Memorandum
Dean of Postgraduate Research
Vice-Chancellor’s Office
Extension: 7285
Email: lucy.johnston@canterbury.ac.nz
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Thesis Students
Lucy Johnston, Dean of Postgraduate Research
20th April 2015
Thesis Student News
In this edition








Thesis in Three
SOAR Peer Advisors
The Thesis House
Data analysis/Statistics Workshops Semester 1
Library Skills Sessions – Semester 1
Upcoming Scholarship Application Deadlines – closing dates before end July 2015
Postgraduate Coordinators
Useful Contacts
1.
1. Thesis in Three
A provisional date for the 2015 Thesis in Three Final has been set for Thursday August 13th.
Keep an eye out for notices about your department/school and College heats. It is a great
opportunity for you to present your research in a supportive and fun environment and to learn
about research being undertaken by other students across campus.
Three students from each College will be selected to participate in the University final.
In addition to the usual financial prizes awarded to the winners of the UC Final there is also a
national Three Minute Thesis (3MT) for masters students to be held in Auckland (hosted by
the University of Auckland) on September 10th. UC will fund the top Masters student to
represent UC at this event – for which there is a $1000 top prize.
The Thesis in Three format (introduced by the University of Queensland) provides thesis
students (doctoral and masters) with the opportunity to present their research to a general
(non-specialist) audience in a concise manner.
Format: Students have 3 minutes only to describe WHAT (they are doing); WHY (they are
doing it – the importance/impact of the research) and HOW (they are doing it).
Only a single PowerPoint slide (no slide transitions), no additional electronic media (e.g.
sound and video files) and no additional props (e.g. costumes, instruments [musical,
laboratory etc]) are permitted
Judging: 3 criteria are used:
1. Communication style: was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language
appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?
2. Comprehension: did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
3.
Engagement: did the presentation make the audience want to know more?
2. SOAR Peer Advisors
The feedback from students who have completed a session with a SOAR advisor has been
very positive. The advisors are senior PhD candidates from across campus and each can offer
support on a variety of different topics related to doctoral study. For further information and
to book an appointment go to
http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/postgrad/soar_peer_advisors.shtml. I encourage doctoral
students to use this free service to get additional support and advice related to your studies!!
The sessions will be held in the Thesis Student House (39A Creyke Road).
If you have any general enquires about the SOAR advisors please contact Alex Mackenzie
(alexander.mackenzie@canterbury.ac.nz) or Lucy Johnston
(lucy.johnston@canterbury.ac.nz)
3. Data Analysis and Statistics Workshops Semester 1
A series of workshops are being offered in Semester 1 as detailed below. The sessions are to
be run by Dr Elena Moltchanova and Dr Daniel Gerhard from the Statistical Consulting Unit
(School of Mathematics and Statistics).
A flyer with abstracts for each session is provided at the end of this memo. Please ensure that
you register for each session that you wish to attend by following the link after each abstract.
There is no limit on attendance at the seminars but there are for the lab. Streams are limited to
20 people per stream – if you sign up and are subsequently unable to attend please ensure that
you let me know ASAP so that I can open the place up to another student.
