Module GEOL4061: FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE

Department: Earth Sciences

GEOL4061: FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE

Prerequisites

• GEOL3011 Challenges in Geodynamics I OR GEOL3181 Challenges in Geodynamics II OR GEOL3151 Earth Structure and Dynamics OR GEOL3281 Environmental Management.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To provide an introduction to advanced research concepts and current controversies in Earth Science.
• To provide an opportunity to meet with research practitioners from other institutions.
• To gain experience in the preparation of a research proposal (e.g. research grant, PhD proposal).
• To provide practice in preparing and presenting an interview to a panel or board.

Content

• Learning will focus around timetabled Departmental research seminars. Visiting and internal speakers will recommend review papers before the seminar to give students background. Students will attend the seminars and follow up question and answer sessions during Weeks 1 to 11. The question and answer sessions will be run by the seminar presenter and will be specifically for students. Scientific content will vary from year to year but invited seminars will fall within the areas of the four research themes in the Department.
• Students will produce a draft research proposal on a topic of their choice. The proposal preparation, submission and evaluation will occur according to the following timelines:
• Week 12 - A first draft of the proposal will be presented in a poster format. During the poster session students will receive written formative feedback from their peers, module coordinators, supervisors and invited postgraduate students attending the session.
• Weeks 13-14 - Grant proposal preparation and reflection on the feedback received during the poster session.
• Week 15 - Students to submit their proposals, for peer review by other students. The process will be moderated by the module coordinators and will simulate the peer review process for journal article submission.
• Week 18 - Written formative feedback on the proposal, made by their peers, are returned to the students.
• Week 20 (Easter term) - Proposal submission deadline.
• Week 21 (Easter term) - Interviews, with interview panels comprising three people, chaired by a staff member with appropriate expertise and, where appropriate, from postdocs, senior PhD students. Each interview will be approximately 20 mins. We anticipate no more than 5 students per theme.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge to the research frontier in sub-disciplines of Earth science.
• An ability to construct and submit for a research proposal peer review.
• Will engage in peer review and give and respond to constructive criticism.
• Will have engaged with researchers and professions engaged in research.
• Gain knowledge of the research frontiers and methods in Earth science.
• Become familiar with advanced concepts, methods in the Earth sciences and their applications.
• Construct a self-contained research plan to answer Earth Systems-related questions.

• Assimilate complex and varied information on Earth Science problems and synthesise information/data from a variety of sources.
• Practice constructive critical thinking and discern the limitations of current knowledge.
• Identify questions and challenges in current research topics, and propose realistic ways of facing them through ideas for new research.
• Formulate and test concepts and hypotheses for the solution of familiar and unfamiliar problems.
• Implement practical skills in citation and appropriate use of the literature.
• Engage with the experienced practitioners and the professional world.

• To plan and write a research proposal.
• Focussed literature review.
• Problem solving and finding ways to resolve questions and challenges through research in a particular field.
• Construct a self-contained research plan to answer Earth Systems-related questions.
• An ability to pose and contextualise evidence-based research questions.
• Gain experience in peer review and learning to give and respond to constructive criticism.
• Time management and working to deadlines.
• Present research ideas through a variety of media including the communication of complex ideas and methods to a general audience.
• Preparing for interview.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching and learning will be delivered through given reading, attending research seminars, question and answer sessions and subsequent supervisions/tutorials.
• Students will attend a workshop on writing a grant proposal and peer review, giving and responding to constructive criticism.
• Formative assessment and feedback will be provided during the poster session.
• Formative assessment and feedforwards will result from the peer review of research proposals.
• Summative assessment of the research proposal and interview by the panel of staff members with relevant expertise.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Peer review of poster, and of draft research grant proposal.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University