Discuss triggers and information needs of Postgraduate students doing biological sciences.
Discussion items
Item
Notes
Contacts
Kevin mentioned he is an expert in a very specific outliying area of the discipline and he is new to being the postgraduate person. Kevin is a biogeographer and his days are spent on a computer doing modelling, not in a lab.
Kevin recommends
Ken Ryan as someone who has a wide knowledge of the area as he has a long history with the programme at Victoria.
Simon Davies
Malaghan - Melanie?
Messaging
Top ranked PBRF department
There are very diverse and accessible ecosystems close to Victoria - this is unique to Wellington (e.g. Christchurch doesn't have that).
Urban ecology is a specialty at Victoria and the ecosystems around support this.
Proximity to employers
Great facilities:
New building - Science Gateway'
Marine lab - purpose built
Close links to Malaghan
Information needs
The ranking of the discipline is more important than the institution
The students are shopping for a supervisor, They are interested in their standing as a scientist - publications/patents is a common way to assess a supervisor. It is more difficult to assess the applied programmes like the one through Ferrier as they work get the same rich google results if they search.
Funding/Support
Each programme director gets a stipend to administer based on number of students, this is done differently by each Programme Director so it is hard to make any specific statements. Students aren't in control of this funding. It is often spent on research expenses or on conferences
No endowment fund
Scholarships are created based on grants received. They do quite well from Marsend, DoC, HRC
Opportunities to work on campus - Teaching Assistants
Student experience
Seminar series that students are expected to contribute to.
Collaborative and Supportive - Journal Club and joint labs
Lord Howe Island trip
Phil Lesters students get great jobs downtown (this would be a good source of stories).
Pathways/Qualifications
Taught
Drug Discover - Ferrier
Immunology
Research qualification associated with particular grant
Research qualificsation which is independent
If you want a job involving researhc you will probably need a PhD.