Session
Type
Date/Time/Room
Linear regression and ANOVA
Seminar (1hr)
+ lab (1 hr)
Generalised linear regression and
ANOVA
Seminar (1hr)
+ lab (1 hr)
Bayesian modelling: Introduction
to WinBUGS software
Seminar (1hr)
+ lab (1 hr)
Thursday April 30; 2-4pm
Seminar – Room 103, Wheki Building, Dovedale
Campus
Labs – Rooms 101 and 103 Kotuku, Dovedale
Campus
Thursday May 28; 204pm
Seminar – Room 103, Wheki Building, Dovedale
Campus
Labs – Rooms 101 and 103 Kotuku, Dovedale
Campus
Thursday June 18; 2-4pm
Seminar – Room 103, Wheki Building, Dovedale
Campus
Labs – Rooms 101 and 103 Kotuku, Dovedale
Campus
4. Library Skills Sessions
The Library is offering a number of workshops on various research tools for students in
Semester 1. More information and the registration form can be found at:
http://library.canterbury.ac.nz/webapps/public/course.php#Research_Support
April
Introduction to Research Data
Management
May
Introduction to Endnote
Keeping Current using RSS
June
Introduction to Research Data
Management
30-Apr-15 10:30am
90
Central Library Room
210
6-May-15 11:00am
14-May-15 11:00am
50
50
Central Library Den
Central Library Den
90
Central Library Room
210
30-Jun-15 10:30am
5. Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines
Listed below are scholarships with a closing deadline approaching. Please consult the
Scholarships website for details, eligibility and closing dates and information about other
scholarships http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/scholarships/
Anne Reid Memorial Trust Scholarship
Eligibility: English Literature, Music or Fine Arts graduate. NZ citizen or permanent residents.
Closing Date: 30 Apr 2015
Betty Wignall Scholarship in Chemistry
Eligibility: PhD students of Chemistry
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
Canterbury Scholarship
Eligibility: Doctoral studies
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
Royal Commonwealth Society, Canterbury Scholarship
Eligibility: Commonweath master's and PhD students
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
UC Doctoral Scholarship
Eligibility: Doctoral students
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
UC International Doctoral Scholarship
Eligibility: Doctoral studies
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
UC Master's Scholarship
Eligibility: Master's students
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
UC Matariki Doctoral Scholarship
Eligibility: Maori research-doctoral students
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
UC Pasifika Doctoral Scholarship
Eligibility: Pasific Island research-doctoral students
Closing Date: 15 May 2015
Auckland Council Chief Economist's Research Scholarship in Economics
Eligibility: Postgraduate students in urban economics or related field
Closing Date: 30 May 2015
Lighthouse Vision Trust Susan Barnes Memorial Scholarship
Eligibility: Enrolled students with low vision
Closing Date: 31 May 2015
Murray and Company Investment Banking Scholarship
Eligibility: Students wishing to pursue a career in finance
Closing Date: 31 May 2015
Canterbury Chemeca Trust Fund
Eligibility: Assistance for conferences and workshops
Closing Date: 30 Jun 2015
Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award
Eligibility: Full-time domestic undergraduate students and full-time domestic doctoral
students
Closing Date: 13 Jul 2015
NZIDRS New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarship
Eligibility: International (not Fijian) PhD students
Closing Date: 15 Jul 2015
6. Postgraduate Coordinators and other contacts
The following is a list of the Faculty Deans, College Academic Managers, College PG
Committee Representative and the Postgraduate Coordinators in each department/school. PG
students should feel comfortable to approach these people with any questions or comments
regarding thesis work.
