Research experience placements 2011
NERC are running the Research Experience Placements (REP) scheme for a second year. The NERC scheme will be restrictive in terms of student eligibility as it is aimed to address the shortage of individuals with quantitative skills coming into environmental science. NERC wishes to use this scheme to encourage more of these individuals to consider a career in environmental research.
Thirty awards have been allocated to fifteen 'organisations' (including university departments/schools and NERC research centres). In this first pilot, the awards have been offered to those organisations receiving the most studentships in the 2011 PhD algorithm allocation.
| Organisation | Department |
|---|---|
| University of Leeds | Faculty of Environment |
| University of Edinburgh | School of Geosciences |
| The University of Manchester | Earth, Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences |
| University of East Anglia | Environmental Sciences |
| University of Reading | Meteorology |
| University of Bristol | Earth Sciences |
| University of Sheffield | Animal & Plant Sciences |
| University of Southampton | School of Ocean & Earth Science |
| Lancaster University | Lancaster Environment Centre |
| NERC National Oceanography Centre | NERC Strategic Research Division |
| NERC British Antarctic Survey | British Antarctic Survey |
| University of Aberdeen | Biological Sciences |
| University of Edinburgh | School of Biological Sciences |
| University of Exeter | Biosciences |
Responsibilities of the awarding organisation
The awarding organisation is responsible for administering all aspects of the award, including:
- Selecting a suitable undergraduate student - see eligibility requirements below.
- Identifying a suitable project which falls within the NERC remit.
- Ensuring that appropriate supervisory arrangements are in place.
- Ensuring that any necessary ethical committee approvals, animal licences and requirements of regulatory authorities are in place before the work begins and are maintained during the duration of the work.
- The identification, protection and exploitation of any intellectual property rights arising from the work.
- Ensuring that all facilities, agreements about access and collaborations necessary for the work are obtained before the work commences and can be ensured through the period of the work.
- Ensuring that all costs awarded by NERC for the REP are used and accounted for appropriately.
- Ensuring that details and assessment of the project are reported to NERC, as directed in the allocation letter or subsequent correspondence.
Eligibility of students
Selected students must meet all of the following criteria. They must:
- Have at least a grade C in Mathematics at A level (or equivalent in Scotland).
- Be studying for a degree in a quantitative discipline (eg mathematics, statistics, computing, engineering, physics).
- Be undertaking the placement in a different department to their undergraduate degree.
- Be in the middle of their first degree studies (or integrated Masters).
- Be expected to obtain a first or upper second class UK honours degree.
- Be eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding (UK, EU or right to remain in the UK).
Research projects
Proposed projects must:
- Have a clearly defined objective.
- Be within the remit of NERC.
- Be suitable for a student to sensibly complete within the timescale of the award.
- Give scope for thought and initiative on the part of the student and should not use the student as a general assistant.
- Be based at the UK organisation.
- Include more that purely a computer/modelling component; ie some element of fieldwork, data collection, activity to give an understanding of the wider context, etc.
Placement details, funding and reporting
Each REP is for up to ten weeks during the 2011 summer vacation. The value of each REP is £2,500 to cover the minimum stipend of £200 per week to the student and a contribution towards research expenses during the placement.
Organisations could choose to support 3 REPs (at a minimum of 8 weeks each) but within the overall funding limit of £5,000. Any other funds should be found from other sources (eg department).
The student and organisation will be required to submit a brief report on the outcome of the placement to NERC by 31 October 2011. Payment will be released by NERC on receipt of the final report by adding the funds to the Doctoral Training Grant that the REP supervisor will be expected to designate.
Contact
Dr Avril Allman
Tel: 01793 411665