National University of Ireland, Galway
An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2009 - 2010
REVIEW OF
THE SCHOOL OF PHYSICS
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAY
Final REPORT
(30th March 2010)
School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
Introduction
This report arises from a visit by a review team to the School of Physics on the 8th to
10th March, 2010. The School of Physics had already prepared and submitted a 'Self
Assessment Report' that, with other documentation, was made available to the review
team in advance of the visit.
The review team consisted of: Professor David Birch, Dept. of Physics, University of
Strathclyde (Chair); Dr Michael Cawley, Department of Experimental Physics, NUI
Maynooth; Dr Eilish Mc Loughlin, School of Physical Sciences, Dublin City
University; Dr Donal Leech, School of Chemistry & ECI, NUI Galway and Dr Martin
Feely, Earth and Ocean Sciences, NUI Galway acting as Rapporteur.
The Panel met with senior officers of the University as well as representatives of all
staff and students apart from those in Administration and found all the meetings and
personnel involved to be extremely helpful. The atmosphere for working in the School
seemed excellent and the high morale was clearly evident. A common theme
throughout all the meetings was the bearing of the present poor economic climate on
the day to day operation and future plans of the School of Physics. Hence many of the
recommendations of the Panel are aimed at trying to ameliorate this situation while
presenting arguments for investment that would enable the School to emerge from the
recession in better shape than if a policy of retraction and retrenchment was adopted.
1.
Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives outlined in the School of Physics strategic plan (2009-2014)
are centred on the themes, Teaching and Learning, Research and Postgraduate
Education, School Management Systems, Industrial and Community Links, and Staff
well being. They are outlined below:
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Continued development of undergraduate teaching programmes that are
attractive to students and reflect the current economic environment coupled
with its labour demands. Teaching quality underpins this mission.
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The promotion of leading edge research at national and international levels so
as to further strengthen its position as a leading research School in NUIG.
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Proactive in seeking external research funding and to increase the scientific
quality and output.
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To engage in national graduate research education programmes and to seek to
increase postgraduate numbers.
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The development of a devolved management structure for the School with
specific responsibilities for individual staff members.
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Seek ways to optimize usage of existing space and be proactive in seeking
additional space for the currently expanding research programmes.
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
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Increase and maintain the extensive links with industry through research,
technology transfer and training. Also to foster closer links with regional
schools.
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Promotion of the University’s work-life balance policy for staff.
The Review Group considered the School’s stated aims and objectives to be
comprehensive and compatible with the University’s strategic plan (2009-2014).
2.
Organization and management
The School of Physics is to be commended for an excellent management structure,
which was endorsed by all members of staff who met with the assessment panel. The
School rotates the Head of School every four years, via an agreed election process. A
Deputy Head is nominated by the Head of School on an annual basis. Plenary
meetings of the School take place three times a year. Three subcommittees (Teaching
and Learning, Research and Graduate Education, and Promotion and Strategy) meet
on a monthly basis. An executive committee comprising the chairpersons of the
subcommittees, the Head, Deputy Head, and Chief Technical Officer meets monthly.
The School management structures work well, and is transparent with good
representation and interaction between all staff groups. However, not withstanding
this, the school should consider representation from undergraduate, postgraduate, and
postdoctoral groups on subcommittees and at an open session of plenary meetings.
Confidential issues could be dealt with under “Reserved Business.”
There are 17 core academic staff members in the School, all of whom contribute to the
main teaching, research, and administrative duties within the unit. A small number of
emeritus and other part-time staff contribute to the teaching. Two established
professors are due to retire in 2012 (the Professor of Experimental Physics and the
Professor of Applied Physics). A high priority within the unit is the replacement of the
Professor of Applied Physics as soon as possible in order to facilitate overlap with the
outgoing leader of the Applied Optics research group.
There are effectively 6.5 technical staff members in the School (when job-sharing is
taken into consideration). These staff members are responsible for technical support in
both the undergraduate and research laboratories. They are also responsible for the
maintenance of the extensive network of computing and IT facilities within the
School. Due to recent retirements (and anticipating an imminent retirement of a fulltime Senior Technical Officer within the coming year) there is an acute need for a
qualified fitter/turner in the Mechanical Workshop.
In addition to the academic and technical staff, the school is supported by one fulltime and two half-time administrative assistants. Research clusters within the School
employ additional administrative staff supported by research funding.
