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University of Aberdeen

School of Geosciences

Postgraduate Research Students

Procedural Guide and Handbook

Academic session 2012-2013

November2012

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University of Aberdeen

School of Geosciences

Introduction

Postgraduate research students are an important and highly valued element in the School of

Geosciences. They may be registered for Higher Degrees in the School‟s constituent

disciplines: Geography and Environment (including Marine and Coastal Resource

Management); Geology and Petroleum Geology; Spatial Planning and Rural Surveying; and

Archaeology. It may be difficult to appreciate this with a demanding supervisor and a

seemingly never ending body of literature to be read! Research can be a solitary, and

sometimes a lonely process, which is why support from the research community within the

School, both staff and students, contributes significantly to successful completion of a

research degree.

In terms if its relationship with postgraduates, the School‟s goals are:

to promote the expertise and professional development of every postgraduate research student

to encourage their full integration into the life of the School

Professional development is achieved primarily through the evolution of one‟s research.

Initially this development is likely to be focused around interaction with supervisors but as

your research develops further professional development will be gained through association

with more advanced researchers both within and outwith the School. Postgraduates are

encouraged to affiliate themselves with relevant professional and research organisations and

to participate in conferences and other research activities taking place outwith the University

of Aberdeen. Professional development is also fostered by completing a programme of

generic skills training. It is expected that research students undertake some (paid) part-time

teaching as demonstrators and tutors for undergraduate courses during the course of their

students. Formal training for these duties is provided by the University.

The integration of research students into the administrative structure of the School is achieved

via the School Postgraduate Committee, a forum whereby postgraduates may bring relevant

matters to the attention of relevant staff via the research student representative. In addition,

separate Student-Staff Liaison Committees are held for the research students in St Mary‟ and

Meston.

We hope that you feel at home and have a successful and enjoyable research career in the

School.

Prof Chris Soulsby

Head of Geosciences School

October 2012

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Contents

Page no.

1. Introduction to postgraduate study and the nature of PhD., M.Phil. and M.Sc.

by research theses.

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2. Research activity within the School

(2.1). Research in Geography and Environment

(2.2). Research in Geology

(2.3) Research in Archaeology

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3. Staff and their research interests

(3.1) Archaeology

(3.2) Geography and Environment

(3.3) Geology and Petroleum Geology

(3.4) Administrative and Technical Staff

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4. Current research students

(4.1) Research students in Archaeology

(4.2) Research students in Geography and Environment

(4.3) Research students in Geology and Petroleum Geology

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5. Overview of the management of postgraduate research

(5.1) University and College of Physical Sciences management of postgraduate

research (including changes to terms of study, attendance, illness, absence and

holidays) (5.1.1) College of Physical Sciences Postgraduate Research Student Progress monitoring

(5.2) School based management of postgraduate research (5.2.1) Student staff liaison committees and postgraduate research student representation on

School and College committees

(5.3) Discipline specific management of postgraduate research (5.3.1) Human Geography research students: transfer from MRes to MPhil or PhD

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6. School of Geosciences Postgraduate Research Students progression

arrangements

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7. Postgraduate Research Students, Research Training and Personal and

Professional Development (PDPs)

(7.1) The Researcher Development Framework

(7.2) Personal and Professional Development Courses offered by the Institution

(7.3)Postgraduate Research Training for Human Geographers

(7.4) Advanced Research Training (departmental seminars, presentations and

conferences, teaching experience and language skills)

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8. Part-time teaching opportunities 34

9. Facilities for postgraduate research students

(9.1) Facilities in St Mary‟s and the Meston building

(9.2) Central University Support services for postgraduate research students

(9.3) Facilities for students with a disability

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10. Postgraduate research students and the wider academic community 41

11. Safety in the field

(11.1) Health and Safety guidance

(11.2) Conducting research away from Aberdeen

(11.3) Overseas students returning home or leaving the UK to conduct fieldwork

(11.4) Tier 4

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12. Research Ethics 44

13. Expenses and benefits 47

Appendix I: Postgraduate Structured Management Framework 48

Appendix 2: University of Aberdeen Code of Practice: Postgraduate Research

Students

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Appendix 3: University Codes and Policies of relevance to Postgraduate Research

Students

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Appendix 4: University of Aberdeen Research Ethics Framework 51

Appendix 5: University of Aberdeen Guidelines on Good Research Practice and

Statement on the Handling of Allegations of Research Misconduct

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Appendix 6: University of Aberdeen Guidelines on keeping of research records 63

Appendix 7: The Social Research Association‟s Code of Practice for the Safety of

Social Researchers

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1. Introduction to postgraduate study and the nature of PhD., M.Phil. and M.Sc. by research theses.

The School of Geosciences, comprising the disciplines of Geography and Environment,

Geology and Petroleum Geology, Spatial Planning and Rural Surveying and Archaeology,

places great value on the contribution made to the School by our postgraduates both in

scientific and social matters.

Postgraduate research is very demanding of time and resources, both on the part of the

students and on the part of the School and its staff, so we want to maximise the benefits that

return on both sides. For students it is important that they receive commitment from the

School and high quality guidance in scientific and procedural matters, and that after their

studies are completed they leave Aberdeen having obtained both a valuable qualification and

skills training that will stand them in good stead for their future career. For the School and its

staff it is important that we have the commitment of our students and retain a reputation for

efficient output of top quality and motivated graduates, and that we continue to attract highly

capable applicants to our postgraduate school.

We place a high priority on ensuring that the research undertaken by research students meets

high academic standards and meets the requirements and expected standards of our clients,

sponsors and grant-awarding bodies. It is important that research work conducted in the

School is completed to a high standard and finished on time.

Research students in the School may undertake the following degrees: Master of Science by

research – MSc by research (12 months full-time/ 24 months part-time); Master of Philosophy

– MPhil (24 months full-time/ 48 months part-time) or Doctor of Philosophy – PhD (36

months full-time/ 60 months part-time. The requirements of those three different research

degrees are outlined below.

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What is a PhD Thesis?

The PhD thesis is the culmination of 36 months full-time (or 60 months part time) research..

The thesis has a form of presentation different from that of a published paper or review. The

author of a thesis is, among other things, proving that he or she can conduct research, is

capable of independent and critical thought, and can see the work in relation to the work of

others.

A candidate for the degree of PhD. should demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the

most current literature directly relevant to the topic as well as in related areas of significance.

S/he should demonstrate the capacity to make objective judgements and to show how her/his

work relates to the work of others in the same field. The reference list must be full, up-to-date

and accurate. Crucially the thesis should contain a "significant contribution to knowledge"

but there are no hard and fast criteria to assess this. A good way of gauging this is the extent

to which the thesis is publishable. Normally a satisfactory PhD thesis might be expected to

form the basis for one or more articles in recognised refereed research journals or perhaps a

monograph which might be produced by a specialist publisher. If the findings presented in

the thesis have been recently superceded in the literature, the candidate is expected to justify

their presentation. It is good practice to organise the presentation of data in the thesis with

publication in mind.

