Working together to promote excellence in Physics GRADnet Update: Successes & Challenges Dr Dawn Duke– Director of Graduate Training

Working together to promote excellence in Physics GRADnet Summer School: Modeling Today; Leading Tomorrow  71 Postgraduate Researchers, representing all partners  Employers from Airbus Defence Systems, AWE, Met Office, Pentagon Plastics, Rolls Royce, Selex ES, Starcount,Symetrica and NPL

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Summer School Feedback It was very encouraging to hear people from the various companies explain how a physics PhD can be useful in the "real world". There is a lot of interesting research going on at the SEPnet institutions. One feature of the summer school that really made it stand out was the interactive nature of most of the sessions. I got a chance to think about out of the box. Being open-minded to any challenge/area of knowledge I’m not that familiar with Physicists are actually very sociable! Employer Feedback: To be able to be involved in this event was a great experience for us and we hope we will be able to take part in more of these schemes in the future

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Upcoming Residential Schools  Winter School 2015 Culham, 2nd-5 th Feb. 2015; 50 places Based on Summer School 2014 “Where next with my physics” Professional skills and employer led physics workshops Schlumberger; Oxford Insts …  Summer School 2015 IBM Hursley 6 th July 2015 Focus on Research Skills Training

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Meet the Employers Event  Held at QMUL, targeting QMUL, Kent and Sussex  ~50 Postgraduate Researchers and Employers  Networking skills workshop before hand  Employer panel, speed networking and open networking  Will rotate around the network. Events at RHUL and Soton in 2015.

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Virtual Research Environment

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Student-led Learning: “I Wish I had known”  Student created, facilitated by the OU.  Call for proposals August 2014  18 proposals received, 6 to be selected.  Relevant training developed quickly  Student oriented  Student teaching-prep and delivery experience  Sustainability

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Professional Skills Events  Introduction to GRADnet Roadshows (Sept/Oct) – Once at each partner, - timetabled; RHUL is being v-con /recorded for late starters etc  Effective Physics Researcher (Late Nov / Dec Soton) – One, two-day course designed for first year PGRs.  Women in Physics (March Ports) – One, one-day workshop designed to address issue related to being a women in physic and create a network.  Back to Your Future (15 th Apr 2015 Kent) – One, one-day workshop will explore the different options open to doctoral researchers, CV clinic, interview advice, etc.  Physics with Impact (integrated into Summer School)  Physics Leadership in Action (integrated into Summer School)  Weekend Writing Retreat (June Surrey)

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Physics-related Training  Condensed Matter (44 hours planned)  Hours committed: 6hrs RHUL, 6hrs Soton, 6hrs QMUL, 14hrs Surrey  Astrophysics (18 hours planned)  Hours committed: 18hrs Ports  Particle Physics (330 hours planned)  Hours committed: 330hrs established NExT training collaboration (Soton/RHUL/Sussex/QMUL)  Communities (15 discussion boards)  Boards committed: 2 OU, 2 Surrey, 1 RHUL, 1 QMUL, 1 Sussex, 3 Herts (?)

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Strengths and Opportunities  Good initial feedback  Professional and Employability Skills Training Programmes  Student Engagement  Advertising & Recruitment  PRES  Athena Swan and Juno  Exemplar Doctoral training model

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Challenges and Threats  Partner Ownership across the Network  Academic buy in and participation (competing priorities)  Timetabling of physics courses  Technical infrastructure  Continuation beyond HEFCE funding

Working together to promote excellence in Physics What You Can Do  Support and recognition for involved academics  Continued partner support  Communication  What can we do to support you as a partner?

Working together to promote excellence in Physics Questions? Ideas? Thoughts?

Working together to promote excellence in Physics