Research Training

NERC DTP student training:

Panorama will offer outstanding training opportunities to excellent NERC DTP students from all backgrounds to address real-life environmental questions. As a result, PhD graduates will be prepared for careers leading the environmental industry, government, academia and beyond. Our DTP is supported by Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE) partnerships with more than 40 companies (e.g. Yorkshire Water, Arup, Mott MacDonald, Syngenta, Ørsted), charities (e.g. Natural History Museum, FrogLife, Friends of the Earth), research institutions (e.g. CEH, NCAS) and government agencies (e.g. Natural England, DEFRA, Environment Agency).

Our cohort-based training is divided into specific development themes:

1. Personal Development
2. Transferrable Skills
3. Communication
4. Technical/Academic skills
5. Careers
6. Wellbeing

Our multidisciplinary programme focusses on a broad range of skills valuable to all PhD students, regardless of field of study. Subject-specific training is delivered through bespoke training, industrial partners, departmental/university training and individualised training tailored to the student’s skill set.

The key principles of our NERC DTP student training programme are to:

• Equip DTP students with the skills and knowledge for leadership in a 21st century workforce.
• Provide optimum career prospects to all students through training provision, expertise, leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Embed industrial and end-user partners within the training programmes to inform and provide relevance.
• Develop a cohort of motivated and independent early career researchers who will become the next generation of environmental scientists working in relevant research areas and supporting the UK industrial strategy, NERC delivery plan 2016-2020, Conservation 21, and the 25-year Environment Plan.

Career planning is embedded throughout the whole programme, starting from the induction that includes a career event with alumni, existing students and selected industry partners. Our representative training programme (see table below) comprises cohort-wide development events to support the individualized training that will be informed through a training needs analysis (TNA). From the results of the TNA, the individual student’s training needs will be agreed in discussion with the details with the supervisory team and will be revisited at annual meetings at the beginning of the academic year. The training is by DTP academic staff, university training staff, industry and external providers.

Representative training programme (for 23/24 academic year):

*The Programme Residential Induction generally takes the form of a structured 4-day residential session at the beginning of the programme within a local national park. This event includes an introduction to the DTP, sessions focussing on wellbeing and professional development, and activities exploring the local area including: walking, hiking, and for those who like something more adventurous, something like caving/kayaking (weather permitting!) The induction is all-inclusive, so there is no need to worry about equipment or specialised clothing, and catered to all abilities. There is also be plenty of time for socialising and getting to know other PhD students in the cohort.