A thesis is always expected to display a satisfactory degree of originality. For example, a

candidate may have posed an important new problem or have addressed an existing problem

in a novel and useful way (e.g. using an innovative methodological approach). The research

for the thesis may have investigated previously-ignored material, or offered new significant

and insights about issues which have been examined by other researchers. A candidate may

have developed new techniques for investigating issues, or may have applied appropriate

techniques to a new set of problems. Replications of previous investigations would be

acceptable provided they incorporate important new elements in the design or execution of

the investigation.

At the same time it is recognised that completing a PhD study involves being trained to be a

researcher. The PhD thesis is not expected to result in a definitive monograph on the topic,

exhaustive both to the author and examiners.

What is an M.Sc.*/M.Phil. thesis?

The M.Sc. and M.Phil. degrees by research require shorter periods of study than a Ph.D. (12

months full-time / 24 months part time and 24 months full-time / 48 months part-time

respectively) and the submission of a shorter thesis. The actual standard of the work

presented in the thesis should, however, be comparable to Ph.D. Although the depth or

breadth of the coverage might be less than expected for a Ph.D., most of the qualitative

criteria for a Ph.D. apply to the M.Sc. and M. Phil. Originality and publishability are

important, and many M.Sc./M.Phil. theses have direct applicability since they are focused on

a narrowly defined topic. The essential requirements for these degrees are that they address

themselves in a disciplined manner to a specific topic, theme or phenomenon; they comprise a

thorough, well researched, mature and original treatment and represent between one and two

years postgraduate study.

*An M.Sc. degree can be based upon a prescribed course linked to an independent thesis, or

can be based upon a thesis alone, the latter being referred to as an MSc by research and for

which the comments above apply.

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Plagiarism:

Your attention is drawn to the University statement on plagiarism, which is defined in the

Academic Quality Handbook under Code of Practice on Student Discipline (2.1.1.h) as

follows:

(h) Plagiarism. Plagiarism is the use, without adequate acknowledgement, of the

intellectual work of another person in work submitted for assessment. A student cannot

be found to have committed plagiarism where it can be shown that the student has taken

all reasonable care to avoid representing the work of others as his or her own.

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2. The School of Geosciences and Research Activity

The School of Geosciences is part of the College of Physical Sciences and occupies most of

the St Mary‟s Building and part of the Meston Building. At present the School comprises

three disciplines: Geography and Environment, Geology and Petroleum Geology, and Rural

Surveying and Archaeology.

2.1 Research in Geography and Environment

Staff and students in Geography & Environment undertake research of international

relevance. Current research is being conducted across mainland Europe, in Greenland and in

Southern Africa. Our work also focuses on topics closer to home: among our greatest

research assets is the rich variety of our physical and social environment. The complex

evolution of Aberdeen's mountainous surroundings, the mobility issues generated by its large

rural hinterland, and the dynamism of Europe's self-proclaimed "Energy Capital" form an

inspiring backdrop for geographers.

Our research is broadly organized into two research themes.

Human Geography

The Human Geography Research Group at the University of Aberdeen comprises an active

group of doctoral, post-doctoral and established academic researchers. We have been very

successful in securing external grant income, producing high profile research outputs,

influencing public policy development and engaging with stakeholder groups. Ongoing and

recently completed research has been funded by Research Councils UK (ESRC, EPSRC, etc.),

Government Departments and various local authorities, and charitable organisations. Our

research is inherently interdisciplinary, which we regard as a strength of the Human

Geography Research Group, and coalesces around four cross-cutting themes: rural and urban

transformations; sustainabilities; local – global politics of scale, and governance. These

themes are explored within three broad areas of activity, namely nature, culture and

livelihoods; transport and mobilites; and development, politics and social justice.

Group members are integral to the success of high profile, interdisciplinary research

initiatives including:

The Rural Digital Economy Hub is one of three multi-million pound Research

Council-funded research nodes. It involves all the Human Geography academic staff

including the director (John Farrington) and other staff who variously supervise the

work of a number of research fellows and research students. The dot.rural Hub

brought some 60 new appointments to Aberdeen University and is designed to have a

transformative impact on the capacity of rural communities, business and agencies to

engage with and utilise existing and emerging digital technologies across four major

research themes: „Healthcare‟, „Accessibility and Mobilities‟, „Enterprise and

Culture‟ and „Natural Resource Conservation‟ with each theme based on exemplar

projects implemented UK wide.

Geography and Environment hosts the Centre for Transport Research (CTR) which is

supported by a major funding partnership with the world‟s largest transport provider,

FirstGroup. CTR‟s research focuses on three broad themes: Transport, Energy and

Environment, Transport and Society and Transport and the Digital Economy.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/dp/NCL.phphttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/dp/NCL.phphttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/dp/TM.phphttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/dp/DPSJ.phphttp://www.dotrural.ac.uk/http://www.abdn.ac.uk/ctr/

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Environmental processes and change

This research cluster focuses upon a wide range of themes which are encompassed within its

two sub-groups of Environmental Processes and Environmental Change. Personnel in both

sub-groups are involved in a number of joint projects with other universities and research

institutions. Research is funded by a range of external sources, including NERC, and

members of the research cluster have successfully competed for well over £1 million in grants

and contracts since 1995. Research work has been widely disseminated in over 100 refereed

papers during the same time period. The research cluster comprises two themes:

Research within the Environmental Processes sub group has a particular commitment to field

and modelling studies in catchment hydrology and glaciology. In addition to research in

process hydrology, studies have focused on catchment hydrochemistry, groundwater-surface

water interactions and hydroecology. The group has a strong record in competing for major

grant funding (including NERC, Leverhulme Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage). There is

extensive collaboration with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), the Scottish

Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) the Macaulay Land Use Research

Institute (MLURI), the Freshwater Laboratory (FL), as well as numerous universities in the

UK, North America and Europe.

Research within the Environmental Change sub group is concentrated on palaeoecology,

glacial geomorphology, environmental archaeology and luminescence dating. With a

particular focus on Scotland, the North Atlantic area and South America, the group has been

successful in attracting funds from bodies such as NERC, AHRB, the Royal Society, the

Leverhulme Trust, Historic Scotland and Shetland Amenity Trust. Methodological and

empirical investigations of pollen-based palaeoecology, especially involving long-term

human impacts upon the environment and climate change, have concentrated on sites in The

Inner and Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, eastern Scotland, the Faroe Islands and

Iceland. Much of this is collaborative interdisciplinary work involving tephrochronology,

palaeoentomology, sedimentology, radiocarbon-dating and isotope geochemistry. Ongoing

research is studying the links between glacier drainage systems, sediment transfer processes

and moraine formation has involved the application of conceptual models to field sites in

Iceland. Refinement of existing models of glaciated valley land-systems includes comparative

studies of glaciers in Iceland, the Arctic and the Alps. New research is testing alternative

hypotheses of basal ice formation linked to glacier hydrology. The Departmental

luminescence laboratory has been involved in the furtherance of Quaternary studies in the

Andes of Ecuador and the Chilean Lake District, as well as collaboration work on

investigations in the Middle East and Namibia

Postgraduate research students in Geography and Environment are encouraged to

affiliate themselves to a research theme, probably that of their lead supervisor.

