GSLS Training 2014-15

This new half-day workshop has been designed to explore the ideas and techniques of the new discipline of Design Thinking as applied by companies such as IDEO www.ideo.com and the D-School at Stanford University in California www.dschool.stanford.edu

In this half-day course we will explore new ways to project manage that are personally authentic, quick and motivational. We won’t do GANTT charts (they have their place!) but we will look at daily habits such as setting iterative goals and having purpose and vision. We’ll also explore individual and collaborative 'modeling' techniques that allow a more creative and responsive approach to the complexities of our research projects (and their communication). Finally we will look at how creative companies use techniques such as 'prototyping' to test through activity rather than just thinking.

This course is for you if you want to understand how to design your projects to reflect your personality and the complexity and creativity involved in their design, implementation and outcomes.

You are encouraged to attend with an open mind 'beginners mind' and a willingness to discuss real issues and problems that would benefit from a creative solution. You will be encouraged to compete a short action plan to focus on next steps in the design, prototype and feedback process.

An introductory workshop for 1st year PhD students to explore the working relationships you will encounter during your PhD with emphasis on how to work well with your supervisor.

A crash course in what you need to know about scientific writing. This lecture is aimed at those writing scientific papers, but many of the principles apply equally to writing a doctoral dissertation. The examples given are mostly in the area of of Biochemistry research, but applicable to many others.

An introductory workshop for 1st year PhD students to explore the working relationships you will encounter during your PhD with emphasis on how to work well with your supervisor.

This evening seminar will focus on what it takes to be a good leader and team manager in a research group – from recruiting the right people, through communication skills, building professional relationships and motivating others, to problem and conflict resolution. Researchers at different stages of their career will share their own experiences and Sharon Saunders will describe training available for University members as well as sharing preliminary findings of what advice new group leaders give to postdocs. The questions and discussions will be followed by a drinks reception, providing the opportunity for ongoing discussion with the speakers and attendees.

Over the course of a PhD, students will create and use large amounts of different types of data. This course is designed to help students manage their data effectively, and to make them aware of some of the legal and ethical issues involved in dealing with data.

Clear, effective and professional communication skills are absolutely essential to any aspiring academic. While students are taught the essentials of how to research, less emphasis is placed on how to present their work either in the lecture hall, in the seminar room or even the viva. This course is unique in that it fuses academic skills with acting training.

This series of lectures provides a basic introduction to neurobiology. If you are a new graduate student working in another area but think your research might benefit from some understanding of neurobiology, this is for you. If you have done an undergraduate course in neuroscience of any kind, this is NOT for you.

This series of lectures provides a basic introduction to neurobiology. If you are a new graduate student working in another area but think your research might benefit from some understanding of neurobiology, this is for you. If you have done an undergraduate course in neuroscience of any kind, this is NOT for you.

This series of lectures provides a basic introduction to neurobiology. If you are a new graduate student working in another area but think your research might benefit from some understanding of neurobiology, this is for you. If you have done an undergraduate course in neuroscience of any kind, this is NOT for you.

How to succeed in your PhD! A one day course which prepares final year PhD students for finishing the writing up, surviving the viva and moving on into postdoc or other employment. All research students in the Graduate School of Life Sciences are expected to attend this highly-recommended course at some point in their final year.

A one-day workshop to introduce and practice skills needed for innovative working relationships with business. This is a workshop full of discussion and activity around the practical implementation of the following:

The learning aims are.

• An insight into UK plc expectations following the 2012 Wilson report
• Project management skills that turn an idea into a reality
• Technical skills that test scientific and commercial project viability
• Behavioural skills that build and maintain relationships

Participants will learn about:

• The changing landscape of UK and European funding
• The UK’s drive towards business – academic collaborations
• Expectations from industry. Differences and similarities to academia
• How to manage academic – business differences
• Core project management techniques including: Project Initiation documents; Impact measurement; Risk management; Project tracking and reporting
• Effective working in complex teams including: Creating team buy in; Managing and sharing your knowledge; Communications skills

Your lab notebook is one of the most important and precious objects you, as a scientist, will ever have. This course will explore how keeping an exemplary laboratory notebook is crucial to good scientific practice in lab research. The course will consist of a short talk, a chance to assess some examples of good and bad practice, with plenty of time for questions and discussion. You might like to bring along your own lab notebook for feedback. (Please note that issues relating to protection of Intellectual Property Rights will not be covered in this course).

This course will focus on the structure of good scientific writing, first at the micro-level of sentences and paragraphs and then at the macro-level of abstracts and entire papers. Writing exercises will form an important part of the day. We will look at into the practical process of writing, the nature of scientific publishing and the importance of editing. The day will finish with a group editing session in which the students apply the ideas they've learnt to editing each other's work. For this students will write a 300-word abstract about their mini-dissertation in advance. The course instructors are Mark Buchanan and Justin Mullins, two highly experienced scientific writers/editors.

Because pre-course work is required, bookings must be made by 9 Jan 2015 and cancellations cannot be accepted thereafter.