Category: Miscellaneous

PhD student satisfaction – Does being a good PhD supervisor matter?

PhD student satisfaction – Does being a good PhD supervisor matter?

An Online Discussion from the UKCGE Research Supervisors’ Network – Thursday 1 May. 13.00-14.00

Led by the UKCGE Research Supervisors’ Network, this event will explore the role of supervisors’ supportiveness, rather than their academic ability, as a key driver of PhD student satisfaction.

Studies have consistently shown that the very high PhD student attrition rate of 40–50% across all disciplines is due directly or indirectly to the level and quality of support that PhD students receive from their School/​Department/​University and their supervisory team. This may be unsurprising, as the bespoke, individualised nature of PhD study renders the kinds of common teaching and learning approaches and strategies developed for UG or PGT programmes largely ineffective.

There is now an impetus for supervisors to look at how PhD students can be supported at an individual-level, and what Schools/​Universities can strategically do to improve the overall experience of PhD students. Based on Dr Phua’s research into the importance of the overall departmental environment in PhD student satisfaction, this event will explore the role of supervisors’ supportiveness, rather than their academic ability, as a key driver of PhD student satisfaction.

The event will involve a presentation by Dr Phua, followed by an ​‘Action Learning Set’ structure to discuss key challenges related to PhD student satisfaction.

Imperial are members, so this is free. More info:

https://ukcge.ac.uk/events/research-supervisors-may25#book-tickets

Human and Artificial Intelligence School of Convergence Science

Co-creation workshops for the Human and Artificial Intelligence School of Convergence Science

These workshops will bring together ideas from across the university to identify key research themes and explore emerging trends in AI. Through interactive activities and discussions, we will collaborate to shape the development of the School of Human and Artificial Intelligence while fostering a strong, connected community. Each session will also include dedicated networking time, offering attendees the chance to connect and share insights with one another.

Registration: To register for these workshops, please complete the following MS Forms survey: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=B3WJK4zudUWDC0-CZ8PTB0xvPFptAaNDj-inLWxSBthUQ1paSldPOTUyUVU2QjJWTzJHWVBSNllLTy4u&route=shorturl

Further information will be provided upon registration. There are only 30 spots available for these events. Registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Secure your spot before they fill up.

  • Workshop 1 – Interfacing with intelligence – Date: Thu 3 April, 9-12pm – Location: White City (I-Hub, I-X, Level 6, LTR 608)
  • Workshop 2 – Augmented Intelligence for future society and wellbeing – Date: Thu 3, April 2.30-5.30pm – Location: White City (I-Hub, I-X, Level 6, LTR 608)
  • Workshop 3 – Embodied intelligence – Date: Fri 4 April, 9-12pm – Location: South Kensington (SKEM 315)
  • Workshop 4 – Science of Intelligence – Fri 4 April, 1-4pm – Location: South Kensington (Room 315, Huxley)

Shaping the School of Convergence Science – Sustainability Workshops

Join us for an interactive workshop to help shape the future of the School of Convergence – Sustainability through engaging discussions and collaborative activities. Connect with colleagues, share insights, and explore emerging sustainability trends.

Workshop dates:

Don’t miss this opportunity—register now!

Please note this event is for Imperial Staff members (professional services staff and academic staff).

Call for Participants: Social Ties and Student Lives Project – Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship (CHERS)

Recruitment poster_Social Ties Student Lives Project (1)

We would like to invite YOU to participate in a study conducted by the Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship (CHERS)!

We are trying to learn more about how students engage with the various communities that they belong to as part of Imperial life. We want as many different student voices as possible to be heard and are interested to learn about YOUR experiences and views.  The responses will be used to understand how students like you engage with Imperial life, with the aim of providing evidence to better target support and encourage a welcoming and inclusive culture for all. All voices matter – your views are important!

The questionnaire * is short and will take just 10-15 mins for you to complete, it is only open until 4 April 2025.

At the end of the questionnaire, you will have the opportunity to sign up for an interview to share more about your experiences if you wish.

For more information please email: j.viola@imperial.ac.uk.

Thank you!