Further details about the research clusters may be found at

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/

2.2 Research in Geology and Petroleum Geology

The discipline of Geology and Petroleum Geology at Aberdeen University is committed to

being an international centre for Petroleum Geoscience research and training. More than 80%

of research funding is industry generated, and our BSc and MSc graduate employment record

is one of the best in the country.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/epc/index.php#Envprohttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/epc/index.php#Envchahttp://www.mluri.sari.ac.uk/http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geography/research/

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The University of Aberdeen has a long and well-established reputation for Geology teaching

and research, offering a full range of undergraduate courses, coupled with postgraduate

training through taught courses and by research. We carry out research in a wide range of

geological fields; much of it applied to the petroleum industry, as befits a department located

in the "Oil Capital of Europe".

There are seven specific research themes:

Sediment Flux, Climate Change and Tectonics

Tectonics and Structural Geology

Mobile Substrates and Sedimentation

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Deep-water Frontiers

Geofluids and Porous Media

Meteorite Impacts and Astrobiology.

International Research and Training

Extending our horizons beyond the North Sea to worldwide petroleum basins has led to the

forging of links with numerous companies and institutions abroad. Initiatives involve

governmental, research and multinational commercial organisations in Nigeria, Australia,

Algeria, the Falkland Islands, the former Soviet Union, China and the Middle East, all

contributing a flow of postgraduate and postdoctoral posts.

Maintaining a Broad Research Base

Despite the petroleum focus, maintaining a broad research and training base continues as a

key objective. Metallogenesis and mineral exploration are important, and mineral

geochemistry provides a valuable interdisciplinary link into petroleum research. Igneous

petrogenesis, and geodynamics in relation to subduction and orogenesis, are growth areas.

Palaeoenvironmental and palaeontological studies remain an important research theme.

Geology and Petroleum Geology houses extensive collections of minerals (c. 10,000), rocks

(c. 9,000) and fossils (c. 12,000).

Our Geoscience research is inherently process-based, multi-disciplinary and international. We

support a vibrant and active postgraduate research programme at PhD level, and pride

ourselves on the quality of the research training. There are five specific research themes -

climate change, tectonics and sediment flux; terrestrial ecosystems; deep-water frontiers;

geofluids and porous media; and meteorite impacts and astrobiology. Within these themes,

there are several active research groups which provide a focus for research students, post-

doctoral researchers and funding opportunities.

2.3 Research in Archaeology

Founded in 2007, the discipline of Archaeology is the newest in the University. Currently

comprising five members of academic staff (with new appointments pending), the focus of

research activity is the “Archaeology of the North”. Archaeology at Aberdeen builds on the

existing strengths within the University in Geography and Anthropology in particular,

focusing on Archaeology within northern Scotland, northern Europe, the USA and Siberia.

This approach is unique within the United Kingdom - it draws on the diverse archaeological

resources within the region, and research activities ongoing within the University.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geology/research/r_themes/sgt.phphttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geology/research/r_themes/mss.phphttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geology/research/r_themes/gpm.php

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Popular perception holds that if the 'cradle of civilization' was nurtured in warm southern

climes, then the north was little more than a frozen wasteland. Such caricatures, of course, are

hard to support when we consider the almost infinite and varied evidence of the human

condition in the northern world. While often living in environments which could be less than

favourable and even hostile, northern peoples were anything but more primitive versions of

those farther south. Through complex histories of colonization, local innovation and cultural

contact, the northern world developed an astonishing range of prehistoric and historic social

and cultural forms; from ancient Siberian populations to the Picts of the Scottish highlands

and from the hunter-fisher-gatherers of the North Pacific to the Vikings of Scandinavia.

Within this broadly defined region, research in the department is organized along four

interlocking themes:

Human interactions with northern environments - how did individuals and communities adapt to, understand and transform the landscapes they moved and acted in?

Material culture, technology and vernacular architecture - how and why did new

kinds of objects, technologies and built structures emerge from, and spread into, the

societies of the northern world?

The northern mind - how do past and present societies in the north perceive and

understand the world, how do they define themselves in it, and how do they express their

beliefs and identities?

Interactions between northern populations - how far did diasporas, colonisations and

inter-community contacts define the long-term culture history of the northern world?

At a time when the contemporary world is beginning to cast its eyes northward in search of

ever diminishing natural resources, Aberdeen is at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of

our understanding of northern cultural diversity both in the past and present.

Aberdeen is at the heart of a region that is amongst the richest in the UK in terms of sites of

outstanding archaeological interest and it is in close proximity to the World Heritage Sites in

Orkney. The University's Marischal Museum has gained a prominent reputation in the

archaeological world, with its substantial archaeological collections, conservation laboratory,

exhibitions and lecture programme.

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3. Staff in the School of Geosciences

The School of Geosciences employs 70 members of staff: 40 academic staff; 11 research

staff; 8 administrative staff; and 12 technical staff. The School is divided into four units for

teaching purposes, namely, Geography and Environment (incorporating Marine and Coastal

Resource Management), Spatial Planning and Rural Surveying, Geology and Petroleum

Geology and the recently formed discipline of Archaeology

3.1 Staff in Archaeology

Current academic staff in Archaeology

Kate Britton Lecturer

The use of stable isotope analysis for the reconstruction of past diets, movements, and

environments. Relationship between life-time behaviours, diets and movements, and the

stable isotope chemistry of body tissues. Use of multi-isotope systems (δ13

C, δ15

N, δ18

O, δ34

S, 87

Sr/86

Sr) and the reconstruction of individual isotopic histories, focusing on the interaction

between humans and animals.

Thomas Cucchi Lecturer (part-time)

Biogeographic and evolutive process behind the origin and diffusion of commensals and

domestic species during the Holocene.

Keith Dobney Sixth Century Professor

Zooarchaeology. Bioarchaeological research in Britain, the Middle East, Central Asia and

Central America, and since 2000 international collaborative research in East Asia and

Oceania. The study of animal and human remains involving traditional and novel techniques

and approaches.

Sally Foster lecturer

Scottish prehistory; the Picts and their north European neighbours; new and creative ways of

telling stories from carved stone monuments, especially European early medieval sculpture;

biographical approaches to material culture; historiography of international approaches to the

understanding, protection, conservation, display and interpretation of carved stones in general

(notably prehistoric rock art, early medieval sculpture, graveyards and gravestones); heritage

management, particularly in relation to archaeological sites and landscapes; expressions of

regionality in the early medieval church in Scotland, its prehistoric foundations, the nature

and trajectory of external contacts and how these came together in local expressions of

Christian practice

Peter Jordan Reader and Head of Discipline

Archaeology and anthropology of circumpolar hunter gatherers; landscape archaeology;

material culture studies. Regions: Northern Eurasia (Fennoscandia, Siberia) and the North

Pacific Rim (Russia Far East; Northwest Coast). Specialist interest: sacred landscape

geography; northern hunter gatherer rock art; dispersal of innovation; technology studies;

cultural transmission.

Rick Knecht Senior Lecturer

Regional research interests: Aleutian Islands, Nunivak Island and Bering sea, Yukon-

Kuskokwim delta, Kodiak archipelago and Gulf of Alaska, Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Palau

and Micronesia. Research themes: indigneous approaches to archaeology, community-based

archaeological research and cultural preservation, prehistoric adaptations to climate change,

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inuit/eskimo origins and early prehistory, ethnohistory and historic contact, museum research

and public outreach.

