources for Literature Reviews Main Library, Room 1.08 10-11.45pm Delivered by Information Services This session will help you to identify appropriate abstracting and indexing(or bibliographic) databases for topics you need to investigate. Bibliographic databases summarise the content of academic journals and conference proceedings for particular subjects, helping you quickly find what’s been published on a topic you’re investigating. They are one of the resources you need to produce a successful literature review. This seminar will cover search techniques and will also provide help on getting hold of what you want to read.
Looking Good with Styles in Word 2003* Taster session: 1 hour, demonstration only Main Library, Room 1.08 12-1pm Delivered by Information Services Want to know how to improve the appearance of a document with just a few key strokes? Find out how to use styles in Word 2003 to control your formatting. Also find out how using styles can make creating numbered headings and tables of contents easy. *You should have a basic knowledge of Word 2003 before attending this session. Creating a Table of Contents in Word 2003* Taster session: 1 hour, demonstration only Main Library, Room 1.08 1-2pm Delivered by Information Services
Does your document need a table of contents? This short taster session shows you how to save time and effort by creating a table of contents that can be generated and updated automatically, even for the longest and most complex document. *You should have a basic knowledge of Word 2003 before attending this session. Funding for Research Students Teviot Committee Room 2-3pm Robert Lawrie, Head of the Office for Scholarships and Student Finance Are you looking for PhD funding? Whether you are a current PhD student or considering a Research degree, come along and hear what funding options are available. *Students should attend one or both of the taster sessions OR the Producing a Thesis Course (Wed 16th), but not both.
S T A ND
The Student Council represents University of Edinburgh students and makes sure that their voice is heard by the University and beyond. To truly represent your views, the Student Council needs YOU to stand as a Postgraduate Rep or Postgraduate Forum Convener. This year, the Postgraduate reps and Student Council have: 1. Obtained Postgraduate space in the main library 2. Increased the amount of ‘quiet’ space for study and 3. Persuaded the University to extend the ‘Graduate Discount’ (a 10% fee waiver for students taking a second degree at Edinburgh) to Masters Courses as well as PhDs. These are just 3 examples of what active Postgrad reps can achieve.
inÊtheÊ2011Ê elections NominationsÊopenÊ MondayÊ7ÊFebruaryÊandÊ closeÊatÊ12pmÊonÊ ThursdayÊ17ÊFebruary eusa.ed.ac.uk/elections
If you are interested in becoming a Postgraduate rep, you can find more information on the role at www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/ elections or talk to Eric Chen, the Postgraduate Convener in the Potterrow Dome. Eric will be available at the following times: Wednesday 10th, February 11am – 1pm Friday 12th, 11am – 1pm Wednesday 16th February, 11am – 1pm Thursday 17th February, 11am – 1pm You can also email Eric at postgrad@eusa.ed.ac.uk with any questions.
EUSA Election - Pull out nomination form
Stand up for Postgrads!
Nomination for the position of:
Contact Address (all applicants)
(To view positions available visit www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/elections)
Postgraduate Rep/Convener (delete as appropriate)
Surname (as you want it to appear on the Ballot Paper and in
EUSA Election - Pull out nomination form
the official Election Guide)
Mobile Phone Number (all applicants)
First Name/Initials (as you want it to appear on the Ballot Paper and in the official Election Guide) Nomination Form
E-mail (non student member applicants)
I am an Ordinary Student Member of EUSA Matriculation Number
Tick here if you do not wish a photograph to appear in the Election Guide (For full details on the method of submitting photographs please refer to full Election Regulations which are available on line at: www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/elections/photo)
School
Signature of Candidate
We, the undersigned, wish to propose the candidacy for Postgraduate Rep/Convener (2 signatures for Postgraduate Rep 10 for signatures required for Postgraduate Convener)
Signature 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Print Name
Matriculation Number
EUSA Election - Pull out nomination form
Signatures for nominated position
Points to Note When Completing the Form 1. The candidate’s name as to appear on the ballot and in the official Election Guide must, in accordance with rules 7 and 8 of the 2nd Schedule of the Representation of the People Act, include the candidate’s surname followed by other names and/or initials, and be sufficient to identify the candidate clearly to the satisfaction of the Returning Officer; and it must not refer to the candidate’s political activities. 2. No Student Member or Life/Associate Member may nominate more than one candidate for any one seat. Candidates are advised to check with proposers that they have not signed another candidate’s nomination form for the same position. In the event of someone nominating more candidates than there are seats available for a position, the additional nominations will not be accepted.
