prtli cycle 5 2010 – 2014 - University College Dublin

PRTLI CYCLE 5
2010 – 2014
Phase 2 - Volume 5
Strand 2 – Structured Ph.D. Education
Earth Systems Institute Structured PhD – Earth and Natural
Sciences
Prepared by
Administrative Coordinator – University College Dublin
List of Full Partners
Trinity College Dublin
National University of Ireland Galway
University of Limerick
List of Devolved Partners
Queen’s University Belfast
List of Supporting Partners
Teagasc
University of Ulster
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Geological Survey Ireland (GSI)
Met Eireann – Irish Meteorological Service
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI)
Comhar Sustainable Development Council
This volume was submitted in response to the call for proposals
PRTLI, Cycle 5, Phase 2.
Funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007–2013 with the
assistance of the European Regional Development Fund.
Page 1 of 17
Glossary
Executive Summary
Structured Ph.D. Education Plan
Description of the proposed structured PhD Education plan
Benchmarks/models upon which the initiative is based
Utilisation of existing structures/embedding the proposed initiative
Workpackage 1: Structured component
Programme Coordination and Management
Recruitment, Supervision, Progression and Welfare
Innovation and Entrepreneurial training
Additional elective ‘Transferable skills’ modules
Horizontal Skills Training
Placement/Certification/Diploma in innovation
Thematic Workshops
Workpackage 2: Disciplinary and multidisciplinary education and research
Taught modules:
Seminar Series:
PhD strand 1: Earth Systems Science and Computational Climate Modelling
PhD strand 2: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
PhD strand 3: Sustainable and Competitive AgriFood Production
PhD strand 4: Energy and Environmental Engineering
PhD strand 5: Transport & Water Engineering
PhD strand 6: Economics & Policy Analysis
Workpackage 3: The contribution of the ESI PhD programme to other levels of Education
Aims
Research informing taught undergraduate teaching
Continuing Professional Development
Workpackage 4: The long-term ‘mainstreaming’ strategy
Aims
Sustaining intake and internationalisation
Quality Assurance, the key to sustainability:
Key executive and research personnel
Measures to enhance innovative and inclusive teaching & learning
Transfer of research knowledge outputs to stakeholders.
Dissemination of research results.
Expected career opportunities for Ph.D. graduates.
Collaboration and Partnering
Governance Management Structure, Strategies and Implementation
Strategy for managing access to the research capability
Strategies for mobility and placement
Benefits of the Proposal
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18B
16B
Glossary
6B
CASL
CLARITY
CNRS
CSDS
DAFF
DIAS
EI
ENS
EPA
ERC
ESB
ESI
ETC
EU
EU ETS
FP7
GIS
GSI
HEI
IAWS
ICERTS
IP
IRCHSS
IRCSET
ISW
IUA
IUQB
MCQ
MIT
NIEA
NIH
NUI GALWAY
OECD
PhD
PROF
PRTLI 5
PWC
QA/QI
QUB
R&D
SEI
SFI
CSET
SRC
SME
TCD
UCC
UCD
UL
UU
Complex and Adaptive Systems Laboratory
Centre for Sensor Web Technologies
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France
Comhar Sustainable Development Council (Comhar)
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Enterprise Ireland
Earth and Natural Sciences
Environmental Protection Agency
Energy Research Centre
Electricity Supply Board, Ireland
Earth Systems Institute
Environmental Technology Centre
European Union
European Union Emissions Trading Scheme
Seventh Framework Programme (EU)
Geographic Information Systems
Geological Survey Ireland
Higher Education Institution
IAWS Group plc
Irish Centre for Rural Transformation and Sustainability
Intellectual Property
Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences
Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology
Institute for Sustainable World (Queens University Belfast)
Irish Universities Association
Irish Universities Quality Board
Multiple Choice Questions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
National Institutes of Health (USA)
National University of Ireland, Galway
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Doctor in Philosophy
Professor
Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions, Cycle 5
Price Waterhouse Coopers
Quality Assurance/ Quality Improvement
Queens University Belfast
Research and Development
Sustainable Energy Ireland
Science Foundation Ireland
Centre(s) for Science, Engineering & Technology (Campus-Industry Partnerships,
Science Foundation Ireland-funded)
Strategic Research Cluster (Science Foundation Ireland/industry-funded)
Small and Medium Enterprises
Trinity College Dublin
University College Cork
University College Dublin
University of Limerick
University of Ulster
Page 3 of 17
Executive Summary
9B
The global change in climate and energy supplies will have a major impact on the island of
Ireland, on how our economy evolves and the need for measures to protect our environment.
UCD is harnessing its considerable resources to address the challenges by developing an
Earth Sciences Institute (ESI, PRTLI 5 Strand 1a). The proposed ESI PhD programme
building on the concept that energy and environment are co-dependent, draws on the unique
range of disciplines and technologies of UCD, ESI and its partners to create new programmes
in Earth and Natural Sciences education. The proposed ESI PhD programme will create a
cohort of graduates with a strong background in Energy and Environmental studies, imbued
with the innovation and entrepreneurial skills to develop an emerging green technology
sector. In addition to a core of postgraduate students specialised in key elements of earth
sciences, the programme will impact across a wide range of undergraduate and graduate
programmes. It is only by influencing the collective skills of future graduates emanating from
a range of disciplines that we will as a society adapt to the national and global challenges and
opportunities in agriculture, energy, food, forestry, green technology, land resources,
nanoscience and water.
