A professional doctorate ... but what comes next?

The University of Reading's Graduate School Bulletin (November 2014) featured an interview with Dr Marek Kubik, one of the first graduates from the university's Technologies for Sustainable Built Environments (TSBE) Centre.

A PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE... but what comes next?

Marek Kubik graduated from the University this summer with an Engineering Doctorate (EngD), from the Technologies for Sustainable Built Environments (TSBE) Centre. 

The TSBE is an industrial Doctoral Training Centre for construction technology, climate and business enterprise research and was established in 2009 with a £6 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Marek followed a four year programme instead of the traditional three year PhD; which included an industry based research project and University taught modules relevant to the project. He was sponsored by AES, a global power company, supported by two academic supervisors and spent a significant amount of time based in industry.

What have you been doing since you graduated?

I took up an advisory position in AES, the company I completed my doctorate with, reporting directly to the Vice President for UK & Ireland. I have responsibility for mapping a route to market for energy storage, something that follows neatly on from my research.

Recently, I successfully led a bid through the first round of Innovate UK funding to support a $6.6m 10MW battery storage project in Northern Ireland (the largest of its kind in Europe). I am also organising a high profile energy storage seminar hosted by the All Party Group at Stormont, Northern Ireland’s Parliament.

Was there anything you did at Reading that you feel has helped you in your new position?

The supportive attitude of the TSBE Centre to pursue career development opportunities, such as my secondment in UK Parliament, teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in local schools and Henley Business School mentoring was very valuable. The Graduate School was a useful entity, both in terms of facilities and in networking outside my immediate research group.

Why did you select Reading?

I chose to undertake an EngD at Reading as I wanted a project with strong links to industry and that focused on an immediate industry challenge in the field of sustainability. Working for both the University and my industry sponsor has allowed me to gain invaluable experience, which I believe is the single most important factor in gaining employment post completion.

What was your biggest challenge during your studies?

The biggest challenge was managing the divergent expectations of academia and industry, and keeping both sides happy with the scope and nature of my research. The EngD programme requires delivery on both fronts; the full academic rigor and contribution to knowledge of a PhD, but with added industrial impact and relevance.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give a new 1st year doctoral researcher?

My first piece of advice is to publish early. Publishing international conference papers and journal papers helps hone your writing ability and gives you material that can be readily dropped into your thesis. Second, plan ahead. Your time shoots by and you need to factor in writing-up time. I began dedicating a couple of days a month to start writing up 18 months ahead of submission. Finally, enjoy it. It is unlikely you will ever again get the opportunity to have as much flexibility to work in an area and to really think about how to solve the challenges your field faces.

And finally, where do you want to be in 5 years?

I would like to be in a position where I can look back and be proud of delivering the change urgently needed in the energy sector. I want to see ‘us’ on a trajectory of avoiding catastrophic climate change and relieve energy poverty where it exists.

EngD graduate leads Belfast Energy Storage event

Marek Kubik,the AEngD's alumni rep, now at AES in Northern Ireland (who sponsored his EngD research at the TSBE centre at University of Reading; Marek is also featured in this week's New Scientist, which mistakenly describes him as a PhD - shame) is co-organising a seminar on energy storage at Stormont in Belfast on 10 November 2014.

The seminar for the Northern Ireland Assembly All-Party Group on Science and Technology, in association with AES, the Energy Institute and Pinsent Masons, features two meetings in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, on Monday 10th November 2014 on the subject of Energy Storage.

The first, an Industry session, will take place from 3.00pm to 5.00pm, and the second, a Seminar, from 6.00pm to 8.00pm, will be joined by Arlene Foster MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

The theme will be: ‘How can energy storage help reduce energy costs, improve security of supply and meet decarbonisation goals?’’ (more details available via the AEngD website news page)

Southampton EngD's 'Three minute thesis'

Three Minute Thesis is a research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland which challenges research higher degree students to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance in just three minutes in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Daniel Lurcock, an EngD research student, entered the University of Southampton's Faculty of Engineering and the Environment heats and reached the Faculty final, where he narrowly missed going on to represent Engineering and the Environment at the University final.

The Three Minute Thesis is a good example of how academia can be made more accessible to non-academic audiences. We've found other examples in the UK including the PubhD ("InngD, maybe"? - post) and the Science Showoff (post).

