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Biochemistry Graduate Handbook

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Biochemistry Graduate Handbook Graduate Course Handbook 2020-2021 Department of Biochemistry University of Oxford South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3QU United Kingdom Tel: 01865 613200 Fax: 01865 613201 UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Department of Biochemistry GRADUATE COURSE HANDBOOK (2020-2021) CONTENTS INTRODUCTION page 3 STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE GRADUATE COURSE page 4 A. GRADUATE INDUCTION COURSE Timetable page 8 Topics covered in the Induction Course Postgraduate Research Supervision Supervisors page 9 Thesis Committee page 9 Graduate Advisors page 10 Director of Graduate Studies page 10 College Advisors page 10 Skills Training Graduate Skills Workshop (VITAE) page 11 Postgraduate Symposium page 11 Departmental Facilities page 12 Data Handling and Keeping a Laboratory Notebook page 12 Departmental Safety page 12 Fire Safety page 13 Computing and IT Facilities page 13 Introduction to the Radcliffe Science Library page 14 B. STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE GRADUATE COURSE POSTGRADUATE WEBLEARN page 16 YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES page 16 First Year Probationer Status page 17 Graduate Induction Course page 17 Presentation Skills Course page 17 Preparing PowerPoint Presentations page 17 Effective Scientific Writing Skills Course page 17 Undergraduate Lectures (Master of Biochemistry Course) page 17 Research Seminars page 17 Assignments page 18 Transfer of Status Transfer to M.Sc. (Research) Status page 19 Transfer to D.Phil. Status page 19 Transfer of Status Process Outline page 20 Second Year Public Understanding of Science & Intellectual Property Rights page 23 Preparation for Postgraduate Symposium page 23 Third Year Postgraduate Symposium page 23 Confirmation of Status page 23 Poster Symposium page 24 Thesis Submission page 24 1 C. GENERAL POINTS Research Interests in the Department page 25 Departmental Organisation page 25 Membership of Societies page 25 Oxford University Biochemical Society (OUBS) page 26 Teaching and Demonstrating by Graduates page 26 Attendance at Conferences page 27 English Language Courses page 27 Sickness Leave page 28 Holiday Allocation for Graduate Students page 28 Career Options After Your Degree page 28 The University Counselling Service page 29 Living in Oxford page 29 What to do in the event of an attack page 30 Appendix 1 List of new postgraduate students (October 2020) page 31 Appendix 2 List of Departmental Graduate Advisors page 32 Appendix 3 List of 2nd year postgraduate students page 33 Appendix 4 List of 3rd year postgraduate students page 34 Appendix 5 List of 4th year postgraduate students page 35 Appendix 6 Academic integrity: good practice in citation, and the avoidance of plagiarism page 37 Appendix 7 General Transferable Skills page 38 Graduate Skills Checklists page 39 Appendix 8 Useful links page 44 2 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Department of Biochemistry in Oxford. It is the aim of this Department to be a leading centre of high quality research and scholarship in which postgraduate students make an important and valued contribution. This is one of the largest Departments of Biochemistry in Europe with a total of more than 100 postgraduate research students. Teaching and research in Biochemistry reflect the current growth and importance of the subject. Research in the Department is broadly based and interdisciplinary, with more than 40 research groups split between five Research Themes: Cell Biology, Development and Genetics; Chromosomal and RNA Biology; Infection and Disease Processes; Microbiology and Systems Biology; and Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics. Research activities extend far beyond these premises, by collaboration with other biomedical departments in Oxford and the surrounding area (e.g. the Departments of Pathology, Physiology, Human Anatomy & Genetics, Chemistry and Physics, the Institute of Molecular Medicine, the MRC Genetics Unit at Harwell, and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics), other universities, research institutes and industry in the UK and abroad. Some graduate research projects involve such collaborations and some of you will have the opportunity to train at other locations as well as in this department. All these collaborative links provide a rich intellectual environment, opportunities for training and access to other research facilities. We hope you benefit as fully as possible from your time here. Although large, the Department has a friendly atmosphere, and a busy scientific and social calendar. In addition to providing fundamental training in biochemical research, which is transferable to a variety of disciplines in the biomedical and biological sciences, the graduate course also offers the opportunity for training in analytical and