A PhD involves not only undertaking a major research project, but also the acquisition of skills to prepare students for a future career in scientific research, industrial R&D or commerce.
Open University research students undertake a wide range of training centred on a new Science Faculty course 'STM895 Research Skills', fully compliant with the Research Councils' Joint Skills Statement. It is web-based and has the aim of enabling students to understand the requirements of a research degree, supporting students through the various stages of the PhD process, and preparing students to continue with a scientific career in either industry or academia. The course is split into three main sections, reflecting the different phases of a PhD: Orientation, Investigation and Discourse. Throughout the course, students continually build up an on-line e-Portfolio of their work which includes a record of their attendance and performance on subject-specific training and other faculty-wide or university-wide training courses (e.g. health and safety, IT, information resources). These sections are jointly accessible by the students' supervisors, and allow the students' progress to be monitored, assessed, and validated at each stage.
PhD students are required to present their work formally to other members of the department each year. In the first year presentations are made on progress on their own projects (June/July) and departmental seminars. An annual CESPAR postgraduate colloquium is held for second and third year students to present their work to a wider audience. Writing skills are developed through iteration of first month and first year progress reports.
Most students within PSSRI become members of the professional societies dedicated to meteoritics (Meteoritical Society) and/or Astronomy and Geophysics (The Royal Astronomical Society). PSSRI students would expect to go to a minimum of two annual meetings of the Meteoritical Society or international planetary science conferences during their Ph.D. Attendance at such a conference in the first year exposes students to the wider international community during the early stages of their research. An oral or poster presentation is normally a condition for release of funds for attendance at subsequent conferences - it is expected that the students will write their own material. The peer appraisal and guidance that accompanies attendance at international meetings is a vital part of the students' training programme.
The department encourages students to develop broader skills (as long as their research progress is good) in a number of ways. Students may seek employment as "demonstrators'' teaching at OU Physics and Astronomy residential schools, and on an ad hoc basis to provide input and testing of teaching materials under development. Many students become involved with local schools and societies and give general talks to non-specialist audiences as well as supporting exhibitions, both locally and nationally. Students are encouraged to particpate in external courses and activities such as the STFC summer schools for new students, the UK GRAD programme and Exploring Entrepreneurship.
In addition to the formal training programme, students within PSSRI acquire a range of skills during the course of their projects which are of great value for future careers in industry or academic research. Examples are: the ability to work to strict deadlines (e.g. for space experiment reviews, mission launches or encounters, telescope or facility scheduling); interaction with industrial representatives; working in large international teams (space experiments involve large collaborations, both in the development and construction stages and during data and sample analysis); access to or experience of major international facilities and organisations.
