Summary of the Peer Review Group Report
Department of Zoology
University College Dublin
Approved by the Governing Authority at its meeting of 15 October 2002
Department of Zoology
Members of the Peer Review Group (PRG)
Name
Affiliation
Role
Professor Stephen Phillips
University of Glasgow
Extern
Dr Julian Reynolds
Trinity College Dublin
Extern
Dr Angela Bourke
Department of Modern Irish, UCD
Chair
Professor Pat Shannon
Department of Geology, UCD
Rapporteur
Professor Ciaran Regan
Department of Pharmacology, UCD
Cognate
Members of the Departmental Co-ordinating Committee
Dr Mark Rogers
Senior Lecturer (Acting Head of Department)
Professor Eamonn Duke
Professor of Zoology
Dr Declan Murray
Senior Lecturer (retired)
Dr Bret Danilowicz
Lecturer (and Associate Dean, Faculty of Science)
Dr Mary Kelly-Quinn
Lecturer
Ms Dorothy Allen
Senior Executive Assistant
Mr Robert French
Principal Technician
Ms Jennifer Coughlan
Technician
Ms Louise Bailey
PhD Student
Departmental Details
The Department is situated in the Biology Building in the Science Block. There are 13
offices in the Department. At the time of the review there were eleven academic staff
members with two more Junior Lecturers to take up their posts at the end of the
summer 2002. These consist of one Professor, six Senior Lecturers (one recently
retired), four Lecturers (plus two to take up posts). The complement of technical staff
is ten (one Principal Technician, five Senior Technicians, two Technicians and two
part-time technical staff). Administrative staff consists of one Senior Executive
Assistant. Three post-doctoral students are employed in the Department. Thirty-four
postgraduate students are currently registered in the Department. The Department is
currently involved in the delivery of five undergraduate degrees in the Science
Faculty as well undergraduate degrees in the Faculties of Medicine and Agriculture.
Members of staff also contribute to other undergraduate and postgraduate
interdisciplinary programmes. Student numbers are relatively constant.
Site Visit
The Site Visit by the PRG took place from Sunday, April 14 to Wednesday, 17 April
2002. The PRG met with the Acting Head of the Department, the Dean of the Faculty
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of Science, the Co-ordinating Committee, members of staff not on the Co-ordinating
Committee, the technical staff, students at all levels, a representative of the Careers
Office and with individual members of the Department. They visited the facilities of
the Department.
Peer Review Group Report
The PRG considered the Departmental Self Assessment Report (SAR), discussed and
deliberated on the consultations and other meetings during the Site Visit and agreed
the general outline of their findings and made an oral presentation of them to the
whole Department before leaving. The Report was finalised, circulated to the Coordinating Committee and their factual corrections and their response to the Report
were incorporated.
The PRG complimented the Department on the high quality of the Self Assessment
Report and on their readiness to assist them during the Site Visit. The Report points to
the positive aspects of the Department as being the largest Zoology Department in
Ireland, as having a strong history of serving Irish Science and society, and honouring
the intellectual traditions of classical Zoology, while embracing new developments.
Both the academic and technical staff have contributed greatly to the development of
the Department in its teaching and research activities.
The PRG considered the work of the Department under the following headings:
Planning and organisation; Taught Programmes; Teaching and Learning;
Research and Scholarly Activity; External Relations. It also considered and
analysed the responses of staff and students to questionnaires on the level and quality
of services provided to the Department by other units within UCD.
Recommendations of the Peer Review Group
The PRG acknowledges the many positive and constructive aspects of the Department
of Zoology. There have been the major and ongoing positive changes in the areas of
departmental organisation, and in teaching and research programmes. The generally
positive attitude of the members of the Department is clearly evident and will be a
positive driver for continued development and progress in the future. The successes
and positive aspects of the Department have been highlighted in preceding sections of
this report.
In this section, however, the PRG offers a series of constructive
suggestions and recommendations for improvement. These are not intended as
criticisms of the Department but are offered instead as pointers which may help to
continue the process of development which has been embarked upon and which will
aid towards realising the full potential of the Department of Zoology. The
recommendations are grouped under convenient headings.
Image and Identity

The corporate image and collegiality of the Department are important and should
be developed.

