Blog Archives
Robinson Crusoe, apps, smart cities and harvest mice!
On Tuesday 14th June diverse research topics took the stage at The University of Northampton Graduate School’s 2016 Postgraduate Researcher Conference. 18 postgraduate research students, in various stages of their research degree, each presented a 10 minute paper, with other student colleagues chairing or helping organise the event.
The conference is held annually to give the University’s cohort of doctoral students a chance to present to a friendly audience, practice communicating their research and engaging a general academic audience with their project. They also get a chance, in 5 minutes of questions, to discuss their research in a supportive environment with an audience of fellow students, academics and supervisors. The conference was opened by Andrew Scarborough, the Chair of the Board of Governors, and speakers were chosen from across the University’s six schools. Read the rest of this entry
Open invitation to the Graduate School PGR Annual Conference 2016
2014 GS conference
The University of Northampton Graduate School are holding their annual Postgraduate Researcher Conference on Tuesday 14th June and would like to invite staff and students from the University of Northampton to join us.
The conference provides an ideal development opportunity for new researchers to present their research, discuss and share good practice with others in an informal and non-threatening setting. There will be representation from all Schools and feature a diverse range of research activity. Read the rest of this entry
Graduate School workshops – to turn up or not turn up!
We’re coming to the last few months of workshops in the 2015-16 programme and I thought a reminder on the delicate subject of attendance is perhaps overdue!
We have had (like most other universities offering free skills workshops) a problem with researchers booking a place on Eventbrite but then not turning up, or turning up half-way through a workshop. Neither of these scenarios results in a happy workshop facilitator, as they have spent hours preparing and then delivering the material to an expected number of bodies, in a planned time-frame. Please remember that by registering on a workshop you are committing to attend.
Many other Universities charge a booking fee or deposit, but we have chosen not to do this, so if you book a workshop please don’t abuse the system by not turning up.
So, here’s the booking etiquette….. Read the rest of this entry
Call for papers: 2nd Annual Northampton Business School Research Conference
A call for papers from NBS staff and NBS doctoral students for the 2nd Annual NBS Conference has been announced. Changemaker for Tomorrow: creating business impact through research is this year’s theme and the conference will run on 15th and 16th June 2016. The deadline for abstracts is May 3rd 2016.
If your research area relates to any of the following themes:
- Sustainability
- Logistics and Supply Chain
- Emerging Economies
then why not submit a paper? Please email your abstract, along with a brief personal biography to Sandy.MacDonald@northampton.ac.uk
Researcher help desks – Summer 2016
I’m so sorry – we’ve been having a somewhat hectic few weeks and I completely forgot to post the new term’s help desk dates!
These are the dates we have planned but of course you can always contact Nick or myself directly to fix up a time to meet that suits you better.
Park Library R2.20:
- Friday 29th April – 2 to 4pm
- Wednesday 11th May – 10am to 12 noon
- Monday 23rd May – 10am to 12 noon
- Friday 10th June – 10am to 12 noon
- Thursday 23rd June – 2 to 4pm
- Thursday 7th July – 10am to 12 noon (**updated)
Avenue Library MG1:
- Tuesday 3rd May – 10am to 12 noon
- Thursday 19th May – 10am to 12 noon
- Wednesday 1st June – 2 to 4pm
- Monday 13th June – 10am to 12 noon
- Tuesday 28th June – 2 to 4pm
We look forward to seeing you at Park or Avenue library.
The Graduate School PGR Annual Conference 2016: Call for abstracts
2014 GS conference
The University of Northampton Graduate School are holding their annual Postgraduate Researcher Conference on Tuesday 14th June and would like to invite University of Northampton research students (PGRs) and early career researchers (ECRs) to present a 10 minute paper, chair or help organise the event.
If you are interested in presenting please register your interest by emailing an abstract & preliminary information (see below) to simone.apel@northampton.ac.uk. Please submit the following by Thursday May 19th:
- Your presentation title, your full name, School and email address.
- An abstract (ca. 150 words) summarising your presentation; eg. outlining your research, its context, methods, results (if any), conclusion. Nb. Style of writing; you should write clearly for a general academic audience, so no jargon please!
Dr Adair Richards
You have until the date before the conference to prepare your paper. A workshop on making “Excellent Conference Presentations’ will run on June 10th, delivered by Dr Adair Richards. This will help you to fine tune your paper and your presentation skills. You can book here. Read the rest of this entry
Graduate School workshops and events coming up!
The Graduate School Development Programme has a variety of different workshops and events running in February for doctoral students and early career researchers.
Featured are three development days; one for all research students on publishing and promoting your research, another is a finishing day, for research students nearing the end of their doctorate, which includes workshops on finishing your thesis, preparing for the viva and proofreading your work. And we are also running our first ever leadership skills for researchers day.
Our main event this month is the launch of Images of Research Competition 2015-16. The Images of Research 2015-16 drinks reception will be held on Monday 1st February in Avenue Gallery Corridor from 5-6:30pm. Please come along – all invited. The exhibition will remain here until 19th February so do visit the exhibition and vote for your top three favourites.
Workshops running in February and early March include using MS Excel for statistics, mock interview and CV careers workshops, and a workshop looking at building professional relationships and how to get the best from the student/supervisor relationship. For more information and booking links read on.
Read the rest of this entry
Advice for senior scientists and the importance of first-author publications
Another thought-provoking post from our own Professor Jeff Ollerton…
“The internet is awash with bloggers and dedicated sites giving advice to early-career scientists and graduate research students (what I’ll collectively refer to as ECRs). Much of it is very good (see for example The Thesis Whisperer, any number of posts over at Dynamic Ecology and Small Pond Science, and the University of Northampton’s own Research Support Hub), though sometimes it’s contradictory and comes down to matters of taste and opinion …
… But there is very little guidance and advice out there for more senior scientists who are mid- to late-career.”
Read what Jeff has to say on the subject, and some interesting comments from his readers: Jeff Ollerton’s biodiversity blog.
Image credit: HeppDesigns
Researcher help desks – Spring 2016
Your New Year’s resolution for 2016: visit Nick and Miggie at their weekly researcher help desk!
This terms dates are as follows:
Avenue Library MG1:
- Tuesday 19 January – 10am to 12 noon
- Wednesday 3 February – 10am to 12 noon
- Thursday 18 February – 2 to 4pm **updated
- Tuesday 1 March – 2 to 4pm
- Friday 18 March – 9:30 to 11:30am
Park Library R2.20:
- Wednesday 13 January – 2 to 4pm
- Monday 25 January – 10am to 12 noon
- Thursday 11 February – 2 to 4pm
- Tuesday 23 February – 10am to 12 noon
- Thursday 10 March – 2 to 4pm **updated
- Tuesday 22 March – 2 to 4pm
Or as ever, get in touch via phone, email or in person: Miggie, Nick
Last updated 26/01/16
UON Graduate School Blog 