nerc dtp handbook 2015-16

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Page 1: NERC DTP Handbook 2015-16

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

The London NERC DTPStudent Handbook

2015-16

Page 2: NERC DTP Handbook 2015-16

Page 1

Case Studentships 8

Enrolment & Registration 10

Financial Matters 15

Induction Week 13

ContentsThe Programme 3

Facilities 17

Contact Details 19

Useful Links 20

Contents

Introduction 2

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Page 2

Introduction

Welcome to the London NERC DTP Programme.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with information about how theDTP programme is structured, key stages in progressing towards your PhD,registration, financial matters, and pastoral care. The structure of this DTP can becomplex at times, so please do approach us if you have any questions. Usefulcontact information is at the back of this handbook.

The London NERC DTP bringstogether nine leading researchcentres in environmental science.The partners have a shared visionof the importance of adoptingintegrated approaches to trainenvironmental scientists in waysthat cross the boundaries betweenestablished disciplines and fields.Our training will provide cross-disciplinary, disciplinary andtransferable skills.

The Partners are united in seeing the DTP as an ideal opportunity to exploit theexisting synergies and foster multiple new research links between institutions. Inrecognition of this, additional funding has been received from the Universitypartners creating another 11 studentships per year bringing the total to 35studentships this year.

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The Programme

We have designed a multidisciplinary 4-year training programme (see Figure 1) toensure that our students develop the corescience skills needed to make optimalprogress.

Our training programme includes bespoke teaching elements contributed by all Partners,reflecting the research themes to equip the cohort to conduct empirical and/or theoreticalresearch, underpinned by numerical and statistical skills.

Students will be enrolled on a programme of core research and professional developmenttraining in Term 1, with further transferable skills and project-oriented training in Years 2, 3and 4.

Requirements of personal effectiveness, research governance and organization will be metfrom our wide transferable skills training on 'Skills Fridays'.

Figure 1: Structure of the 4 year LondonNERC PhD Programme

Term 1 Core Structure

Training for 2.5 days per weekduring Monday-Wednesday, atone of the Partner locations,moving between Partnersduring term;

meet prospective supervisorsat a Partner location on eachTuesday afternoon, in a postersession and mixer event;

attend the NHM for 'Skills'events on each Friday.

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Figure 1: Structure of the 4 yearLondon NERC PhD Programme

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Term 1: Core multidisciplinary skills training

Each week the training activity from Mondays to Wednesdays will be hosted by one of thepartners. Researchers from partner institutions will deliver lectures, practicals and problem-solving sessions dealing with current topics in environmental science, focused on keyquestions and methodologies.

Figure 2: Term 1 Core Training Programme

Meet the Supervisors:

Students will have the opportunityto meet potential supervisors fromeach partner institution duringterm 1 training.

These sessions will be typicallyheld on Tuesday afternoonsalthough some may incorporatemeetings throughout the week.Each student will get to knowsupervisors and discuss projectideas at each institution.

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Skills Fridays

Drawing on expertise from across all partners The Artof Environmental Research will be taught on SkillsFridays, hosted by the Natural History Museum.

The training will focus on transferable skills andpersonal development. Using a mix of seminars,workshops and action learning sets, our Friday eventswill address topics such as:

• communication skills (oral, written, visual);

• creativity & innovation;

• ethics;

• networking;

• project planning & organisation;

• resource management;

• team-working;

• work-life balance & stress management.

Reflection Day & Supervisor NetworkingEach Thursday of term 1 training is for eachstudent to meet with potential supervisors atpartner institutions and develop potentialproject ideas, as well as reflecting on thetraining sessions and supervisor meetings.

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Page 6

Term 2: Core Training and PhD Project DevelopmentAt the end of term 1, all students will submit 2 project choices. Each project must have aprimary supervisor based at a different institution within the DTP. At the start of term 2, eachstudent will have a meeting with DTP Director and Deputy Director to discuss their finalproject selection. The DTP Director and Deputy Director will decide which PhD project will beoffered to each student. These decisions will be presented and confirmed by the GoverningCouncil and then reported back to the students and their selected PhD first supervisor.Throughout the term, students are to meet with their supervisor regularly and develop thefollowing documents for their PhD presentations at the end of March:

• a detailed project proposal;

• a substantial literature review;

• an evaluation and choice of project methods;

• a detailed timeline of progress toward the project objectives;

• a project budget with costs and;

• a completed risk assessment of the project.