Charlotta Hillerdal Lecturer

Periods and Regional Interests: Early Medieval Scandinavia and Baltic Sea region; Viking

Age Russia; Contact period Western Canada. Themes: Ethnicity and social identity;

Scandinavian Viking Age; Indigenous archaeology; Colonialism and post colonial

archaeology.

Kristin Ilves Lecturer

Maritime archaeology; Coastal and island archaeology; Archaeological method and theory;

Research design; Baltic Sea region

Karen Milek Lecturer

Viking Age archaeology of northern Eueope and the North Atlantic region. Geoarchaeology,

especially the analysis of archaeological soils and sediments in thin section

(micromorphoogy), applied to palaeolandscape reconstruction, human impacts on past

landscapes, and archaeological site formation processes. Social archaeology of hosues.

Ethnoarchaeological and ethnohistorical studies of 18th – early 20

th century houses in the

North Atlantic region. Main field projects are in Iceland, Scotland and Norway.

Gordon Noble Senior Lecturer (on research leave 2012-13)

Neolithic archaeology in North-West Europe. Timber and stone architecture. Perception of

the environment – wooded landscapes, meaning and significance of timber architecture.

Prehistory of Scotland (Mesolithic to Early Medieval periods). Archaeological theory;

Landscape archaeology – in particular island archaeology. Early Medieval archaeology in

Scotland and Sweden – symbol and picture stones.

Neil Price Professor (on research leave 2012-13)

Early medieval Scandanavia and the Viking world; pre-Christina religion and mentality;

archaeology of shamanism; Sami and indigenous circumpolar archaeology; identity and

power; ritual and symbolic landscapes; ancient sexuality; archaeological ethics; post-colonial

approaches to material culture studies; social archaeology of conflict; archaeology of the

Holocaust; cognitive archaeology; integration of material and textual sources.

Jeff Oliver Lecturer

Periods and Regional Interests: Northwest Coast of North America: prehistory, colonial

history; Western Canada, 18th century to present day; Britain, particularly later historic and

contemporary. Themes: Contact and colonial archaeology and history; Interdisciplinary

approaches to landscape; Material culture studies; archaeologies of 'natural' places; The

politics of heritage; Archaeological resource management.

Caroline Wickham-Jones Lecturer

Period Specialisms: The early post-glacial (Mesolithic) settlement of Scotland, Neolithic

Scotland. Themes: People and Environment - Submerged sites and landscapes, Landscapes

and people, Human response to climate change, slow - the loss of land due to rising sea-levels

that took place around Orkney 10,000-2000BC, catastrophic - the tsunami that struck

Scotland in 6500BC; Technology – Lithics, Resources; Management - Management of

archaeology below the sea, World Heritage Sites - interpretation and management;

Communication - Popular communication and understanding of archaeology, Use of the

internet to communicate archaeology.

Emeritus staff

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Professor T Douglas Price Emeritus Sixth Century Chair of Archaeological Science

Research Fellows and Research Assistants

Dr Augusta Edwald

Dr Allowen Evin

Dr Kevin Gibbs

Dr Joe Owen

3.2 Staff in Geography and Environment

Current academic staff in Geography and Environment

Jillian Anable Senior Lecturer

Transport, energy and climate change with a particular emphasis on travel behaviour change,

attitudes to travel and demand management. Transport interests also include air travel, leisure

travel and the interface between transport and land use planning.

Mark Beecroft Lecturer

Transport policy, Transport and society, Transport futurology, Intelligent transport systems,

History of transport, Transport education in schools, Transport security

Rob Bingham Lecturer

Glaciers / Ice Sheets and Climate Change. Polar Research; Antarctica and the High Arctic.

Ice radar and radio-echo sounding. Ice sheet / ocean interactions. Ice dynamics and

hydrology. Relating glaciology to geo(morph)ology.

John Carnie Teaching Fellow

Alastair Dawson Professor

Quaternary palaeoclimatology; Quaternary coastal change and sea level change; tsunami

geology, sedimentation processes, sediment and rock records, wave dynamics; Greenland ice

core chemistry and North Atlantic climate change history; Late quaternary of Scotland –

deglaciation and relative sea level history; cold climate shoreline erosion processes, strandflat

history; historical records of Scotland‟s weather and climate; quantification of coastal flood

risk.

Kevin J Edwards Professor

Palaeoecology and environmental archaeology with a particular emphasis on the

reconstruction of past environments. Landscape change in prehistoric and historical Scotland,

the Viking Age ecological impacts in the North Atlantic area (especially Greenland, Iceland

and the Faroe Islands).

Dr Aksel Ersoy Teaching Fellow

Economic Geography, Economic Development, Spatial Planning, GIS

John H Farrington Professor

Transport and environmental assessment; transport interests include planning and policy,

especially in rural areas; environmental interests include the assessment of transport impacts,

and sustainability issues.

file:///A:/kedwards.htifile:///A:/jfarrington.hti

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Christopher Gibbins Senior Lecturer

Eco-hydrology: influence of river flow regimes on invertebrates and fish, impact of flow

regulation on river ecosystems, and the interactions between river channel hydraulics,

sediments and invertebrates. Main field areas are Deeside and Tayside and Catalonia (Spain).

David R Green Senior Lecturer

Environmental applications of geospatial technologies: desktop, mobile and online

geographical information systems (GIS), GPS, remote sensing and digital image processing,

cartography, digital and Internet mapping, visualisation and virtual reality. Applications

include: coastal and marine resource management, ICZM, water carrying capacity, the

geography of vitaculture and vineyard management, landscape ecology, and vegetation

mapping. Additional interests include human-computer interface, map design, and

journalistic cartography.

Mike Kennedy Teaching Fellow

Jeffrey McDonnell Professor (part-time)

Streamflow generation processes, use of isotope tracers for determining water source, age and

flowpath, study of forest road and logging effects on stream hydrology and water quality

Douglas Mair Senior Lecturer and Head of Discipline

Glaciology with research interests covering: influence of hydrology on glacier dynamics,

controls on ice sheet mass balance and volume changes; validation of satellite measurements

of cryospheric change; and the response of glaciers and ice sheets to climate change.

Dmitri Mauquoy Senior Lecturer

Long-term climate and environmental change, palaeoecology, geochronologies.

Reconstruction of Holocene environmental change from peat bog records in the Northern and

Southern Hemispheres. Current work on peat sequences from Europe, Argentina (Tierra del

Fuego), the sub-Antartic (Marion Island) and China (Qinghai-Tibetan plateau). Techniques

used include fossil pollen and non-pollen microfossil analyses, plant macrofossil analysis, 14

C

AMS wiggle-match dating and testate amoebae analysis.

Dr Piotr Niewiadomski Teaching Fellow

Economic Geography, Regional Development, Globalisation

Tim Mighall Senior Lecturer

Palaeoecology; the use of microfossil analysis and peat geochemistry in reconstructing

Holocene environmental change (human impact and climate change) and palaeo-pollution.

Current work on peat sequences and lake sediments from NW Spain, Scotland and Wales.