3. Nominations must be from the correct constituency. Where Student Council positions are for a particular constituency, eg for a School, or postgraduates, all members nominating the candidate must be in the same constituency. Someone in the School of Law cannot nominate someone standing as a Medical Rep for example. 4. Because some nominations may be declared invalid for the reasons given above, or to allow for illegible/mistaken matriculation numbers, Candidates are advised to obtain more signatures than required. 5. Candidates should submit their election statement and photograph on line at www.elections.eusa.ed.ac.uk. Further information is contained in the full “Regulations for Candidates” which is also available on line.
Nomination forms must be delivered in person to the EUSA office, Potterrow, or KB House Reception before 12 noon on Thursday 17 February 2011
EUSA Election - Pull out nomination form
IMPORTANT - You must also read the full Regulations for Candidates on line at www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/elections
We all want good teachers and good teaching. That’s why EUSA are running the Teaching Awards: to reward those who show real commitment to their teaching at the University of Edinburgh. Awards include: Best Course | Best Department | Best Feedback | Best Director of Studies | Innovative Teaching | KPMG Teaching Employable Skills Award | Vitae Best Postgraduate who Tutors Award | Best College Teacher Awards | Overall High Performer Nominate now at: www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/teachingawards
/teachingawards
Skills & Career Development Events (Research Postgrads)
Monday 14th February
14
Creativity Teviot Middle Reading Room 9.30-11am (This course will also run on Wednesday 16th Feb 1-2.30pm) Delivered by the Transkills Unit The pioneering rocket scientist – Wernher von Braun – once said: ’Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing!’ and anyone grappling with the early stages of a research project will be able to relate to that. Whilst research requires a balance between critical thinking and creativity, there’s no strong correlation between intellectual ability and creativity. Creativity is not something that can be taught directly, and the outcomes of creative thinking are not predictable. Everyone can be (and is) creative and it is creativity that fuels progress in research.
This brief taster session will help you to define what creativity is to you and introduce some tools and techniques that can be applied in helping to develop a more creative approach to research.
This 90 minute taster workshop will introduce the idea of engaging people in your research and offer the opportunity to think how you can make your research more accessible.
The Engaging Researcher Teviot Middle Reading Room 11:30-1pm (This course will also run on Wednesday 16th February 3-4.30pm) Delivered by the Transkills Unit
Preparing and Printing Large Format Posters Seminar: 45 minute presentation followed by practical work Main Library, Room 1.08 1-2.45pm Delivered by Information Services
An engaging researcher is just like any other researcher – with one important difference. Engaging researchers go out of their way to involve the public with their research. They open up opportunities for others to get involved, provide new perspectives on the value of their work, and stimulate people to be curious about the world of research – and why it matters.
This seminar outlines the skills and tools required to design and print a large format colour poster (A1 or A0 size), and describes some of the facilities available in the University to help you.
Introduction to PebblePad ePortfolio Seminar: 45 minute presentation followed by practical work Main Library, Room 1.08 3-4.45pm Delivered by Information Services An e-portfolio is a collection of digital items that provides evidence of a person’s learning and/or ability. PebblePad is the University’s e-portfolio system and it is available to all students. You can use PebblePad to record, reflect, review, discuss and share your thoughts, feelings, achievements and plans related to any aspect of your learning. This seminar shows you some key things you can produce with PebblePad, such as action plans, blogs, CVs, webfolios (websites) and learning profiles, and gives you a chance to try them out.