The Skills Fridays will continue at UCL and will focus on 5 Statistics sessions, 3 ComputerModeling and 4 Fieldwork sessions. Taught topics will include: an introduction toprogramming; matlab; and dealing with Big Data; and will also contain examples fromclimate, biological, and environmental modelling.

Students are expected to attend at least 95% of the training in Term 1 and 2. If you do notthen the DTP Director and Deputy Director reserve the right not to offer a PhD position to thestudent after the first six months of training.

PhD Proposal Evaluation

Students will give an oralpresentation of their project planto their peers, the PhD Committeeand the Management Board. Priorto starting their projects, each PhDproject proposal will be reviewedand assessed by the PhDCommittee who will provideconstructive critical feedback tostudent and supervisor.

Approval of the project will beconditional on satisfactory projectcostings and risk assessment. PhDProposal presentations wil be heldat the end of March 2016.

PROGRESSIONWe will provide you with details,including various milestones ofachievement necessary, for progression in due course.In general milestones will be standardised for all DTP students. However, there may be minorvariations from one partner institution to another.

Figure 3: Term 2 Core Training Programme

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SUMMER SCHOOL

From 2016 onwards the DoctoralTraining Partnership will run anannual week long Summer School atUCL. This event will be an excitingshowcase for the DTP. It will beplanned, led and run by the DTPstudents.

The summer school will have amixture of activity elements, including student presentations of their project findings in aconference format. First and fourth year students will attend, second year students willpresent posters, and third year students will give oral presentations.

Prizes for the best talks and posters will be awarded. Workshops will be included ondeveloping public engagement skills and meeting potential Associate Partners.

The summer school will be a nucleus for wider activity in graduate research because it willbe open to all other non-­‐DTP PhD students studying environmental science at the PartnerInstitutions.

ASSOCIATE PARTNERS

The Partners have a wealth of well-established links to externalorganisations (for example, industry, NGOs and the publicsector) for research and training purposes.

Associate partners will have an opportunity to present tostudents an outline of their company’s research remit at the DTP Partners' Event inNovember 2015. Opportunities for collaboration will be based on the suitability of thestudent’s research project relevant to the associate partner.

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Geology & Biology Fieldtrip

The entire cohost will also attend a10-day fieldtrip in which courseson geological and biological fieldskills will be taught.

These will to emphasise theimportance of physical andbiological contexts and provideessential skills training in fieldwork.This is compulsory and will bemid-March 2016.

NERC DTP Cohort at the Grand Canyon, 2015.

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Page 8

Collaborative awards in science and engineering, also known as Industrial CASE studentships,allow non-academic organisations to partner with PhD research. They offer students trainingopportunities, access to expertise and equipment, and financial support.

What is a CASE Partnership?

A CASE partnership is a formal collaboration between a PhD studentship and a non-academicorganisation. The CASE partner must agree to contribute financially as well as providing non-financial benefits such as equipment, facilities, training and expertise.

How is it different from a project partner?

CASE partnerships are a formalized collaboration between non-academic organisations andPhD studentships. A PhD project may also partner with organisations in a less formal way,these are known as project partners. Named project partners must commit to specificcontributions (either financial or in kind contributions), but many PhD studentships have looserrelationships with multiple non-academic organisations.

Benefits of a CASE Studentship

A CASE partnership can provide training and expertise not available in an academic setting,and can add real-world context to your PhD research. It offers experience working outside ofacademia, and the opportunity to make industry contacts who may be important to your futurecareer. It also includes a £4000 contribution to research or living costs during your PhD.

By consulting with a CASE partner, you can better shape your research questions to meet theneeds of the end-users (business, policy-makers, NGOs), ultimately making your results moreimpactful and relevant.

What does the CASE Partner get out of it?

CASE partners benefit from direct involvement in academic research. They benefit from havinginput in the design stages of your PhD, ensuring that the results of your research addressmeaningful and relevant questions. They also gain from inclusion in any academic publications.

What Happens to the CASE Financial Contribution?

The £4000 contribution from the CASE partner can be used either to supplement your stipend,or can be added to the research grant and contributed towards research costs.

Can I have more than one?

If relevant, you may have more than one CASE partner, but you must be able to justify uniquebenefits to the project of each partner. You may also partner with external organizations in aless formal way, outside of the CASE framework.

