Physics PG SSLC Minutes 06/03/09
UNIVERSTY OF WARWICK
Physics PG-SSLC
Minutes of Meeting held on 17th April 2009
1. Welcome and Apologies
Present: Stephanie Liggins (Chair), Jo Higgs (Secretary), David
Leadley, Malcolm Cooper, Geetha Balakrishnan, Ben Parkinson, Helen
Ireland, Gavin Bell, James Cook, Dan Baker, Liam Fishwick, Nathan Barrow,
Lieke van Spaandonk, Pearl Kaijuka, and Phil Petcher
Apologies: Peter Wheatley, Oleg Petrenko and Kathrin Wuensch.
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting
(a) Agreement of Minutes
The minutes from the meeting on 6th March 2009 were agreed.
(b) Matters Arising
i. Library
There are no current library issues. Stephanie Liggins thanked the
library for their help publicising the careers event.
Suggestions for new books need to be sent to Prof. Evan Parker of the
nano-silicon group who will pass these on to Helen Ireland. There is a budget
of about £2500 remaining for the rest of the academic year.
A postgraduate seminar was held in the Wolfson Research Exchange
last term. Helen Ireland would like suggestions of items to be added to the
Wolfson Research Exchange which would be beneficial to physics
postgraduates.
ii. Careers Event
The postgraduate physics careers event will take place on Thursday
30 April from 5-7pm in the PLT. There will be talks lasting about 1.5 hours
followed by an informal questions session with drinks and nibbles. There are 6
speakers confirmed including past students from ISIS, NPL and DSTL and
Malcolm Cooper speaking on behalf of academic careers and Gill de Calvo
from the Careers Centre. The number of companies represented this year is
limited by the current recruitment freeze.
th
1
Physics PG SSLC Minutes 06/03/09
Posters have been put up around the Physics department and will be
displayed in the library and advertised by the careers centre and on the
Physics website. Stephanie Liggins asked the group reps to inform students in
their groups and will email the SSLCs of the other departments in the science
faculty.
The possibility of combining a physics careers event with the other
MPAGS universities in future years, or inviting students from these
universities to Warwick’s event, was discussed. Stephanie will contact the
MPAGS representative (details from David Leadley) to find out what they are
doing for their own careers events and to potentially build a network of
contacts beneficial to all institutions.
3. Academic Matters
i. Departmental e-portfolio
David Leadley has talked to the Graduate School about putting on a
course to teach students what an e-portfolio should consist of and will
organise a set of physics e-portfolios, tying together the university e-portfolio
initiative and the department of physics.
All postgraduate students are advised to have a web-presence. Eportfolios can be located on the webpage of a student’s group and can be
archived so that they can continue to be updated once the student has left.
ii. Deadlines
•
•
Year 1: vivas have been postponed until the 28th or 30th April
Year 2: poster presentations will take place on 19th May
iii. MPAGS Feedback
Lieke van Spaandonk, group rep for astronomy and astrophysics asked
whether there will be any astrophysics modules. David Leadley said that there
will definitely be some in the future. The issue will be looked at once a funding
proposal has been acknowledged. Courses can be expected to potentially
start in autumn 2010.
4. Social Events
i. Social events
The go karting held last month was a success and people have asked for
a second trip to be organised.
Further events are currently being planned including a theatre trip to
Stratford or Coventry and Disc Golf in Leamington.
2
Physics PG SSLC Minutes 06/03/09
A summer BBQ may be organised, possibly in addition to the departmental
one.
5. Any Other Business
i. Milburn House
No action has yet been taken on the problem of the bike racks. There
are also other unresolved problems in this shared facility such as car park
lighting. It appears that there is no Milburn House representative who is
responsible for all the departments in the building. An arrangement between
departments needs to be facilitated and Malcolm Cooper will look into this. It
would be possible for Estates to pay for the bicycle parking but will take a long
time (possibly on the scale of years) to get money from their fixed budget.
Nathan Barrow will raise the issue with the university bicycle users
group and will contact Bob Wilson at estates and Robin Ball in the Physics
department.
6. Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on Friday 5th June 2009 at 13:00
3