Techniques include pollen analysis, non-pollen palynomorph, microscopic charcoal,

geochemistry and peat humification.

John Nelson Professor

Public transport systems: especially information technology applications for bus priority,

passenger information, flexible and demand responsive transport, ticketing. Regulatory

environments for transport service provision (particularly public transport). Transport, energy

and environment: how can we achieve a less unsustainable transport system?

Lorna Philip Senior Lecturer

Social exclusion in rural communities; growing old in rural areas; retirement transition

migration in rural communities planned villages in 18th and 19

th century Scotland; e-Social

Science and methodological developments.

file:///A:/cgibbins.htifile:///A:/dgreen.htifile:///A:/dmair.hti

12

Brice Rea Senior Lecturer

Glaciology and glacial geomorphology. Thaw and slope instability . Methods for assessing

environmental and geotechnical hazards in mountain permafrost conditions. Ocean drilling.

Ed Schofield Lecturer

Palynology, Palaeoecology, Environmental archaeology, Plant successional pathways in

British wetlands, Impacts of Viking settlement on North Atlantic landscapes and Norse

Greenland

Christopher Soulsby Professor and Head of School of Geosciences

Hydrology, fluvial geomorphology and water resource management; in particular, the

hydrology and hydrochemistry of upland and forest environments; groundwater-surface water

interactions in rivers and wetlands; the management and restoration of rivers and wetlands;

hydrology of aquatic habitats.

Matteo Spagnolo Lecturer

Ice sheet/stream bedforms (esp. drumlins and MSGL): morphometry, spatial distribution,

formation and evolution. Pleistocene alpine glaciers: glacial landform mapping,

morphometry and distribution, glacier extent reconstruction and moraine dating via

cosmogenics. Morphotectonics: structural and tectonic control over the landscape as revealed

by rivers and catchment morphometry.

Nick Spedding Lecturer

Landscapes of Arctic and Alpine areas. Hydrology and geomorphology, especially ice and

meltwater processes associated with sediment transfer and landform/landscape development.

Theoretical and philosophical aspects of geography, with a particular interest in the different

concepts that earth scientists use to understand environmental change and landscape response.

History of academic geography, history, philosophy and sociology of science.

Doerthe Tetzlaff Professor

Catchment hydrology, hydro-ecology, landscape ecology and environmental modelling:

spatial and temporal variability of how catchments work hydrologically at different scales and

how this variability of hydrology influences the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems;

investigation of hydrological process linkages and the associated landscape controls and

impacts of anthropogenic activity.

David Watts Lecturer

Rural Geography: Food chains and networks; Local and regional foods; Agricultural policy

and restructuring, with particular reference to farm diversification and tenure. Historical

Geography: Railways, social shaping of; Place marketing

Emeritus Staff

Prof Keith Chapman Industrial location, energy resources and regional development. Current study on

restructuring of the European chemical industry related to the creation of the Single European

Market. Also research into aspects of higher education, including graduate standards.

Alastair M D Gemmell The Quaternary of Scotland, glacial geomorphology and luminescence dating, including the

use of luminescence techniques to explore sediment transport paths. Principal field areas for

research: Scotland and the Alps.

file:///A:/csoulsby.htifile:///A:/kchapman1.htifile:///A:/agemmell.hti

13

John F Loder Historical geography, rural geography, tropical geography and geography of developing

countries. Current study areas, Spain and Portugal.

Prof Bill Neill

Urban Planning, Cultural Inclusion, Migration, Cultural Identity

Prof Ken Thompson Agricultural economics, rural development, economic transition.

Michael Wood Map design – a creative process providing effective products for explanatory visualisation and

communications; the nature and characteristics of expertise in professional map design; map

use and human visual information processing; terrain modelling for tourist use.

Postdoctoral Research Fellows and Research Assistants

Dr Christian Birkel

Dr Angela Marqui

Brian Masson

Dr Kate Pangbourne

Dr Liz Roberts

Dr Nagendra Velaga

Dr Steve Wright

3.3 Staff in Geology and Petroleum Geology

Current academic staff in Geology and Petroleum Geology

Ian Alsop Professor and Head of Discipline

Structural geology and tectonics; Field-based structural analysis; salt tectonics; fold and

fracture geometries; soft sediment tectonics.

Stuart Archer Director, exploHUB

Petroleum geology; Reservoir characterisation; Clastic sedimentology and stratigraphy;

Geomorphology

Claire Bond Lecturer

Structural geology, fractures, field-based geology; geological interpretation of geophysical

data sets and socio-psychological influences; interactions between deformation localisation

and reaction.

Stephen Bowden Lecturer

Astrobiology, Precambrian (molecular) biomarkers; Evolution of early life; Bound biomarker

analysis techniques (HyPy); Analysis methods for evaporate minerals; Technology transfer.

Rob Butler Professor

Tectonics; Deformation of continental lithosphere; field-based structural geology; geological

interpretation of geophysical data sets; interactions between deformation and depositional

processes on submarine slop

file:///A:/mwood.hti

14

Adrian J Hartley Professor

Evolution of the Central Andes particularly Cenozoic sedimentology, tectonics and climate,

tectonic geomorphology and drainage development in compressional and extensional terranes,

dryland river systems in the modern and ancient, sedimentological characterisation and

correlation within hydrocarbon reservoirs and clastic sedimentology, processes and products

Dave Healy Senior Lecturer

Mechanics, thermodynamics and chemistry of rock deformation; patterns of fractures and

shear zones, brittle damage, all kinds of anisotropy and the links between deformation and

reaction.

Malcolm J Hole Senior Lecturer

Alkalic magmatism and mantle plumes. Triple junction interactions at convergent plate

margins. Mineral chemistry

Andrew Hurst Professor of Production Geoscience

Petroleum geoscience, clastic sedimentology, sand injection and fluidisation, non-destructive

analysis of porous media and computational methods in earth science.

David Iacopini lecturer

Interpretation of seismic datasets, seismic image processing, structural and

metamorphic geology; Seismic imaging of thrusts, faults, fractures and deformed

rocks; Seismic intepretation of deep water structures; Fabric and deformation analysis

of ductile shear zones and basement tectonic

Dave Jolley Professor

Paslynology; Ecology; Stratigraphy; Volcanism; Bolide impacts; Petroleum geollogy.

Ben C Kneller Professor

Deep water depositional environments and processes, including: stratigraphic architecture of

deepwater systems and turbidite hydrocarbon reservoirs in seismic and outcrop; experimental

and numerical modeling of physical processes in gravity currents; influence of climate on

turbidite systems.

David Macdonald Professor

Processes acting on sediment routing and how these influence the compostion of sand that

reaches marine basins. Supervising research students working on the longevity of river

systems and on processes controlling sand maturation in Angola, Nigeria and Sakhalin

(Russian Far East).

Joyce Neilson Teaching Fellow

Current research interests include late stage carbonate diagenesis in terms of mineral

cementation and dissolution and its effect on reservoir quality. General interests cover the

areas of carbonate sedimentology and reservoir architecture.

Colin North Senior Lecturer

Sedimentology and early diagenesis of continental arid-region environments. Dryland Rivers

Initiative (AUDRI). Subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir description and modelling. Use of

geostatistical techniques. Analogue outcrop studies.

