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Department of Biochemistry GRADUATE COURSE HANDBOOK (2017-2018) CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page 3 Graduate Course Handbook 2017-2018 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 (2017-2018) CONTENTS INTRODUCTION page 3 STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE GRADUATE COURSE page 4 A. GRADUATE INDUCTION COURSE Timetable page 7 Topics covered in the Induction Course Postgraduate Research Supervision Supervisors page 8 Secondary Supervisors page 8 Thesis Committee page 8 Graduate Advisors page 9 Director of Graduate Studies page 9 College Advisors page 9 Skills Training Graduate Skills Workshop (VITAE) page 10 Record of Training and Achievement page 10 D.Phil. Symposium page 10 Departmental Facilities page 11 Data Handling and Keeping a Laboratory Notebook page 11 Departmental Safety page 11 Fire Safety page 12 Computing and IT Facilities page 12 Introduction to the Radcliffe Science Library page 13 B. STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE GRADUATE COURSE POSTGRADUATE WEBLEARN page 15 YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES page 15 First Year Probationer Status page 16 Graduate Induction Course page 16 Presentation Skills Course page 16 Preparing PowerPoint Presentations page 16 Effective Scientific Writing Skills Course page 16 Undergraduate Lectures (Master of Biochemistry Course) page 16 Research Seminars page 17 Assignments page 17 Transfer of Status Transfer to M.Sc. (Research) Status page 18 Transfer to D.Phil. Status page 19 Transfer of Status Process Outline page 19 Second Year Public Understanding of Science & Intellectual Property Rights page 22 Preparation for D.Phil. Symposium page 22 Third Year D.Phil. Symposium page 22 Confirmation of Status page 22 Poster Presentation page 23 Thesis Submission page 23 1 C. GENERAL POINTS Research Interests in the Department page 24 New Biochemistry page 24 Departmental Organisation page 24 Membership of Societies page 24 Oxford University Biochemical Society (OUBS) page 25 Teaching and Demonstrating by Graduates page 25 Attendance at Conferences page 26 English Language Courses page 26 Sickness Leave page 27 Holiday Allocation for Graduate Students page 27 Career Options After Your Degree page 27 The University Counselling Service page 27 Living in Oxford page 28 What to do in the event of an attack page 28 Appendix 1 List of new postgraduate students (October 2017) page 29 Appendix 2 List of Departmental Graduate Advisors page 30 Appendix 3 List of 2nd year postgraduate students page 31 Appendix 4 List of 3rd year postgraduate students and email addresses page 32 Appendix 5 List of 4th year postgraduate students and email addresses page 33 Appendix 6 Academic integrity: good practice in citation, and the avoidance of plagiarism page 34 Appendix 7 General Transferable Skills page 35 Graduate Skills Checklists page 36 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, Part II Options 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 via the Graduate Supervision System (GSS) 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 Course: Biomedical Sciences (in particular module 4, which covers issues such as plagiarism). Access via https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/researchsupport/integrity. You will need to create a user account before taking an online course Submit a Seminar Report to Graduate Advisors Complete Training Needs Analysis (TNA) form with your supervisor and submit it together with your termly progress report via GSS 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 and prepare a critical review of one scientific paper and submit to Graduate Advisors for discussion *Part II & other courses, as required Trinity Term Attend Department of Biochemistry Recess Attend Postgraduate Poster Symposium Meeting with Graduate Advisors to practice Presentation Skills and Prepare a Poster Arrange and hold second meeting with Thesis Committee Prepare Transfer of Status Report & 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) All Programmes 2nd Year Arrange and hold at least two meetings with Thesis committee 4 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. 3 and 4-year Programmes 3rd Year Arrange and hold at least two meetings with Thesis committee Give a presentation on your work to your “Research Laboratory” Attend Annual Postgraduate Symposium and give presentation if selected by your “Research Laboratory” 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) (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 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
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