Welcome to the Faculty of Sciences! Postgraduate Taught Master’s Induction 2015 Dr. Colin Johnson Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) The Graduate School

All Sorts of Students Part-time/full time Local/overseas Carrying on from previous studies …or returning to study after work/family. Specialising in your existing subject …or working on something new. …and studying a wide range of subjects. Page 2

…finding out about each other… Turn to the person next to you: Find out something that you have in common with them. Find out something that is different. Page 3

The Faculty of Sciences Biosciences Computing Engineering and Digital Arts Maths, Statistics and Actuarial Science Pharmacy Physical Sciences Sport and Exercise Sciences Page 4

Community and Diversity Projects currently underway in the Faculty include:  Understanding how exercise can help people after illness and injury.  Understanding the fundamental algebraic structures in the mathematical world.  Finding new ways to capture images of the living eye  Preventing historical artefacts from decay.  Understanding how to effectively deliver medicines for maximum efficacy.  Using social media technology to help with the social challenges of aging.  Measuring and predicting how proteins fold and what the implications are for the living cell.  Finding new ways to protect personal information in computer networks.  … Page 5

What makes Science Science? The scientific method  "a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.” (OED) …but, is scientific practise the same thing?  Probably not…curiosity driven…serendipitous. …but, in the end we need to present our results rigorously, disinterestedly and critically  …in whatever way is canonical for our subject. Science and technology are also about skills…...which we might learn in a formal course …or from our neighbour at the lab bench/computer room Page 6

What makes Science Science? A tale of two subjects:  “It only took me an hour to do the homework.”  “An hour! I did it in 20 minutes.”  “I’ve spent 7 hours staring at this code and I still can’t get it to work.” “Stop working and start thinking.” Don’t spend too long on one approach… …take a break, try explaining your work to your flatmates or your cat… …but, do realise that study requires serious work  “it can take half-an-hour to understand how one line leads to the next.” Page 7

Broadening your Horizons On your courses you will be introduced to a broad range of research & and the diversity of methods, as well as different perspectives on science and technology. But we would encourage you to seek out more Why? Employers recognise the depth and breadth that a Masters degree gives, not only in terms of skills & knowledge, but also in terms of the wide appreciation that it can give you of the world around you and the challenges that world is confronted with. Page 8

Broadening your Horizons At the Masters level, you will acquire many of the skills needed to engage in a serious way with cutting edge research One of the great things about studying for a Masters is the time it affords to engage with a rich research community right on your doorstep Go along to the research seminars and guest lectures hosted by your Schools Look out for Inaugural and open lectures offered within the Faculty and across the University Take advantage of the conferences, workshops & reading groups run across the Faculty Page 9

Broadening your Horizons Reading groups, often run by postgraduate students, are one of the most exciting forums for testing out your ideas and developing your skills of critique and argumentation, outside of the more formal settings of lectures and seminars… …remember that you can set up things like this yourself, too. You have such a rich and diverse pool of knowledge in which you can immerse yourself, and (hopefully!) the time to do it. Page 10

Life beyond the Masters degree The Masters degree is intended to equip you with advanced research & analytical skills as well as a range of transferable skills which are very attractive to a wide range of employers. It is never to early to be thinking about future careers. But you may be thinking of continuing in an academic career If you are thinking of undertaking a PhD, you should not delay in thinking and preparing There are sources of funding at Kent for PhDs, but they are highly competitive and you need to apply early. Page 11

Finally Make the most of your time here. If you are fulltime, treat your studies like a fulltime job, 40 hours per week: read, read & read some more, but also engage with researchers in the University to bring those words on the page/screen to life. All colleagues share a commitment to enthusing you and exciting you about analysing the cutting edge research that we are undertaking in the Faculty and beyond. So keep talking to us, telling us what we are doing well and letting us know what we can do better. Hope that you enjoy your studies! Page 12

Thank Page 13