View prior email communications sent from Graduate Studies to UCD graduate research students.
The spring trimester is now almost finished but there are updates and events for this and the following months that I am sharing below.
ThesisIn3 Competition 2023
I would like to thank those of you who have submitted an application for the ThesisIn3 Competition this year and remind you that the final submission date is Friday 28 April.
I would encourage as many of you as possible to submit an application. Please find the application form and see all ThesisIn3 details on our website.
UCD Visualise your Thesis Competition 2023
I would like to remind you that applications are still open for the third annual UCD Visualise your Thesis competition. This is an international competition, developed by the University of Melbourne, which challenges graduate researchers, at any stage of their programme, to present their projects in a 60-second, eye-catching, audio-visual digital display using a pre-supplied template.
The winner of the UCD Visualise your Thesis Competition will receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and will represent UCD in the international online showcase hosted by the University of Melbourne in the latter part of the year.
For more information and how to apply, please visit the UCD Graduate Studies website. The deadline for applications is Friday 26 May.
Workshops for Graduate Research Students
Please find below a list of all workshops relevant to graduate research students that are taking place in April and May 2022.
You can register for this workshops via the Booking Centre.
Student Adviser Updates
This month's Graduate Research Student Coffee morning takes place on Thursday 27 April at 10.30 am in the Red Room in the Student Centre. Join us on the day where you will have the opportunity to meet with other graduate research students, make connections and enjoy a well-deserved cuppa and chat. For catering purposes, please register in advance.
Careers UCD updates
How to Talk to Employers about your PhD: Panel discussion with UCD Alumni
10 May at 17.30 - 18.30 on Zoom. Hosted by Mark Davies, Career and Skills Consultant
Whether you're looking to move into a career that's directly related to your PhD or not, how do you effectively communicate the value of it? Learn from the experience of three PhD alumni in this Zoom panel discussion and Q&A:
What do they think are the transferrable skills that are most in demand from employers? What did they learn on their PhD that's most applicable in their day-to-day work? How did they get a job related to their studies, or how did they manage to move into a different field? These are all questions we hope to answer in this session. Bring your own questions too, whether related to careers and job search or not!
Bookings are open now on MyCareer.
Early Career Researcher-Company Networking event
The UCD Research Careers team is hosting an in-person Early Career Researcher-Company Networking event on May 16 2023 on UCD Belfield campus.
This event is for Postdoctoral Researchers and late-stage PhD Graduate Researchers across all disciplines and is a fantastic opportunity for you to meet and build relationships with companies and organisations. We have selected a limited number of companies, across a variety of sectors, who have a history and/or may be interested in recruiting PhDs and Postdocs at some point in the future.
We will also be supporting all attendees to learn more about how particular enterprise-partnership funding opportunities may support them to work together. There will be representatives at the event from Research Funding agencies, such as Science Foundation Ireland, Irish Research Council, Health Research Board, to provide information on these cross-sectoral partnership opportunities.
The event will consist of a panel discussion, short 'flash' presentations from each company and networking over lunch.
Bookings open now on MyCareer.
Research Integrity Training
Please note that section 7.28 of the academic regulations states that any graduate research student, who commenced their programme after August 2019, must complete Research Integrity (RI) training. If you commenced your programme after August 2019, and have not completed RI Training, then you will not be compliant with regulations and may not be able to submit your thesis by your planned deadline. Information on this training can be found on the UCD Research or UCD Graduate Studies websites.
It is worth visiting our News & Events page regularly for updates about events that may be of interest.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector.
Very best wishes,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe
Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UCDGS
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ucd-graduate-studies
Facebook: www.facebook.com/graduatestudiesucd
See previous Graduate Studies email communications.
Dear students
University life continues and we are already past the middle of this trimester. Longer evenings are now noticeable, and our campus looks magnificent this time of the year. I am delighted to announce many updates and events that I hope you will find useful.
ThesisIn3 Competition 2023
UCD Graduate Studies have launched the sixth annual UCD ThesisIn3 competition. This exciting initiative supports graduate research students in their development as confident research communicators.
We invite all UCD Stage 2 PhD Students to submit an entry and share your research with the UCD community. The submission deadline for applications is Friday 28 April. The ThesisIn3 Competition will take place in person on Thursday 1 June at 11.30 AM.
The winner of the UCD ThesisIn3 Competition will receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and will represent UCD in the global Universitas 21 competition in October.
