June workshops and events from The Graduate School
We have five workshops still to run this academic year for UN Research Students;
- “How to Argue”
- “Your Thesis: Working with Long Docs”
- “Writing Bids”
- “Interviewing for Researchers”
- “Negotiation in work and study”.
And two great events;
- Our Annual Update Day for Research Students and Supervisors on June 18th.
- And our Annual Research Student Conference on June 27th. Read the rest of this entry
Supervisor Development Programme 2013/14
The university runs a development programme for supervisors who are new to research degree supervision, co-ordinated by Professor Ian Livingstone. It is a validated university postgraduate course and it is delivered as two modules – Workshops and Observation. It is a requirement of our research degree regulations that everyone who is new to supervision takes the first module – the workshops. The second module is optional but if you complete both you are awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Research Degree Supervision which you can count as one completion when putting together supervisory teams. Even if you have previously supervised research students, there may be some elements of the programme that you would find useful.
In 2013/14 the workshops will run 9.30-4.00 on Thursday 27th February 2014, Tuesday 4th March and Friday 7th March. There will be a further session of seminars led by participants – dates to be negotiated.
If you are intending to join this programme in 2013/14 and have not yet contacted Ian Livingstone, please do so now. (x 3362; email: ian.livingstone@northampton.ac.uk)
School of the Arts Reader in Poetry, Charles Bennett, reflects on BBC Prom ‘Angry Planet’
On Tuesday 21st May 2013, Reader in Poetry Charles Bennett reflected on the process of the commissioning of Angry Planet. This major cultural event was performed at the BBC Proms on 5 August 2012 and was a creative collaboration between Bennett, internationally renowned choral composer Bob Chilcott and The Bach Choir’s Musical Director, David Hill.
Listen back to Charles’s talk below or download the MP3:
Charles’s address also marked the start of the School of the Arts lunchtime research seminar series for the summer of 2013.
School of the Arts lunchtime research seminar series
The School of the Arts lunchtime research seminar series is a season of talks presenting a snapshot of the diversity of research undertaken at the School of the Arts. The programme of events is available below.
Featured Researcher: Nutmeg Hallett
Nutmeg Hallett, Postgraduate Research Student
Runner up in the UN Graduate School poster competition 2013
On 8th May at the Graduate School Annual Poster Competition, Nutmeg was awarded a runners-up prize of £75 for her poster entitled “The Prevention of Inpatient Violence and Aggression: Patient and Staff Perceptions”. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Nick Petford, presented her prize.
Nutmeg is undertaking a research project, jointly funded by the University of Northampton and St. Andrew’s Healthcare. Most of her time is spent at St. Andrew’s, where she is part of the research team. The focus of her research is on the prevention of inpatient violence and aggression. This is of particular interest to her, having spent two years working as a mental health nurse in forensic services, where preventing patient aggression was an important part of the role.
Nutmeg can be contacted at the University of Northampton’s School of Health.
Featured Researcher: Saneeya Qureshi
Saneeya Qureshi
Winner of the UN Graduate School poster competition 2013
Saneeya Qureshi’s poster, entitled Like a cog in a wheel impressed the judges at our recent Poster competition, scoring 117 points out of a possible 126. The first prize of £100 was presented by the Vice Chancellor Professor Nick Petford.
Saneeya’s research investigates the support provided to teachers with regard to their teaching practices for students who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) in mainstream English primary schools. This support is coordinated by Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs). The focus of the study is the SENCO-teacher dynamic, and the development and implementation of appropriate provisions for children with SEN. Data gathered through questionnaires and interviews is examined using thematic analysis.
Saneeya is based at the Centre for Education and Research (CeSNER), in the School of Education. Her research interests pertain to issues around inclusive education both in the UK and internationally.
Graduate School Update Day – Tuesday 18th June
Don’t forget to book your place on the Graduate School Annual Update Day for research degree supervisors and students.
Holdenby Lecture Theatre 3, Park Campus
9am-13:30pm (includes danish pastries & lunch!).
Conference report: 9th China-Europe International Symposium on Software Engineering Education
Submitted by Dr Scott Turner
Two members of the Computing Team, School of Science and Technology Gary Hill and Scott Turner on 12-14th May 2013 presented a paper Electronic Online Marking Of Software Assignments (EOMOSA) in Milan at the 9th China-Europe International Symposium on Software Engineering Education. This conference was held in Northampton two years ago.
This conference series brings universities in Europe together with some of the top universities in China, in the field of software engineering, to discuss industrial orientation software education. As well as presenting, one member of the team chaired a session and members of the School of Science and Technology continue on the programme committee.
Quiz: What type of digital researcher are you?
Rachel Maxwell, one of my Learning Technology colleagues, has just drawn my attention to this quiz from the University of Exeter: What type of digital researcher are you?
Intended for research students, the quiz comprises a series of short questions, designed to establish the areas of digital scholarship you already find valuable and to identify areas you might like to think of developing further.
Outputs include your rating on a series of axes: media savvy; infomation junkie (that’s me!); research networker; career builder; digital specialist; and digital sceptic.
Why not give it a go? – it is Friday afternoon after all!

