View prior email communications sent from Graduate Studies to UCD graduate research students.
I hope you had an enjoyable summer trimester, and you had the opportunity to pause and take some time off from your studies. The team and I are currently preparing for the new academic year and getting ready to welcome a new cohort of students.
I would also like to let you know that our Career & Skills Consultant Ms Ger Lardner retired in June. We will miss her contributions to the Graduate Studies Calendar including the Fireside Friday interviews on topics that matter for graduate research students. Many of you will have benefited from her expert guidance and unique energy and positivity. We wish her a happy and fulfilling retirement.
I am delighted to welcome our new Graduate Research Student Career & Skills Consultant, Ms Tara Hughes. In her previous role, Tara worked as the Research Careers Manager with Postdoctoral Researchers. Tara is a great addition to the team and can be contacted at tara.hughes@ucd.ie. Please note that she has just started a few days ago and is doing an excellent job in getting up to speed as fast as possible.
Welcome to the team, Tara!
Some updates and events for this and the following month:
Programme Registration for Graduate Research Students - Reminder for September Start students
Please note that all graduate research students need to confirm their enrolment/registration at the start of each year of their studies. To do so, please log into your SISWeb account via UCDConnect and confirm your details and pay fees. Failure to do so might cause your account to be deactivated and incur a penalty. Further information can be found on UCD Online Registration Guides.
Module Registration for Graduate Research Students
All graduate research students have the opportunity to take taught modules relevant to their area of research or for their professional development in the course of their programme. Each research programme differs in taught module requirements.
For the academic year 2022-23, graduate research students can register for modules using online systems from Friday, 2nd September to Friday, 23rd September 2022. Further information about registration and a full list of curated modules is available on the Taught Modules for Research Students webpage.
eThesis support one to one zoom clinics
UCD eThesis Support Team will be hosting live one-to-one drop in zoom clinics ahead of the next thesis fee submission date on 7th September 2022. The team will be available over zoom to offer one-to-one support for those going through the Graduate Research eThesis Submission Process. The drop in zoom clinics are open to students, faculty and support staff. Anyone interested can drop in at any point on the following dates and times:
|
Date |
Time |
|
Monday 29 August 2022 |
11am - 1pm |
|
Tuesday 30 August 2022 |
11am - 1pm |
|
Wednesday 31 August 2022 |
2pm - 4pm |
|
Monday 05 September 2022 |
11am - 1pm |
To drop into a session and meet with a member of the Assessment team please log into the below link:
Meeting ID: 66974940651
Passcode: 295939
I hope you are enjoying the summer and we are looking forward to welcoming you back for the new academic year. Please do not forget to regularly visit our News & Events page for events that may be of interest to you and use our Graduate Studies Connector to send us your questions and feedback.
Yours sincerely,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe, Dean of Graduate Studies
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See previous Graduate Studies email communications
This is my first email to you as the Dean of Graduate Studies. I have just started in this new and exciting role, and I am looking forward to working with the Graduate Studies team to continue and build on the considerable work that my predecessor Professor Barbara Dooley, Acting Registrar, Deputy President, and Vice President for Academic Affairs has done during her time as the Dean.
I was delighted to recently attend ThesisIn3 Competition, our first in person event since covid, and present prizes to the winners. As I said at the event, I think it was very difficult for the judges to decide on the winners of the UCD ThesisIn 3 Competition because I found all 6 talks excellent. Well done to all the participants and congratulations once again to the winner and runners up!
In addition, I very much enjoyed watching the winning video entries of the Visualise your thesis Competition at the same event and I encourage you to do the same by visiting the UCD Visualise your thesis webpage.
The winners are:
ThesisIn3 Competition 2022:
Winner:
Tara Brady, UCD School of Medicine - Talk Title: An apple a day may keep the respiratory doctor away
Runners Up:
Lorna O'Donoghue, UCD School of Medicine / Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research - Talk title: Platelets Drive - WE survive
Sophie du Bois de Dunilac, UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering/ Centre for Biomedical Engineering - Talk title: Get a Grip! How partial slipping of our fingers informs us of grip safety
SU Categories Winners: ThesisIn3 2022
Catchiest Title - Sophie Du Bois De Dunilac, UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering/ Centre for Biomedical Engineering - Talk title: Get a Grip! How partial slipping of our fingers informs us of grip safety.
Best Example - Ciara Lynch, School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences – Talk title: Will David Attenborough be optimistic in Planet Earth III?
Most thought provoking - Deirdre (Dee) Ryan, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science – Talk Title: Mirrors aren’t just for reflection!
Sweet spot between quantity of information and engagement - Maryam Saeed, UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering - Talk title: Are you the 1 in 3? Smartly Detecting Cardiac Abnormalities
Visualise Your Thesis Competition 2022:
Winner:
Rachel Healy - UCD School of Art History & Cultural Policy - Title: Portraits of Giorgio Cornaro and his Heirs: Resolving issues of Identity, Authorship and Patronage in Renaissance Venice
Runner up:
Ciara Walsh - UCD School of Medicine - Title: Filling the gap: developing an injectable hydrogel-based drug delivery system for preclinical spinal cord injury
Coffee Morning - 28 July - Save the date!
The monthly Graduate Research Students Coffee morning hosted by your Student Adviser, Eamonn McHugh takes place on Thursday 28th July @11am. Meet with other graduate research students, make connections, share experiences and enjoy a chat over a coffee.
Venue to be confirmed. To sign up please use the link provided.
Roadmap Project
Please find the June announcement for first year PhD students in the Brightspace Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module. The aim of the “Roadmap project” is to help new PhD students to stay on track with their studies. This month's announcement which is the last one for 2021/22 provides a couple of useful reminders for you. You can find the guidelines on how to enrol to Brightspace on the provided link.
PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021
I decided to include here some of your replies to the StudentSurvey.ie question M2. What aspects/elements of your research degree programme are most valuable? that can be found under the “Overall Experience” section on the questionnaire. You can see some of your feedback below:
“The personal and professional development”
“Collaboration and special training”
“UCD’s structured PhD programme is exceptional and means I have a huge support network in terms of my supervisor and Research Studies Panel…”
“Wide variety of modules available for skill development and access to a range of facilities for use in research”
At the same time, we are very much aware of your feedback about the aspects/elements of your research degree experience that could be improved (Question M3). This information is powerful as we know the areas we should be focusing on for the future. See some of the feedback below:
“The lack of community feeling for PhD students. It would be nice to have a more of a community feeling.”
“Knowing more about career prospects.”
“Funding opportunities.”
“Support for part time students.”
Please do not forget to regularly visit our News & Events page for events that may be of interest to you and use our Graduate Studies Connector to send us your questions and feedback.
Yours sincerely,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe, Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
See previous Graduate Studies email communications here
Summer trimester is here, and I hope you continue enjoying life on campus as the weather gets warmer!
Myself and my team in Graduate Studies are very excited to organise our first face to face event after the COVID-19 pandemic and this is taking place on Wednesday 1st June, at 11.30 am in William Fry Theatre, UCD Sutherland School of Law. Research students will be challenged to present their research in three minutes for the ThesisIn3 2022 Competition. Our judging panel of experts will have the opportunity to go through the presentations on the day and make their decision. The winner will go on to represent UCD in the Universitas21 Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®), where they will compete with researchers from all over the globe.
This event is special as we will also announce the results of the Visualise your thesis 2022 Competition results. The received videos have already been watched by our judging panel and we are looking forward to watching the winning entries with you on the day and share the results. The winner will represent UCD in the international online showcase hosted by The University of Melbourne in the later part of the year.
We hope you will join us and support your colleagues! Good luck to all the participants and we are looking forward to seeing you all on 1st June!
Some updates that will be relevant to you:
Workshop for Graduate Research Students – 26th May
Please note that our Navigating your PhD@UCD workshop is taking place on Thursday 26th May 2022 at 10:00am in Science Centre H1.51 SCH. You can register for the workshop here.
Innovations in Doctoral Education - 26th and 27th May
This event is an opportunity for researchers to come together in a dynamic way to practice design thinking and face-to-face communication/collaborative skills, something that many may have missed out on in recent times. Early career researchers can reconnect in person with their interdisciplinary, inter-institutional research communities in an informal, fun setting, with a little bit of competition thrown in. Find more information and register via Eventbrite.