creative thinking, and in project management and personal development. These skills are highly valued in many spheres of employment, Higher Education, Academic and Industrial Research, Business and Commerce. There are workshops and lectures designed to equip you with a broad range of skills that should help you get the most out of your research during your time as a postgraduate student, and in your future career. The activities in which you are required to participate as part of your training are summarised on pages 4 and 5 of this Handbook. We look forward to working with you. Graduate Advisors The Director of Graduate Studies 3 STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE GRADUATE COURSE All Years Attend Research Skills and other Courses and Research Seminars. E.g. M.Biochem courses to fill in any required background, and advertised Postgraduate Programme Courses as required Arrange and hold regular meetings with Supervisor(s) Submit a report on your progress each term (and once during the summer) via the online Graduate Supervision Reporting (GSR) system Arrange and hold meetings with Thesis Committee (biannually) 1st Year All Programmes Michaelmas Term Attend Graduate Induction Course & Annual Postgraduate Symposium Take the online Research Integrity – Core Course. Please let the Graduate Studies Administrator know when you have completed the course. Submit a Seminar Report to Graduate Advisors and attend the Group Meeting Complete Training Needs Analysis (TNA) with your supervisor and submit it together with your termly progress report on GSR Towards the end of the term meet with the Director of Graduate Studies (meetings will be arranged by the Graduate Studies Administrator) (not applicable to students on Wellcome Trust D.Phil. programmes) Hilary Term At the start of Hilary Term arrange and hold first meeting with Thesis Committee Attend Effective Writing Skills Course. Prepare a critical review of one scientific paper and submit to Graduate Studies Administrator. Attend a meeting with your Graduate Advisors to discuss feedback on your critical review. *Attend other courses, as required Trinity Term Attend Department of Biochemistry Recess Attend Postgraduate Poster Symposium Meetings with Graduate Advisors to practice Presentation Skills and Prepare a Poster. Arrange and hold second meeting with Thesis Committee Prepare Transfer of Status Report, update TNA form & Submit an Application for Transfer of Status using Form GSO.2 MSD by Friday of 10th week (except MSDTC & MPLS DTC 2nd Year students who must submit their report by Friday of 8th week Trinity Term) 4 2nd Year All Programmes Arrange and hold at least two meetings with Thesis committee Attend annual Postgraduate Symposium Attend vitae or similar course Attend and participate in Research Seminars Attend Department of Biochemistry Recess Attend annual Postgraduate Poster Symposium *Attend courses & events for generic, transferable skills as required, in areas detailed at https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/skillstraining *Attend seminars on Learning and Teaching, Ethics, Media, Public understanding of science, Social Context of Science as advertised Prepare an oral presentation for the Postgraduate Symposium and for any additional Programme presentation events that you are notified about. 3rd/4th Year 3 and 4-year Programmes Arrange and hold at least two meetings with Thesis committee Give a presentation on your work to the other members of your “Research Theme” Attend Annual Postgraduate Symposium and give presentation if selected by your “Research Theme” Attend and participate in Research Seminars Present poster at the Annual Postgraduate Poster Symposium Apply for Confirmation of D.Phil. Status in 8th Term (form GSO.14MSD) and update TNA form (students on 4-year programmes, who do rotation projects in their first year, can delay Confirmation of Status until their 9th or 10th term) Attend Department of Biochemistry Recess *Attend courses & events for generic, transferable skills as required, in areas detailed at https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/skillstraining Submission of M.Sc. Thesis no later than the end of Trinity Term of 3rd year Submission of D.Phil. Thesis no later than the end of Trinity Term of 4th year All responsibilities, except those indicated with an asterisk (*) are absolutely required of all students. The seminars on Teaching and Learning are open to graduates in all years, except Year 1. They will be advertised on the web and by email, and require prior consultation with Supervisors and pre-registration. 5 GRADUATE INDUCTION COURSE The Induction Course aims to: • Welcome you to graduate study in Oxford • Introduce you to new and current students on the same or related programmes • Introduce local research areas, facilities, support and safety systems • Highlight the importance of graduate skills and training opportunities Attendance is a course requirement
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