Please find the application form and see all ThesisIn3 details on our website.
Visualise your Thesis Competition 2023
UCD Graduate Studies announce the third annual UCD Visualise your Thesis competition. This is an international competition, developed by the University of Melbourne, that challenges graduate researchers, at any stage of their programme, to present their projects in a 60-second, eye-catching, audio-visual digital display. Using a pre-supplied template, you are tasked with developing a striking e-poster presentation that succinctly describes your research, and its potential benefits, to a non-specialist audience.
The winner of the UCD Visualise your Thesis Competition will receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and will represent UCD in the international online showcase hosted by the University of Melbourne in the later part of the year.
For more information and how to apply, please visit our website. The deadline for applications is Friday 26 May.
To help you prepare for these competitions, UCD Graduate Studies is hosting a trio of Presentation Skills workshops in April and May. These workshops are designed to enhance the presentation skills of PhD students and are open to all.
⮚ 5 April 2023: Practical presentation skills – workshop 1 (with Phill Smyth)
⮚ 11 April 2023: Presenting your research with confidence
⮚ 17 May 2023: Practical presentation and video skills – workshop 2 (with Phil Smyth)
In these practical workshops, you will learn techniques and tools that will raise the level of your communication skills no matter your starting point.
Online and in-person Graduate Studies workshops
Please find below a list of research student workshops which run until May 2023.
You can register for all workshops via the Booking Centre.
UCD Library Research Toolkit
You can book a place on library workshops specifically for graduate research students. The workshops are highlighted as UCD Library Research Toolkit workshops and reflect key areas relevant to all research students based on the Irish Universities Doctoral Skills Statement.
UCD Careers Network
‘Workshop Wednesdays – Career Planning Series for Graduate Researchers’ Book your place on MyCareer.
UCD Library Guides and Help
Many of you may be already aware of this excellent resource from the UCD Library where researchers can find useful guides and help. Please take a minute to browse the different supports available to you. In addition, the page provides an instant messaging feature that you can use. Check the page to see who your College Liaison Librarian is and feel free to ask them for help if needed.
Fulbright Irish Awards 2024–2025
The 2024–2025 Fulbright Irish Awards application period will open on 28 August 2023.
Upcoming Fulbright Webinars: Study, research and lecture in the USA
The Fulbright Irish Awards provide grants and support for Irish citizens, and for EU citizens who have been resident in ROI for 5+ years, to research, study, or lecture in the USA. Opportunities are available in all disciplines.
The Fulbright Commission in Ireland strives to ensure that its programmes reflect and value the diversity of Irish and U.S. societies. Equity steps to support this intent include the provision of interviews for shortlisted candidates and assessment beyond academic aspects. Learn more on the Fulbright Ireland website.
You can watch videos and recent webinars on YouTube, and follow Fulbright Ireland on social media at Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram for updates.
For further information visit the Fulbright Ireland website.
2023 PGR StudentSurvey.ie
I would like to extend a big thank you to all those who participated in this year’s PGR StudentSurvey.ie. UCD achieved a fantastic response rate of 45%, which will help Schools and Colleges to develop quality enhancement action plans that accurately reflect your experiences as research students.
Congratulations, also, to the 16 lucky Wow Thanks voucher winners, who will have received an email from UCD Graduate Studies this week.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News and Events page regularly for possible events that may be of interest. Stay well and stay connected.
Very best wishes,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe
Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UCDGS
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ucd-graduate-studies/
Dear students
I was delighted to welcome the new cohort of graduate research students on 1 February during our Orientation event. It is always a pleasure to meet new students starting their graduate research programme at UCD and I hope you found the event useful. University life continues and we are already in the middle of this trimester, with longer evenings now noticeable. I am delighted to announce many updates and events for this month that I hope you will find useful.
Launch of 2023 PGR StudentSurvey.ie
The national PGR StudentSurvey.ie is now open for UCD graduate research students and I strongly encourage you to participate. Your feedback is vital for Schools’ yearly quality enhancement planning. The most recent survey in 2021 has already positively impacted the research student experience. For example, those survey results showed that only 59.5% of students felt that the research ambiance in their department stimulated their work. Upon return to on-campus learning, Schools across the University used this feedback to bolster UCD's research culture by running PhD symposiums and research seminars and prioritising community-building social events. To complete the 2023 survey, please refer to the email sent to you by ucd@studentsurvey.ie on 21 February, or visit the StudentSurvey.ie website.
