[Academic] PH450 Project Descriptors, due 17/8/2020.

[Daniel Oi]

Dear All,

Thanks to all who responded to my request for information on the issues facing 4th year projects going into next academic year. Based on the feedback, we have amended the PH450 course and the way projects will be run.

Hence, I ask that all academic staff and senior-level researchers to send me new descriptors for all projects (previous or new) using the attached Excel template. Can I ask that you return these by Monday 17th August 2020 for collation in the draft Project Handbook.

I am looking for at least 2 projects to be offered by each academic, senior researchers are also encouraged to offer projects. I will spread out the projects across the department and divisions and will try not to assign more than 2 students per supervisor (unless you want more), depending on the average number of students/academic (subject to the pigeonhole principle). Consider having more than one student per project if it is practical.

Project Details:

  *   Projects should be able to be run without assuming lab access (let me know if there are exceptions) and may need to be supervised remotely. For existing theory/computational projects, these should be able to be run without too much modification.
  *   Previous projects with significant experimental components may need to be shelved under the current circumstances, alternative projects will need to be proposed in this case.
  *   Replacement projects could still be experimentally focussed, e.g. design or simulation of experiments, analysis of existing data etc. Some experimental projects could still be run, for instance if the student could run them at home using borrowed equipment for example. But it is anticipated that most projects will primarily be theory/computation in nature.
  *   Project split into Sem 1 and Sem 2 parts:
     *   Sem 1 to consist of a Literature Survey/Review/Background together with some analysis or derivations. Students to produce a report of ~12 pages worth 20% of final mark. Similar to introductory chapters of previous years' final reports, perhaps a bit more comprehensive.
     *   Sem 2 will consist of work that follows-on from the Sem 1 activities. Assessment consists of a (possibly pre-recorded) presentation (10%), ~18 page report in the format of a long-form paper (30%), viva (20%), supervisor mark (20%).
  *   The examination committee (supervisor, independent marker, chair) for each student will be assigned at the start of Sem 2 to assess the Sem 1 report and the rest that follows. New marking schemes will be produced to reflect the changes to the project format and emphasis of the different components.
  *   More details of the project procedures will follow but the main change will be that the project allocation process will need to be done all online.

Thanks,
Daniel
PH450 Project Co-ordinator

From: Daniel Oi
Sent: 03 July 2020 15:05
To: research at phys.strath.ac.uk; academic at phys.strath.ac.uk
Subject: PH450/550 Projects Request for Information

Dear All,

The Teaching Committee (TC) is revising how we will conduct next year's 4th and 5th Year projects. We need to consider how current and ongoing circumstances will affect their definition, running, and assessment. Before we issue new guidance, we invite Supervisors to comment on how they may modify the projects they offer in light of the following assumptions:

  *   Experimental projects may become difficult if not impossible due to restricted access to labs;
  *   Access to other on-site facilities, such as computational resources, could also be restricted, hence provision for remote access will need to be considered;
  *   In-person meetings, such as supervisions, may also be restricted;
  *   The amount of independent work we can expect from students on a topic may need to be reduced to provide a more consistent experience across projects, considering the impacts of the above.

If a project that you would have run under normal circumstances is particularly impacted by the above conditions, please indicate whether modifications are possible so that:

  *   it could conducted without student lab/on-site access;
  *   the project could be effectively managed and delivered remotely;
  *   review and analysis of existing literature could be accentuated in the scope of the project.

For experimental projects in particular, what scope is there for experimentally relevant project work without requiring lab access (e.g. modelling, planning/design, data analysis etc.)?

Please send me comments by the end of next week (10th July 2020) so that we can issue guidance on the running of the projects as well as request that supervisors send revised Project Descriptors for all projects.

Thanks,
Daniel, PH450 Project Coordinator
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