The graduate programme maps to a major UCD research theme Earth Systems and is a major
part of the UCD PRTLI Cycle 5 submission. The UCD submission is centred on creating an
innovation ecosystem through an alliance with TCD. The centre piece of the application is the
UCD Science Centre, which harnesses UCD’s unique range of disciplines and funded national
research programmes to create a world-class research and education environment in science
and engineering. ESI will sit at the heart of the Centre, leveraging a network of disciplines
and technologies and supporting almost 200 scientists and engineers. ESI will be part of an
all-island network 1 of environment and energy centres that will help coordinate the national
response to our international environmental obligations and the challenging targets for 2020.
This approach acknowledges breadth of national resources and the scale of the challenges.
F
F
The proposed PhD programme will transform fourth level education in Earth and Natural
Sciences through the delivery of a structured PhD education that is student-centred,
innovation-focused, and that imparts students with a tailored set of disciplinary skills and
multidisciplinary knowledge focused at the interface of energy and environment. It builds
on existing major national investments, including a SFI SRC on Solar Energy and a SFI
CSET, CLARITY, which is developing sensor web technology for the environment. Both are
industry-academic partnerships that provide a conduit to innovation and commercialisation.
Students will be embedded within the PhD programme at three levels:
• Structured Component: There will be a focus on innovation, transferable and horizontal
skills training including those provided by the TCD-UCD Innovation Academy and the
NUI GALWAY Ignite Graduate Education Programme;
• Disciplinary Component: Students will be embedded in a coherent discipline-specific
programme;
• Research Component: Students will focus the majority of their time on original research
organised into 6 interdisciplinary themes that address key global challenges.
This programme forges a collaboration between Irish and international scientists, policy
makers and industry to create the graduates who will play a major role in developing a
knowledge-based economy that is competitive and yet protects its fragile environment. The
graduate programme is based upon national guidelines and the recommendations and findings
of the OECD, and is aligned to national (e.g. SSTI) and international strategies (e.g. Peri
Report) towards developing a green technology sector.
1
Energy and Environment All-Island Research and Education Council
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Structured Ph.D. Education Plan
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Description of the proposed structured Ph.D. Education plan
The concept is to create an innovation-focused PhD programme targeting national priorities
and global challenges in the Earth and Natural Sciences. Figure 1 outlines the components
and Table 1 outlines the structure of the education plan. This PhD 4-year programme of 360
credits in domain-specific areas requires the student to successfully complete original doctoral
(level 5) research, the outcome of which makes an original and substantial contribution to
knowledge in the area. The research programmes are selected to ensure that the student
receives an outstanding research experience supervised by Ireland’s leading academics. In
addition, the student will receive disciplinary and structured components, including the
unique training of the Innovation Academy.
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The objective is to ensure the training of graduates that will play a major role in realising the
ambitions of Ireland’s Energy White Paper and in creating a globally competitive ‘green tech’
sector. The educational plan of this National PhD programme will:
• Provide a structured programme with a
Structured Component
strong disciplinary base and innovation
(common)
focus and deliver graduates more relevant
´ Innovation and
Entrepreneurial Training
to the market place.
´ Transferable Skills
´ Horizontal Skills
• Integrate knowledge across relevant
´ Workshops
´ Placement/Certificate in
disciplines to focus on ‘big’ complex
Innovation
systems and challenges through the six
Disciplinary
Multidisciplinary
Training
Training
multidisciplinary research programmes.
Research Project aligned with one of
Taught and Research Skills
six major research themes
• Equip a spectrum of students with high- training in one of six PhD strands
´ Emissions Reduction and Control
(modules, seminar series/events,
´ Energy Supply and Renewable and
end training technical skills that will
research projects):
Sustainable Energy
Science and Computational
´ Climate change, water and geohazards
enable Ireland to engage fully in the ´ Earth
Climate Modelling
´ Transport and Infrastructure,
and Evolutionary Biology
´ Sustainable Bioresources,
‘green
technology
industry
(e.g. ´´ Ecology
Energy and Environmental
´ Economics and Policy Analysis.
Engineering
computing, nanotechnology, geographical ´ Sustainable and Competitive
Figure
information
systems,
modelling, ´ Agriculture
Fig. 1: 1:
Structured
Transport and Water Engineering
´ Economics and Policy Analysis
Structured
PhD
PhD
components
agricultural biotechnology, phylogenetics,
components.
energy systems, etc.).
• Embed the educational programmes in an
innovation and entrepreneurial culture that prepares students for careers in industry,
academia and government agency.
This educational plan has been developed with stakeholders, partner institutions, agencies and
industry to ensure its relevance to emerging needs.
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Stage*
Table 1: Structure of the PhD Educational Programme.
Component
Semester
Credit
Assessment
Recruitment
Supervision, Mentoring and Progression
-----
Transferable Skills-Innovation and
Entrepreneurial training
Transferable Skills – Elective choice
Horizontal Skills Training – Taught
module – Global Challenges, Green Issues
and Policy
Discipline-specific modules
Research (project selection, project
planning, initiation)
10
Interview
Reports,
Interview
Various
5
5
Various
MCQ
5/10
---
Various
---
1 2 3
4 5 6
7
8
1
Stage 1 to 2 Transfer Assessment
2
Supervision, Mentoring and Progression
Presentations,
Max Credit attained at transfer from stage 1 to 2 = 30
Reports, Presentations, Interview
------Reports, Presentations, Interview
Thematic Workshops
Seminar Series
Discipline-specific modules
Internship/Certificate in Innovation
2.5
7.5
5/10
20
Research (research completion, thesis
preparation/submission, examination).
290/
300
Attendance, Questionnaire
Attendance, Participation
Various
Questionnaire,
Presentation,
Various
Thesis examination, Viva Voce
examination
*Stage 1 - students complete mandatory innovation training and define their research plan, develop their research
skills and initiate their research work. Stage 2 -students continue original doctoral research, and receive some
advanced education/training. Total credits = 360.