The survey closes on 13 March 2023.
Graduate Studies announce the sixth annual UCD ThesisIn3 competition
The UCD ThesisIn3 supports graduate research students in their development as confident research communicators, and we invite all UCD Stage 2 PhD Students to submit an entry and share your research with the UCD community.
The ThesisIn3 Competition will take place on Thursday 1 June at 11.30 AM.
Research students are challenged to present their research in three minutes, using only one slide, to a non-specialist audience. Entrants must distil their niche subjects and intensive research into bite-sized presentations that will inform and entertain the general public.
The winner of ThesisIn3 will go on to represent UCD in the Universitas21 Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®), where they will compete with researchers from all over the globe. The winner will also receive a €250 One-For-All voucher and the two Runners-Up will each receive a €100 One-For-All voucher and serve as ambassadors for UCD research, with recordings of their presentations on the Graduate Studies website.
Entrants are required to submit a 200-word abstract outlining their research in accessible, everyday terms and a short bio. Please download, complete and send your application form to graduatestudies@ucd.ie by Friday 28 April.
Workshops on research communication will be open for all PhD students to attend in preparation for your submission and your presentation skills more generally.
You can register for the workshops via the Graduate Studies website.
For general enquiries, please email: graduatestudies@ucd.ie.
Graduate Studies announce the third annual UCD Visualise your Thesis competition
This is an international competition, developed by the University of Melbourne, that challenges graduate researchers at any stage of their candidature to present their projects in a 60-second, eye-catching, audio-visual digital display. Using a pre-supplied template, they are tasked with developing a striking e-poster presentation that succinctly describes their research, and its potential benefits, to a non-specialist audience.
Further details are available on the Visualise Your Thesis page of the Graduate Studies website.
Write on Wednesday
WOW has started again on Wednesday 8 February and students are welcome to register now.
WOW (Write on Wednesday) is a writing group for graduate research students, sponsored by Graduate Studies and the Students' Union. The group meets every Wednesday on Zoom, from 10am to 12pm. WOW is a fast-paced and supportive environment in which you focus on one thing and one thing alone: your own writing. These sessions are not instructive, but discussion and reflection are strongly encouraged during the break periods. WOW serves as a useful weekly appointment for you to focus on getting writing done. It embraces the tried and tested Pomodoro technique of 25-minute writing blocks, followed by a five-minute break/reflective period (repeated four times). This structure is useful for maintaining focus on
micro goals, which all contribute to larger writing goals you set yourself.
23 Things International: Your Adventure in Research
23 Things International 2023 is a unique, self-directed, online global programme for researchers interested in learning new tools for research, building their professional profile, and networking. Topics range from podcasting to understanding open access, crowdsourcing to publication strategy, career mapping to infographics. It is free and open to doctoral researchers, and academics from all disciplines.
Each week two blogs – ‘Things’ – will be released, covering a topic or piece of software that can enhance how you work. The first ‘Thing’ will be released on 6 March, and you will also meet your pod that week. The pods create an instant network of researchers with overlapping research interests, which can lead to collaborations and friendships.
The programme runs for 14 weeks (including two break weeks). UCD is pleased to be part of this international programme and we invite you to register your interest and get the most out of it.
More information can be found on the 23 Things International website.
Coffee Morning - March - Save the date!
Your Student Adviser Eamonn McHugh will be hosting an in-person coffee morning for graduate research students on Thursday 30th March in the Atrium, Sutherland School of Law at 10.30am. This is a great opportunity for you to ask questions, meet with other students, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. Register today.
Online and in-person Graduate Studies workshops
Please remember to register for a place in our research student workshops, which run from February until April 2023. The programme of activities starts with online workshops, which are delivered by the international expert Hugh Kearns (Flinders University, Australia). Based on your feedback to date, these are very popular workshops that students have found both enjoyable as well as useful. Graduate Studies also run in-person workshops that help students to navigate their PhD, while Dave Delaney will run in-person workshops on self-awareness. Please keep an eye out for workshops offered by colleagues in the Careers Network, Library and the Writing Centre below.