Issues relating to safety within the School are managed by a Safety Committee,
comprising the Head of School, the Chief Technical Officer and representatives from
the research clusters. The panel was concerned to learn that some safety practices fell
short of what is required and it recommends that steps be taken to address these as a
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
matter of urgency. A timetabled rolling programme of portable appliance testing
(PAT) for the research laboratories should be documented; this would serve as a clear
demonstration of the existence of a culture of good safety practice within the School.
The panel omitted to determine if regular safety inspections of laboratories were
carried out, but if not these should be implemented as soon as possible at a frequency
of more than once per year.
Recommendations:
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3.
School management structures work well; consideration should be given to
inclusion of undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral representation on
School plenary and subcommittees.
Communications/networking within the school could be enhanced by the
provision of a central physics meeting room (particularly with regard to
facilitating meeting amongst postgraduates from different research clusters).
It would be desirable to recruit a new Professor of Applied Physics as soon as
possible to facilitate overlap with the current leader of the Applied Optics
research group.
Plan for replacement of the established Professorship of Experimental Physics.
Review academic workload model to reflect teaching, administration and
research.
Implement staff reviews and Performance Management Development System
(PMDS); a staff mentoring scheme might be considered to better position
junior and contract staff members for promotion. This issue was raised in the
last review of the then Department of Experimental Physics in 2002 and
assurance was given that new procedures would apply from 2003.
Investigate benefits of the Institute of Physics Juno programme (a code of
practice aimed at encouraging more women to enter careers in physics
education).
Implement formal teaching and learning training for new academic staff
(provided within the university by CELT).
Organise orientation and information sessions for postdoctoral staff.
Consider postdoctoral staff contributing to the teaching in the school.
Priority to recruit a qualified fitter/turner for the Mechanical Workshop.
School Health and Safety – implement portable appliance testing (PAT) in
research laboratories; purchase new PAT tester if required; install emergency
stops on appropriate workshop equipment. Perform regular safety inspections
of laboratories.
The strategic priority of physics with respect to national priorities in
innovation and technology needs to be kept in mind in University planning.
Greater transparency in the University resource algorithm in order to assist in
School planning.
Programmes and Instruction
The quality and range of the undergraduate programmes offered by the school has
been strongly enhanced by the rationalisation into the three major degree programmes
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
Physics and Applied Physics, Physics with Astrophysics and Physics with Medical
Physics. It is commendable that the school has achieved its first accreditation of these
three undergraduate degree programmes from the Institute of Physics (IOP) and are
commended for substantial coverage of the core physics curriculum and substantial
overlap across the three programmes, e.g. in final year 75 percent of the material is
common core Physics.
It is evident that the undergraduate programmes are well run and the Review Group
appreciated the interaction with the students and found them to be very helpful and
enthusiastic about their programmes of study and they were very complementary of
the academic staff and their accessibility and support. The overall degree structures
are well balanced and offer a variety of teaching and assessment methods appropriate
to specific learning and key skills acquisition and with consideration for students with
special needs.
The School has made a concerted effort to prioritise first year teaching, through the
use of very experienced teachers and three distinct streams, in order to provide the
best learning experience for all students and to encourage greater numbers of students
to continue with the study of physics in later years. There exists a high usage of
undergraduate laboratory facilities which are well maintained and adequately
equipped and that benefit from continual improvement and reinvestment in laboratory
and computing facilities.
It is laudable that the School has established a Teaching and Learning Committee of
six academic/technical staff to meet monthly and make available minutes of meetings
to all staff. It is highly admirable that staff in the school partake in teaching and
learning opportunities offered by the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
(CELT), with three staff members currently completing the Postgraduate Certificate in
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
An active Physics Society exists that is strongly supported by undergraduate students
and the School of Physics.
Recommendations:
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It is commendable that the School has reviewed and rationalised its
undergraduate degree programmes and it is strongly recommended that they
periodically review and update programmes and modules with clearly
formulated learning outcomes.
The school has put in place mechanisms to improve the first year experience
and it should consider other ways to encourage greater numbers of students
into its undergraduate programmes.
The school should review completion rates for undergraduate programmes and
consider ways to increase attendance at lectures. The latter was raised
previously in the Department of Experimental Physics 2002 Review.
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
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The school should expand its Award Scheme across all years of the
undergraduate programmes.
The school has excellent computing facilities available to fourth year students
and should consider incorporating an introduction to instrumentation and
software, e.g. Labview, in first or second year of the degree programmes.
The staff meetings with student representatives should be more formalised and
the school should consider having student representation on the teaching and
learning committee.
Skills are generally well covered within the degree programmes, with a strong
emphasis on problem solving in fourth year however the students feel that
problem solving should be introduced in earlier years and the school should
strongly consider the comments of the external examiner in 2009 on the
appropriate assessment of this skill.