John Parnell Professor

Origin, Migration and Evolution of Geological fluids; diagenesis in siliciclastic rocks;

astrobiology and planetary geoscience.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/geology/staffpages/north/north.php#audri#audrihttp://www.abdn.ac.uk/geology/staffpages/north/north.php#audri#audri

15

Ron Steel Professor

Clastic sedimentology; Basin analysis; Tectonics; Climate; Sea level change.

Randell Stephenson Reader

Geodynamics; Tectonics of Phanerozoic sedimentary basins in E & SE Europe; Arctic

tectonics; Tectonic basin modelling; seismic profiling and geological interpretation of

potential fields.

Emeritus Staff

Clive Rice

Formation of intrusive-related hydrothermal ore deposits. Supergene ores. End-Caledonian

hydrothermal activity in N.Britain.

Prof Nigel Trewin Palaeoenvironments in the Devonian Old Red Sandstone of Scotland. Trace fossils from

terrestrial and freshwater environments. Diagenesis of clastic reservoir sandstones.

Prof Gordon Walkden Characterisation and modelling of carbonate sedimentary and diagenetic environments

(mainly Devonian to Recent); sedimentary cyclicity and sea level change; asteroid/comet

impact deposits and global consequences of major impact events.

Postdoctoral Research Fellows and Assistants

Dr Rich Callow

Dr Robert Daly

Dr Jyldyz Tabyldy Kyzy

Dr Christian Vallejo

3.4 School administrative and technical staff

Administrative Staff

Tunde Gourlay Postgraduate secretary

Julie Main undergraduate secretary

Sheila McKay School Administrator

Gill Reid Undergraduate Secretary

Julie Timms School Finance Office

Julie Forbes Head of School‟s PA

Technical staff

Jackie Brown, technician

Judith Christie computing officer

Audrey Innes, laboratory technician

Jenny Johnston, cartography

Joanna Jones, Geoscience Applications

Support Specialist

Alison Sandison, cartography

Jim Marr, technical resources officer

Matthew Norrie, computing fficer

Walter Ritchie Photographer

John Still Microprobe and SEM

Colin Taylor Geochemistry Laboratory

16

4. Current Research Students (as of October 2012)

The School has a large number of research students whose research interests cover a diverse

range of topics. Most full-time students are based in St Mary‟s or the Meston Building,

although some are based in partner institutions such as the Macaulay Institute. Although most

part-time students are not on campus, many spend blocks of time in their Discipline each

year.

4.1 Research Students Archaeology

New students in Archaeology starting in first half session of academic session 2012-13

Student Degree Supervisor(s)

Candice Hatherley PhD Archaeology Gordon Noble, Sally Foster and Karen Milek

Lukasz Mikolajczyk PhD Archaeology Karen Milek, Gordon Noble and Ed Schofield

Patrycja Kupiec PhD Archaeology Karen Milek and Gordon Noble

Gavin Lindsay PhD Archaeology Rick Knecht, Neil Price and Keith Dobney

Eduard Masson-

MacLean

PhD Archaeology Kate Britton and Rick Knecht

Barbora Wouters PhD Archaeology

(split degree with

Free University

of Brussels)

Karen Milek, Charolotta Hillerdell and Marc de

Bie (Free University of Brussels)

Alexandra Trinks PhD Archaeology

(split degree with

Univerisyt of

Durham)

Keith Dobney + Durham University

Returning students in Archaeology

Student Degree Supervisor(s)

Martina Bertini PhD Chemistry Eva Krupp, Douglas T Price

Thomas Birch PhD Archaeology Neil Price, Karen Milek

Michael Bumstead PhD Archaeology Jeff Oliver and Alison Brown (Anthropology)

Julie Daujat PhD Archaeology Keith Dobney and J.-D. Vigne (Muséum national

d‟Histoire naturelle, Paris).

Veronique Forbes PhD Archaeology Karen Milek and A Dugmore (Uni of Edinburgh)

Arden Hulme Beaman PhD Archaeology Keith Dobney and Thomas Cucchi

Triin Laidoner PhD Scand. Studs Neil Price, Stephan Brink (Scand Studs)

Linda McGuigan PhD Arch –Celtic Gordon Noble, Claire Downham (L‟pool)

Dawn Mooney PhD Archaeology Karen Milek and A Cameron (Forestry)

Alex Moorhouse PhD Medical

Sciences

Keith Dobney, Neil Gow (Medical Sciences)

Ben Raffield PhD Arch Neil Price

Naomi Woodward PhD Archaeology Caroline Wickham-Jones & Gordon Noble

Emma Philip PhD Archaeology

f-t

Gordon Noble

Chong Yu PhD Archaeology Keith Dobney

Under examinations

Naomi Woodward

17

Recently completed PhD theses in Archaeology

Sean O‟Neil PhD 2012

Augusta Edward PhD 2012

Leszek Gardela PhD 2012

4.2 Research Students in Geography and Environment

New students in Geography starting in first half session of academic session 2012-13

Student Degree Supervisor(s)

Laura McHardie PhD Geography Tim Mighall, Ed Schofield, K Milek

(Archaeology) &G Noble (Archaeology)

Cecile Vuilleumier PhD Geography Doerthe Tetzlaff, G Nuetzmann (IGB Leibniz-

Institut Berlin) & Chris Soulsby

Returning students in Geography

David Ashmore PhD Geography f-t Rob Bingham and R Hindmarsh (British

Antarctic Survey)

Cristina Buendia

Fores

PhD Geography Chris Gibbins, R Batalla (Univ Lleida) & D

Vericat (Forest Tech Centre of Catalonia)

Rene Capell PhD Geography Doerthe Tetzlaff, Chris Soulsby & Adrian

Hartley

Robert Craig PhD Geography John Nelson, C Wallace (Sociology) & T

Norman (Computing Science)

Jonathan Dick PhD Geography Doerthe Tetzlaff and Chris Soulsby

Gillian Dowds PhD Geography Lorna Philip, Judith Masthoff (Computing

Science), Gaener Roger (UHI), John Farrington

John Goodlad PhD Geography p-t Lorna Philip & James Coull

Abdul Hoque PhD Geography Alastair Dawson and David Green

Ilse Karmaling PhD Geography Kevin Edwards, Ed Schoefield

Anke Küttner PhD Geography Dmitri Mauquoy, Tim Mighall, Eva Krupp

(Chemistry)

James Lea PhD Geography f-t Doug Mair, Brice Rea and Ed Schofield

Paul Ledger PhD Geography Kevin Edwards, Ed Schoefield

Scott McGrane PhD Geography Dorethe Tetzlaff, Chris Soulsby R Essery

(Edinburgh)

Diana MacNamara PhD Geography Jillian Anable and Lynden Miles (Psychology)

Christina McLemon PhD Physics M Thiel (Physics) & Doerthe Tetzlaff

Milan Markovic PhD Computing

Science

P Edwards (Computing Science), John Nelson

& J Pan (Computing Science)

Trevor Meadows PhD Geography John Farrington and John Nelson

Andrew Millington PhD Computing

Science

T Norman (Computing Science), John Nelson &

N Oren (Computing Science)