Online workshops with Hugh Kearns:
● Imposter Syndrome – Thursday 2 March 10am – 12 noon
● Turbocharge your Writing – two sessions, Wednesday 30 March and Thursday 13
April 10am – 12 noon
● Presenting Your Research with Confidence – Tuesday 11 April 10am –12 noon
In Person workshop with Phil Smyth - Wednesday 5 April - 10am Venue TBC
A practical presentation skills workshop for graduate students. No preparation is required. During this two-hour session, you will learn techniques and tools that will raise the level of your communication skills no matter your starting point.
Join Phil Smyth on this hugely popular, friendly, interactive, and useful workshop tailored to your needs.
Also, a set of in-person workshops with the Dean of Graduate Studies and colleagues:
● The PhD at UCD and Working with your Supervisor – Tuesday 7 March 11am
● The Stage Transfer Assessment – Tuesday 18 April 11am
And a series of in-person Self-awareness workshops with Dave Delaney:
● Thought Processes and Increasing Energy Levels – Tuesday 14 March 1pm
● Becoming Present and Learning to Listen – Friday 28 April 1pm
You can register for all workshops via the Booking Centre.
UCD Library Research Toolkit
You can book a place on library workshops specifically for graduate research students starting next month.
The workshops are highlighted as UCD Library Research Toolkit workshops and reflect key areas relevant to all research students based on the Irish Universities Doctoral Skills Statement.
UCD Careers Network
You can find below the list of careers workshops available for bookings now via MyCareer: ‘Workshop Wednesdays – Career Planning Series for Graduate Researchers’.
Join UCD Careers and Skills Consultant for Graduate Researchers Tara Hughes for a fortnightly careers workshop covering everything from career planning and job search strategy to identifying and articulating your skills, networking, and CVs and interview preparation. These workshops take place on Wednesdays at lunchtime and are on campus. Book your place on MyCareer.
UCD Library Guides and Help
Many of you may be already aware of this excellent resource from the UCD Library where researchers can find useful guides and help. Please take a minute to browse the different supports available to you. In addition, the page provides an instant messaging feature that you can use. Check the page to see who your College Liaison Librarian is and feel free to ask them for help if needed.
As I know we have many incoming international students, I want to highlight in particular the guide below as it may be helpful for you:
Academic Integrity - Referencing, Citation & Avoiding Plagiarism: International Students Study Skills
The Laura Bassi Scholarship
Was established by Editing Press in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed. The scholarships are open to every discipline and the next round of funding will be awarded in Spring 2023:
Spring 2023
Application deadline: 31 March 2023
Results: 12 April 2023
All currently enrolled master’s and doctoral candidates are eligible to apply, as are academics in the first five years of full-time employment. Applicants are required to submit a completed application form along with their CV through the application portal by the relevant deadline. Further details, including previous winners, and the application portal can be found on the Editing Press website.
Invigilation in the Spring Trimester exams
Please note that you can apply to work as an Invigilator for the Spring Trimester (May) Examinations. Invigilators are required for the RDS, Blackrock and Newman Exam Centres for the exam session taking place from Tuesday 6 May to Saturday 19 May 2023. Previous experience of working as an invigilator in a university is welcome but is not a requirement.
Please note, if you are scheduled to sit an examination during this session, you are ineligible to apply for invigilation.
Applications are now open until 10 March 2023. Information on the eligibility requirements to work as an Invigilator, a list of FAQs and the Invigilator Application Form are available on the UCD Registry website.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector.
Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News and Events page regularly for possible events that may be of interest.
Stay well and stay connected.
Very best wishes,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe
Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UCDGS
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ucd-graduate-studies/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graduatestudiesucd
See previous Graduate Studies email communications.
Dear students
I would like to start my first email for 2023 by wishing you a very happy and prosperous New Year.
I am happy to welcome a new cohort of more than 126 graduate research students this trimester, while nearly 100 theses have been submitted already this month. Whatever stage you are at, if you are just starting, continuing or completing your studies, I would like to congratulate you for your persistence, resilience and hard work pursuing your Graduate Research degree.
Please see some upcoming events you might like to attend and updates this month:
Orientation for new graduate research students
Graduate Studies will hold an orientation for new January start students in the O’Brien Centre for Science SCIH, room 2.40 ALE, Wednesday 1 February 2023 from 10am to 1pm.