FACULTY DEANS AND ACADEMIC MANAGERS
Faculty of Engineering and Forestry: Professor Conan Fee (Dean); Lisa Carter (Academic
Manager)
Faculties of Arts: Dr Jonathan Le Cocq (Dean); Associate Professor Lyndon Fraser
(Associate Dean – Postgraduate); Liz Bond (Academic Manager); Azeen Tashakkor (Student
Advisor)
Faculty of Science: Associate Professor Catherine Moran (Dean); Tracey Robinson (Senior
Academic Advisor)
Faculty of Education: Dr Julie Mackey (Dean); Marion Macneil (Academic Manager)
Faculty of Commerce: Dr Ross James (Dean); Annette Wanty (PA to the Dean)
Faculty of Law: Associate Professor John Hopkins (Associate Dean); Heather Couch
(School Administrator)
COLLEGE PG COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES
College of Engineering: Associate Professor Philippa Martin (Electrical and Computer
Engineering)
College of Arts: Associate Professor Lyndon Fraser (Sociology)
College of Science: Dr Sarah Masters (Chemistry)
College of Education: Professor Lindsey Conner (Educational Development and
Leadership)
College of Business & Law: Professor Karen Scott (Law)
POSTGRADUATE COORDINATORS
ACIS: Associate Professor Annick Masselot
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND CREATIVE ARTS: Associate Professor Peter Field
ART HISTORY & THEORY Dr Barbara Garrie
CINEMA: Dr Mary Wiles
DIGITAL HUMANITIES: Dr James Smithies
CLASSICS: Dr Patrick O’Sullivan
ENGLISH: Dr Christina Stachurski
HISTORY: Dr Jane Buckingham
PHILOSOPHY: Professor Jack Copeland
FINE ARTS: Associate Professor Aaron Kreisler
MUSIC: Associate Professor Glenda Keam
THEATRE AND FILM STUDIES: Associate Professor Peter Falkenberg
LSAP:
HUMAN SERVICES: Associate Professor Kate van Heugten
LANGUAGES AND CULTURES: Professor Henrietta Mondry
LINGUISTICS: Professor Jen Hay
MEDIA & COMMUNICATION and JOURNALISM: Dr Babak Bahador
EUROPEAN STUDIES: Professor Martin Holland
POLITICAL SCIENCE: Dr Scott Walker
SOCIAL WORK: Dr Jane Maidment
SOCIOLOGY and ANTHROPOLGY: Dr Anne Scott
BIOCHEMISTRY: Professor Ian Shaw
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: Dr Ashley Garrill
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Dr Sally Gaw
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING: Dr Aaron Marshall
CHEMISTRY: Dr Sarah Masters
CHILD & FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY: Dr Karyn France
CIVIL ENGINEERING: Dr Ricardo Bello-Mendoza
COMMUNICATION DISORDERS: Dr Rebecca Kelly-Campbell (Audiology); Dr
Maggie-Lee Huckabee (Speech and Language Pathology)
COMPUTER SCIENCE: Professor Andy Cockburn
COUNSELLING: Dr Judi Miller
ECONOMICS & FINANCE: Associate Professor Alfred Guender (Economics); Professor
Glenn Boyle (Finance)
EDUCATIONAL STUDIES AND LEADERSHIP: Professor Lindsey Conner (Doctoral);
Trish McMenamin (MEd)
ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING: Associate Professor Phillipa Martin
(PhD); Dr Chris Hann (ME)
FORESTRY: Professor David Norton and Jeanette Allen
GATEWAY ANTARCTICA: Professor Bryan Storey
GEOGRAPHY: Dr Deidre Hart (PhD); Dr Femke Reitsma (Masters)
GEOLOGY: Dr Ben Kennedy (PhD); Dr Stefan Winkler (MSc)
HEALTH SCIENCES: Dr Arindam Basu (Masters); Professor Ann Richardson (PhD)
HIT Lab: Dr Christoph Bartneck
LAW: Professor Karen Scott
MANAGEMENT: Dr Sarah Wright
MAORI: Associate Professor Jeanette King
MATHS & STATS: Dr Miguel Moyers-Gonzalez
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING: Dr Sid Becker and Associate Professor Mark Jermy
PACIFIC STUDIES: Associate Professor Lyndon Fraser
PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY: Dr Jon-Paul Wells
PSYCHOLOGY: Associate Professor Roeline Kuijer
SPORT AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Professor Richard Light (doctoral); Trish
McMenamin (MEd)
TEACHER EDUCATION: Dr Brigid McNeill (Doctoral); Trish McMenamin (MEd)
7. Useful contacts



Postgraduate Enrolment and Fees: (thesis-enrolment@canterbury.ac.nz)
Scholarship issues: Scholarships Office (scholarships@canterbury.ac.nz)
Student support and advice: Student Advisors, Room 214 James Hight Library (9:00-4:30).