Managing Stress & Building Resilience - 9th June
Completing a PhD requires dedication, focus, self-motivation and lots of time and energy. While often a very rewarding experience, graduate research students also report that at times, the demands of their work can also invoke feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation. In this inspiring and humorous 1hr talk David Delaney combines research in Neurology, Psychology and Physiology to introduce you to your own brain. He demonstrates in a practical way how it operates and can be used more effectively to achieve desired outcomes for both academic and personal goals. He aims to expand your understanding of yourself and with the application of simple tools and techniques, optimise your time and relationships to produce a positive outcome.
For further details and to sign up for this event please use the link provided.
Coffee Morning - 21 June - Save the date!
Your Student Adviser, Eamonn McHugh, will be hosting an in-person coffee morning for graduate research students on Tuesday 21st June at 11:00am. This is a great opportunity for you to meet with other students, ask questions, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. Venue to be confirmed. To sign up please use the link provided.
Roadmap Project
Please find the May announcement for first year PhD students that can be found in the Brightspace Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module. The aim of the “Roadmap project” is to help new PhD students to stay on track with their studies and this month's announcement helps you Thinking Ahead. You can find the guidelines on how to enrol to Brightspace on the provided link.
UCD Irish Language Summer School (for Adults)
The school will run from 27th June to 1st July on Belfield campus. Irish language classes will be offered at 5 levels, beginners to advanced 9.00am-1.00pm, guest lectures offered each afternoon with presentations in both English and Irish and cultural workshops each evening. The week's events also include a guided tour (both in Irish and English) of MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland). The theme of this year's school is 'The Irish Language in a Sustainable Global Society'. More information and registration here.
Accommodation is available on campus. Discounts will be available for groups, please email: failte@ucd.ie
PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021
Following last month's update about School action planning based on the PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021 data, most Schools have now completed their planning.
Research Culture comes as the first priority for most Schools to focus on going forward, with Personal Development Planning & Development Opportunities to follow this. Progression and Assessment as well as Supervision is also a focus together with a number of other areas. We can provide further information and more detailed data on this at a later stage.
In my view, this process is very important and necessary as we aim to improve and develop constantly, and you can help us achieve that.
Please do not forget to regularly visit our News & Events page for events that may be of interest to you and use our Graduate Studies Connector to send us your questions and feedback.
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley, UCD Acting Registrar and Deputy President
Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
See previous Graduate Studies email communications here
I hope you had a relaxing break during the Easter holiday! It is important to take time off from your studies and look after yourselves. Your personal, physical, mental and emotional health is of utmost importance.
I would also like to thank those of you who have submitted an application for the ThesisIn3 Competition this year. I would like to commend each one of you for your time, effort and enthusiasm. No matter if your application was successful or not this time, I am very proud of our students and their achievements from reading your short bios. Congratulations to the successful applicants and we are looking forward to seeing your presentations on Wednesday, 1st June when ThesisIn3 competition will take place. Further information will be sent to you closer to the competition date.
The spring trimester is now almost finished but there are updates and events for this and the following months that I am sharing below.
Important IT information for graduate students completing their studies
We would like to inform you that you will no longer have access to your files saved on OneDrive or OneNote after the end of your studies when you are no longer registered with UCD. Due to strict licencing, access to Office 365 closes on the last day of the term you are registered for. This is different to your access to Google email and Drive that is indefinite if you are a graduate student. Please make sure to back up any files you wish to keep and are currently saved on OneDrive or OneNote. Information on how to prepare to close your UCD Connect account is available here.
A New Online Form
If you reach the maximum period of registration for your programme, e.g. 12 trimesters for a FT PhD with further detail outlined in Academic Regulations 7.10-13, 8.12 or 9.10, and have not submitted your thesis then you will need to apply for permission for an extension to your registration. From early May, it will be possible to make applications for this permission via an online form, available within your SISWeb account, and guidelines on extensions and how to make an application can be found on the Graduate Studies website (and will be updated when the online form becomes available).
Thesis Boot Camp - Deadline for applications 3rd May 2022
Just to remind you all about the popular Thesis Boot Camp. This three-day course is a great opportunity for Stage 2 PhD students who are ready to start writing up their research thesis. It is a guided, intensive writing programme delivered by Dr Peta Freestone, taking place from Monday 30th May to Wednesday 1st June 2022. The goal of the programme is to complete 20,000 words of the first draft of your research thesis. Please find further details on eligibility and how to apply on the UCD Graduate Studies website.
The deadline for applications is approaching fast (Tuesday 3rd May 2022), so please apply now if you would like to attend & spaces are limited. Applicants will be notified the week commencing May 9th, if they have been accepted into the programme.
UCD Visualise your Thesis Competition 2022
I would like to remind you that applications are still open for the second annual UCD Visualise your Thesis competition. This is an international competition, developed by the University of Melbourne, that challenges graduate researchers, at any stage of their programme, to present their projects in a 60-second, eye-catching, audio-visual digital display using a pre-supplied template.
For more information and how to apply, please visit the UCD Graduate Studies website. The deadline for applications is Monday 9th May 2022. Please also note that a training session will take place online on Wednesday 27th April at 11:00am and you can participate with no obligation to submit an application to the competition.
eThesis Submission Support - upcoming 1-to-1 Zoom Clinics
UCD eThesis Support will be hosting live one-to-one zoom drop clinics ahead of the next thesis fee submission date on 09 May 2022. The team will be available over zoom to offer support for those going through the Graduate Research eThesis Submission Process. The drop in zoom clinics are open to students, faculty and support staff and will take place on the following dates:
Thursday, 28 April 2022, 11am - 1pm
Friday, 29 April 2022, 11am - 1pm
Wednesday, 04 May 2022, 11am - 1pm
Friday, 06 May 2022, 11am - 1pm
To drop into this session and meet with a member of the Assessment team please log into the below link:
Meeting ID: 69548334990
Passcode: 134502
What support & training materials are available?
Email Support and eThesis Website- eThesis email support will be available. For all technical support queries please contact ethesis@ucd.ie. General queries should be directed to the UCD Student Desk.
Please see also the Student eThesis website which is updated regularly.
Roadmap Project
Please find the April announcement for first year PhD students that can be found in the Brightspace Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module. The aim of the “Roadmap project” is to help new PhD students to stay on track with their studies. I am enclosing the guidelines on how to enrol to Brightspace for your convenience.
Workshops for Graduate Research Students
Please find below a list of all workshops relevant to graduate research students that are taking place in April and May 2022.
Visualise your Thesis Workshop, Wednesday 27th April at 11:00am Online (open to everyone interested, no matter if you are submitting an entry for the VYT 2022 competition)
Navigating your PhD at UCD, Thursday 26th May at 10:00 Venue to be confirmed
Interview Skills workshop for Graduate Researchers this Thursday the 28th April at 10.30. Book here
I would also like to draw your attention to some interesting upcoming Masterclasses organised by the UCD Geary Institute that can be found on Institute’s upcoming events page.
Coffee Morning - 19 May - Save the date!
Your Student Adviser Eamonn McHugh will be hosting an in-person coffee morning for graduate research students on Thursday 19th May @11am. This is a great opportunity for you to meet with other students, ask questions, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. Venue to be confirmed. To sign up please use the link provided.
Fireside Fridays
I would also like to remind you of a very successful series of short 20mins interview-style talks as part of our Fireside Fridays initiative that took place last year. The talks received very positive feedback by students and were organised by the UCD Careers Network and our Career & Skills Consultant, Ger Lardner. The talks are available to you online as we think these talks are very interesting, informative and still relevant. Please take the time to visit our Fireside Fridays webpage on the Graduate Studies website.
PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021
This month I want to give you an update on the following steps in relation to the PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021 data. As mentioned previously a UCD report based on the received anonymised data was generated and disseminated to all Colleges and Schools.
This report provides UCD data, UCD data compared to UCD PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2019 data, UCD data compared to equivalent sized institutions in Ireland and UCD College and School data where the number of respondents was greater than 10.
Based on the received student feedback on the survey, each School was requested to come up with an action plan which will be reviewed before the next national survey goes out in 2023.
The response rate for UCD in 2021 was 31.2%. While this result is higher than 30.8% of the national average, I want to highlight that it is important to increase the participation rate for the upcoming surveys and make sure that we actually hear your say.
It is worth visiting our News & Events page regularly for updates about events that may be of interest. Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector.
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley, UCD Acting Registrar and Deputy President
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/UCDGS
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ucd-graduate-studies/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graduatestudiesucd
See previous Graduate Studies email communications here.
University life continues and we are already in the middle of this trimester. Longer evenings are now noticeable, and our campus looks magnificent this time of the year. I am delighted to announce many updates and events for this month that I hope you will find useful.