You can register for Orientation via the Booking Centre
Resources for incoming graduate research students can be found on our website
We have also provided an informational Orientation for Graduate Research Students 22/23 module in UCD Brightspace (available to all registered students via your UCD Connect account). Please browse the module for some helpful resources that we recommend to get you started. Instructions on how to enrol in the module can be found here
Research Integrity Training
is a compulsory element for all Research Degree programmes for students admitted after 31 August 2019, please see link to training module
As reported in the PGR biennial StudentSurvey.ie 2021, almost 88% of participants stated that their understanding of ‘research integrity’ (for example, rigour, ethics, transparency and attributing the contribution of others) has developed during their programme, demonstrating the value of embedding research integrity training into all research degrees.
Taught module registration
Registration is open for taught modules for graduate research students until 7 February 2023. As part of a UCD Structured PhD, students must complete 30 credits of modules relevant to their area of research over the course of their programme. Details of recommended modules and the registration procedure can be found here Taught Modules for Research Students| UCD Graduate Studies
Online and in-person Graduate Studies workshops
Please remember to check and register for a place in our research student workshops, which run from February until April 2023. The programme of activities starts with online workshops, which are delivered by the international expert Hugh Kearns (Flinders University, Australia). Based on your feedback to date, these are very popular workshops that students have found both enjoyable as well as useful. Graduate Studies also run in person workshops which help students to navigate their PhD, while Dave Delaney will run in-person workshops on self-awareness. Please keep an eye out for workshops offered by colleagues in the Careers Network, Library and the Writing Centre below.
Online workshops with Hugh Kearns:
Also, a set of in-person workshops with the Dean of Graduate Studies and colleagues:
And a series of in-person Self-awareness workshops with Dave Delaney:
You can register for all workshops via the Booking Centre here
UCD Student Adviser – Postgraduate Research Students
Eamonn McHugh eamonn.mchugh@ucd.ie
The first Graduate Research Coffee Morning of the year takes place on Thursday 26 January at 10.30am. Venue details will be confirmed nearer the time. For those new to UCD or who have not yet managed to make it to one of the events, this is a great opportunity for you to meet with other students, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. To sign up, please use the link provided.
Eamonn can also assist you to find pathways to deal with personal, social and emotional issues. He can advise on UCD policies, procedure, services and more. An extended section on student supports that Eamonn can help you with is on UCD Student Advisers website Student Supports - UCD Student Advisers
Graduate Research Student Fund - Rent Assistance
In recognition of the increasing cost of accommodation, the University has made available funding for a once-off payment to students in rented accommodation. Eligible students are now invited to apply for this special once-off payment of €500.
Please note that whilst we endeavour to meet the needs of all eligible students, this is a limited fund. Therefore, we may not be in a position to support all applications. To apply, students should complete this short application form and provide proof of rent.
We will accept any one of the following as evidence of payment of rent. Please note, documentation should be for the current academic year 2022-2023.
Please note hard copy evidence of payment of rent as outlined above may be required at a later time. Applicants should ensure their bank details are up to date on Sisweb.
We look forward to receiving your application. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Eamonn at eamonn.mchugh@ucd.ie
UCD Library Research Toolkit
You can book a place on library workshops specifically for graduate research students starting next month.
The workshops are highlighted as UCD Library Research Toolkit workshops and reflect key areas relevant to all research students based on the IUA Skills statement Irish Universities Doctoral Skills Statement
UCD Careers Network
You can find below the list of careers workshops available for bookings now via MyCareer:
‘Workshop Wednesdays – Career Planning Series for Graduate Researchers’
Join UCD Careers and Skills Consultant for Graduate Researchers Tara Hughes for a fortnightly careers workshop covering everything from career planning and job search strategy to identifying and articulating your skills, networking, and CVs and interview preparation. These workshops take place on Wednesdays at lunchtime and are on campus.
This first workshop of this series, ‘Career Planning’, will take place on 25 January in room CS B108. Book your place on MyCareer.
UCD Dean of Graduate Studies Award for Excellence in Doctoral Supervision 2023
The UCD Dean of Graduate Studies Award for Excellence in Doctoral Supervision is a biennial award that recognises excellence in research supervisory practice by a UCD academic faculty member. Nominations for this award are made by research students in any given year and calls for nominations take place between November and February, with awards being made in May. The deadline for this year’s applications is February 27th.