After hours 0800 823 637
 Postgraduate Students Association (PGSA): info@canterburypgsa.org.nz or
www.canterburypgsa.org.nz
 Careers, Internships & Employment - careers@canterbury.ac.nz
 Support for Maori Postgraduate Students – see
http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/maoristudents/support/postgraduate.shtml
 Support for Pacific students – see http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/pacificstudents/
 UCSA Welfare and Advocacy: advocacy@ucsa.canterbury.ac.nz or call 03 364 2652 x
3910 to make an appointment
UCSA Help (Students can come in with any issues they may be facing that have the
potential to impact their studies)
Food Bank (Students can access the food bank once per term when struggling financially)
Hardship Grant (Unforeseen costs that may impact on their studies at UC)
Student Advocate (Supporting students to navigate the University administration system)
Emergency Dental Scheme (Students that are in acute pain and cannot afford to access
treatment)
UCSA Dental Clinic (Basic dental care – check-ups, x-rays, fillings, extractions)
Budgeting Advice (Teaching students to live on a low income and tools for their future)
Mickle Fund (An interest-free loan available for students with large accommodation costs
or postgraduate students struggling financially)
PhD Student Mentoring Scheme: Jane Hall (jane.hall@canterbury.ac.nz)
Statistics/Data Analysis Workshops 2015
SESSION DETAILS:
1. Experimental Design and Planning statistical analysis for your thesis (2h, including questions)
It is a common misconception, that experimental design is all about data collection and that
there is no serious need to think about statistical analysis before one actually has the data.
During this seminar we will talk about the importance of correctly formulated research
question, and how it largely determines both, the data required and the method of analysis.
We will also discuss sample size and power calculation, some issues with survey planning,
and the meaning of randomization and stratification of a sample in some real-life situations.
Ample time will be left for questions.
2. Basic statistical concepts, tests and exploratory data analysis. (1h seminar; 1 hr lab – SPSS/R)
What does ‘random’ sample really mean? How can one get to know the data? How is sample
mean different from expected value and what is the difference between standard error and
standard deviation? Can we ever accept the null hypothesis? Is Kruskal-Wallis the same as
basic one-way ANOVA? A review of basic statistical concepts and tests, which are necessary
to understand more complex methods.
The lab will provide an introduction to the software and is therefore particularly
recommended if you have not previous experience of R/SPSS.
Register here to attend one of the lab streams
3. Linear regression analysis and ANOVA (1h + 1h lab in SPSS/R)
Multiple regression and ANOVA are among the most frequently applied statistical methods.
In this seminar we will go through the four steps of the regression modelling: (i) exploratory
data analysis, (ii) model fitting, (iii) diagnostics, and (iv) interpretation of results. Model
selection within ANOVA framework will also be considered.
Register here to attend one of the lab streams
4. Generalised linear regression and ANOVA (1h+1h lab in SPSS/R)
Logistic linear regression is a special case of generalised linear modelling, when the response
is binary, i.e. ‘sick/healthy’, ‘improved/did not improve’, ‘yes/no’ ,’species 1/species 2’ etc.
It is frequently used in many fields. We will discuss various aspects of logistic regression
fitting, paying special attention to the concepts of odds-ratios and interpretation of results.
We will also briefly consider Poisson responses, i.e. counts such as ‘how many people came
to class’ or ‘how many traffic accidents happen each day’.
Participation in this session assumes familiarity with the principles of regression analysis and
ANOVA. (see previous seminar).
Register here to attend one of the lab streams
5. Bayesian modelling (1h+1h lab in WinBUGS)
There is more to statistics then frequencies and maximum likelihood estimation. In 1750s, Rev.
Thomas Bayes started developing a theorem which became the basis for a whole new way of doing
statistics. In the last three decades, Bayesian statistics has become widely used thanks to the
improvements in computing and to WinBUGS – free and relatively user-friendly software for
Bayesian inference. In the seminar, we will briefly go through the principles of the Bayesian statistics
and some examples of its applications in practice. Special attention will be given to the situations
where classical statistics does not quite work.
Register here to attend one of the lab streams