In addition, I am delighted to let you know that we have just published a new Graduate Studies Strategy and Action Plan for 2021 – 2025 and the document is available at UCD Graduate Studies website.
ThesisIn3 Competition 2022
UCD Graduate Studies have launched the fifth annual UCD ThesisIn3 competition. This exciting initiative supports graduate research students in their development as confident research communicators.
We invite all UCD Stage 2 PhD Students to submit an entry and share your research with the UCD community.. Submission deadline for applications is Tuesday 5th April. The ThesisIn3 Competition will take place in-person on Wednesday 1st June, at 11.30 AM.
The winner of the UCD ThesisIn3 Competition will receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and will represent UCD in the global Universitas 21 competition in October.
Please find the application form and see all ThesisIn3 details on our website.
Thesis Bootcamp
Thesis Bootcamp is a free interactive course provided by UCD Graduate Studies which is aimed at research students who are at a late stage in their programme (Stage two for PhD research students) and are ready to ‘write up’ their thesis. The next Virtual Bootcamp will take place from Monday 30th May to Wednesday 1st June 2022. The ultimate aim of Thesis Bootcamp is to write up to 20,000 words of first draft material. Please visit the Thesis Bootcamp webpage to find further information and instructions on how to apply. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 3rd May 2022. Successful applicants will be notified the week commencing May 9th if they have been accepted into the programme.
Visualise your Thesis Competition 2022
UCD Graduate Studies announce the second annual UCD Visualise your Thesis competition. This is an international competition, developed by the University of Melbourne, that challenges graduate researchers, at any stage of their programme, to present their projects in a 60-second, eye-catching, audio-visual digital display. Using a pre-supplied template, you are tasked with developing a striking e-poster presentation that succinctly describes your research, and its potential benefits, to a non-specialist audience.
The winner of the UCD Visualise your Thesis Competition will receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and will represent UCD in the international online showcase hosted by the University of Melbourne in the later part of the year. There will be two runners up who will receive a €100 One-For-All voucher each.
For more information and how to apply, please visit the UCD Graduate Studies website. The deadline for applications is Monday 9th May 2022.
Workshops for Graduate Research Students
Please find below a list of all workshops relevant to graduate research students that are taking place in March and April 2022.
UCD Geary Institute: Upcoming Events
I would also like to draw your attention to some interesting upcoming Masterclasses organised by the UCD Geary Institute that can be found on Institute’s upcoming events page.
UCD Careers Network
Interview Skills Workshop for GRs - Tuesday 5th April at 10.30 Click here to register
CVs for Graduate Researchers (All Roles) - Tuesday 12th April at 10.30. Click here to register.
Online Graduate Studies Workshops – Book here
The Imposter Syndrome, Thursday 31st March at 10:00am Online
Getting your grips with your RPDP, Thursday 21st April at 10:00am in room SCE E 0.01 O’Brien Centre for Science – East
Visualise your Thesis Workshop, Wednesday 27th April at 11:00am Online (open to everyone interested, no matter if you are submitting an entry for the VYT 2022 competition)
Working with your Supervisor, Thursday 28th April at 10:00am in room SCE E 0.01 O’Brien Centre for Science - East
Roadmap project for first year PhD students
I would like to share the March announcement for first year PhD students that can be found in the Brightspace Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module.
As highlighted before, the aim of the “Roadmap project” is to help new PhD students to stay on track with their studies and this month's announcement is full of useful information.
Coffee Morning - 21 April - Save the date!
Your Student Adviser Eamonn McHugh will be hosting an in-person coffee morning for graduate research students on Thursday 21st April @11am. This is a great opportunity for you to meet with other students, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. Venue to be confirmed. To sign up please use the link provided.
PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021: Transferable Skills
Based on the PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021 data, almost 70% replied positively in question H2 My ability to communicate information effectively to diverse audiences has developed during my programme.
I would like to encourage you to take part in the competitions that are now open for applications as mentioned above. Both ThesisIn3 and Visualise your Thesis competitions are great opportunities to develop your skills in areas such as research communication, digital literacy, visual storytelling and more. Participation will also help you “look” at your own research from a different angle and make you think of ways to make it approachable to wider audiences.
My team in UCD Graduate Studies and I wish to ensure that the opportunities to support your research and career development are useful. Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News & Events page regularly for updates about events that may be of interest.
Stay well and stay connected.
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley
Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UCDGS
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ucd-graduate-studies/
Graduate Studies announce the fourth annual UCD ThesisIn3 competition. The UCD ThesisIn3 supports graduate research students in their development as confident research communicators, and we invite all UCD Stage 2 PhD Students to submit an entry and share your research with the UCD community.
The ThesisIn3 Competition will take place on Thursday 10 June 2021, from 11.30 AM via Zoom.
Research students are challenged to present their research in three minutes, using only one slide, to a non-specialist audience. Entrants must distil their niche subjects and intensive research into bite-sized presentations that will inform and entertain the general public.
The winner of ThesisIn3 will go on to represent UCD in the Universitas21 Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®), where they will compete with researchers from all over the globe. The winner will also receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and the two Runners-Up will each receive a €100 One-For-All voucher and serve as ambassadors for UCD research, with recordings of their presentations on the Graduate Studies website.
Entrants are required to submit a 200-word abstract outlining their research in accessible, everyday terms and a short bio, please download, complete and send the GS_ThesisIn3 2021 Application Form to graduatestudies@ucd.ie by Friday, 16th April 2021. A workshop on research communication will be open for PhD students to attend on Tuesday 6th April 2021 in preparation for your submission. You can register for the workshop here. A selection of these applicants will be chosen to present on the day and will have the opportunity to participate in an additional training workshop on public speaking and research communication in May.
All members of the UCD community are welcome to attend as spectators.
For full terms and conditions and top tips, please click below:
UCD ThesisIn3 - Terms and Conditions for Presentations
UCD ThesisIn3 - Terms and Conditions for the Video Recording of Presentations
For general enquiries, please email: graduatestudies@ucd.ie.
More information can be found here.
Best Wishes,
UCD Graduate Studies
Graduate Studies announce the fifth annual UCD ThesisIn3 competition. The UCD ThesisIn3 supports graduate research students in their development as confident research communicators.
We invite all UCD Stage 2 PhD Students to submit an entry and share your research with the UCD community.
A preliminary workshop, to prepare for submission of your application, will take place on Tuesday 22nd March at 10am via zoom book via booking centre link
Submission deadline for applications is Tuesday 5th April.
A 2nd workshop will take place in May to prepare successful applicants for the competition.
The ThesisIn3 Competition will take place on Wednesday 1st June, at 11.30 AM.
Please find the application form and see all ThesisIn3 details on our website.
Graduate Studies would like to draw your attention to the forthcoming UCDSU Elections which will be held on the 30th and 31st of March this year and include the election of the UCD Graduate Officer.
The UCD Graduate Officer role is an important one in the University playing a crucial role representing the graduate student voice in policy development committees within the University.
This is a full-time paid Sabbatical position.
Nominations are open until Friday the 11th of March at 5pm. To run for a full-time paid Sabbatical position you will need 150 nominations and nominations can only come from Graduate Students within the University.
You can find out all the information at this link https://www.ucdsu.ie/elections. or if you would like to speak to the current Graduate Officer, Carla Gummerson, you can email her at graduate@ucdsu.ie and she would be happy to speak to about the role.
Please find attached some promotional material from Carla.
We encourage you consider putting yourself forward for this key role.
Best wishes,
UCD Graduate Studies
I was delighted to welcome the new cohort of graduate research students last week during our Induction event. It is always a pleasure to meet new students starting their graduate research programme at UCD and I hope you found the event useful. We would appreciate it if you can submit your feedback about this event to help us enhance our future offerings.
University life continues and there are many updates and events for this month:
Write on Wednesday
WOW (Write on Wednesday) is a writing group for graduate research students, sponsored by Graduate Studies and the Students' Union. The group meets every Wednesday on Zoom, from 10am to 12pm. WOW is a fast-paced and supportive environment in which you focus on one thing and one thing alone: your own writing. These sessions are not instructive, but discussion and reflection are strongly encouraged during the break periods. WOW serves as a useful weekly appointment for you to focus on getting writing done. It embraces the tried and tested Pomodoro technique of 25-minute writing blocks, followed by a five-minute break/reflective period (repeated four times). This structure is useful for maintaining focus on micro goals, which all contribute to larger writing goals you set yourself.