Richard Morris PhD Geography Doug Mair (and Pete Neinow, Edinburgh)

Craig Morton PhD Geography Jillian Anable and John Nelson

Christina Noble PhD Geography Lorna Philip, John Farrington and S Shubin

(Swansea)

Konstantinos

Papangelis

PhD Computing

Science

Y Sripada (Computing Science), John Nelson &

P Edwards (Computing Science)

Konrad Piegat PhD Geography Doerthe Tetlaff and Jeff McDonnell

Porntipa Pinthong PhD Geography David Green

18

Alison Pridmore PhD Geography Jillian Anable and A Miola (European

Commission)

Emma Quinlan PhD Geography Chris Gibbins and Chris Soulsby

Dharmendra Singh PhD Geography David Green and Tim Mighall

Ramona Statache PhD Geography David Watts, E Compatangelo (Computing

Science) and Colin Hunter (St Andrews)

Alexander van der

Jagt

PhD Psychology David Pearson (Psychology), Jillian Anable and

Tony Craig (Macaulay)

Dereje Tadesse

Wakjira

PhD Forestry Lorna Philip, Michelle Pinard (Forestry),

Natasha Mauthner (Mgt Studs), Anke Fisher

(Macaulay)

Patricia Wiltshire PhD Geography Kevin Edwards

Under examination

Angela Curl PhD Geography John Nelson and Jillian Anable

Laura MacRitchie PhD Biology Norvill Strachan (Biology) & Colin Hunter

Recently completed research degrees in Geography

Emily Lambert PhD 2012

Caroline Clason, PhD 2012

Diana Feliciano PhD 2012

Mark Speed, PhD 2012

Sharon Flanigan PhD 2011

Christian Imholt PhD 2011

Tao-tao Deng PhD 2011

Heather Smith PhD 2011

Christian Birkel PhD 2011

Thanawat Phonphitakchai PhD 2010

Stephen Addy PhD 2010

Kate Pangbourne PhD 2010

Susan Heard MSc by research 2010

Louise Reid PhD 2010

Fiona William PhD 2010

Caro Anne Cooke MSc by research 2010

4.3 Research Students in Geology and Petroleum Geology

Students expected to start in the first half session of academic session 2012-13

Student Degree Supervisor(s)

Blessing Akamairo PhD Geology Stephen Bowden and David Iacopini

Aaron Barker PhD Geology Adrian Hartley, Malcolm Hole and Dave

Jolley

Guilherme Bozetti PhD Geology Ben Kneller and Ian Alsop

Thisiane Dos Santos PhD Geology Andrew Hurst

Ayad Faqi PhD Geology Stephen Bowden

Pan Li PhD Geology Ben Kneller and Stuart Archer

Mercy Musa PhD Geology Andrew Hurst and John Parnell

Patricia Romagna Pinter PhD Geology Adrian Hartley, Rob Butler and R

Maniscalco (Uni of Catania)

Ross Taylor PhD Geology Adrian Hartley, Malcolm Hole and Dave

Jolley

Wanethan Thayalan PhD Geology John Parnell and Malcolm Hole

19

Matheus Sobiesiak PhD Geology Ben Kneller and Ian Alsop

Continuing students

Student Degree Supervisor(s)

Emmanuel Adewole PhD Geology Dave Healy and David Macdonald

Olamide Afolabi PhD Geology Adrian Hartley and Matteo Spagnolo

Oluwarotimi Alabi PhD Geology Stephen Bowden and John Parnell

Mubarak Al-Hajeri PhD Geology Andrew Hurst and Stephen Bowden

Goodluck Anudu PhD Geology Randell Stephenson and David Macdonald

Abdullah Awdal PhD Geology Dave Healy and Ian Alsop

Abdullah Bahroz PhD Geology Dave Healy and Ian Alsop

Timothy Bata PhD Geology John Parnell and Dave Healy

Linh Do Thi Thiy PhD Geology Adrian Hartley and Matteo Spagnolo

Alena Ebinghaus PhD Geology Dave Jolley & Adrian Hartley

Luke Fairweather PhD Geology Ben Kneller

Natalie Farrell PhD Geology David Healy, Ian Alsop, Clare Bond

Chintou George PhD Geology David Macdonald and Matteo Spagnolo

Hozefa Godhrawala PhD Geology Dave Healy & Ian Alsop

Tom Haines PhD Geology Dave Healy & Joyce Neilson

Larissa Hansen PhD Geology Ben Kneller, Richard Callow and I Kane

(statoil)

Barbara Holzweber PhD Geology Adrian Hartley

Dengke Hu PhD Geology Peter Clift and David Macdonald

Matt Hutchison PhD Geology Stuart Archer & Adrian Hartley

Luis Huerta-Paez PhD Geology Ian Alsop

Li Lu PhD Geology Randell Stephenson and Peter Clift

Huw Llewellyn PhD Geology Dave Jolley

Ramon Lopez Jimenez PhD Geology Ben Kneller, Andrew Hurst and Bryan

Cronin (private consultant)

Adam McArthur PhD Geology Adrian Hartley & Dave Jolley

Eoin McGregor PhD Geology Randell Stephenson and Ben Kneller

Mark McKinnon PhD Geology Adrian Hartley and Ben Kneller

Sean McMahon PhD Geology John Parnell and Ferguson

Emma Michie PhD Geology Dave Healy & Ian Alsop

John Millett PhD Geology Dave Jolley & Malcolm Hole

Kingsley Nwazor PhD Geology Prof Yardley, Andrew Hurts, Stephen

Bowden

Leonard Onuba PhD Geology Randell Stephenson

Zonia Palacios PhD Geology Ben Kneller

Paula Robinson PhD Geology Ben Keneller and Ron Steel

Luis Salomon Mora PhD Geology Ian Alsop

Natalie Salter PhD Geology Adrian Hartley, Dave Jolley and Stephanie

Davidson

Hilarion Sanchez Fernandez PhD Geology Ben Kneller

Samuel Spinks PhD Geology Stephen Bowden and John Parnell

Natasha Tuitt PhD Geology Ben Kneller

Liliana Vargas-Meleza PhD Geology Dave Healy, Randell Stephenson

Kieran Wall PhD Geology Dave Jolley & Adrian Hartley

Hannah Watkins PhD Geology Rob Butler, Dave Healy and Clare Bond

Anne Wilkins PhD Geology Stuart Archer and Andrew Hurst

Nathan Young PhD Geology Stuart Archer & David Macdonald

Hongjie Zhang PhD Geology Ben Kneller

20

Recently completed theses in Geology

Ben Kilhams PhD 2012

Abby Othman Wilson PhD 2012

Omar Lamorde, PhD 2012

David Limmer, PhD 2012

David Muirhead, PhD 2011

Anwar Alizia, PhD 2011

Steve Stukins, PhD 2011

Salmeen Almarjibi, PhD 2011

Ian Brightmore, PhD 2011

Long Van Hoang, PhD 2010

Rob Daly, PhD 2010

Alison Wright, PhD 2010

.

21

5. Overview of the management of postgraduate research

The management of postgraduate research is considered at three levels: the University/

College of Physical Sciences; the School; and the home discipline of the students. Broadly

speaking, the management of postgraduate research in the School of Geosciences is

standardised, particularly in terms of progression requirements – see section 5.2. There are,

however, some discipline-specific requirements of research students, the most important of

which are outlined in 5.3 below.