Benchmarks/models upon which the initiative is based
Our associated academic institutions have introduced structured PhD frameworks over the last
number of years, built on key informing principles such as (i) the Salzburg Principles of
Doctoral Education (ii) the IUA Irish Universities PhD Graduates’ Skills Statement, (iii) the
IUQB National Guidelines of Good Practice in the Organisation of PhD Programmes in Irish
Universities, and (iv) the HEA structured PhD Education Review. Our programme builds
upon this experience and on the benchmark, set by national Graduate Research Education
Programmes (e.g. the Sustainable Development PhD programme) and EU-funded
programmes (e.g. EU training network in Geosciences). It is also informed by international
models, such as the NIH Biotechnology Training Programme. The structured PhD recognises
that the essential element of the PhD is original research, the generation and dissemination of
knowledge resulting in a significant original contribution to scholarship but broadens this
objective to ensure not only a high quality research experience and training for the student,
but also preparation for varied and flexible careers in a wide variety of settings. It draws upon
the HEA Structured PhD Education review in order to deliver a structure that includes (a)
agreed aims of the associated Institutions with respect to the role of Graduate Schools
(ensuring academic standards) and the role of the inter-institutional Graduate Board (ensuring
best practice in programme delivery and development), (b) mechanisms that facilitate
dynamic interaction between students from different institutions and a structure that enhances
the student experience and their involvement in their education (workshops, placements,
seminars, etc.), and (c) a balance between generic/transferable skills and disciplinary training
and enhanced interaction between students and the labour force through placements and
workshops (agencies/industries).
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Page 6 of 17
Fig 2.Student Journey
Utilisation of existing structures/embedding the proposed initiative
UCD has over 1,600 PhD students, an increase of 24% in 2 years with more than 40% now
coming from overseas. To create a more structured programme, UCD established 5 Graduate
Schools corresponding to the 5 Colleges following restructuring of the university in 2005.
From Sept 2006, all PhD students enter a structured programme managed by the graduate
schools. The Educational Plan of the ESI PhD programme draws on established UCD criteria
for selection of high calibre students and uses structures developed within the associated
Graduate Schools to regularly monitor the progression/welfare of students throughout their
studies. The Plan utilises taught modules developed as part of other graduate education
initiatives. The structure will be embedded within the new TCD-UCD Innovation Academy
and within associated institutions. The discipline-specific modules developed within this PhD
programme will be integrated into other initiatives at Masters/PhD level and will form the
building blocks for coordinated, consolidated and collaborative all-Island post graduate
education and training in Energy and Environment, facilitated by the recently established
Energy and Environment All-Island Research and Education Council.
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Workpackage 1 - Structured component (Dr. Fiona Doohan lead with Graduate Board)
The objectives of this workpackage are to:
• Ensure best practice at an All-Ireland level for the structured PhD in Earth and Natural
Sciences.
• Recruit high calibre students, match students to high calibre supervisory teams, monitor
their progression and facilitate their exit from the programme.
• Train graduates to have an enterprise and innovation focus.
Programme Coordination and Management: An inter-institutional Graduate Board,
including a dedicated programme coordinator, will ensure that students meet the entry
requirements, are supervised by high-calibre academics and undergo equivalent structured
training (Table 2). The Board comprise the programme director/chair, associate director/cochair (rotated between other institutions), inter-institutional partners, industrial (e.g. ESB,
IAWS, PWC, Intel, etc.) and agency representatives (2 year rotational basis). The Board will
be the point interface with the TCD-UCD Innovation Academy, the NUI Galway Ignite
Graduate Education Programme, and reports to institutional governing bodies with
responsibility for QA/compliance. This Board will promote an All-Ireland approach through
the Energy and Environment All-Island Research and Education Council. The programme
will be managed by a Management Executive comprising the Director (Dr. Doohan),
Associate Director (Prof. Mitchell) and the leaders of the PhD strands (Prof. Bean, Prof.
Fraser Mitchell, Prof. Lonergan, Prof. MacElroy, Prof. O’Brien and Prof. Convery). An
External Advisory Board will review the progress and performance and advise on the future
directions of the ESI and associated multidisciplinary research themes (nominees will be
approved by UCD president).
Recruitment, Supervision, Progression and Welfare: Positions (advertised internationally)
will be offered to high calibre applicants (no fixed number of students per supervisor). Each
Page 7 of 17
PhD student will one principal supervisor, a co-supervisor and a Graduate Panel comprising
the supervisor/co-supervisor and at least one additional academic from outside the student’s
core discipline. Each student will develop a Research and Profession Development Plan with
the Graduate School director and agreed with the supervisor and programme leader. A
Generic and Specific skill sets training needs assessment will inform the RPDP. The
supporting panel (where possible of inter-institutional composition) will monitor student
progress at specific points during the 4 yr PhD. Critically, doctoral studies will comprise two
stages with a Transfer Assessment Panel evaluating student suitability for transfer from stage
1 to 2.
Innovation and Entrepreneurial training: Modules focused on developing the innovator
and entrepreneur provided by the TCD-UCD Innovation Academy or the NUI Galway Ignite
Graduate Education Programme (1 module Semester 1, 60 credits/ 4 years).
Additional elective ‘Transferable skills’ modules: Examples of established modules offered
include Communications (writing and conversational skills) (UCD/UL), Time Management
(UCD), Organisational Skills (UCD), Proposal preparation (UCD), Assertiveness Training
(UCD), Networking essentials (UCD), Presentation Skills (UCD/UL), Preparing to Teach
(UCD), Teamworking (UCD), Data handling (TCD), Information Literacy (NUI Galway,
TCD), Statistics (UCD/NUI Galway/UL), Ethics (NUI Galway), Current topics in research
(NUI Galway), Introduction to SPSS (UL), Advanced Powerpoint (UL) (5 credits in years 1 –
3).