If you are interested in joining this group, email the Writing Centre at: writing.centre@ucd.ie
23 Things International: Your Adventure in Research
23 Things International 2022 is a unique, self-directed, online global programme for researchers interested in learning new tools for research, building their professional profile, and networking. Topics range from podcasting to understanding open access, crowdsourcing to publication strategy, career mapping to infographics. It is free and open to doctoral researchers, and academics from all disciplines. Registration is open now up until Friday 25th February.
Each week two blogs – ‘Things’ – will be released, covering a topic or piece of software that can enhance how you work. The first ‘Thing’ will be released on 7th March, and you will also meet your pod that week. The pods create an instant network of researchers with overlapping research interests which can lead to collaborations and friendships. The programme runs for 14 weeks (including two break weeks). UCD is pleased to be part of this international programme and we invite you to register your interest and get the most out of it. More information can be found on 23 Things International website.
Invigilation in the Spring Trimester exams
Please note that you can apply to work as an Invigilator for the Spring Trimester (May) Examinations. Invigilators are required for the RDS, Blackrock and Newman Exam Centres for the exam session taking place from Tuesday, 03 May to Saturday, 14 May 2022. Previous experience of working as an Invigilator in a University is welcome but it is not a requirement. Please note, if you are scheduled to sit an examination during this session, you are ineligible to apply for invigilation.
Applications are now open until 1st March 2022. Information on the eligibility requirements to work as an Invigilator, a list of FAQs and the Invigilator Application Form are available on the Assessment website , UCD Registry.
Applications for travel bursaries to attend a Universitas 21 (U21) summer school are now open!
UCD students are invited to apply for a travel bursary as a contribution towards the cost of attending a summer school at one of our world-class U21 partner institutions.
There is funding available for:
The call for applications for travel bursaries is now open – the deadline to apply is Thursday, 3 March 2022 at 23:59 GMT.
Click here to find out more about the application process, eligibility criteria and summer schools available
Click here to apply for the travel bursary
Please direct any queries you may have in relation to this to: universitas21@ucd.ie.
UCD Geary Institute: Upcoming Events
I would also like to draw your attention to some interesting upcoming Masterclasses organised by the UCD Geary Institute that can be found on the Institute’s upcoming events page.
Workshops for Graduate Research Students
Please find below a list of all workshops relevant to graduate research students that are taking place in February and March 2022.
UCD Library Research Toolkit - Book here
UCD Library Research Toolkit: Data Management Planning, Tuesday 22nd February at 13:00
UCD Library Research Toolkit: Intro to Searching for Systematic Reviews, Wednesday, 2nd March art 13:00
UCD Library Research Toolkit: Wrap Up and Q&A, Thursday, 10th March at 13:00
UCD Careers Network
Interview Skills for Graduate Researchers - Tues March 1st 10.30 - 12.30. Click here to register.
Building Effective Professional Relationships - Tuesday March 29th 10.30 - 12.30. Click here to register.
CVs for Graduate Researchers (All Roles) - Tuesday 12th April 10.30 - 12.00. Click here to register.
Creating your Future Event for UCD Early Career Researchers - Thursday 10th March at 10.00 - 11.30. UCD Careers Network are delighted to host Mr Peter Cosgrove from Futurewise to speak with UCD ECRs on the future of work and creating your own future career. He is joined by Pauline O'Flanagan from IBEC. The event will be opened by Professor Barbara Dooley, Dean of Graduate Studies UCD. With the Covid pandemic receding alongside an intensifying Climate Emergency - we are entering an unprecedented era of global challenges where collaborative, creative and innovative problem solvers are required to find solutions. Click here to register.
CVs for Graduate Researchers (All roles) - Tuesday 15th March at 10.30 – 12.00. Click here to register.
Online Graduate Studies Workshops – Book here
Staying well during your PhD, Thursday March 3rd 10:00-12:00 noon
Presenting your research with confidence, Thursday March 10th 1:00-3:00pm
The Imposter Syndrome, Thursday March 31st 10:00-12:00 noon
Roadmap project for first year PhD students
I would like to share the February announcement for first year PhD students that can be found in Brightspace Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module, Roadmap 21/22. As highlighted before, the aim of the “Roadmap project” is to help new PhD students to stay on track with their studies.
One of the useful resources highlighted there is the Graduate Research Student Handbook. This is a useful ‘pocket guide’ for programmes and supports information. It is good to get a copy of this every year as things may have changed from the previous one.
Coffee Morning - 3 March - Save the date!
Your Student Adviser Eamonn McHugh will be hosting an in-person coffee morning for graduate research students on Thursday 3rd March. This is a great opportunity for you to ask questions, meet with other students, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. Details on time and venue to be confirmed. To sign up please use this link.
UCD Library Guides and Help
Many of you may be already aware of this excellent resource from the UCD Library where researchers can find useful guides and help. Please take a minute to browse the different supports available to you. In addition, the page provides an instant messaging feature that you can use. Check the page to see who your College Liaison Librarian is and feel free to ask them for help if needed.
As I know we have many incoming international students, I want to highlight in particular the guide below as it may be helpful for you:
Refurbishment of Level 3 in the James Joyce Library
UCD Library received useful feedback from their Love Letters / Break Up Letters survey back in December 2021. The feedback was about what is currently working in the space, and what areas need improvement. This additional questionnaire builds on this information and provides you with the opportunity to influence the design of this floor.
Thesis Submission - Graduate Students
Finally, I would also like to draw your attention to UCD Thesis Submission and Fees website. I think it would be helpful to review this page as there has been a change for the May deadline. This has changed from 6th to the 9th May 2022.
PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021: School Supports
As explained in my previous emails, my plan is to discuss the different key areas from the PGR Studentsurvey.ie 2021 results in my monthly communications to you. I believe your feedback matters to us the most and having these results will help us identify issues, work together with Schools and Colleges, and steer our decisions accordingly.
There is a question under Responsibilities and Support section (Section I, Question I.4) about who/what unit you would approach for support. Some popular answers for 2021 were the Research Studies Panel, School’s Research Academic Coordinator and Student Adviser. I am happy to see that you are familiar with roles that are in place to support you.
I would also like to highlight the importance of the administrator in your School with responsibility for research students. This colleague provides administrative support to activities at different points in your research degree as well as being a key contact on operations within your School.
The contacts can be found in the Graduate Research Student Handbook under Key Contacts section on pages 2 -4. Take a minute to check the contact details of the person available in your School and do not be afraid to ask questions in relation to processes that you may not be familiar with. As I mentioned before, it is good to download a copy of the handbook each year as information may change.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News & Events page regularly for possible events that may be of interest.
Stay well and stay connected.
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley
Dean of Graduate Studies
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I would like to start my first email for 2022 by wishing you a very happy and prosperous year.
I am happy to welcome a new cohort of more than 100 graduate research students this trimester, while nearly 100 theses have been submitted already this month. No matter the stage you are at the moment, if you are just starting, continuing or completing your studies, I would like to congratulate you for your persistence and resilience to undertake your research degree during these challenging times.
I am also delighted to welcome our new Student Adviser, dedicated to graduate research students, Mr Eamonn McHugh who can assist you to find pathways to deal with personal, social and emotional issues. He can also advise on UCD policies, procedure, services and more. An extended section on student supports that Eamonn can help you with is on UCD Student Advisers website.
Eamonn brings with him experience working in researcher development, career development and counselling and psychotherapy and hopes to be able to further enhance the student experience through offering support and guidance to students at all stages of their graduate student journey. I have had the pleasure of knowing Eamonn before he took up his new role and I am confident that you will agree with me in due course that he is perfect for this role!
You can contact Eamonn at eamonn.mchugh@ucd.ie. I understand that there was a gap from Carita’s last working day to date and even though cover was in place, you may feel that you need to get in touch with Eamonn sooner than later. Please be assured that he is doing his best to be up to speed, though he has only started last week.
Welcome to the team, Eamonn!
Some upcoming events and updates this month:
Induction for new Graduate Research Students
Graduate Studies will run a virtual induction for January 2022 start students via Zoom on 10th February 2022 from 11:00am to 3:45 pm (Irish time) with a lunch break from 1:00pm to 1:45pm. You can register for the event via Eventbrite here. Resources for incoming graduate research students can be found on our website.
We have also provided an informational Orientation for Graduate Research Students 21/22 module in UCD Brightspace (available to all registered students via your UCD Connect account). Please browse the module for some helpful resources that we recommend to get you started. Instructions on how to enrol to the module can be found here.
Roadmap project for first year PhD students (started in September 2021)
I would like to share the January announcement for first year PhD students that can be found in Brightspace Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module, Roadmap 21/22. As highlighted before, the aim of the Roadmap project is to help new PhD students to stay on track with their studies.