CASE Studentships

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How It Works

Requirements

The CASE partner

-­‐ must be a non-academic organisation;

-­‐ must be UK-based, or international with an established base in the UK*;

-­‐ must commit to contributing a minimum of £1000 per year;

-­‐ must cover expenses incurred by the student when visiting the partner;

-­‐ must be an end-user (an organisation whose primary focus is not research);

-­‐ can be in the public, private or third sector but cannot be a NERC research centre ofan organisation eligible for Research Council funding.

The student

-­‐ must spend a minimum of 3 months (maximum 18 months working with the CASEpartner;

-­‐ must acknowledge the CASE partner in presentations and publications;

-­‐ must agree with the CASE partner in advance what outputs or other benefits they willprovide to the CASE partner.

Placements

As part of the CASE partnership, students are required to spend between 3 and 18 months oftheir PhD on placement at the CASE partner. This placement should provide specific trainingor access to equipment, facilities or expertise that are not available at the academic partner.

*Non-UK CASE Partners

Generally, CASE partnerships should be made with organisations with a base in the UK.However, partnerships with non-UK-based organisations are permitted if they offer the studentan opportunity to gain skills or access resources that could not be provided by a UK-basedpartner.

How do I get a CASE Partnership?

If you are interested in a CASE partnership, you should first begin by discussing this with yoursupervisor(s), and with the DTP Innovation Officer, Claire Asher ([email protected]). They willadvise you on whether a CASE studentship is appropriate for your project, and help you selectan appropriate organisation. The DTP has a list of associate partners, who have alreadyexpressed an interest in partnering with PhD projects. This list may be helpful, but you shouldalso consider other eligible organisations to find the most appropriate partner.

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ENROLMENT

When you arrive at UCL one of your first and most important tasks is to enrol in person. Oncompletion of enrolment you will then be able to access all the facilities and services you areentitled to as a student at UCL.

When and where do I enrol?

Once you have completed pre-enrolment you will be sent an email telling you when andwhere to enrol. If you fail to complete pre-enrolment or don't receive any communicationabout these arrangements before you are due to arrive please contact the New StudentsTeam. All students are required to enrol inperson within the two weeks from theirofficial start date.

Enrolment for new students takes place inthe Student Centre, which is located in theChadwick Building on the main UCL campus(see the Maps page for details). The StudentCentre is open Monday to Friday from 10amto 4pm unless otherwise advertised.

Enrolment Opening Times

Wednesday 23 September 2015 to Friday 25 September 2015: 9am - 5pm

Saturday 26 September 2015 to Sunday 27 September 2015: 9am - 4pm

Monday 28 September 2015 to Friday 02 October 2015: 9am - 5pm

Monday 05 October 2015 to Tuesday 06 October 2015: 9am - 3pm

What do I need to bring with me?

All students should make sure they are able to produce their Student Reference Number onrequest. You will find your Student Reference Number on your offer letter from UCL. Pleasebring a copy of your offer letter with you when you come to enrol.

You will be asked to provide:

An accepted form of photographic identification. UCL's preferred form of identification is avalid passport. If you do not have a valid passport the following will be accepted forms ofidentification; a UK photo driving licence where this indicates the holder was born in the UK(a valid provisional licence is acceptable), a European National Identity Card, Armed ForcesIdentity Card. We will also accept an original birth certificate, adoption certificate orcertificate of naturalisation when accompanied with additional photographic identification.

Enrolment & Registration

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REGISTRATION

Having completed the first three steps you should now get your ID card to allow you accessto buildings, the library and other services.

There are a number of other steps which you need to complete in order to help you settle inmore quickly and get off to the best start possible.

It is important to familiarise yourself with PORTICO (the UCL Student Information Service).

You will also need register with the NERC DTP Programme and this will be explained indetail during induction.

INDUCTION WEEK for the DTP is Monday 28thSeptember - Friday 2nd October.

Each session starts at 10am and will provide anopportunity for students to familiarisethemselves with key elements of theprogramme, the campus and staff at the DTP.