It is recognised that the school liaises with the School of Mathematics,
Statistics and Applied Mathematics in a joint Applied Mathematics and
Physics degree. It is important that the content of the mathematics taught in the
three major degrees should be continually reviewed and consideration should
be given to making a second year mathematical physics modules mandatory
for all physics students and the school should pursue other mechanisms to
provide more support for mathematics, in conjunction with SUMS, or CELT.
The programmes are operating on 60 ECTS structure per annum, but the
school should consider adapting a standard system for modules in multiples of
5 ECTS.
The staff and postgraduate students have strong teaching commitments in
undergraduate laboratories and the school should consider efficiencies in the
undergraduate teaching laboratories and consider a reduced practical
component in service teaching modules.
The school should consider adopting a policy for the rotation of lecture
modules among the academic staff.
The school should consider facilitating postdoctoral staff contributing to the
teaching duties of the school.
The school should consider discussions with the University of Limerick to
explore common curricula in introductory physics modules.
The school operates a system of all postgraduate students contributing a total
of 120 hours per annum to school activities, it is strongly recommended that
the appropriation of these hours is carried out in a transparent manner and
recognises all contributing activities. i.e. training and preparation time, tutorial
time, laboratory demonstration time, correction time, undergraduate project
support, induction and training of peers, outreach and other civic engagement
activities.
4. Scholarship and Research
The School is to be commended on its research performance. In terms of metrics
such as citations, Post Graduate numbers, research staff numbers, and grant
income per staff. The Self Assessment shows the School to benchmark very well
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
across Ireland. A significant fraction of the School’s research is internationally
competitive and the Panel were impressed by the vitality of the staff and the
facilities available for research. Indeed the new focus of Biophotonics through the
Stokes Chair offers an exciting opportunity for further discipline cross-cutting and
forging new collaborations and new funding. The School grant income (latterly
€3.5m and an average of €250k per staff member) is also a real strength, but in
these difficult economic times it is likely to be harder to sustain unless new
avenues for funding are found. The School has been increasingly successful in
attracting overseas post-graduate students and this is further evidence of its
growing international standing. However, some slippage in success rates and
completion times is undoubtedly occurring with the Self Assessment showing
most students taking well over three years, and indeed frequently over five years to
completion even though funding is only available for three or at most four years.
The University regulations on the period of study are also a little unclear and the
Panel felt some clarification and tightening up on the duration for PhD would help
the students, the School and the University, as it appears that financial penalties
are soon to apply for submissions beyond four years. The imminent introduction
by the School of project-specific committees for each student is commendable, but
in the drive to raise completion rates further additional steps may be required. The
School in its SWOT analysis identified as a Weakness the fragmentation of the
research students into identifying with their research group rather than the School
and the Panel were concerned this may hinder the good communications that are
essential to the smooth operation of the School. Perhaps of relevance to this the
Panel noted the disaffection of the Post Graduates in the light of having to
demonstrate in laboratories without recompense and although this was a
University ruling it was felt the lack of explanation to accompany the change had
exacerbated the situation and that as a matter of urgency it should be addressed by
a meeting of senior staff with the Post Graduates students. The Dean of Graduate
Studies had agreed to attend the meeting in order to assist the process if the School
so wished.
Recommendations
The panel recommends that the School:
 Clarifies, targets, enforces and communicates to Post Graduate students and
supervisors a firm PhD duration that is uniform and commensurate with good
practice and the University regulations in order to reduce completion times
( Ref: NUIG Guidelines for Research Degrees Programmes (2009)- Appendix
1). The view of the Panel is the duration until PhD completion should be four
years at the most.
 Works towards diversifying its sources of grant income, if necessary by
forging new enabling collaborations – e.g. Biophotonics in collaboration with
the Biomedical Institute and emerging areas of energy that are related to
existing school activity, possibly in collaboration with engineering or materials
capabilities elsewhere, and that it further strengthens its links to industry.
 Maximises its undoubted strengths in research by pursuing where appropriate
closer links with the new institutional initiative being forged with the
University of Limerick. For example in materials linked to solar energy.
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
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Seeks new opportunities for interdisciplinary work at the life-science interface
as a matter of priority.
In order to assist communication, bridge-building between Post Graduates
from different research groups and raise the profile, the School should
consider the introduction of a Physics Research Newsletter and cross group
seminars given by Post Graduates.