Tuesday 15th February Conference Preparation Pleasance 48a (Upper) 9-5pm Delivered by the Transkills Unit Dissemination of research is an increasingly important and valuable skill, and delivery of clear, confident and impressive conference papers is something that all PhD students are expected to develop through their degree. This day long workshop will give you the chance to develop these skills and prepare you for this important part of Academic life. Managing Bibliographies with EndNote Course: 3 hours of demonstrations and practical exercises Main Library, Room 1.10 2-5pm Delivered by Information Services
EndNote is used for managing bibliographical references and is available for Windows and Macintosh. This is an introductory course showing you the basics of EndNote X2. The course shows you how to manually enter references or import them from on-line databases, before generating your bibliography in a wordprocessed document. N.B. All these events have limited spaces! If you are interested in taking part in any of these events, please email postgrad@eusa. ed.ac.uk with the Title ‘Postgraduate Festival’ in the subject line. Please state in your email the session(s) that you would like to attend and your contact details. We will reply to confirm your place.
Wednesday 16th February Producing a Thesis using Word 2003* Course: 3 hours of demonstrations and practical exercises Main Library, Room 1.08, 10-1pm Delivered by Information Services This course is primarily aimed at students intending to produce a thesis or dissertation using Word 2003, and looks at how to get the most out of Word to produce a quality document. The course introduces you to the concepts involved in planning and production before you complete the practical exercises which take you through the whole process of creating your document. *You should have a basic knowledge of Word 2003 before attending this course.
15
Skills & Career Development Events (Research Postgrads)
Wednesday 16th February (cont'd)
16
Creativity Teviot Middle Reading Room 1-2.30pm (This course will also run on Monday 14th Feb 9.30-11am) Delivered by the Transkills Unit The pioneering rocket scientist – Wernher von Braun – once said: ’Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing!’ and anyone grappling with the early stages of a research project will be able to relate to that. Whilst research requires a balance between critical thinking and creativity, there’s no strong correlation between intellectual ability and creativity. Creativity is not something that can be taught directly, and the outcomes of creative thinking are not predictable. Everyone can be (and is) creative and it is creativity that fuels progress in research.
This brief taster session will help you to define what creativity is to you and introduce some tools and techniques that can be applied in helping to develop a more creative approach to research. The Engaging Researcher Teviot Middle Reading Room 3-4.30pm (This course will also run on Monday 14th February 11.30-1pm) Delivered by the Transkills Unit An engaging researcher is just like any other researcher – with one important difference. Engaging researchers go out of their way to involve the public with their research. They open up opportunities for others to get involved, provide new perspectives on the value of their work, and stimulate people to be curious about the world of research – and why it matters. This 90 minute taster workshop will introduce the
idea of engaging people in your research and offer the opportunity to think how you can make your research more accessible. Planning an Academic Career Pleasance 48a (Lower) 2-4.30pm Considering pursuing a career in academia after your PhD? This session will enable you to understand what makes a successful academic, identify possible routes to an academic career and to help you to reflect on and assess your relevant experience.
Thursday 17th February Postgraduate Conference 2011 See page 18 for details This gives an opportunity for Postgrads to disseminate their work in progress and discuss their work in a friendly, supportive, interdisciplinary environment. Each panel will be facilitated by an academic discussant. N.B. All these events have limited spaces! If you are interested in taking part in any of these events, please email postgrad@eusa. ed.ac.uk with the Title ‘Postgraduate Festival’ in the subject line. Please state in your email the session(s) that you would like to attend and your contact details. We will reply to confirm your place.
Friday 18th February Study Resources for Literature Reviews Main Library, Room 1.08 10-11.45am Delivered by Information Services This session will help you to identify appropriate abstracting and indexing(or bibliographic) databases for topics you need to investigate. Bibliographic databases summarise the content of academic journals and conference proceedings for particular subjects, helping you quickly find what’s been published on a topic you’re investigating. They are one of the resources you need to produce a successful literature review. This seminar will cover search techniques and will also provide help on getting hold of what you want to read.