Horizontal Skills Training: A mandatory module that overviews Global challenges, ‘green’
issues and policy, and the multidisciplinary research themes associated with this PhD
programme (Semester 1; 5 credits).
Placement/Certification/Diploma in innovation: Students must complete either (a) a 10week placement in a SME/government agency/another academic institution (organized by
Placement Officer), (b) additional coursework delivered by the TCD-UCD Innovation
Academy in order to obtain a Certificate in Innovation (years 2 – 3; 20 credits).
Thematic Workshops: This PhD programme, in association with the Earth Systems Institute
(a component of the UCD Science Centre PRTLI5 strand 1a proposal), will host annual threeday multidisciplinary inter-institutional workshops (starting in year 2 of the PhD programme
and involving invited experts). Workshops will focus on the major multidisciplinary research
themes (Figure 1) (2.5 credits for attendance and participation in at least 2 workshops).
Workpackage 2 - Disciplinary and multidisciplinary education and research(Dr. Fiona
Doohan lead, multiple PIs)
Students will be embedded within 1 of 6 disciplinary education strands. Their research
projects will be aligned with one of the six major multidisciplinary research themes (Figure
1). In this way students will gain:
• A deep understanding of their discipline.
• Experience of original research that addresses issues of national and global import.
• A high level of technological expertise and understanding of a broader range of
technologies.
• First-hand experience on how diverse knowledge can be integrated to overcome major
challenges and/or to sustainably exploit Earths’ resources.
Each PhD strand has a lead (see below) and core researchers associated with it. The lead will
rotate across PIs/institutions every three years. Within each PhD strand students will
take/participate in:
Taught modules: Postgraduate-level modules will be offered that overview the pertinent
principles and advances in the disciplines (5/10 credits in both of years 1 and 2). Taught
postgraduate modules will be outlined within each PhD strand (see below). Advanced level
undergraduate modules will be made available to students, as appropriate (as advised by
Page 8 of 17
supervisory panel).
Seminar Series: Each PhD strand will run a seminar series and will host an annual seminar
event in conjunction with the annual workshop (10 credits for participation).
The six PhD strands, the lead PI and their aims and associated postgraduate-level modules
are as follows (other core PIs are listed in Appendix 1):
PhD strand 1: Earth Systems Science and Computational Climate Modelling Lead: Prof.
Chris Bean (UCD)
Aims: To train Earth Scientists in the disciplines needed to propose quantitative and
innovative solutions to rapidly emerging climate challenges.
Expertise: Mathematics, computational science, geology, geophysics, glaciology,
atmospheric physics, hydrology, Met Eireann–endowed Chair in Meteorology. Links to the
national Geosciences PhD programme (Griffiths Award)/EU international training network.
Postgraduate level Modules (lead institution): Low Latitude Climate change (QUB),
Landscape surveying (QUB), GIS in landscape studies (QUB), Landform and Geology –
geodiversity (QUB) Sedimentary basins (TCD), Geophysical Computing (UU).
PhD strand 2: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Lead: Prof. Fraser Mitchell (TCD)
Aims: To train graduates in ecosystem
functioning, management, evolution and
structure prediction that inform sustainable
use of the Earth’s resources.
Expertise:
Zoology/Ecology/Botany/Paleoecology/Com
putational
and
Molecular
Biology/Microbiology/Comparative
Genomics/Programme for Experimental
Atmospheres
and
Climates/UCD
Metagenomics Centre/TCD Centre for the
Environment/Centre
for
Irish
Bat
Fig 4: UCD Programme for Experimental
Research/Quercus QUB.
Atmospheres and Climate (Péac).
Postgraduate
level
Modules
(lead
institution): Ecological modelling (UCD),
Taxonomy, systematics and identification skills (TCD), Data handing (TCD), Environmental
Modelling (TCD), Human Impacts with Biodiversity (TCD), Molecular Ecology (QUB),
Animal Behaviour and Welfare QUB), Ecological Management and Conservation Biology
(QUB), Phylogenetics (UCD), Population Biology (UCD).
PhD strand 3: Sustainable and Competitive AgriFood Production Lead - Prof. Pat
Lonergan (UCD)
Aims: To equip PhD graduates with the training/skills needed to lead/drive Agri-Food
development and overcome major challenges; energy costs, environmental stewardship,
animal health and welfare, health-enhancing foods, and climate change.
Expertise:
Animal
genetics/health/reproduction/nutrition/welfare;
crop
genetics/health/production/bioenergy; Biodiversity, Modelling GHG emissions, Smart land
resource management; soil functions/physics/chemistry/biology/microbiology; Forestry; UCD
Institute of Food and Health; SFI/Industry-funded Animal Reproduction SRC/ TCD Centre
for Biodiversity and Sustainability.
Postgraduate level Modules (lead institution): Sustainable and Competitive Agriculture
(UCD), Animal/Crop Biotechnology (UCD/Teagasc), Data handing (TCD), Environmental
and Biodiversity Policy (TCD), Human Impacts with Biodiversity (TCD), Phylogenetics
(UCD), Population Biology (UCD).
PhD strand 4: Energy and Environmental Engineering Lead: Prof. Don MacElroy (UCD)
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Aims: To equip PhD graduates with the training/skills for modeling, chemical/photochemical
energy resources/usage and CO2 amelioration and, in association with the Engineering PhD
Programme, to provide training towards an energy secure, low carbon emissions Ireland.
