[Academic] PH952 MSc project allocation

[Thorsten Ackemann]

Dear All

Please find enclosed the project allocation for the MSc projects Ph952. 
It was released to students 28/2/2020 already but (apologies) I did not 
manage to inform staff due to the strike and Covid-19 disruption. Then I 
thought it is better to wait until university plans became clearer, at 
least somewhat.

Thank you very much to those who proposed projects. There were not 
enough experimental projects in optics and solid-state science submitted 
and hence four students were assigned to do extended versions of 3rd 
year lab experiments. Situation is that we have 24 projects assigned 
with supervisor. I still need supervisors for 6 projects (see below).

The undergraduate internships were cancelled and although there is no 
official guidance, yet, the assumption is that on-campus teaching does 
not resume over summer but that the projects need to be delivered in a 
virtual research environment. (The faculty indicated that projects could 
be delayed to summer 2021, if students insist on a lab based project, 
but we do not want to encourage this to avoid overload next year. One 
could also think of Sept-Dec 2020, if a supervisor would be have 
capacity parallel to PH450/PH550 and if projects lab-based projects are 
running then.) Current thinking is that projects should still start on 
8/6/2020 and closing on 24/8/2020 with assessment only via report and 
supervisor's mark. We should try to deliver project fields as indicated 
but maybe one can change emphasis in view of the situation. Things to 
consider are

  * Projects advised as theoretical/computational  can go ahead as planned
  * Other projects will be centred on a critical literature survey, one
    could augment where appropriate with
      o Where supervisors have code: add computational
        component/"numerical experiment" with students analyzing output
        data
      o Where students feel competent to do so: add computational
        components  including some novel coding (this won't float with
        many of our current students)
      o provide existing experimental data to (re)analyse.

  If you have any ideas, suggestions, input please indicate.

My first priority now is that I need supervisors for the four students 
(in yellow) and the two students in academic suspension probably 
proceeding to project (in orange).

This is mainly directed towards academics or research staff who do not 
supervise a project, yet. Please propose possible subjects in the 
optics, laser and BCP and nanoscience area. The project subject can be 
linked to the title of the 3rd year experiment currently assigned but 
does not need to be be. It should match their rough interest (column F). 
There is also still the option to adapt some of the proposed projects 
not taken up.

Can you provide feedback till morning of May 6th, please

- agreement to supervise one of the students  in yellow or orange with 
subject related  their interest (column F) or the chosen 3rd year project.

- any issues with adapting the currently assigned projects to the 
off-campus delivery.

Thank you very much for your engagement.

Regards

Thorsten

*******************************************

Thorsten Ackemann   Dr. rer. nat.     FInstP  FOSA
Professor of Nonlinear Photonics

Department of Physics
University of Strathclyde
107 Rottenrow East
Glasgow G4 0NG
Scotland, UK

Office: John Anderson Building, JA 8.21
Tel.: +44-(0)141-548 3079
Email:thorsten.ackemann at strath.ac.uk
webpage:http://photonics.phys.strath.ac.uk/thorsten-ackemann/

The Department is a partner in SUPA, the Scottish Universities Physics
Alliance.

Times Higher Education UK Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2013/14
Times Higher Education UK University of the Year 2012/13

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC015263.

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