Nomination process:
Information on the nomination and application process as well as award criteria can be found at this link: https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchsupervisorhub/deanaward/
PGR StudentSurvey 2023:
The PGR StudentSurvey.ie will launch on the 21st February 2023 and will be open for submissions until 13th March 2023. The purpose of the survey is to focus on graduate research student engagement with education activities in UCD and the extent to which institutions provide opportunities and encourage students to engage with them. The data collected reflects students’ self-reported perceptions of their experiences and informs us where to focus our attention in improving the graduate research student experience. I encourage you to engage with the survey. You will receive a personal email inviting you to participate in the coming weeks.
FAQs for Graduate Research Students and additional Student Supports links
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News and Events page regularly for events that may be of interest.
Wishing you all the best in 2023.
Very best wishes,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe
Dean of Graduate Studies
Dear students
I would like to start my first email for 2023 by wishing you a very happy and prosperous New Year.
I am happy to welcome a new cohort of more than 126 graduate research students this trimester, while nearly 100 theses have been submitted already this month. Whatever stage you are at, if you are just starting, continuing or completing your studies, I would like to congratulate you for your persistence, resilience and hard work pursuing your Graduate Research degree.
Please see some upcoming events you might like to attend and updates this month:
Orientation for new graduate research students
Graduate Studies will hold an orientation for new January start students in the O’Brien Centre for Science SCIH, room 2.40 ALE, Wednesday 1 February 2023 from 10am to 1pm.
You can register for Orientation via the Booking Centre
Resources for incoming graduate research students can be found on our website
We have also provided an informational Orientation for Graduate Research Students 22/23 module in UCD Brightspace (available to all registered students via your UCD Connect account). Please browse the module for some helpful resources that we recommend to get you started. Instructions on how to enrol in the module can be found here
Research Integrity Training
is a compulsory element for all Research Degree programmes for students admitted after 31 August 2019, please see link to training module
As reported in the PGR biennial StudentSurvey.ie 2021, almost 88% of participants stated that their understanding of ‘research integrity’ (for example, rigour, ethics, transparency and attributing the contribution of others) has developed during their programme, demonstrating the value of embedding research integrity training into all research degrees.
Taught module registration
Registration is open for taught modules for graduate research students until 7 February 2023. As part of a UCD Structured PhD, students must complete 30 credits of modules relevant to their area of research over the course of their programme. Details of recommended modules and the registration procedure can be found here Taught Modules for Research Students| UCD Graduate Studies
Online and in-person Graduate Studies workshops
Please remember to check and register for a place in our research student workshops, which run from February until April 2023. The programme of activities starts with online workshops, which are delivered by the international expert Hugh Kearns (Flinders University, Australia). Based on your feedback to date, these are very popular workshops that students have found both enjoyable as well as useful. Graduate Studies also run in person workshops which help students to navigate their PhD, while Dave Delaney will run in-person workshops on self-awareness. Please keep an eye out for workshops offered by colleagues in the Careers Network, Library and the Writing Centre below.
Online workshops with Hugh Kearns:
Also, a set of in-person workshops with the Dean of Graduate Studies and colleagues:
And a series of in-person Self-awareness workshops with Dave Delaney:
You can register for all workshops via the Booking Centre here
UCD Student Adviser – Postgraduate Research Students
Eamonn McHugh eamonn.mchugh@ucd.ie
The first Graduate Research Coffee Morning of the year takes place on Thursday 26 January at 10.30am. Venue details will be confirmed nearer the time. For those new to UCD or who have not yet managed to make it to one of the events, this is a great opportunity for you to meet with other students, make connections and enjoy a chat over a coffee. To sign up, please use the link provided.
Eamonn can also assist you to find pathways to deal with personal, social and emotional issues. He can advise on UCD policies, procedure, services and more. An extended section on student supports that Eamonn can help you with is on UCD Student Advisers website Student Supports - UCD Student Advisers
Graduate Research Student Fund - Rent Assistance
In recognition of the increasing cost of accommodation, the University has made available funding for a once-off payment to students in rented accommodation. Eligible students are now invited to apply for this special once-off payment of €500.
Please note that whilst we endeavour to meet the needs of all eligible students, this is a limited fund. Therefore, we may not be in a position to support all applications. To apply, students should complete this short application form and provide proof of rent.
We will accept any one of the following as evidence of payment of rent. Please note, documentation should be for the current academic year 2022-2023.
Please note hard copy evidence of payment of rent as outlined above may be required at a later time. Applicants should ensure their bank details are up to date on Sisweb.