Expertise:
Engineering
(Biosystems/Chemical/Civil/Electrical/Mechanical)/Science
(Geoscience/Physics/Chemistry/Bioscience)/Architecture/Economics. SFI-SRC in solar
energy conversion; Charles Parsons Energy/Griffiths Awards.
Postgraduate level Modules (lead institution): Energy Systems and Climate Change (UCD),
Fossil Fuels, Carbon Capture & Storage (UCD), Power System Operation (UCD), Wind
Energy (UCD), Chemical Processes of Sustainable and Renewable Energy (UCD), Advanced
Structural Analysis (TCD), Flow Induced Vibration (TCD), Time-frequency Analysis for
Dynamic Systems (TCD), Bioenergy and Biorefining (NUI Galway), Combustion Chemistry
and Kinetics (NUI Galway), Energy in transport (UCD), Engineering Therodynamics III
(UCD), Energy Systems in Buildings Energy Economics (UCD/TCD), Kinetics and
Thermodynamics of Materials (UCD), Advanced Composites & Polymer Engineering (UCD),
Nanomaterials (UCD), Energy Storage (UL), First and Second Generation Biofuels (UL).
PhD strand 5: Transport & Water Engineering Leads: Prof. Eugene O’Brien (UCD).
Aims: To equip graduates with the training and skills needed to overcome the challenges
arising from Climate Change (flooding/extreme events) and develop a greener transport
sector.
Expertise: Civil Engineering. Links synergistically with the UCD-led €3.5 million Training in
European Asset health Management Marie Curie network and is complimentary to existing
Masters programmes in UCD/TCD.
Postgraduate level Modules (lead institution): Advanced Soil Processes (TCD), Transport
Operations & Planning (UCD); Structural Modelling (Bridges) (UCD); Transport & the
Environment (UCD); Environmental issues (UCD/University of Nottingham); Pavement
Design, Construction & Maintenance (University of Nottingham); Management & Policy
(UCD/University of Nottingham); Public Policy & Planning (UCD); Geographical
Information Systems/Demography (UCD); Planning & Environmental Law (UCD), Water
Quality and Hydrological Modelling (TCD).
PhD strand 6: Economics & Policy Analysis Lead: Prof. Frank Convery (UCD).
Aims: This WP will produce graduates that: understand how to interface effectively with
scientists; effectively work with agencies and government or enterprise; support innovation
and enterprise.
Expertise: Environmental policy/economics/law/business studies/political science.
Postgraduate level Modules (lead institution): Environmental/Experimental Economics
(UCD/NUI Galway), Advanced International Macroeconomics (TCD), Decision making
under Uncertainty (TCD), Time Series Econometrics (UCD), International Trade (UCD),
Environmental Assessment (QUB), Advanced Issues in Environmental Policy (UCD), Policy
Evaluation using Structural Models (UCD), Policies for Environmental Sustainability (QUB),
European Environmental Law (UCD), Theory and Methods of Rules and Rule Making
(UCD), Economic modelling (NUI Galway), Urban and Rural Resource Governance (NUI
Galway), Advanced Econometrics (NUI Galway), Philosophy of social science (NUI
Galway), Advanced Microeconomics (NUI Galway), International Economics (NUI Galway),
Marine Resource Economics (NUI Galway), Economics of Renewable Energy (NUI
Galway), Valuation of Environmental Resources (NUI Galway).
Research projects: Students will undertake a research project aligned with a specific
multidisciplinary research theme (290/300 credits).
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Table 2: Multidisciplinary research themes, topics and associated PhD strands.
Theme (theme
Topics (associated PhD strands*)
leader)
Emissions reduction
• CO2 subsurface/ocean sequestration/carbon capture (1,4)
and control (Prof.
• Methods of mitigation and remediation against emissions associated with
Christoph Mueller)
animal production (2,3)
• Land-use/water management and greenhouse gas emissions (3)
Sustainable
• Mechanisms of biological adaptation/speciation (2)
Bioresources (Dr.
• Sustainable & competitive food (crop & animal) production; Animal/herd
Tasman Crowe)
health; Food chain safety; Food nutrition, technology; Diet & health (3)
Climate change,
water and geohazards
(Prof. Chris Bean)
Energy supply and
renewable and
sustainable energy
(Prof. Don
MacElroy)
Transport &
infrastructure (Prof.
Eugene O’Brien)
Economics and
Policy Analysis
(Prof. Frank
Convery)
• Climate/weather modelling; Monitoring/modelling surface/sub-surface heat
& fluid flow; Predicting & preparing for large/rare/extreme events (1)
• Influence of environmental change on ecosystems and bioresources (2)
• Water supply/engineering, cleanup, landslide modelling & prevention (5)
• Modelling
wind/wave/geothermal
power;
Sub-surface
energy
storage/extraction; Enhanced/clean sub-surface oil/gas recovery; Smart
sensors (1)
• Synergistic production of bioenergy/food crops/forests (3)
• Smart Grid; Photo-electrochemical (solar) energy storage; Modeling
Renewable Power resources; Geophysical/petrophysical modeling;
Bioenergy; Building Design; Transport (4)
• Transport engineering (1,4,5)
• Market failure in the delivery of energy; Human behaviour/quality of life in
the Energy & Environmental context; Factors stimulating ‘Green tech’ and
related innovation; Benefits and costs of technologies emerging from other
work packages can be assessed (6, but with input from students associated
with the all other strands)
Workpackage 3 - The contribution of the ESI PhD programme to other levels of
Education.
Lead: Academic Registrars (lead = UCD Registrar, Dr. Philip Nolan) and Academic
Programme Offices
Aims: To inform undergraduate/adult education more broadly and to attract high calibre
undergraduates at an early stage in their careers to the programme.