EngD team racing underwater

A team of EngD students from the University of Southampton are competing in the 2nd biennial European International Submarine Races (eISR - see Subrace.eu) at QinetiQ's Ocean Basin in Gosport, UK this summer. The overall objective of the eISR is to encourage innovative design in submarine engineering.

The teams have to design and build a human powered submarine ready to race in the competition in July. The submarines will race several times and will be judged on aspects of the design as well as speed.

Keep an eye on this page for updates of the team's progress in the run up to the competition.

Materials researchers highlighting EngD opportunities

Two EngD research engineers have recently written website articles about their activities.

The EngD: Dr Who?

Richard Howard, studying in the Non-Destructive Evaluation industrial doctorate centre and based at London's Imperial College, wrote a feature, The EngD: Dr Who? for the college's online publication, Felix. He is clearly enthusiastic about both the programme itself and the immediate and long-term benefits it offers. Here's a few soundbites....

Merging the academic with the practical, it is a fulfilling way to apply the piles of knowledge that you have accumulated over your undergraduate years to real world problems. ...

... the doctoral students become experts in a key industry that will be relevant for many years to come. The remit of the doctorate is also to train future business leaders in these areas as well as furnishing them with technical expertise. For example, the UK’s renewed interest in nuclear power underscores the need for a new generation of nuclear engineers and since there is a dearth in nuclear experts (of all types) the current cohort of EngD nuclear engineers will be the ones running the industry in the future.

Importantly, the scheme is NOT just for engineers, scientists are actively encouraged...

If you are looking for a career in a particular industry, or at particular company, then an EngD can easily be far more than a foot in the door; more like a whole leg! You’ll work closely with your sponsor’s researchers and will make a raft of contacts, setting you up nicely.

Finally, when it comes to pay there should be no beating around the bush; an EngD candidate gets one of the highest academic postgraduate stipends available... This is the way it should be, treating you like a graduate research engineer with a pay scale to match.

Maria's Diary

Maria Felice, is also an EngD research engineer with the Non-Destructive Evaluation industrial doctorate centre, but is supervised from its University of Bristol site. She is based at Rolls Royce plc and was a finalist in the 2013 AEngD Research Writer of the Year competition. For the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) she wrote a diary entry highlighting her recent activities. She clearly valued the AEngD conference, and is worried about recent changes to EngD funding:

There was a meeting for EngD students - or ‘research engineers’ - at the conference, which was a great opportunity to talk to students from other EngD centres. At each university there are not many EngD students so we tend to become part of the PhD community, but there are actually quite a lot of differences between the two programmes e.g. EngD students tend to be based in industry.
...
A few days prior to the conference, it had been announced that funding for EngDs will be drastically reduced. This was a big shock since all stakeholders seem to be in agreement that the EngD is a highly successful scheme that is beneficial to the UK industry. It was not a surprise, therefore, that this was the main topic of conversation at the conference. However, it was still a fantastic celebration of the EngD scheme and the funding decision is going to be challenged.

EngD centre coordinators meeting - new date TBA

Each year, a meeting is held of managers and coordinators of EngD industrial doctorate centres. In 2013, it was hosted at the TSBE centre at the University of Reading, and in 2014, it will be hosted by the IDC in Machining Science at the AMRC Training Centre, Catcliffe, Sheffield ("the AMRC is well worth seeing if you haven’t visited before").

Most centre managers will have been contacted about this, but if you think you may have missed the notification or would like to know more, please contact Andrea Haworth, centre manager in Sheffield - her email address is a.haworth@sheffield.ac.uk.

(Updated on 7 March to reflect date change - now looking at dates in late Spring, early Summer.)

Advanced materials research showcase

The Materials KTN is hosting the 2014 Materials Research Exchange (at Coventry's Ricoh Arena on 25 February 2014) to showcase the UK's Centres of Excellence in materials research and development. The event's aim and scope include:

• Showcasing the richness of UK materials research to support the government's view that advanced materials are among UK's Eight Great Technologies
• Closer collaboration between industry and UK materials research base
• Increased public and private funding for UK materials research
• Private equity support for commercialising UK materials research

Exhibiting organisations are invited to send graduate research students to present their academic work by poster and a prize will be awarded to the poster that is judged to be the best by the audience.

Backed by the Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC, further information about the event is here.