We look forward to receiving your application. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Eamonn at eamonn.mchugh@ucd.ie
UCD Library Research Toolkit
You can book a place on library workshops specifically for graduate research students starting next month.
The workshops are highlighted as UCD Library Research Toolkit workshops and reflect key areas relevant to all research students based on the IUA Skills statement Irish Universities Doctoral Skills Statement
UCD Careers Network
You can find below the list of careers workshops available for bookings now via MyCareer:
‘Workshop Wednesdays – Career Planning Series for Graduate Researchers’
Join UCD Careers and Skills Consultant for Graduate Researchers Tara Hughes for a fortnightly careers workshop covering everything from career planning and job search strategy to identifying and articulating your skills, networking, and CVs and interview preparation. These workshops take place on Wednesdays at lunchtime and are on campus.
This first workshop of this series, ‘Career Planning’, will take place on 25 January in room CS B108. Book your place on MyCareer.
UCD Dean of Graduate Studies Award for Excellence in Doctoral Supervision 2023
The UCD Dean of Graduate Studies Award for Excellence in Doctoral Supervision is a biennial award that recognises excellence in research supervisory practice by a UCD academic faculty member. Nominations for this award are made by research students in any given year and calls for nominations take place between November and February, with awards being made in May. The deadline for this year’s applications is February 27th.
Nomination process:
Information on the nomination and application process as well as award criteria can be found at this link: https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchsupervisorhub/deanaward/
PGR StudentSurvey 2023:
The PGR StudentSurvey.ie will launch on the 21st February 2023 and will be open for submissions until 13th March 2023. The purpose of the survey is to focus on graduate research student engagement with education activities in UCD and the extent to which institutions provide opportunities and encourage students to engage with them. The data collected reflects students’ self-reported perceptions of their experiences and informs us where to focus our attention in improving the graduate research student experience. I encourage you to engage with the survey. You will receive a personal email inviting you to participate in the coming weeks.
FAQs for Graduate Research Students and additional Student Supports links
We maintain a FAQs for Graduate Research Students section on our website https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/aboutus/faqsforgraduateresearchstudents/.
Your questions and feedback are always welcome via our Graduate Studies Connector. Last but not least, please do not forget to visit our News and Events page regularly for events that may be of interest.
Wishing you all the best in 2023.
Very best wishes,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe
Dean of Graduate Studies
Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
See previous Graduate Studies email communications
I am delighted to welcome you all to the new academic year 2022/23, whether you are starting your degree with us in UCD or continuing your studies!
As we enter the new academic year, I would like to share some initiatives and information from Graduate Studies that supports our community of research students:
Graduate Research Student Orientation Day 2022/23 – Tuesday 11th October 22
Orientation information can be found on our website. We will provide a Graduate Research Student Orientation Day for all incoming Graduate Research Students on Tuesday, 11th October 2022 in O'Reilly Hall. This event is intended to give research students a helpful overview of key information and graduate support services at UCD as well as an opportunity for you to meet other incoming research students from across the University. To register, please use this Eventbrite link.
Additionally please ensure that you will enrol to the Orientation for Graduate Research Students 2022/23 module in Brightspace where you can find useful resources to help you start your research programme at UCD. You can log into Brightspace from the UCD Connect page using your UCD username and password and you can find instructions on how to enrol here.
Module Registration-Open until Friday, 23 September
All graduate research students have the opportunity to take taught modules relevant to their area of research or for their professional development during their degree programme. Registration for taught modules online either via SISWeb or via an online Google Form is now open for autumn trimester modules until Friday, 23rd September 2022. For queries on module registration please contact student.records@ucd.ie. Queries will be answered within 5 working days. Further information and a full list of curated modules is available here on the Taught Modules webpage.
Transferable Skills Training- Harnessing and Enhancing your Skills (Oct-May)
UCD offers a suite of Transferable skills workshops which are tailored for Graduate Research students. The aims of the workshops are several fold, supporting your navigation of the PhD (The PhD@UCD), tuning in your academic writing skills (Thesis Boot Camp, the Writing Centre, Turbocharge your writing) identification and accessibility to a plethora of resources the library has to offer (Library Research Toolkit), highlighting approaches and plans for career development (Interview skills, CV writing) and supporting your wellbeing (Reducing Stress and Managing Time). Many of these workshops are suitable for research students at all stages of their PhD programme and you can take workshops when you feel they are appropriate. However, we have grouped those that we feel are more suitable for Stage1 and Stage 2 students on our website. To view the portfolio of workshops, when they are taking place and to book your place, please visit our Training & Development webpage. Your schools or colleges will also offer workshops that will be of relevance for you.