Research informing taught undergraduate teaching: We will use the highly successful
Horizons programme to offer elective modeules to a range of students in UCD and the partner
institutions. We will offer also undergraduate participation in ESI Workshops & Seminar
Series, and ESI staff using research findings to inform undergraduate modules (e.g. through
www.nairtl.ie). With our partner institutions, we will provide undergraduate summer schools
relevant to the ESI PhD programme. ESI will seek funding to develop additional ESI Summer
Schools within their associated discipline.
Continuing Professional Development: ESI Workshops, taught modules and seminar series
will be offered to industry/government.
Workpackage 4 - The long-term ‘mainstreaming’ strategy: PRTLI 5 as a springboard
for change
Lead: Programme Director (Dr. Fiona Doohan, UCD).
Aims: To use the ESI PhD as a model for all PhD students enrolled in the Earth natural
Sciences.
Sustaining intake and internationalisation: The ESI PhD (and the allied activities of the
TCD-UCD Innovation Academy) will be embedded within the institutional Graduate Schools
to systemise the programme for future in-coming students. This radical step will ensure that
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all future students will receive an outstanding postgraduate experience. The programme will
evolve in time through collaboration with other national programmes facilitated by the
EEARE Council and with international Earth & Natural sciences PhD programmes so as to
improve the student and staff experience and training.
A key objective is the internationalisation (target of 40% international students) so as to
attract top overseas students and additional revenue. UCD’s international student recruitment
strategy aims to attract high-quality international students into the full range of undergraduate
and graduate degree programmes. This is achieved by ensuring that UCD’s strengths in
research and education are well understood and promoted in key recruitment markets, and
further enhanced by institutional linkages with the leading universities in those countries. In
China, for instance, UCD has greatly enhanced its visibility and reputation by establishing
partnerships with top-ranked universities such as Peking University, Fudan University and
Wuhan University. Agreements with China’s major scholarship agencies further broaden the
range of opportunities for study at UCD made available to China’s best students. Similar
agreements are in place with funding bodies in countries as diverse as Mexico and Iran. UCD
is also developing a range of articulation agreements and joint degree programmes with highquality tertiary institutions around the world. Such initiatives allow cohorts of international
students to come to UCD as part of a structured component of their degree programmes. The
institutional relationships which UCD has developed through collaborations such as
Universitas 21, the international network of 22 leading research-intensive universities in 13
countries, are also significantly broadening UCD’s access to high-quality students from
around the world. As UCD’s visibility as Ireland’s most internationally engaged university
increases, so does the university’s ability to attract excellent international students to support
its research ambitions and further enhance the international flavour of the campus, something
which is highly beneficial to all UCD students. As a consequence of these strategies, UCD
now has some 4,200 international students from 110 countries, and is anticipating continued
growth in international student enrolments, particularly at graduate level.
Quality Assurance, the key to sustainability: Reviewing structures, priorities & productivity:
The Graduate Board will annually assess the efficacy/adequacy/appropriateness of
programme structures and the academic outputs and innovation emerging from each PhD
strand. Programme Quality will be ensured through UCD QA/QI audit and through
international review (see below). In addition, a panel of leading international scientists,
engineers and educational specialists will assess the programme (based on both supplied
documentation and by interview with Graduate Board) every 3 years. The programme will be
adapted, based on the feedback of this panel.
Key executive and research personnel
The Management Executive comprises the Director (Dr. Fiona Doohan, UCD), Associate
Director (rotated position across other partner institutions) and the leaders of the six PhD
strands (Prof. Bean, Prof. Fraser Mitchell, Prof. Lonergan, Prof. Don MacElroy, Prof. Eugene
O’Brien and Prof. Frank Convery). The PhD strand leaders, inter-institutional partners,
industrial and agency representatives will make up the Graduate Board. An International
Review Panel will review PhD programme performance, objectives and deliverables and
advise on programme development. An External Advisory Board will review the progress and
performance and give advice on the future directions of the ESI and associated
multidisciplinary research themes.
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Table 3: Deliverables & Milestones List - Exemplary for first student intake (2010) –thereafter repeated for subsequent annual intakes.
2010
Project Activities
Workpackage 1
Establishment/Rotation of Graduate
Board & Programme Coordination
Advertisement/Recruitment/Intake
Student Supervisory/Transfer Meetings
Innovation and Entrepreneurial Training
Transferable/Horizontal skills Training
Placement/Certificate in Innovation
Thematic Workshops
Workpackage 2
Discipline-specific training – taught
Research project planning, initiation and
completion
Knowledge transfer (seminars,
presentations, publications, IP protection,
workshops participation, etc)
Thesis completion/examination
Workpackage 3
Integration of programme into
undergraduate teaching and continuing
professional development programmes
Workpackage 4
Reviewing structures, priorities and
productivity
Sustaining intake and internationalisation
2011
2012
2013
2014
Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4 Outputs & year of impact, and annual indicators for success (Y = year)
Best Practice in Programme Coordination, Management and Delivery (Y1)
Recruitment of high calibre PhD students - matched to high calibre supervisory teams
(Y1 – intake of 55 in year 1, 100+ in Y2 onwards).
Motivated, well-guided students progressing through the programme (Y1 onwards).
Students that understand fundamental concepts in innovation and enterprise (Y1
onwards) (10, 15, 20, 30 and 40% intake of overseas students in Y1-5).
Students with the skills necessary to develop and manage their careers across
a broad range of employment sectors (Y1 onwards).
Student exposure to industry/agency/other institutional activities (Y1 onwards).
Student appreciation of multidisciplinary contributions to global issues and sustainable
ultilisation of Earths’ resources (Y1 onwards).