The Research Integrity Training is a compulsory element for all Research Degree programmes for students admitted after 31 August 2019 and I would encourage you to check this month's announcement on Brightspace to find out more about this. As reported on PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021, almost 88% of participants stated that their understanding of 'research integrity' (e.g., rigour, ethics, transparency, attributing the contribution of others) has developed during their programme, demonstrating the value of embedding research integrity training into all research degrees.
Taught Module Registration
Registration is now open for Taught modules for graduate research students until 4th February 2022. As part of UCD Structured PhD, students must complete 30 credits of modules relevant to their area of research over the course of their programme. Details of recommended modules and the registration procedure can be found on the UCD Graduate Studies website.
UCD Library Research Toolkit
A reminder that you can still book a place on these Library workshops specifically for graduate research students starting next month. The workshops are highlighted as UCD Library Research Toolkit workshops and reflect key areas relevant to all research students based on the IUA Skills statement.
Career Workshops
You can find below the list of Career workshops available for bookings now via MyCareer:
CVs for Graduate Researchers (All Roles) Tues Feb 1st 10.30 - 12.00. Click here to register.
Job Search Strategies (that work) for Graduate Researchers - Tuesday 15th Feb 10.30 - 12.30. Click here to register.
Interview Skills for Graduate Researchers - Tues March 1st 10.30 - 12.30. Click here to register.
Building Effective Professional Relationships - Tuesday March 29th 10.30 - 12.30. Click here to register.
CVs for Graduate Researchers (All Roles) - Tuesday 12th April 10.30 - 12.00. Click here to register.
Online Graduate Studies Workshops
Please remember to check and register for a place on one of our workshops scheduled for February – March 2022. These online workshops will be delivered by the international expert, Hugh Kearns from the University of Adelaide, Australia. Based on your feedback to date, these are very popular workshops, which students found useful.
How to plan your PhD, Thursday 3rd February 1:00-3:00pm
Turbocharge your writing, Masterclass, Thursday February 10th and Thursday 24th 1:00-3:00pm
Idea Mapping/Mind Mapping, Thursday 17th February 1:00-3:00pm
Staying well during your PhD, Thursday March 3rd 10:00-12:00 noon
Presenting your research with confidence, Thursday March 10th 1:00-3:00pm
The Imposter Syndrome, Thursday March 31st 10:00-12:00 noon
You can register here for the above workshops.
UCD China-Link 2022: Outward Mobility Scholarship
We would like to remind you that the 2022 UCD-China-Link outward mobility scholarship scheme, in collaboration with the China Scholarship Council, is open for applications up to the end of this month. 20 UCD-CSC China-Link funded scholarships are available for UCD research students or academic staff to undertake a period of study or research at one of UCD’s Chinese partner universities for periods of time from 1 to 12 months inclusive. The spread of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant in China has led to a new city lockdowns to curb the virus at the moment. However, please bear in mind that you can apply now to the scheme and plan your visit at a later stage in the year. Further information is available on the UCD Graduate Studies website.
PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2021: Supervision
As explained in my previous emails, my plan is to discuss the different key areas from the PGR Studentsurvey.ie 2021 results in my monthly communications to you. I believe your feedback matters to us the most and having these results will help us identify issues, work together with Schools and Colleges, and steer our decisions accordingly.
Supervision is the key area for this month as this is a vital element in every graduate research student journey. This coincides with our annual Training programme for Supervisors which I will have the pleasure to open and meet the participants at the end of this month.
The data reported in the student survey demonstrate a high level of satisfaction regarding supervision (~83%). To ensure that you have a productive experience working with your supervisor I suggest that you consult our Working with your Supervisor section on the website as well as advise you to seek support if it is needed.
A common theme that emerged from survey comments was the impact of COVID-19 upon the availability of supervisors. I understand the challenge that this presented but was also heartened by the sympathy and compassion expressed by students in these circumstances.
FAQs for Graduate Research Students
I remind you that we are maintaining a FAQs for Graduate Research Students section on our website
Other Student Supports to be aware of
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News & Events page regularly for possible events that may be of interest.
Wishing you all the best in 2022!
Stay well and stay connected.
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley
Dean of Graduate Studies
As we approach the end of our Autumn Trimester, I would like to take the opportunity to commend each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication so far, and I hope that you will take the opportunity over the holidays to enjoy some well-earned rest.
I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet some of you, to discuss your concerns and answer your questions at last month’s Coffee Morning with the Dean. It was also interesting to briefly discuss some of the key findings of the PGR studentsurvey.ie. I am enclosing here the infographic that my team members created and was used during the session. I will hold another such session in the new year, when we are all back rested and full of energy after the break.
Some upcoming events and training opportunities:
“Roadmap” project-Year 1 PhD students who started in September 2021
We first piloted the Roadmap project last January for first year PhD students who attended the Graduate Research Orientation event in February 2021. This is a resource to help early-stage students to get started with their research degree programme, with updates in Brightspace to help stay them on track with their studies.
If you have not already done so, I would like to invite all PhD students who joined us in September 2021 to enrol on our Orientation for Graduate Research students 2021/22 module in UCD Brightspace where you can access these updates and all of the Orientation resources. I am enclosing the guidelines on how to enrol to the module for your convenience here.
Also here is a direct link to the December announcement for those already enrolled. If you have any questions in relation to this project, you are welcome to email my colleague jennifer.sullivan@ucd.ie.
Advice on career options - StudentSurvey.ie survey results
Based on the responses of those who participated in the PGR studentsuvey.ie 2021, only 35.3% replied positively that they have received advice on career options. I would like to highlight that Ms Ger Lardner is the UCD Career & Skills Consultant dedicated to graduate research students. Ger delivers a comprehensive programme of professional skills training and one-to-one guidance as well as coordinating employer networking opportunities to enhance researcher competitiveness in a global environment. In addition, a new virtual 360 degrees career management system ‘MyCareer’ is available to you all 24/7. Through this system, as well as booking your 1-1 appointments, getting feedback on your CV and mock interviews, there are a host of training videos on every topic imaginable in relation to your employability, transferable skills, and job search. Podcasts and videos include a host of subjects such as Leadership, Project Management, How to Negotiate a Job Offer, Social Media and Networking to name but a few. See link to Early Career Landing page of MyCareer.
I am also enclosing here the link to the Fireside Friday’s video from last year, The best time for graduate researchers to engage with the UCD Careers Network. In this video, Ger speaks to Eoin Lynch, Graduate Researcher in the UCD College of Agriculture and Food Science and replies to all his questions.
Online Library Workshops
We are delighted to highlight another new initiative, the ‘UCD Library Research Toolkit’ developed specifically for research students by our colleagues in the Library. This package of 6 webinars (see below) reflects key areas relevant to all research students and is aligned with the IUA Doctoral Skills Statement. You can book a place on this new programme of webinars here.
Finding and Using Information
Academic Digital Identity + Social Media
Open Scholarship
Data Management Planning
Intro to Searching for Systematic Reviews
General Q&A session
Online Workshops
As we have now completed the series of our Graduate Studies Workshops for this trimester, I would like to encourage those who participated to submit their feedback. Moreover, I would like to remind you that you can register for the upcoming online workshops to be delivered by the international expert, Hugh Kearns from the University of Adelaide, Australia. These workshops will take place in February – March 2022. The workshops’ details are as follows:
1.How to plan your PhD, Thursday 3rd February 1:00-3:00pm
2.Turbocharge your writing, Masterclass, Thursday February 10th and Thursday 24th 1:00-3:00pm
3.Idea Mapping/Mind Mapping, Thursday 17th February 1:00-3:00pm
4.Staying well during your PhD, Thursday March 3rd 10:00-12:00 noon
5.Presenting your research with confidence, Thursday March 10th 1:00-3:00pm
6.The Imposter Syndrome, Thursday March 31st 10:00-12:00 noon
To register, please visit UCD Graduate Studies website.
Tutor Induction Workshop
I would also like to let you know that the module Introduction to University Teaching and Learning for Tutors, Demonstrators and TAs will be running in the coming Spring trimester, commencing on Tuesday 15th February. This is a 5 ECTS blended learning module designed for tutors, demonstrators, teaching assistants and others who support the teaching of accredited modules at UCD.
This module is designed to be taken as an option module so it is ONLY available to those who are currently enrolled as postgraduate students at UCD and who have a minimum of 12 contact hours tutoring/demonstrating in the current academic year. Permission from your principal graduate programme supervisor to undertake this module is required.