Tutor Induction Workshop
The aim of this session is to support those new to or those wishing to refresh their tutorial and small group teaching skills. You can find out more about the workshop on the UCD Teaching & Learning website and book your place.
ThesisIn3 competition 2022 Update
This year U21 have received 20 excellent entries, which have already won their own University's internal 3 Minute Thesis and have now been put forward for U21's Global Competition. The presentation with the most public votes will receive the People's Choice Prize.
The People’s Choice vote is now open from Tuesday 20th September at 9am until Monday 3rd October. You can cast your vote here supporting Tara Brady from UCD School of Medicine who is the UCD winner of Thesis In 3 2022 this year! Good luck Tara!
Visualise your thesis competition 2022 Update
Rachel Healy from UCD School of Art History & Cultural Policy who is the UCD winner of Visualise your Thesis 2022, will represent UCD in the international Visualise your thesis competition hosted by The University of Melbourne. There will be 3 prizes together with the Viewers' choice or Trending on VYT award that will be sponsored by Figshare. Trending on VYT award is a way to engage students in promoting their videos online and for the videos about their research to reach even more people.
The winner is selected based on how many views their video receives on the VYT International Figshare repository. Each view must be a real and actual person to be counted. Views will be counted between: October 3rd 00:01 – October 9th 23:59 (Melbourne, Australia time) > October 2nd 15:01 -October 8th 14:59 (Irish Standard Time zone), so please make sure you view Rachel’s video here. Good luck, Rachel!
Welcome Guide for graduate research and taught students 2022/23
This is a quick guide to starting life as a graduate student in UCD and I strongly recommend that you read it if you are a new incoming student. You can find and download the guide here.
Graduate Research Student Handbook 2022/23
This is a key support for both staff and students. It is updated for the new academic year and can be found and downloaded online on the relevant section of UCD Graduate Studies website.
Research Student Hub
I remind you that you can always visit the dedicated hub of resources for our graduate research students on the Graduate Studies website, to find further information about all aspects of your studies. This hub includes a repository of relevant forms and policies as well as other valuable resources for your research degree programme.
Promote Your Research
UCD Research and UCD Library in partnership recently launched a new website entitled ‘Promote Your Research’, designed to help you increase the visibility, citation rate and impact of your research outputs. Millions of outputs are published every year, so even the very best research can go unnoticed without a little help. To find out more, and give your work a better chance of standing out, visit https://www.ucd.ie/promoteyourresearch/. The link is also available under Research Student Hub on the Graduate Studies website.
Volunteers Sought for Graduate Student Campus Tours - Deadline 23rd September
The University is now seeking volunteers from the graduate student community to provide campus tours to generate social connections and act as a source of peer support amongst the graduate student community. For further details and to sign up please use the link provided below.
https://forms.gle/rQrMfPqZK314qvKw6
The deadline to sign up is this Friday, 23rd September 2022 at 17:00. If you have any questions, please get in touch with: Marc Matouc, Graduate Officer at marc.matouc@ucdsu.ie and/or Eamonn McHugh, Student Adviser at eamonn.mchugh@ucd.ie.
Join the PhD Society
If you want to meet and connect with other PhD students in UCD, I encourage you to join the PhD Students Society! Find more info on how to join and follow the society at https://bit.ly/3C9BfrR.
Student Support
We are always mindful of our students’ health and wellbeing at UCD. The university offers a suite of supports for research students and for the entire student population. Do stay connected and avail of these valuable supports and services, which are there to help you. This link demonstrates what types of support we offer our students https://www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/servicessupportsforresearchstudents/
I will be communicating regularly with you, and you can always keep an eye on the Graduate Studies website for the latest News & Events. You can use our Graduate Studies Connector to send us your questions and feedback.
Best wishes for the new academic year!
Yours sincerely,
Paul
Professor Paul McCabe, Dean of Graduate Studies
Access Introduction to UCD and Orientation modules (Current UCD students only)
Checklist of starting items for new research students
View information and resources for UCD staff involved in supervising graduate research students