2015 postgraduate colloquium

Posted 4 December 2015

The 2015 colloquium for PhD and MPhil students at Harper Adams University saw more than 20 researchers present their work to their peers.

Over lunch, 12 also presented posters of their work, giving staff and student colleagues the chance to discuss it in an informal environment.

Professor Peter Kettlewell, research coordinator at the university, said: “Changing for the better the way people do things is increasingly important to show value from research. Oral communication of research results is a crucial first step towards this, and the Colloquium offers an ideal opportunity for the research students to practise their oral communication skills before giving presentations to a professional audience.

“It also is a great way for them to learn from each other about different approaches to tackling problems, and to get to know what else is happening in the Harper research community.”

Following a welcome speech by Professor Kettlewell, the students themselves ran the colloquium, taking turns to chair sessions covering animal sciences, crop sciences, agriculture in wide society, engineering and technology and agroecology.

Closing remarks were provided by colloquium organisers Bethan Till and Jordan Ryder.

Jordan said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for the first years to practise presentation skills in a friendly environment and expand presentation styles.

“It also was an amazing opportunity to catch up with colloquies not based on campus and see the diversity of research conducted at Harper.

“Beth and I feel it went very well and ran smoothly, and we look forward to attending next year. An overall tiring but rewarding day.”