Enhanced student training in disciplinary concepts and skills (year 1 onwards; new
courses introduced Y1 - 2).
Students experienced in project planning and practical discipline-specific skills (Y1
onwards). Acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge, which is
at the forefront of a field of learning (Y2 onwards). Learning outcomes leading to
IP/spin-offs, etc (Y2/3 onwards).
Transfer of knowledge within and without the programme (year 1 onwards; year of
output: 1 onwards: seminars, presentations, workshops, Y2/3 onwards: IP generation);
Student average at graduation: 2 publications, 5 presentations (1 international), IP (0.3
properties per student).
Graduation of first Student cohort (Y5 onwards)
Feedback from research/postgraduate education in undergraduate and adult educational
programmes (Y1 onwards: participation in seminar series/workshops, Y2 onwards:
PhD student onwards)
Focus on quality assurance and national priorities (Y1 onwards: programmatic review;
Y3 onwards international review).
Expanded programme, integrated within international initiatives (Y1 onwards:
internationalization; Y1/2: industrialisation – including pursuit of industrial funding –
target of 30% by Y5).
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Measures to enhance innovative and inclusive teaching & learning.
The programme introduces new ways of teaching that are both innovative and inclusive:
• Systematic innovation lab component of ESI (PRTLI cycle 5, strand 1a application) facilitating students with different backgrounds working in groups to solve problems and
develop prototypes.
• Through CLARITY, the programme/students will have the opportunity to create prototypes
in sensors or web technology.
• The modules/workshops/seminars delivered within this programme will integrate and inform
undergraduate and graduate (Msc/PhD/professional development) programmes throughout
UCD via Horizons and the credit system of structured PhD.
• New prototype discipline-specific modules (e.g. Sustainable and Competitive Agriculture)
will pilot a problem-based, practical ‘hands-on’ inter-institutional teaching and learning
approach.
• This programme is student-centred – students will participate in the development and
evolution of workshops and seminar series (web-based discussion group) and their elicited
feedback will inform QA.
• In line with national policy and the Bologna Process’ equal opportunities policy, UCD is
committed to widening participation and to the creation of a socially inclusive, equal
opportunities learning environment for all students at the University. This commitment is
explicitly stated in its vision statement, core values, strategic objectives and teaching and
learning strategy. The UCD Office of the Director of Access has detailed actions to achieve
greater equality of access and opportunity for those with disabilities, socio-economically
disadvantaged learners, those from ethnic minorities and mature students.
http://www.ucd.ie/access/
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HU
U
Resources directly linked to this programme are outlined below (staff contributing or the
ultilisation of resources within these centres/projects):
• The Earth Systems Institute (as proposed in PRTLI5 – Phase 1a application).
• TCD-UCD Innovation Academy (as proposed in PRTLI5 Phase 1a application)
• The NUI Galway Ignite Graduate Education Programme – this initiative is fosters by the
Centre for Innovation and Structural Change (funded as part of PRTLI 3 and 4), which is
a multi-disciplinary institute dedicated to researching and fostering innovation.
• Scientific/Engineering Schools, centres of excellence and funded national programmes
(see 1.4 above) within UCD, TCD, QUB, NUI Galway, UL, DIAS, UU.
Transfer of research knowledge outputs to stakeholders.
The main output will be the unique breed of students emanating from the programme and the
research that they participate in and contribute to. The impact will be on
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• Focusing the efforts of academia, industry and government (for example, prediction of
biological adaptation to climate change using modelling/simulation science/experimental
paleobiology/ecosystem studies) and resources required.
• Prototype development (eg, Clarity SFI CSET), industry-focused problems (eg, through the
Competence Centres), IP licensing to SMEs or spin-outs (ESI PIs have 4 spin out companies
and formal collaborations with over 50 Irish & International companies in the green tech
sector).
• Policy domain - recommendations (government/industry) regarding integrating energy
forms, predicting the impact of climate and environmental change, potential of financial
systems, balanced use of earth resources, etc.
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• Education and Training - informing the future undergraduate and postgraduate educational
programmes.
Dissemination of research results.
Knowledge transfer will be promoted and facilitated through workshops and seminar series
(open to agencies/industry) embedded in the programme structure and through the
development of webpages dedicated to the programme, and associated pages dedicated to (a)
each PhD strand, and (b) each major multidisciplinary research theme. Select modules will be
podcast; the long term goal of this site would be to encourage block delivery of courses and
the transfer of courses to e-learning format (where possible).
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Research results will primarily be disseminated through publication in peer reviewed journals
subject to ensuring that any intellectual property is firstly disclosed and then protected as
appropriate in accordance with partner institutions best practice. In UCD NovaUCD is
responsible for the implementation of UCD policies relating to intellectual property and for
the provision of advice on the identification, protection and exploitation of this intellectual
property. NovaUCD has a structured approach to managing UCD intellectual property to
ensure that its commercial potential is maximised to the benefit of the Irish economy.
NovaUCD works with UCD researchers to identify and capture the intellectual property
arising from UCD research programmes and to develop the most appropriate model for the
commercialisation of the intellectual property which may involve licensing to companies or
the creation of spin-out companies.
The student supervisory panel will monitor knowledge transfer activities as a component of
student progression. The transfer of knowledge into innovation and enterprise will be
facilitated by the Systems Innovation Laboratory component of the Earth Systems Institute
(PRTLI Cycle 5, strand 1a proposal). ESI will also transfer knowledge to the general public
through a ‘Meeting the Climate Change Challenge’ lecture series; this highly successful series
was piloted in 2009 and will continue, but with much more web-based access also. This PhD
programme (academics/students) will engage with and inform policy makers (of research
outputs) through partner non-academic agencies and the Energy and Environment All-Island
Research and Education Council.