COLLEGE CLOSURESChristmas

CLOSE – Wednesday 23 December 2015 (5.30 p.m)RE-OPEN - Monday 4 January 2016

Easter

CLOSE - Thursday 24 March 2016 (5.30 p.m)RE-OPEN - Thursday 31 March 2016

Term Dates

Autumn Term: Monday 28 September 2015 - Friday 18 December 2015

Second Term: Monday 11 January 2016 - Thursday 24 March 2016

Third Term: Monday 25 April 2016 - Friday 10 June 2016

Induction Week: Monday 28th September 2015 - Friday 2nd October 2015

Reading Weeks: Monday 9 November 2015 - Friday 13th November 2015

Monday 15 February 2016 - Friday 19th February 2016

Bank Holidays

CLOSED - Monday 2 May 2016

CLOSED - Monday 30 May 2016

CLOSED - Monday 29 August 2016

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Statement of Student Status:

When you have completed enrolment, you will be given a Statement of Student Status. Thisis an official document confirming that you are a UCL student. You will present this statementto obtain your UCL ID card and can also use this as evidence to open a student bank accountand claim council tax exemption. It is essential that your home, contact and term-timeaddresses are up to date so that the correct information will appear on this letter.

Students, who subsequently transfer from UCL to another Partner Institution, will need toadhere to the new Institution’s enrolment procedure at the point of transfer.

You will be issued a UCL Student Card on first enrolment. The card is used for identificationand is necessary for access to the Pearson Building which is where the Postgraduate StudentRoom is located (see Facilities section).

Standard access is 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday. NEVER lend your card to anyone else,or allow an unknown person entry to the Pearson Building. Ensure that office, laboratory andstreet doors are closed and locked as appropriate when you leave an area. Do not leave thePostgraduate or other rooms unlocked or valuable possessions unattended (i.e. laptops,cameras, etc.). Do not leave windows open, especially on the ground floor.

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On Tuesday (29thSept) in theafternoon,photographs willbe taken of eachstudent that willform part of theirprofile pagecreated on theDTP website.

All sessions willbe held in RoomG07 PearsonBuilding. Theaddress is UCLPearson Building,Gower StreetWC1E 6BT (seemap).

Information onother locationswill be providedthroughtout theweek.

Induction Week

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The DTP is fully committed to supporting the work of its research students. When a studentis accepted to work on a project, where research costs are not funded by NERC or otherindependent sponsor, there is effectively a three-way agreement among the student, thesupervisor, and the department that, except in very unusual circumstances, the resourcesneeded to carry the agreed project to completion will be applied for from other sources.

As part of each student’s research training, the student will be made aware of general issuesabout research funding, and specific issues about research expenses. The student andsupervisor have joint responsibility for planning a programme of research that falls within theavailable budget.

In administering research council, UCL and any other sponsor’s funds, the DTP operatesunder the UCL Financial regulations http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/finance_docs/financialregs.htm and monitors students’ expenditure and funding, as agreed with sponsors,by contractual terms.

Students should consult the NERC handbook for information on their funding, althoughnoting that UCL receives the funds as Doctoral Training Partnership Grants which UCL hasdevolved responsibility to operate.

NERC Maintenance Award:

The maintenance award for doctoral students in the academic year of 2015/16 is:

£16,057 p.a. ( this includes the £2,000 p.a. London Allowance).

This will be paid, in advance, directly into each student’s bank account in quarterlyinstalments.

First year student can expect their first payment to be made by cheque within 2 weeks ofenrolment.

Fees:

£4,052 p.a.

The studentship will cover the fees for the course so students do not need to pay towardsthis. These will be paid directly to the relevant institution by NERC.

Oyster Card Contribution:

The DTP will also contribute £200 for each students' oyster card to help towards travel costsincurred in the 12-week taught training programme of the autumn term.

Financial Matters

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Research Training Support Grant (RTSG):

The studentship includes a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) component. This is acontribution towards costs incurred in training research students e.g. the provision ofconsumables, equipment, travel, etc. The RTSG can be used to fund conference, workshopand short course attendance.

We expect that within the period of the award each student should have the opportunity toattend at least one conference at which they can present the findings of their research. Asmall number of short courses are also funded directly by NERC.(see http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/postgrad/advanced/atsc/).

The student should apply directly to the course organiser if they are interested in attendingany of those courses.

Each student is entitled to receive a minimum of £1000 p.a. for the first 3 years of theircourse and £500 in their 4th year. A special request may be made for a further access of max£500 in your completion year.

What can the RTSG be used to fund?

This allowance is intended to be used to pay for expenses which you / your supervisor deemto be in direct support of your research.

For example:

• fieldwork expenses

• UK, EU and overseas conferences and summer schools

• language training courses usually undertaken in the UK prior to an overseasfieldwork trip

• reimbursement of interpreters, guides, assistants

• survey costs, e.g. printing, stationery, telephone calls

• purchase of small items of equipment of research purposes e.g. cameras, taperecorders, films, cassettes

In exceptional circumstances, we may be able consider requests to purchase a laptop orother computer equipment, including software, from this allowance.

