University showcases postgraduate student success

The University of Otago’s second Graduate Research Month kicks off next week and promises to be even bigger and brighter than the inaugural event in 2010.

Graduate Research Services Director Dr Charles Tustin says Graduate Research Month, which runs for the month of August, offers support for and a celebration of postgraduate students and the important role they play at the University.

“Postgraduate students make an enormous and enthusiastic contribution to the University’s research effort,” says Dr Tustin. “They provide inspiration for research, challenge ideas, and collaborate with supervisors to create new knowledge and discoveries. Otago is fortunate to have a growing community of these energetic students who also act as role models for undergraduate students.”

This year’s calendar includes workshops and seminars for postgraduate students, staff, and members of the public in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as well as the Dunedin campus. Postgraduate information nights for prospective students will be held in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Dr Tustin says the University is particularly delighted this year to welcome international speaker, educator, and researcher Hugh Kearns, who will offer two motivational workshops for thesis students, ‘Turbocharge your Writing’ and ‘The Seven Secrets of Highly Successful Research Students’.

A consultant at the Professional Development Unit at Flinders University in Australia, and frequent visitor to universities around the world, Mr Kearns specialises in selfmanagement, positive psychology, work-life balance and learning and creativity. He uses psychology to assist high-performing students, researchers and health professionals. His research interests include time and workload management, personal leadership and self-sabotage.

Another first for the annual event is New Zealand’s first official University-run Twitter conference. This all-day event enables thesis candidates to explain their research to other thesis candidates in no more than six, numbered tweets and to give and receive feedback on their topic.

Other Graduate Research Month events include the return of the popular Three Minute Thesis Competition, in which competing students must summarise their thesis research into an entertaining and informative three minute presentation. The final of this event, on 31 August, is open to members of the public.

There will also be presentations designed to showcase the services that Otago offers postgraduate students, and opportunities for students to socialise.

In 2010 the University of Otago had 4166 postgraduate students, including those enrolled at its campuses in Wellington and Christchurch and others enrolled as distance students. These included 1324 doctoral candidates, 1185 enrolments at Master’s level and 1657 students enrolled in postgraduate diplomas and certificates.

A complete calendar of Graduate Research Month events is available at: www.otago.ac.nz/gradresearchmonth/