Expected career opportunities for Ph.D. graduates.
The absorption capacity for Earth and Natural Science in industry is relatively low, and is
moderate in agencies and government departments (e.g. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food, Environmental Protection Agency). This programme is designed to radically
change the career aspirations of the students and to deliver graduates who will drive
innovation informed by green technology in the AgriFood, biorefining, transport, waste
management and energy sectors, and in environmental protection. Our graduates are likely to
populate a range of unrelated industries with a major commitment to environmental
protection, such as the pharmaceutical and ICT (where there is a major concern about the risk
of nanomaterials). Other areas are construction, transport and international development, to
which Ireland, UCD and its partners have a major commitment. Our target is for 80% of
graduates to work in industry/business. The absorption capacity for graduates in these sectors
is increasing. For example, ‘Agri-Food currently accounts for over 30% of net flows into the
economy from primary and manufacturing output and has tremendous potential to contribute
to the reinvigoration of the economy 3 . To facilitate their career choices, PhD students in each
of the structured PhD programmes will be offered the opportunity for skills placement in
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F
3
Government of Ireland 2008 – Building Irelands Smart Economy.
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external business environments. To achieve this goal, we will create an Industry Advisory
Board in order to devise a systematic approach, modelled on the University of Surrey’s
successful placement programme. In addition, UCD will radically reorient its career advisory
services to support the transition of the graduates from these programmes into the private
enterprise sector. The interfacing with enterprise will create awareness amongst employers
about the skilled resources available at 4th level.
Collaboration and Partnering
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Governance Management Structure, Strategies and Implementation
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The diagram depicts the governance of the
UCD led Structured PhD Programme,
which is based on the existing UCD
graduate school structures linking to the
innovation academy and leverages the PhD
governance and management practices of
the DRHEA (Dublin Region Higher
Educations Alliance). The UCD
University Graduate Board is responsible
for the quality, oversight and approval of
the PhD structured programmes on behalf
of all of the partners. The UCD Colleges
Graduate School Boards are responsible for the approval of UCD led modules. All partner
delivered modules will be approved through the partners own governance structures. The
Inter Institutional Academic Committee (IAC) has a programme chair and co-chair and is
constituted from the academics from each of the participating institutions affiliated to the
programme. The IAC is responsible for the management of the programme supporting the
following activities: monitoring the research progress of graduate students, curriculum
development and discussion of supervision arrangements.
The first Programme Director and chair will be Dr. Fiona Doohan of UCD. The co-chair is
Prof. Fraser Mitchell of TCD. The feasibility and effectiveness of the programme will be
ensured through programme management structure, including Management Executive,
Graduate Board and International Review Panel, ESI External Advisory Panel, and the
governance model of the TCD/UCD alliance.
Strategy for managing access to the research capability
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Access will be a major objective of the governance and management of the PhD programme.
The Graduate Board, programme coordinator and associated administrative staff, in
association with the Energy and Environment All-Island Research and Education Council,
will facilitate the development of student mobility between institutions as a primary objective.
A key principle is that transferable/horizontal skills and discipline-specific modules will be
accessible through the Programme Administrator irrespective of the institutional affiliation.
The Placement Officer will coordinate the placement of students within industries/agencies,
irrespective of institutional affiliation of the student in the partnership.
The framework of the partnership includes the graduate programme and key resources, such
as the competence centres and the Environmental Technology Centre in the universities and
the research facilities in non-academic partner institutions, such as Teagasc, thereby providing
access to the programmes.
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The second resource will be the innovation activities and facilities. Material developed by the
TCD-UCD academy for Innovation and entrepreneurial training will be made available to the
partner institutions through the Academy’s web portal. We will also make available the
Innovation Lab and Innovation Academy Lounge, which will act as a centre to drive
innovation in green technologies across the partnership, a major target for this proposal.
Strategies for mobility and placements.
Student mobility is encouraged though the delivery of workshops, seminar series and, where
possible modules in ‘block’ format – mandatory transferable and horizontal skills modules
will be delivered in conjunction with the workshops and seminar series. Attendance of
students at specialist courses in other partner institutions is also an agreed and encouraged
component of the structural programme. For year 1 intake (55 students), funding is requested
to ensure exchange visits with collaborating national and international partners (both student
and academic). This will be sustained through various institutional (eg, with China), projectbased and EU/international exchange programmes. All students taken into the programme in
year 1 (55 students) will be placed within Irish or International industry/agency enabled by
the Industry Advisory Board. The Placement Officer will seek support from industry to
aid/facilitate the placement of students in subsequent years (for example, by building this into
the four year programme for specific students).
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Benefits of the Proposal
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Potential Benefit of the Research and requested infrastructure/capability
The benefit of the research and capability sought include:
• A sustainable high-quality structured PhD programme strongly rooted in the University.
• A strategy for national collaboration in Energy & Environmental education.
• Increased collaboration between academia, industry and agencies.
• A PhD programme that provides disciplinary Earth and Natural Sciences training focused
on contemporary and emerging issues.
• Business-wise students who understand global challenges, green issues, policy, the role
and the potential of research and innovation to contribute to ‘smart economy’.
• Independent research that is highly relevant to those in the national and international
policy process.
• Graduates who have a deep understanding of their discipline and of how it can contribute
to national development and the development of the ‘smart economy’ and the ‘green tech’
sector.
• Learning outcomes leading to IP and spin-outs/SMEs in sustainable Agri-Food, energy
transformation and supply, transport, biorefining and waste management.
• A means to an all-island approach to energy environment, promoting social and economic
cohesion.
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