Further details are available on the Graduate Studies webpage and in the module handbook. For queries related to module content, please contact the module coordinator: David Jennings (david.jennings@ucd.ie).
Students who do not meet the eligibility criteria and/or who would prefer to do a non- accredited workshop, a two hour Tutor Induction will take place on Wednesday January 12th 2022. Booking links are included in the Event Information.
The aim of this session is to support tutors new to UCD or those wishing to refresh their tutorial and small group teaching skills. A comprehensive Tutor Induction pack is provided and access to online resources.
Online Modules
I would like to draw your attention to two 5 credits modules that may be of interest which will be run in the Spring Trimester. Both modules are delivered through online self-directed activities, supported by in-person workshops.
The modules are housed in the College of Science but are appropriate to students in all Colleges.
SCI50010 - Online Research Skills
SCI50020 - Research Integrity Online
Please make sure you check our Taught Modules for Research Students webpage to find further information on module registrations and suggested modules from your College or School.
Online course for early career researchers
A new online course for early career researchers, entitled: “Opening Your Research to Collaborative Futures” is available. This is a 10 ECTS interdisciplinary, international course (participants will be from Ireland, Denmark and Czech Republic), beginning Wednesday 12th January 2022. All research disciplines welcome.
The learning objectives for the course have been developed through extensive stakeholder engagement in Ireland, the Czech Republic and Denmark, as part of the broader project “Opening Doors”, which is led by UCD. Further information and registration links can be found here.
UCD Library
UCD Library is embarking on a project to remove approximately 60% of books from the open floor. This includes all floors of the library. This will leave new spaces for student use and an opportunity to re-organise how the books are laid out in the library.
Before they start making these changes, the Library want to hear from students and understand two things:
1. How students would like the books to be laid out in the library
2. What kind of facilities students would like us to include in the new spaces.
There are no wrong or right answers - be as creative as you like and act as if there are no limitations!
You can write your letter to the Library here.
I would also like to thank once again all those who have shared their views on this matter with me in my Coffee Morning.
A Christmas Breakfast organised by UCD Global & UCD Chaplaincy
UCD Global and UCD Chaplaincy are organising a Christmas Breakfast & Woodland Walk event on 25th December from 9am-12pm (three one-hour time slots) for students who will not be returning home for Christmas. You can use this Eventbrite link to register as there will be a limited number of tickets available for this event to ensure health and safety of all attendees.
I will be in touch again in the new year. In the meantime, I would like to wish you all the best for the remainder of this trimester, have a lovely break and season’s greetings.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News & Events page regularly for possible events that may be of interest.
Stay well, stay connected and all the best for the festive season!
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley
Dean of Graduate Studies
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In preparing this email, I am conscious that the end of 2021 is coming quickly towards us. However, the remainder of this year has still lots on offer! November is full of opportunities, and I would like to invite you to avail of as many as you can.
But first, I would like to start this email by congratulating once again Morgan Morris, from the UCD School of Chemistry and BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre, the winner of this year's U21 3 Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®)! This competition offers the opportunity to every winner from each of the U21 network member universities to compete internationally. Morgan won first prize with his talk ‘Lactose: A Cash Cow for Targeting Tumours’, which focuses on how lactose can be used to target cancer drugs to specific cells in the body and reduce side effects from systemic drugs.
Morgan managed to explain his research in simple terms using nice examples and analogies. I still remember one of the judges from our local UCD ThesisIn3 competition back in June saying: "I for one will remember this project whenever I see a glass of milk".
Well done, Morgan! We are all proud of you!
Read more and watch Morgan’s video here.
Sharing some updates:
Coffee morning with the Dean
I will hold a Coffee Morning at the end of the month via Zoom and you are all very welcome to join me with a cup of your preferred beverage and ask any questions you may have in relation to your research studies here in UCD.
In addition, as we have now finalised the UCD report based on the PGR StudentSurvey.ie data, I aim to give you a few highlights about this during this session.
This will take place on Tuesday 30th November 2021 at 11:00am via Zoom.
Transferable Skills workshops
As our Autumn trimester progresses, we have scheduled some workshops for mainly early-stage graduate research students for this month. There are options to attend face-to-face or virtually, depending on what suits you best.
I had the pleasure of delivering a workshop this week and it was great to see and talk again with our students in person. You can see the workshops’ details below:
To register, please visit UCD Graduate Studies website.
In addition, the dates and times are now also finalised for some popular workshops delivered by an international expert Hugh Kearns from the University of Adelaide Australia. These workshops will take place online in February – March 2022. The workshops’ details are as follows:
To register, please use the same link as above.
Careers Workshops
As a reminder details on Careers Workshops to be delivered by our dedicated Career & Skills Consultant for Graduate Research Students, Ms Ger Lardner, targeted specifically at graduate research students are set out below:
Transferable Skills Workshop, Wednesday 10th November 10 – 12 p.m. online, Book here
Career Question Time, Tuesday 16th November 7 – 8 pm online, Book here
Career Question Time, Tuesday 30th Nov 7 – 8 p.m. online, Book here
Interview Skills for Graduate Researchers, Wednesday 1st December 10 – 12 p.m. online, Book here
How to Build Effective Professional Relationships (Face-to-face interactive workshop), Thursday 9th December 10.30 – 12.30, Book here
Research and Professional Development Planning (RPDP)
Looking at the StudentSurvey.ie data, it seems like we still have work to do in relation to this planning document and the need for each one of you to agree a personal training or development plan with your Research Studies Panel (RSP). Only 51% of participants replied that they have such a plan in place.
As you are aware, this document is an essential part of your graduate research programme at UCD. It is also mandatory for your Stage Transfer assessment (for doctoral students). Engaging with your RPDP is important for your development as a researcher to support you in reaching your long-term goals. You can find more information on the RPDP on the dedicated page of our website.
In addition, there are dedicated workshops about the RPDP delivered by my colleague Dr Emer Cunningham who will guide you through the document and give advice on how to complete it. I am also enclosing here a video with Dr Emer Cunningham and Dr Janet Carton discussing How to get the best from your Research and Professional Development Planning from last year’s Fireside Fridays talk series for your reference.
Please also note that apart from the original pdf version of the RPDP, we have now added a word version of it online. This is to be used if you are facing technical issues with the original pdf writable document.
Research Culture
I would like to draw your attention to the Research Culture Survey that started in October 2021. The survey is anonymous and is intended for all those involved in research including, academic staff, research technicians, postdoctoral researchers, graduate research students, research managers and administrators.
Please take the time to share your views by completing the survey and help UCD identify and focus on what matters most regarding Research Culture in the university.
More information about the survey and the link to participate can be found on UCD Research Culture website.
UCD China-Link 2022: Outward Mobility Scholarship
We are excited to announce, in collaboration with the China Scholarship Council, the 2022 UCD-China-Link outward mobility scholarship scheme. 20 UCD-CSC China-Link funded scholarships are available for UCD research students or academic staff to undertake a period of study or research at one of UCD’s Chinese partner universities for periods of time from 1 to 12 months inclusive. The UCD China-Link Scholarship scheme is open to
Further information is available on UCD Graduate Studies website.
UCD Library App
Finally, I would also like to highlight that UCD Library has developed a new app to help you have access to library services from your mobile device. You can manage your library account, search the catalogue, book a study seat and access all of UCD library online tools via this app. You can find further information and download it here: https://libguides.ucd.ie/ss/app
Please feel free to contact us via our Graduate Studies Connector, if you have questions or suggestions that you would find helpful at this time. Moreover, do not forget to regularly visit our News & Events page for possible events that may be of your interest.
Stay well and stay connected.
Kind regards,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley
Dean of Graduate Studies
To: All Stage 1 PhD students
Structured PhD Workshops are now open for registration and we encourage you to participate. You can book a place on any of our face-to face or online workshops via SISWeb, by simply clicking on the Book button, choose and confirm your booking. Please find the list of workshops below.
|
Transferable Skills Workshops |
|||
|
Title |
Date |
Time |
Location |
|
PhD@UCD |
9/11/2021 |
10:00 |
Health Sciences Centre A003 |
|
PhD@UCD Online |
11/11/2021 |
19:00 |
Online via Zoon |
|
Working with your Supervisor |
16/11/2021 |
10:00 |
Health Sciences Centre A003 |
|
Working with your Supervisor Online |
18/11/2021 |
19:00 |
Online via Zoon |
|
Getting the Most from your RPDP |
23/11/2021 |
10:00 |
Health Sciences Centre A003 |
|
Getting the Most from your RPDP Online |
23/11/2021 |
19:00 |
Online via Zoon |
Best wishes,
Graduate Studies
As we are now in October and the first trimester is well underway, I hope you are settling into university life. It is nice to welcome you to our beautiful parkland campus whether you are returning to campus after lockdown or you are new to UCD. The atmosphere is lovely, and I am glad to see our students back on campus. As I explained in my previous communication to you, I intend to write to you monthly with updates and information relevant to graduate research students.