The Department should re-examine all aspects of the working of the
Departmental Office. The Office should be reorganised to facilitate the reception
of visitors and the dissemination of departmental information.
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
Nameplates should be on staff and laboratory doors, and a departmental directory
should be provided for visitors and students.

Notice boards for different activities should be provided.

The appearance of corridors and the entrance to the Department should be
improved.

Recent papers or books, posters from conferences and Fourth-Year projects that
have led to published work should be on display in a prominent position in the
Department.

A periodic departmental newsletter should be produced, outlining newsworthy
features of interest to staff and students.

The Senior Executive Assistant should liaise regularly with the departmental
webmaster to maintain a comprehensive up-to-date website. Some retraining
may be required.
Research

Draw up a departmental strategic plan, which should encompass a vision for the
future, both for research and teaching needs. Consultation with employers will
help adjudge whether the current curriculum is optimal for graduate employment.

Plan for filling the Chair of Zoology. Evaluate the incentives required, and their
availability, to attract high-calibre candidates.

Take a fresh look at the allocation of space and technical support. History should
be set aside and the Department should look at current needs, expectations and
the need for efficiency. Allocation of critical departmental resources should be
reviewed at least annually.

Technical support units should be established where appropriate, each under the
direction of a Section Head technician, to provide maximum flexibility in the
running of the Department’s operations.

PhD students should aim to finish in three years – they should certainly have
submitted within four years. The Department should work towards the
development of a culture of three-year PhD completion.

Attract more PhD students from outside UCD. Consider how best to attract
overseas PhD students with a bench fee.

Investigate methods of attracting more postdoctoral workers including research
fellows from abroad, especially postdoctoral workers in their second postdoctoral
appointment.

Develop a Staff Activity Profile or Workload model to avoid disputes over
relative contributions to the work of the Department/Faculty/University.

Consider rewarding technical input into publications by a place in the author list
where justified. This can improve morale.

Revive the departmental Seminar Programme, to include staff participation.

The Department should consider the implications of the University’s stated
commitment to reward research excellence and activity in its new funding
formula, and how best to benefit from it.
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Undergraduates

Increase emphasis on learning to learn.

Reinstate Third-Year residential field courses.

Use First- and Second-Year classes to attract rather than discourage recruiting
into Honours Zoology.

Consider introducing Third-Year tutorials.

Revamp and redesign practicals.

Prepare Course Information handbooks for Second and Third Years.

Lectures to undergraduate classes, especially First and Second Years, should only
be given by members of the academic staff, except in exceptional circumstances
as approved by the Head (or Acting Head) of the Department.

Teaching loads should be distributed as equitably as possible, taking into account
research activities and other Department, Faculty and University commitments.
General

A greater adherence to the requirements of Health and Safety is required urgently
but this will need serious input from the University. There should be a general
tidying up of the Department. Unannounced spot Safety checks should be carried
out. All laboratory users should sign off annually confirming that they are aware
of, and will adhere to, the Health and Safety regulations of the Department.

All staff should meet with the Head of Department as part of the Staff
Development Programme on at least an annual basis to review and agree their
progress within and contribution to the Department.

In progressing the Biosciences initiative it could be helpful to visit other
institutions where such a re-organisation has taken place and been running for a
period.
University
The University should fund departmental refurbishment, particularly structural
requirements under Health and Safety. Departmental Supplies & Travel funds should
not be required for this purpose.
The Central Transport Pool should submit accounts to the Department on a monthly
basis, with all financial transfers to be approved by the Head of Department. Staff
should be permitted to keep vehicles at home both before and after field trips.
Response of the Departmental Co-ordinating Committee.
The Departmental Co-ordinating Committee submitted one and a half pages in
response to specific details of the PRG Report and this is included as Chapter 8 of the
Report.
A copy of the full Peer Review Group Report is available from the Quality Assurance
Office.
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