Any such request must be clearly and adequately justified based on the nature of theresearch being undertaken and as being essential for the successful completion of the PhD.

In these instances, any equipment purchased in excess of £200 must be returned to theUniversity following completion of your award.

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Facilities

The DTP is fortunate in being able to provide desk space to postgraduate research (PGR) students. Currently,and as space allows, we are able to provide a desk space to all full-time students during their prescribed periodof study. Desk space is allocated and reviewed annually, and PGR students should complete the deskregistration form if they wish to have desk space in the DTP. Filing cabinet space (at least 2 drawers perstudent) is also allocated as part of this. Replacement keys for filing cabinets cost £5.00. Desk registration formsmust be submitted to Marianne Knight by 31 August each year.

The PGR room is G02 in the Pearson Building. Students are accommodated as space allows. The PGR room willbe inspected on an annual basis (mid-September). You should ensure that all your belongings are kept on yourdesk or in your filing cabinet at this time as all unclaimed material will be removed.

Your room telephone will receive outside calls but please do not allow your friends to ring you during workinghours for long chats. Internal calls can be made from your telephone to all UCL Departments including centralDivisions. Where you wish to make an outside call on an academic matter you should ask to use yoursupervisor’s office phone. This includes essential research-related overseas calls, which can be placed via theUCL switchboard from your supervisor’s office.

Cleaning staff are employed to undertake normal cleaning, empty waste bins, etc. They will not move papers,etc., in your room. If you need to dispose of a large amount of rubbish, please see Marianne Knight.

PGR students are welcome to use the department common room Mac I and II (room 108 in PB). Those whobring their own meals to prepare and eat in the kitchen areas, please leave plates and cutlery washed (ratherthan soaking in the sink).

Please be economical and turn off unnecessary lights and report immediately any faulty apparatus. Do notcontinue to use it. Never attempt electrical repairs yourself - not even rewiring a plug. The Safety at Work Actrequires that we test electrical fittings regularly. Do not remove labels attached to any apparatus or plug.

You will find cycle parking outside both buildings and elsewhere on campus, please keep cycles padlocked andpark tidily. ou must have personal insurance for them, as cycles, along with all other personal belongings, arenot insured by the UCL. They are not allowed anywhere inside the buildings.

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Insurance and PropertyUCL does not accept liability for any loss of students' personal property, however incurred, on any Collegeproperty (including halls of residence and student houses), in any examination hall or on UCL business. If youwish to insure your personal property against loss or damage, you should make your own arrangements to doso. It may be possible to extend house contents insurance to cover personal property, including bicycles.

All enquiries with regard to lost or found property should be made to the Security Office, http://www.ucl.ac.uk/estates/security/lost-property/ . Found property not claimed within two months is disposed of to local charityorganisations.

You should note that petty thieving is not uncommon, particularly in libraries, and that police authorities haveasked UCL to advise students not to leave personal property unattended, particularly handbags and jackets.No UCL equipment or other property may be removed from the premises without the formal written approvalby the DTP Director. UCL reserves the right to search any vehicle or item of baggage on entry or exit from UCLpremises.

UCL does not insure students either individually or as a group against accidents involving personal injury thatmight occur while you are on UCL premises or on site visits or field courses. You are responsible for obtainingyour own insurance against personal accident and/or illness as well as insurance to cover the loss or damage toyour personal effects. UCL does, however, carry a Public Liability Policy that indemnifies it against sums shouldit shall become legally liable to pay in the event of injury resulting from any negligence on the part of UCL or itsemployees world-wide.

Post is collected from G02 Pearson by messenger for delivery to other departments twice daily (no stampneeded). Collection for external despatch is approximately 2.30 pm. Incoming post is placed in thepostgraduate pigeonholes. We do not stamp your mail or sell stamps but you may place stamped mail in thecollection boxes. We do not wrap parcels or dispatch them. If you are expecting a parcel, please look out for iton (or under) the table by the pigeonholes. If a signature has been given please collect the item promptly fromthe office on being informed of its arrival. Business mail should be marked with your name; larger volumes willbe charged for by the Post Room.

Photocopiers are located in administrative offices on the ground floors. Please see Susan Hennessy to be givena code to use the photocopiers. As long as use is reasonable within the allocation on the code, you are notcharged for department copies. The Library operates a charging system for every copy. For departmentletterhead or compliments slips please see Marianne Knight. Please note that we do not provide any otherstationery items for you unless they are specialist purchases required and purchased through a studentshipaward.