Takes steps to increase PhD completion rates, such as by encouraging Post
Graduate students to participate in the T&L module, a more structured
induction process and early progress monitoring within the 1st year.
Community Service
The School is to be commended on the importance it associates with the concept of
good citizenship through continued provision of a high-level and impressive
community service activity. The School tour by the Review Group provided evidence
that the School of Physics is engaged in extensive outreach with schools, involving
weekly visits by schools to the University facilities, and participation in School,
University and media events highlighting the important and central role of physics in
today’s world. The tour of the School by the Review Group also provided opportunity
to discuss the many knowledge-exchange activities by the School with industrial and
academic partners. The School has made substantial contribution to knowledgeexchange across all of its research activities, ranging from access to, and data
provided from, Mace Head in environmental monitoring, to the broad industrial
interactions gained by harnessing the expertise of the NCLA and Applied Optics
groups, for example. The School should be justifiably proud of these activities, and
perhaps better leverage the substantial contribution they make in these areas by wider
dissemination of their contribution within the university and community. For example,
these activities were under-represented in the self-assessment report.
The School, through the activities of its staff, contributes to College and University
governance and management at a high-level, and is encouraged to continue to so do.
Members of the school academic staff are active at all levels in professional and
discipline-specific bodies, and as external examiners and research agency and journal
reviewers. The Review Group is aware of the effort that these activities demand, and
recommend that such effort be explicitly recognized as part of all workloads when
assigning other duties.
Recommendations:
 School to encourage members to participate in School advocacy and
representation at all levels of the University (College, Governing Authority,
and their committees and sub-committees) and community with due
recognition for such effort through an effective workload model.
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
6.
Summary and Concluding Remarks
Summary and concluding remarks
The Review Group congratulates the School for its preparation of a comprehensive
collection of documents, which contributed in a very positive way to the review
process. All documentation was presented in a clear and precise format.
School management structures work well. It is commendable that the School has
reviewed and rationalised its undergraduate degree programmes and has put in place
mechanisms to improve the first year experience. The Review Group concludes that
the School of Physics is providing a range of excellent undergraduate programmes
that are complimented by very strong, leading edge national and international
research. Also noteworthy is the very impressive number and global dimensions of
the links the School maintains with industry over the years. Finally, the Review Group
acknowledge that the School is functioning at a very high level given the present
national economic climate, with decreasing national funding opportunities and the
HEA moratorium on hiring new staff.
A number of key recommendations are presented below.
Recommendations
1. The strategic priority of physics with respect to national priorities in
innovation and technology needs to be kept in mind in University planning and
strong consideration should be given to the recruitment of (i) a Professor of
Applied Physics, (ii) a Professor of Experimental Physics and (iii) a qualified
fitter/turner for the Mechanical Workshop.
2. Implement staff reviews and Performance Management Development System
(PMDS), and promote staff training and development opportunities.
3. Monitor and prioritise School Health and Safety.
4. Periodically review and update programmes and modules with clearly
formulated learning outcomes as a basis for developing a more coherent
student experience.
5. Adopt a coherent framework for PhD supervision and developing a more
coherent postgraduate student experience.
6. Work towards diversifying sources of grant income, if necessary by forging
new enabling collaborations – e.g. Biophotonics in collaboration with the
Biomedical Institute, Strategic Alliance with the University of Limerick, the
life-science interface and emerging areas of energy that are coherent with
existing research activities.
7. School encourage members to participate in School advocacy and
representation at all levels of the University (College, Governing Authority,
and their committees and sub-committees) and community with due
recognition for such effort through an effective workload model.
8. Greater transparency in the University resource algorithm in order to assist in
School planning.
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School of Physics: Review Report 2009–10
Comments on the Methodology of the Review Process
1. Unit presentation to be given in advance of meeting/discussion between review
group and Head of School would be most helpful.
2. Provision of most recent accreditation report and most recent review report (where
applicable) to be included in documentation sent to review group.
3. All documentation to be sent to the review group at least three weeks in advance of
Quality Review Visit.
4. Arrangements for travel and accommodation were well organised.
5. Access to senior management of the University was a key component of the process
and was well appreciated by the Review Group.
Professor David Birch, Dept. of Physics, University of Strathclyde (Chair).
Dr Michael Cawley, Department of Experimental Physics, NUI Maynooth.
Dr Eilish Mc Loughlin, School of Physical Sciences, Dublin City University.
Dr Donal Leech, School of Chemistry & ECI, NUI Galway.
Dr Martin Feely, Earth and Ocean Sciences, NUI Galway acting as Rapporteur.
(30/3/2010).
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