Academic Supports and Wellbeing
Firstly, I would like to ensure that you are aware of the different supports available to you. Your supervisor is always the primary point of contact for your research and can best advise you regarding all queries on your studies. In addition, your School Office can answer many of your questions.
I am also here to support you as Dean of Graduate Studies with my team who can advise on training options & development.
Your Student Adviser Carita Bramhill is dedicated to advising & helping research students https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/servicessupportsforresearchstudents/studentadvisoryservice/
The University provides a full suite of health and wellness support for our students https://www.ucd.ie/stuhealth/studentwellbeing/ . You can still join UCD sports clubs https://www.ucd.ie/sport/clubs/ and do not forget to check UCD Events Calendar for events that may be of your interest https://www.ucd.ie/events/.
In addition, here is the to the Student Supports Poster, which I think is really helpful: https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/servicessupportsforresearchstudents/supportsataglance/
Last but not least, all UCD students with a disability, specific learning difficulty or significant ongoing illness in UCD have the opportunity to receive relevant reasonable accommodations or support for their programme. This may include awareness support for your lecturers or supervisor, assistive technology, and exam support if exams are a component of your programme. If you would like to discuss arranging disability supports, please contact disability@ucd.ie or see the Access and Lifelong Learning website https: //www.ucd.ie/all/ucdstudents/support/disabilitysupport/for more information.
Orientation
We had great attendance at our recent Graduate Research Student Induction and feedback indicates that our incoming students found this was helpful introduction. The resources including recordings are available in the Brightspace ‘Graduate Orientation for Graduate Research Students 2021/22’ module. Instructions on how to access the module can be found at https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/t4media/Brightspace%20Enrolment%20Instructions.pdff.
Many thanks to all who attended and to Shreya Tadas, Katie Whelan and Morgan Morris, who participated in a student panel to share their experiences. We have gathered feedback from attendees to ensure we are taking your views into account for future events.
I would also like you to invite you to watch Virtual GradsConnect Welcome from UCD President Professor Andrew Deeks as well as from me, if you haven't already watched it. This contains further information on supports for incoming graduate students. https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/newgraduatestudents/orientation/
Face-to-face and Virtual Workshops
We are pleased to announce that Graduate Studies will be running Transferable Skills workshops in November. Please find the schedule below and follow the link https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/trainingdevelopment/phdworkshops/ to register to any of the workshops. There are two options for each workshop, a face-to-face workshop and an online evening one to accommodate part-time or students unable to attend in person. If you book an online workshop, please note that the instructor will send you the Zoom login details closer to the date of the event.
Career Workshops Online and In Person
CV workshop for Graduate Researchers Wed 27 Oct 10-12 online. Register here: https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6059&service=Careers+Service (a zoom link will be sent in advance of the workshop)
Drop in CV Clinic Friday 5 November 10-12 online. https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6063&service=Careers+Service
Transferable Skills Workshop Wednesday 10th November 10 - 12 p.m. online https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6067&service=Careers+Service
Career Question Time Tuesday 16th November 7 - 8 pm online . https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6065&service=Careers+Service
Interview Skills for Graduate Researchers Wed 24 November 10 - 12 p.m. online https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6071&service=Careers+Service
Career Question Time Tuesday 30th Nov 7 - 8 p.m. online https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6071&service=Careers+Service
How to Build Effective Professional Relationships (Face to face interactive workshop) Thursday 9 December 10.30 - 12.30. https://careersconnect.ucd.ie/leap/event.html?id=6071&service=Careers+Service
Career Consultations Online and Face-to-face
Please note that you can continue to make appointments online with your Career & Skills Adviser Ms Ger Lardner, who is dedicated to graduate research students: https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/servicessupportsforresearchstudents/careerprogression/
I encourage you to engage with her on your career planning as she can support you to consider your options.
WOW (Write on Wednesday)
WOW (Write on Wednesday) is a writing group for graduate students that meets every Wednesday morning on Zoom. The group leader is an experienced UCD Writing Centre instructor. Student survey showed that being a part of a WOW writing community gave the students focus, motivation, and a sense of community and accountability, all of which helped their productivity. If you are interested in joining this group, please email the Writing Centre at writing.centre@ucd.ie for more information.
Virtual Coffee Morning
Your Student Adviser Carita Bramhill continues her monthly virtual coffee mornings. The next one will be on Friday 22nd October from 11:00-12:00. Save the date and Carita will send details closer to the time. I will not be able to attend due to work commitments, but I aim to attend as many of these Coffee Mornings as I can. We are keen to hear from you and this is a great informal opportunity to stay in touch with your fellow students and hear about activities in the university.
Please always remember this is your journey and do not hesitate to seize every opportunity when it occurs.
All the best with your studies!
Stay safe and stay well,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley, UCD Dean of Graduate Studies
We are pleased to inform you that Universitas 21- 3 Minutes Thesis (U21- 3MT) competition website is now live and the People's Choice vote is open.
The U21- 3MT 2021 competition challenges research students to communicate the significance of their projects to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes and sets the leading presenters from each U21 member university in competition with each other.
University College Dublin has the honour to be represented this year by your colleague Mr Morgan Morris, winner of the local Thesis in 3 Competition that took place in June 2021.
Please do take the time to view and support Morgan’s attempt!
The videos can be viewed here. Voting is open until Monday, 4th October 2021 and the People’s Choice winner, along with the overall winner and runner-up, will be announced on Monday 11th 2021.
Let the voting begin! Good Luck Morgan!
Best Wishes,
UCD Graduate Studies
I am delighted to welcome you all to the new academic year 2021/22, whether you are just starting your degree with us in UCD or continuing your studies. As restrictions are starting to ease, staff and students are returning to campus and working in person. I can assure you that UCD remains committed to providing an excellent educational and student experience for all our returning and incoming students, whilst prioritising your safety.
As we prepare for the new academic year, I wanted to share some initiatives and information from Graduate Studies to support our community of research students:
Orientation September 2021: Research Student Induction online event
Orientation information can be found on our website. We will be running an induction session for incoming students on Wednesday 22nd September from 11:00 until 15:45. Registration to this event is available via Eventbrite. Dial-in details will follow separately.
Please note that this will take place online via Zoom and that attendance is mandatory for incoming graduate research students. All relevant resources, presentations and recordings will be available in the Graduate Orientation Module in Brightspace. You can find the instructions on how to enrol to the module. This module for incoming graduate research students is intended to give you a helpful overview of key information and support in UCD.
A GradsCONNECT Welcome video for all graduate students (both research and taught) will also be online on our website on Friday 24th September at 2pm and I invite you all to watch. It will provide you with details on all the supports that are available to you.
Welcome Guide for graduate research and taught students 2021/22
This is a quick guide to starting life as a graduate student in UCD and I invite you to look at it if you are a new incoming student. You can find and download the guide here.
Graduate Research Student Handbook 2021/22
This is a key support for both staff and students. It is updated for the new academic year and can be found online on the relevant section of UCD Graduate Studies website.
FAQs for Graduate Research Students
We are maintaining an FAQ section on our website specifically for graduate research students. Although we are keeping our FAQ updated, this is not an exhaustive list. You may have a question specific to your research, wellbeing, or other areas. If you have a question that we haven't answered, or you need help, please do reach out to us via our Graduate Studies Connector.
Research Student Hub
I remind you that you can always visit the dedicated hub of resources for our graduate research students at the Graduate Studies website, to find further information about all aspects of your studies. This hub includes a repository of relevant forms and policies as well as valuable Training & Development resources for research students.
Thesis Bootcamp - Application Deadline TODAY
Thesis Boot Camp is a free interactive course provided by UCD Graduate Studies. The next Virtual Boot Camp will take place from Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th October 2021. This course is aimed at research students who are at a late stage in their programme (Stage two for PhD research students) and are ready to ‘write up’ their thesis. The ultimate aim of Thesis Boot Camp is to write up to 20,000 words of first draft material. Please visit the Thesis Bootcamp webpage to find further information and instructions on how to apply. The deadline for applications is TODAY, Monday 20th September 2021.
