June 28, 2023, by Lisa Chin
Graduate School Newsletter, July 2023
Nucleus Issue 03/23 (51)
The needs of the postgraduate and early career researcher community are at the heart of what we do at the Graduate School.
Read on for all the latest news from us.
News and guidance
Breaking barriers: Join us for an exploration of transformative ideas and discoveries!
Our postgraduate researchers are on a mission – to tell you what they do and why it matters to you and me.
Join us at our Postgraduate Showcase Live on Thursday 20 July 2023 in F1A02 during the afternoon. The exact time will be announced in due course. Using only poster, our postgraduate research students will present their research in a clear and compelling way that would leave you nodding with understanding and wanting to know more. As they compete for the top prizes, they will weave narratives around their complex and technical research, placing a spotlight on the real-world implications and potential benefits of their work. By doing so, they aim to engage and captivate both the judges and the broader audience, showcasing the practical significance and societal impact of their research.
Regardless of your level of expertise or area of interest, we welcome all from across different disciplines and fields, inviting everyone to join us at this captivating showcase of our postgraduate research. No registration needed so just turn up and engage in conversations with our postgraduate researchers, exchange ideas, and discover the human stories behind their research!
3MT®: Conquer the ultimate challenge of research communication in just 3 minutes!
The average doctoral thesis would take 9 hours to present. Your time limit… 3 minutes.
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. It challenges doctoral researchers to explain the complexity and relevance of your research to a non-specialist audience in a concise and engaging way.
This competition is open to all our PhD students who have passed your first year confirmation review. You have a maximum of three minutes to pitch your research and can only use one slide. This is your chance to develop your very own pitch explaining how your research could change the world.
Submit your entry by 28 July 2023.
Events and activities
Postgraduate induction
Friday 7 July 2023, 2.30pm, H1B13
Our postgraduate induction features welcome talk by our Associate Dean of Graduate School and introductory presentations by our staff members on a range of support services and development opportunities for postgraduate research students. This session will provide you with the essential information to help you make a successful start to your research degree.
Research ethics and integrity
Coming soon
More information will follow in the coming weeks with further details on how to register. So keep a lookout for our invitation email!
Talk on animal ethics
*for postgraduate research students
This talk will cover an introduction and history of animal research and its contribution to science and medicine; the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) of animal research, the legal framework and process of conducting animal research in Malaysia and compliance with the UK’s Animal Welfare Ethics Review Body.
Research ethics and integrity for early career researchers
*for new faculty and early career researchers
This workshop will provide an overview of research ethics and integrity at UNM. It will delve into the Why, the What and the How of research ethics. The Why will look at why research ethics and integrity are important to researchers, and what can go wrong if we do not adhere to UNM’s core ethical principles. The What will give an overview of those principles, with a special focus on authorship issues, the replication crisis, and academic freedom. And the How will cover how you and your students can go about getting ethical approval for your studies at UNM.
Training and development
Find out more about our training and development provision for postgraduate students.
Researcher Development Programme (RDP)
Editing academic writing
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Monday 10 July 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
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This course will explore the different components and types of editing academic writing as well as some of the challenges commonly faced.
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Light your fire: Motivational tools for researchers
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Thursday 13 July 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
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This course will explore procrastination and discuss time management techniques.
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Preparing for your annual review
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Monday 17 July 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
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This course will discuss the elements of the annual review process and consider the possible structures of an annual review report.
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Preparing for the viva
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Thursday 27 July 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
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This course will delve into the main purposes of viva, its process and criteria as well as some key skills to consider in the lead up to, and during the viva itself.
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Creating a strong argument for your thesis
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Monday 31 July 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
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This course will discuss the background to the nature of arguments and consider the thesis as an ‘argument’ and its structure.
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Postgraduate Student Teachers (PST) programme
Presentation skills: Building your confidence
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Monday 24 July 2023, 10am – 4pm, H1B13
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This course will consider and discuss the skills of preparing an effective presentation.
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Other support
3MT® support and resources
The ability to communicate effectively is perhaps one of the most important life skills. Also important, especially in research and academia, is the ability to simplify – to take the complicated and explain it simply and in an interesting way. These skills are some of the most fundamental but yet may perhaps be some of the hardest to master.
That is why we have a range of support resources to help you get started. From guidance on how to structure your script through to presentation skills, these resources are designed to inspire and guide you as you navigate the challenges of simplifying complex research and delivering engaging presentation. Not just for the 3MT® competition, these resources can help you craft a short research pitch that you can use in a wide variety of situations.
Pre-participation briefing
Wednesday 12 July 2023, 10am – 11am, HB05*
*please note of the change of venue
This session will cover the details of all-you-need-to-know about the 3MT® competition. From the rules and regulations to the terms and conditions, the session will also delve into the specifics of what the judges are looking for in the competition. These comprehensive insights will provide you with valuable information and give you the right start.
Feedback sessions
Wednesday 26 July 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
Wednesday 2 August 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
Wednesday 9 August 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
Wednesday 16 August 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
Monday 21 August 2023, 10am – 12nn, H1B13
These sessions will provide you with advice and guidance on how to design an engaging slide that illuminates your topic, structure your pitch and communicate your research to a non-specialist audience.
Presentations from past winners
Want to know what a winning presentation looks like? As well as getting feedback on your presentation, it is also worthwhile watching the presentations from past winners.
Watch 3MT® presentations of our past winners
Watch Asia-Pacific 3MT® Hall of Fame
Watch 3MT® presentations from around the world
On our blog
Taking up the ultimate challenge of research communication
In this blog post, Chen Hui Ling, our 2022 winner who went on and won the tri-campus round and represented the entire Nottingham network at the U21 3MT® 2022 competition, writes about her experience taking part in the competition. Hui Ling shares about challenging herself to explain her research in just under 3 minutes and most importantly, make people understand it. She also shares some advice and tips for those of you who are interested to take part in the competition.
Behind the scenes
In this blog post, Lillian JA Olule, our 2016 winner who notably won the ‘Highly Commended’ award at the U21 3MT® 2016 competition, draws on her own experience of the competition and writes about how she came up with an “Engage, excite, inform” mantra in structuring her pitch.
Community
PhD Comics: Writing progress
Empowering your postgraduate research ambition
Look out for our next issue of newsletter next month!
Don’t forget you can get in touch with us via Facebook or by email to graduateschool@nottingham.edu.my.
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