Bristol Chemical Synthesis Centre for Doctoral Training CDT PhDs in Chemical Synthesis: The Bristol Approach Dr Emma Turner, Bristol Chemical Synthesis CDT Course Manager

Background  One of 45 new CDTs funded by EPSRC from  Recently funded for a second term, from  Additional funding from Industry  PhDs 4 years in duration with up to 25% assessed element  Development of transferable/life skills eg team-working, problem solving, public engagement

BCS Aims  Produce new generation of world-class synthetic chemists  Produce future leaders of academe & industry  Enhance student problem solving skills & technique  Foster a ‘fearless’ creative attitude towards problem solving through a group ethos  Understand problems and issues facing the modern Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Biotech Industries - ‘part of the solution’

Numbers  PhD of 4 years  Training period (PACT) for 7 months before starting PhD project  Up to 14 students per cohort  Choice of 30 research proposals each year  Total of 53 students currently working as part of the CDT  13 students graduated from 1 st Cohort

First 7-Months Postgraduate Advanced Chemical Techniques  Broaden and strengthen research technique before start of PhD project  Encourage students to move ‘out of comfort zones’  Enable students to select PhD project choices  Foster teamwork & build personal confidence  Assessment by write-up, course test and progress viva  formal progression to PhD project

PACT Structure Laboratory Rotations (RBS) – “try before you buy” Journal Club Director’s Cut Problems Lectures Brainstorming – “design your PhD project” pgDLM enabled experiments

Brainstorming Opportunity for Cohort to consider all PhD projects on offer Cohort work in 3 groups to generate ideas Outputs captured by photograph Encourages ownership of project and ideas Students ready to “hit the ground running” “Partners not slaves”

pgDLM

CDT Research Hub

Continuing Education Students start PhD projects in May Many transferrable skills already developed during PACT Skills training organised for each Cohort Outreach encouraged; STEM ambassadors Opportunities to keep Cohorts together Industrial supervision and placement

Advantages Students start research quickly, without lag Skills acquired from practice Barriers between research groups lowered Collaboration increased Cohort-effect fostered

Challenges Students set in their ways Managing project allocation “Two-tiered” mentality Maintaining CDT identity Engagement in skills training courses

Achievements Awards, competitions Scholarships Publication record Grant money

Acknowledgements

People Emma Turner Course Manager Mar Ruiz-Molina Administrator Kevin Booker-Milburn Director Varinder Aggarwal Chair Industry Group