| Unit name | Aerosol Science: Environment and Communication |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CHEMM0044 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Mrs. Kuh |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
Core Aerosol Science I |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Chemistry |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will support you to consider the broader implications of your PhD research, the range of stakeholders who may be affected by it, and opportunities for engagement and collaboration, helping you to broaden the impact, inclusivity and reach of your work.
You will further develop your proposed PhD research project under the guidance of your supervisor, equipping you with a clear vision of the research framework that you will implement in the next phase of your PhD.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
Building on knowledge gained in Core Aerosol Science I and II, this unit plays a critical role in the development of your PhD research project, as well as your development as a professional, inclusive researcher. You will develop key transferable skills such as project management, the ability to communicate with different audiences, an awareness of tools to build inclusive research environments, and an openness to new experiences and ideas.
An overview of content
This unit will provide training in research methodology, engagement skills, and inclusive research environments, with an emphasis on training relevant to aerosol science. Specific training includes:
1. Home institution visits to engage with your PhD project
2. PhD project development sessions
3. Responsible Research and Innovation (RR&I)
4. Public Engagement
5. Inclusive Research Practice
6. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I)
7. Environmental Sustainability & nature connectedness
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Researching your PhD project area and delivering a project development session will give you detailed knowledge of your research field and the place your PhD occupies within it. Through reflecting on the intersection of your work with a range of considerations (e.g., political, societal, environmental), you will acquire the tools to design a scheme of work in which all these elements are embedded, developing the agility and openness to respond to new opportunities and challenges.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:
1. Independently design experiments/models, synthesising new approaches as required.
2. Identify the economic, manufacturing, environmental, political, ethical, social, safety, and sustainability considerations involved in their research, and address these when designing a scheme of work.
3. Apply professional and ethical values in their work, manage ethical dilemmas and support positive culture change.
4. Build effective relationships with a range of audiences by identifying relevant stakeholders, seeking to understand and be shaped by their viewpoints, participating in dialogue, and understanding and influencing decision making processes.
This unit will be taught through a mixture of conventional didactic approaches (lectures, seminars and webinars), interactive workshops, co-operative learning approaches, engaged learning projects, self-study resources, and practical sessions. Some learning will happen off-site in community venues and natural environments relevant to the topic of study. There will be an emphasis on reflective and discursive learning, where you will explore what the different taught elements mean in the context of your own research and professional practice and engage in discussions with your peers. You will be supported in the development of your refined PhD Research Proposal by your PhD supervisor and research group, as well as the cohort more broadly through your delivery of a project development session. There will be opportunities for you to engage with different stakeholders relevant to your project through e.g., RR&I and public engagement activities.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
You will have a timetabled visit to your home institution to meet with your PhD supervisor in Teaching Blocks 1 and 2, providing you with the opportunity to spend time discussing your project and ideas with them. At the beginning of Teaching Block 2 you will prepare and deliver a project development session to the rest of the cohort, outlining the premise of your PhD research, the techniques you will use, and your intended research goals. You will receive formative feedback on this session from the academic team and your cohort peers, allowing you to further shape and refine your ideas. You will also be able to seek advice and guidance from the facilitators at each training session. Throughout the unit you will keep a reflective diary, with writing prompts given in sessions, that will support the writing of your final reflective report.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
At the end of Teaching Block 2, you will submit: i) a refined PhD Research Proposal written in the form of a journal manuscript (60% of assessed mark), ii) a poster, which you will present to the academic assessors and the rest of the cohort (30% of assessed mark), and iii) a short reflective report considering how all the aspects taught within the unit (i.e., RR&I, sustainability, ED&I and inclusive practice) intersect with your specific PhD project (10% of assessed mark).
When assessment does not go to plan
If you are unable to submit your project proposal, poster or reflective report by the deadline because of exceptional circumstances, you will be granted a limited extension. In the case of academic failure, opportunities to re-sit will be according to University of Bristol regulations. Re-assessment would take the same form as the original assessment, i.e., a written research proposal, poster and reflective report.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CHEMM0044).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