*or copy/paste URL into your web browser:https://imperial.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2atRgnsX3tOu0Um.

Exploring precarity in research careers survey

We need your support to better understand and alleviate the precarious nature of fixed-term contracts.

The Action Research on Research Culture project at the University of Cambridge is conducting an online Discrete Choice Experiment to examine how postdocs and ECRs make career choices. The results from this survey will inform policy recommendations aimed at increasing job security at the postdoctoral level.

With only 10-15 minutes of your time, you can contribute to the conversation about contract precarity in the academic sector and help us improve job security for ECRs. As a token of our appreciation, we will donate £2 to a charity of your choice for completion of our survey!

Survey can be completed here.

Online Study on Experiences in Writing Narrative CVs

We are conducting a study aimed at understanding researchers’ experiences of writing Narrative CVs and analysing the language used in such CVs. We are interested in identifying challenges and ways to support researchers in writing Narrative CVs as part of grant applications. The study is part of a project titled ‘Breaking Barriers in Research Funding Applications: Evaluating Narrative CVs and Co-Designing Solutions for Application Processes’, led by Dr Fabio Fasoli (University of Surrey) and funded by the EDICa Flexible Fund.

What: The study involves completing a short online survey asking questions about yourself and the experience of writing a Narrative CV. You will be asked to attach a Narrative CV you have written. The CVs will be anonymised and analysed for language features and used for a second study assessing reviewers’ biases.

Who: We are looking for individuals who:

  1. a) are active researchers working in the UK,
  2. b) have applied and submitted a Narrative CV as part of their grant application.

We are aiming to obtain and analyse Narrative CVs of both successful and unsuccessful applications written by researchers belonging to represented and underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, disability, etc).

When and Where: To participate, please click on this link: https://surreyfahs.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bQ1jTOpqBCj8Dum. Make sure to have your Narrative CV ready to upload.

Incentive: In exchange for your participation, you can enter your email address at the end of the study to receive a £10 Amazon voucher. Only participants who provide a valid Narrative CV and complete the survey will be compensated. The voucher will be sent to the participants at the end of the data collection (March 2025)

Additional information about the project can be found here. If you have any questions, you can email Dr Fasoli (f.fasoli@surrey.ac.uk)

The study has been approved by received a favourable opinion from the University of Surrey Ethics Committee [REF 0064]

 

Take part in the Generation Delta Annual Student Survey 2024

The 2024 Generation Delta Annual Survey is now live and open to all postgraduate research (PGR) students across England – regardless of gender, ethnicity, age or any other protected characteristics— to learn about their individual experiences and perceptions on gender and racial equality, wellbeing, supervisory and mentoring practices in their respective institutions.

The survey is structured into four sections; about you; about your course; about your experiences; and about your aspirations. The survey should take 8 to 15 minutes to complete. The research has been approved by the University of Leeds Research Ethics Committee.

If you would like to find out more about Generation Delta please visit our website

The Petri Dish: Making Science Social

Welcome to The Petri Dish, we are a community made for scientists, by scientists, to promote more interdisciplinary social conversations for early career researchers.

We aim to bring together scientists from all disciplines across industry, academia and start-ups by providing events, and a space to reach out to people with varying expertise. We hope to not only use this community to talk about our own work and passions, but to use the network to foster relationships and collaborations across disciplines.

Help us tailor TPD to you by filling out our form: https://lnkd.in/e5ibtWnm

If you want to be involved as a team member please reach out to: thepetridish1@gmail.com

Borrow recreational audiobooks and e-books with Libby

Borrow recreational audiobooks and e-books to read on your phone or tablet using the Libby app by OverDrive.

Sign in to OverDrive for access to nearly 600 audiobooks and e-books including bestsellers, prize-winning fiction, and titles in German, Spanish and French.

Download the Libby app to borrow up to 10 titles for 14 days. Titles expire automatically at the end of the loan period so you do not have to return them.

If someone else has borrowed the title you want, just place a hold on it and the service will let you know when it’s available.

You can also use ‘Recommend to library’ to suggest additional titles to purchase. This feature is available in OverDrive (coming soon to Libby).

Libby is only available to Imperial staff and students.