Looking Good with Styles in Word 2003* Taster session: 1 hour, demonstration only Main Library, Room 1.08 12-1pm Delivered by Information Services Want to know how to improve the appearance of a document with just a few key strokes? Find out how to use styles in Word 2003 to control your formatting. Also find out how using styles can make creating numbered headings and tables of contents easy. *You should have a basic knowledge of Word 2003 before attending this session. Creating a Table of Contents in Word 2003* Taster session: 1 hour, demonstration only Main Library, Room 1.08 1-2pm Delivered by Information Services Does your document need a
table of contents? This short taster session shows you how to save time and effort by creating a table of contents that can be generated and updated automatically, even for the longest and most complex document. *You should have a basic knowledge of Word 2003 before attending this session. Funding for Research Students Teviot Committee Room 2-3pm Robert Lawrie, Head of the Office for Scholarships and Student Finance Are you looking for PhD funding? Whether you are a current PhD student or considering a Research degree, come along and hear what funding options are available. *Students should attend one or both of the taster sessions OR the Producing a Thesis Course (Wed 16th), but not both. 17
The Postgraduate Conference 2011
Teviot Row House 9am-4:30pm 17 February
18
The First Annual Postgraduate Conference 2011 gives an opportunity for Edinburgh Postgrads to disseminate their work in progress and discuss their work in a friendly, supportive, interdisciplinary environment. Each panel will be facilitated by an academic discussant. Register for the conference, come along an see what your fellow postgrads are doing across the University and give them feedback on their work! More details, including paper abstracts, can be found at: www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/PostgraduateConference
Please register for the Conference by emailing postgrad@eusa.ed.ac. uk, stating ‘Postgraduate Conference Registration’ in the subject line. Please include your name, programme and whether you have any particular dietary requirements.
Schedule Registration (9:30-10:00am) Session 1: Conversations in Literature, Arts and Culture (10:00-11:20am) • •
•
•
Substitute Fathers’ in Cormac McCarthy’s Suttree by Julia Tulloh Planet Wave: A Starry Intro to the Science Fiction Poetry of Edwin Morgan by Russell Jones Research on Relationships Literature and Photography 19th Century by Katherine McLelland Research on Representations of Blake’s Divine by Hugh Hothem
Session 2: Themes in Politics and the Economy (11:30-12:20pm) •
Transition Theories in Energy Policy and Strategy by Seyed Mohamad Sadegh Emamian
•
•
Research into the Fairtrade Movement in Tanzania by Sarah Marriott Cross-Industry Consequences of Terrorism: Statistical Analysis on the Consequences of Terrorism on the Various Sectors of the Israeli Financial Market by Kevin Meyer
• •
•
Research on Antibodic Resistance by Senthil Gandi Computational and synthetic approach towards identification & development of lead candidate from natural products by Murtuza Ali Research on Control of DNA Conformation by Shahida Syed
Lunch (12:30-1:30pm)
Session 5: Questions in Law and Legal Practice (3:30-4:15)
Session 3: Conversations in Counselling and Psychotherapy (1:30-1:50pm)
•
•
Foreign Counselling Trainees: Working with clients in a second language and culture by Lorena Georgiadou
Session 4: Topics in Science and Medicine (2:00-3:20) •
Research on the Human Papilloma Virus by Rayma Gundurao
•
Research on Human Rights Committee and Multiculturalism by Meghan Campbell The Proposal of the Chinese NPC Securitisation Law Construction by Xiaoqiong Peng
Conference Closes 4:30pm
5 Decades of Music - Post Grads & Mature Students Night Here’s a night especially for Post grads & Mature Students. Dress up as your favourite decade!
Thu 17 Feb 9pm The Venue @ Potterrow £4 / £3 (students)
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Postgraduate Research Experience Survey In the PRES 2010 students said: They wanted more provision of induction, training and support • The University continued to extend the range of professional and transferable skills development opportunities • New orientation resources were developed for postgraduate researchers arriving part way through the academic year • Online programmes and events were developed for part-time students • The COMPASS programme was extended for new international postgraduate researchers
The PRES 2011 is launching Monday 14 February Tell us what you
(or don’t)!