Colloquium participant Malatsi Galani (supervisors Dr Ping Yu, Profes...
Guest speaker Kim Callaway at the colloquium
Head of SISAT, Associate Professor Linda Dawson
SISAT’s Head of Postgraduate Studies, Associate Professor Peter Hyland
Students and staff at the colloquium
Students hone their skills at SISAT Colloquium
Faculty of Informatics PhD candidates in the School of Information Systems and Technology (SISAT) had the opportunity to hone their presentation skills at a recent Research Student Colloquium held at the City Beach Function Centre.
The event also provided an opportunity for the students to present an outline of their research work.
The colloquium was initiated last year as part of an ongoing research training program in the school.
Second-year research students had the opportunity to present and gain feedback on their projects while academics spoke about common issues for students. Students, supervisors and academics were encouraged to talk about their experiences and offer advice about the common challenges higher degree research creates.
Head of School, Associate Professor Linda Dawson, presented a talk on "Hints for successfully completing a research project" and a prize was offered for the best presentation on the day as judged by senior researchers from the school. The judging panel included SISAT Higher Degree Research Co-ordinator Associate Professor Peter Hyland, Centre for Business and Social Innovation Director, Associate Professor Rajeev Sharma and newly-appointed Senior Research Professor of IT Management and Innovation, Professor Karlheinz Kautz who has recently joined the School from the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark.
“Completing a PhD degree is often a solitary process," Professor Dawson said.
"We have created a typical conference style environment where students present their work to other students and academics for comment and advice. These ‘fresh eyes’ can help students understand and address the research problems they may face."
The forum also prepares students for attendance at national and international conferences throughout the remainder of their studies. Guest speaker, Director of the Research Student Centre, Kim Callaway, also provided insights into the PhD process and Intellectual Property issues.