Research Student Coffee Morning: Tuesday 28th September at 11am
Your dedicated Student Adviser Carita Bramhill continues her series of virtual coffee mornings for research students via Zoom. These coffee mornings are both social and informative. I encourage you to bring your questions and attend. They present a great opportunity to connect with your fellow students and to hear the latest from staff. The first coffee morning for this academic year will take place on Tuesday 28th September at 11am. Mark the date in your diary, details will be sent by Carita later this month.
Join the PhD Society
If you want to meet and connect with other PhD students in UCD, join the PhD Students Society! Find more info on how to join and follow the society under https://bit.ly/3C9BfrR
UCD Library - Temporary, part-time Student Facilities Assistants
UCD Library is currently seeking postgraduate students to fill temporary part-time roles supporting the work of the Facilities Team, enabling opening hours across all five UCD Library sites. The role involves maintaining the library as a safe and secure place to study. This includes opening/closing the library and monitoring public areas to ensure library regulations are followed by all users. This is a varied role and full training will be given to successful candidates. Find out more about the role and how to apply on the attached advert.
Student Support
We are always mindful of our students’ health and wellbeing at UCD. The university offers a suite of supports for research students and for the entire student population. Do stay connected and avail of these valuable supports and services, which are there to help you. This link demonstrates what types of support we offer our students https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/servicessupportsforresearchstudents/
I wish you all the best as we commence this academic year. I will be communicating regularly with you and you can always keep an eye on the Graduate Studies website for the latest news and events https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/aboutus/newsevents/.
Best wishes for a successful academic year!
Warmest regards,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley, Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/UCDGS
Dear Student,
As you are aware, upon award of a research degree by the Academic Council Committee for Examinations (ACCE), a digital copy of a UCD research thesis is automatically deposited in the Research Repository UCD (RRU) and, without an embargo being set, is immediately publicly available to view.
With the approval of a new policy on thesis embargoes, an updated process for requesting embargoes has been developed. In line with this, we invite you to view the new webpage which has been set up to guide staff and students on the options available and the processes involved, which include:
One key change is that a standard request for an embargo should now be initiated by the student (following discussion with their supervisor) via an online form.
The Embargo Policy applies to all thesis submissions from 13th September 2021 onward.
Kind regards,
Graduate Research Board Support Team
UCD Graduate Studies
Drop and give me 20,000 words!
We have just what you need – Thesis Boot Camp! Dedicated solely to helping you write your first draft, we’ll help you get over that final hurdle, or to kick-start your writing progress if it has stalled.
Sign up to join other graduate researchers in a no-excuses, no-time-for-procrastination, take-no-prisoners intensive writing Boot Camp. Thesis Boot Camp recruits will learn how to battle through late-stage blues, address writer’s block and overcome thesis fatigue to achieve significant progress on their manuscript.
Introductory sessions will include motivational talks, goal setting and strategies for writing quickly and well. Attendees will be required to complete pre-program planning activities and to commit to their own tangible aims for the Boot Camp, such as completing a thesis chapter draft or similar.
Are you up for the challenge?
More about Thesis Boot Camp
There are many ‘boot camp’ style writing programs at universities around the world, though the award-winning Thesis Boot Camp — designed and developed by Dr Peta Freestone in 2012— has proved a winning formula for more than a thousand graduate researchers in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK.
But don’t just take our word for it! After Thesis Boot Camp was introduced at the Australian National University, Dr Inger Mewburn of the popular Thesis Whisperer blog said:
The experience was amazing for me as an educator and the students loved it. They told others how great it was. Several people who had been contemplating quitting altogether actually handed in their thesis. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) kicked in again and students who missed out the first time around actually lobbied ANU for more. We’re now about to run our third one.
You can find out what others have said over at www.thesisbootcamp.com
Now we’re bringing Thesis Boot Camp to campus, with programme creator Dr Peta Freestone to facilitate the event.
Who can attend Thesis Boot Camp?
Thesis Boot Camp is a free event provided by UCD Graduate Studies. You are an eligible Thesis Boot Camp recruit if you are:
Dates and times
Thesis Boot Camp will take place from Monday 4th Oct to Wednesday 6th Oct 2021 inclusive.
All sessions will take place Virtually. The program outline is as follows:
Apply Now
Applications close on Monday Sept 20th 2021. Successful applicants will be notified during the week commencing Sept 20th if they have been accepted into the programme.
Best Wishes,
UCD Graduate Studies
All graduate research students have the opportunity to take taught modules relevant to their area of research or for their professional development in the course of their programme. Each research programme differs in taught module requirements.
For the academic year 2021-22, graduate research students will register for modules using online systems from Wednesday the 1st September 2021. Further information and a full list of curated modules is available here
There are two methods of registration:
Method A: September-start PhD students can register directly to a curated selection of modules delivered by your School via SISWeb from (note: you can check your start date on your SISWEb account).
To register:
Note: If the module you wish to register to is not on the School listing then you can apply to register for that module via Method B.
Method B: All MD students, Research Master's students and PhD students who started their programme in January or May, will register for modules via an online registration form (the link to the form will be available from 1st September 2021)and submitted to UCD Registry. This method is also available to September-start PhD students who cannot register directly to their chosen module.
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For Method B you must allow 3 working days from the form submission date until you see that your record is updated. Confirmation emails will not be issued. |
Please take note of the following
Modules will be delivered either in-person, online or blended (face to-face and online). Check each module descriptor for the mode of delivery here.
Best wishes,
UCD Graduate Studies
This is my last email for the academic year 2020/2021. It has been a very challenging year for everyone and has affected every aspect of our lives. Covid-19 has changed our lives in ways that nobody could have foreseen. Please acknowledge this and do not be hard on yourselves or other people around you. It is important to stay connected and together on this.
We are happy to see some hopeful signs and we are working on the basis of government guidelines to prepare for the next academic year.
Sharing some updates and events for this month:
Programme Registration for Graduate Research Students
Please note that all graduate research students need to register to their programme at the start of each year of their studies. To do so, please log into your SISWeb account via UCDConnect and confirm your details and pay fees. Failure to do so might cause your account to be deactivated and incur a penalty.
Visualise your thesis Competition 2021
The winner of the 2021 UCD Visualise your thesis Competition is Alison Stapleton, UCD School of Psychology entitled: Refining, researching, and remediating rigid rule-governed behavior in accordance with relational frame theory. Alison’s video submission will represent UCD in the international online showcase hosted by The University of Melbourne in the later part of the year.
Congratulations and good luck, Alison!
The runner up of the 2021 UCD Visualise your thesis Competition is Christina Seery, UCD School of Psychology entitled: Developing a digital self-help for adult ADHD and
People’s Choice winner is Amy Myers, UCD School of Earth Sciences with title: The role of fractures in lava dome instability.
Visit the Visualise your thesis competition webpage to watch the videos of all winners and finalists!
Congratulations to all winners and everyone who participated in this competition!
U21 Graduate Collaborative Research Awards (GCRA) - call for applications
This is included here as a reminder that there is still time to apply for 12 months funding for a collaborative project across three U21 institutions in two countries and funds can be used towards virtual meetings, laboratory consumables, fieldwork costs, travel and accommodation and IT services. The deadline is Friday, 6th August 2021. U21's Graduate Collaborative Research Awards are designed to be flexible and encourage doctoral candidates to think innovatively about how their research could benefit from engagement with other members of the U21 network.
This year, U21 is providing prospective GCRA applicants access to a designated collaboration space in U21 Community. There, graduate researchers will be able to meet with potential collaborators and communicate via chat rooms and fora. U21 has also been facilitating social Zoom meet ups for prospective GCRA applicants via the platform. For further information and details of how to apply, please visit the UCD Graduate Studies website.
Student Support
Please note that our FAQs for Graduate Research Students/ are now updated and I encourage you to look at them when you get the chance. Also, it is important to familiarise yourself with all University support available to you on the Services & Supports for Research Students webpage.
Additional links that you can find useful information related to Covid-19:
UCD Student Health Services Covid-19 FAQs
I hope you are enjoying the summer and we are looking forward to welcoming you back for the new academic year.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at Graduate Studies graduatestudies@ucd.ie, if you have questions, or other suggestions that you would find helpful at this time.
Take care and stay safe.
Very best wishes,
Barbara
Professor Barbara Dooley, UCD Dean of Graduate Studies & Deputy Registrar
Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook I See previous Graduate Studies email communications
Access Introduction to UCD and Orientation modules (Current UCD students only)
A useful summary of guidance and policies on research degree programmes at UCD
Checklist of starting items for new research students
View information and resources for UCD staff involved in supervising graduate research students