Computer and IT facilitiesThe user ID and password issued to you on enrolment will provide access to a wide range of IT facilitiesprovided in departments, open-access PC workrooms and student residences. This includes an allocation ofyour own UCL email address and access to over 100 general and specialist software packages, using a securecentral filestore with automatic backup (see www.ucl.ac.uk/isd for more details). Before you start usingInformation Services, you must familiarize yourself with the IS Computing Regulations, which can be found at:http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/students/regulations

E-mail is used for communication throughout. We will normally use your @ucl.ac.uk account. It is important thatyou make adequate arrangements to access this account or ensure any forwarding arrangements are up todate. See http://www.ucl.ac.uk/is/email/#forward for assistance on doing this.

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Health & Safety

Individuals are legally responsible for their own safety and the safety of others affected by their work. Use ofdepartmental accommodation and facilities is conditional upon compliance with all safety standards and practices.The Department Safety Officer, Janet Hope, provides a full safety briefing to all new graduate students, directs allstudents to the online Departmental Safety pages including the Safety Policy for the Department http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/about-the-department/support-services/safety/ , the Safety in the field is vitally important.

Travel

You will find cycle parking outside both buildings and elsewhere on campus, please keep cycles padlocked andpark tidily. You must have personal insurance for them, as cycles, along with all other personal belongings, are notinsured by the UCL. They are not allowed anywhere inside the buildings.

UCL has a Group Travel Insurance Policy that will insure UCL employees and students normally resident in the UKundertaking trips on UCL business outside the United Kingdom: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/secure/fin_acc/Prtravel.htm To be covered under it a notification form must be completed for each occasion and submitted toFinance Division preferably at least a week before travel is due to start. This form must be signed by an authorizedsignatory of the department: Marianne Knight or Mark Maslin.

When travelling to European Union countries it is recommended that you carry a European Health Insurance Card(EHIC) which allows you to have reduced medical treatment in an emergency. You can apply online at: http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/Healthcareabroad/pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx

Fire alarms

The fire alarm is tested in Pearson Building every Thursday at 09:00. Fire drills are conducted at least annually.When you hear the alarm, close all windows, leave the building and move well clear of the building to theassembly point indicated by Fire Marshalls. You must participate in any fire drill. Fire doors must not be proppedopen.

All accidents or incidents (near-misses), even if minor or apparently trivial, must be reported to UCL via the SafetyOfficer. In ANY emergency, including notification of anything that appears suspicious, you should call 222 on theInternal Telephone system to be put through to the Security Centre who will arrange the necessary assistanceincluding calling the emergency services.

CONTACT DETAILS

Mark MaslinNERC DTP Director

email: [email protected]: 0207 679 0556

Kevin FowlerNERC DTP Deputy Director

email: [email protected]: 0207 679 2279

http://www.london-nerc-dtp.org

@London_NERC_DTP

www.facebook.com/LondonNERCDTP

Marianne KnightNERC DTP Coordinator

email: [email protected]: 0207 679 0534

Claire AsherNERC DTP Innovation Officer

email: [email protected]: 020 7679 0534

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Useful Links

This document will be updated as more information becomes available so please check theonline version on the website regularly. Important updates will also be emailed directly toyou as well updated here.

Please ensure you also familiarise yourself with the information for Research Studentsprovided by the Registrar’s Division and the UCL Graduate School:

Academic Regulations and Procedures for Research Degrees [Grey Book]http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/acd_regs

The Code of Practice for Graduate Research Degreeshttp://www.grad.ucl.ac.uk/codes/All students should read this document.

The following can be found on the London NERC DTP website:

• NERC Handbook:http://london-nerc-dtp.org/2014/05/01/nerc-studentships-handbook-201516/

• RCUK Terms & Conditions:http://london-nerc-dtp.org/2014/05/01/rcuk-terms-and-conditions-201516/

• Skills Training:http://london-nerc-dtp.org/2014/05/01/skills-training-requirements/

• Stipend & Indicative Fees:http://london-nerc-dtp.org/2014/05/01/stipend-levels-indicative-fees/

• Disability Students’ Allowances:http://london-nerc-dtp.org/2014/05/01/disabled-students-allowances/

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The London NERC DTP

UCL, Pearson Building

Gower Street

London, WC1E 6BT

http://www.london-nerc-dtp.org/