This year's 3rd year PhD symposium took place on 1st July 2014.
The symposium involved 38 PhD students, and graduate students from other years also attended, along with members of staff - some acting as session Chairs and Judges. Given the number of students presenting this year, the symposium operated as two parallel sessions (in the Hopkins and Sanger Buildings) with students presenting their work in short talks of 12 minutes plus 3 minutes for questions. The presentations were judged by two panels of staff and the two best presentations from each parallel session were selected to go forward to a final, held in the Sanger lecture theatre, where the four students presented their work again, but to a combined audience and a different set of Judges. The general standard was very high indeed, reflecting the impressive scientific caliber of our students, while also demonstrating the exceptional quality and diversity of science conducted in the Department. The final judging panel decided that the prizes should go to:
- 1st Place: Natasha Clayton
- 2nd Place: Jérémie Le Pen
- 3rd Place: Aline Simon
- 4th Place: Moyra Lawrence
After the symposium the presenting students and some Judges/session Chairs were invited to a 'pizza and drinks' reception in the Richard Perham Seminar Room, where the prize winners were announced and the certificates presented.
The short talk structure to this year's symposium was a new venture and the value of this kind of symposium format for future 3rd year symposia will be considered further by the Postgraduate Committee.
Thanks go to all the students who presented this year, and to the students, postdocs and staff members who attended (and those who acted as Chairs and Judges). Administrative and secretarial support from Christine Thulborn, Chris Green, Julie Boucher, Clova, Janet and others is very much appreciated in helping to make the symposium run smoothly.