5.1 University and College management of postgraduate research

Formal registration, payment of fees and registration with the Directorate of information

Technology and the Library

New students joining instructions sent by the Student Recruitment and Admissions Service

which contain information about electronic registration, how to collect your student ID card

and the procedures for becoming a registered user of the University‟s electronic resources and

the library.

Induction

The College of Physical Science runs an induction programme for all new research students in

October (for students who start their degree in September/ October) and in February/ March

(for students who start their degree after November). All new postgraduate research students,

full and part-time are expected to attend induction if at all possible. An induction session in

each discipline is held as part of the College induction programme.

Changes to terms of study

Any requests for a change in the terms of your study, for example, a request to suspend

studies, to extend the period of supervised study or to study off-campus, must be approved

centrally by the University. The forms required to make changes to the terms of study request

are available under the heading Postgraduate Forms at

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/download.shtml.

Attendance, illness, absence and holidays

There are no set hours of work and holidays. Considerable flexibility and dedication are

required for successful research and you should be prepared to long hours – including

working evenings and weekends – at some points of your research degree. You should keep

your supervisor informed of your movements, for example, inform them of any periods of

fieldwork away from Aberdeen and let them know when you intend to be on holiday. If you

are unwell you should phone the office and inform them that you will not be in the

department. If you are off work for more than seven working days you should submit a

medical certificate to the Departmental Office.

It is important that the University is aware of any problems which might impede progress. It

is the student’s responsibility to ensure that both the supervisor and the University

Secretariat (via the Postgraduate Office) are aware of any illness or other difficulty that

has affected their ability to study and that appropriate documentation (for example,

medical certificate is made available.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/download.shtml

22

5.1 College of Physical Sciences Monitoring progress

The College of Physical Sciences, on behalf of the University, requires postgraduate research

students and their supervisors to complete regular progress review paperwork.

23

5.2. School based management of postgraduate research

The day-to-day management of postgraduate research is the responsibility of supervisors.

The supervisor(s) appointed to each research students are responsible for regularly advising

and guiding the student in the selection of research training, the formulation and execution of

the research proposal and, ultimately, the submission of the thesis. The frequency of

supervision meetings is flexible, varying with the stage of the research. Generally, meetings

are held every two weeks in the first and last year of study and every three or four weeks in

the second year.

Supervisors (normally two) will be allocated at the beginning of the study and will normally

continue to advise throughout the duration of the project. However, supervisory requirements

may change as a student‟s research interests evolve. In these circumstances requests will be

considered for a change of supervisor or allocation of an additional supervisor. Where there

is more than one supervisor, supervision will normally be carried on a joint basis to ensure an

agreed programme of study and to avoid the risks of ambiguous or conflicting advice. Joint

supervision also ensures that if one supervisor is away from Aberdeen (for example,

conducing research) the student should continue to have access to an on-campus supervisor.

If the student only has one supervisor and that individual is away from Aberdeen for more

than 3 months a „stand-in‟ supervisor will be appointed to ensure that the student has access

to support and advice during the absence of their supervisor. The relationship between study

and supervisor is viewed as a key ingredient to the successful completion of a research thesis

and it is essential that all parties put effort into the relationship and clarify expectations.

An advisory/ progress review committee is appointed for each research student, comprising

one member of the supervisory team, a member of academic staff from the student‟s

discipline and a member of staff from another discipline in the School. The role of this

committee is outlined in Section 6, School of Geosciences Postgraduate Research Students

Progression Arrangements below.

Each discipline has a research student coordinator. They oversee research student

admissions and keep a watching brief on the overall progress and welfare of research

students. Individual students are able to discuss any general problems relating to the

programme or any specific problems experience which cannot be dealt with through the

normal supervisory system. At a formal level, the research student coordinators can meet

with research students to discuss their programme and other issues that may arise. The

research student coordinators are Dr Randell Stephenson (Geography and Petroleum

Geology), Dr Peter Jordan (Archaeology) and Drs Lorna Philip and Dmitri Mauquoy

(Geography and Environment).

The supervisory system as outline above is designed to support the research effort and act as a

vehicle for problem resolution. In the unlikely event of issues arising which, for whatever

reason, cannot be resolved through discussion with the supervisor(s), advisory/ progress

review committee or research student coordinators, students are free to raise them with

another member of academic staff, the Chair of the School of Geosciences Postgraduate

Committee, their Head of Discipline, the Head of School, the College of Physical Sciences

Graduate School Director or a College Postgraduate Officer or with external support services

such as the University Counselling Service.

Note to students

Copies of all completed forms / progress documentation should be retained by the student and

supervisor(s) and a copy will be held in the students‟ School file.

24

Completion of the Thesis

All students should aim to complete and submit their thesis within their period of supervised

study, normally three years (full-time) and five years (part-time). Note that the case of some

Research Council funded students this period is three and a half or four years. The University

allows, on application, a further 12 months extension period (this replaces the „writing up

period‟ as of August 2010)) and permission to submit after the extension period has ended can

only be requested under exceptional circumstances: the University‟s expectation is that all

PhD theses be submitted no more than 48 months after the date of first registration.

Extension period students are required to pay a registration fee to retain access to University

facilities such as the library and e-resources.

Supervised study, extension period and access to laboratory and office facilities

Normally, the acquisition of new data via School laboratory facilities will not be allowed after

a student has completed 2½ years of full time supervised study (pro rata part-time). Provision

of other facilities (work space in the School, computer etc.) will normally terminate at the end

of the period of supervised study. Any need for extra time to complete writing-up should be

identified by the student (in consultation with the project supervisor) at the 2½ year mark and

a detailed request submitted in writing to the Advisory Panel not later than 3 months before

termination of the 3 year study period in order that a formal application for an extension

period can be made. The School is under no obligation to provide office space, a computer

and access to other School facilities if a student has entered the extension period.

On completion of their studies students are expected to clear their office and laboratory space

timeously. Any items left in PGR offices and laboratories once a student has left will be

disposed of.

Similar arrangements are in place for students completing MSc by research and MPhil by

research degrees, on a pro-rata basis that reflects the length of their period of supervised

study.

5.2.1 Student staff liaison committees and postgraduate research student representation on

School and College Committees

The School has two research student-staff liaison committees, one for St Mary‟s and one for

Meston. These committees meet twice a year and provide an opportunity for research

students to raise any issues of concern with staff who have responsibility of research students

in the School.

There is a postgraduate student representative for each discipline in the School. These

representatives sit on their respective Discipline Boards and attend the School Postgraduate

Committee. One of the representatives is nominated as the PGR representative to site on the

College Postgraduate Committee.

5.3 Discipline specific management of postgraduate research

In addition to University level monitoring, the School also requires evidence of satisfactory

progress in discipline-specific aspects of the student‟s own research programme. Physical

Geography students are normally required to complete a Generic Skills training course and to

attend other generic and transferable skills training courses required by the College of

Physical Sciences and the University. The progress review process for Human Geography

students also incorporates performance in the taught elements of research training. Human

25

Geography students who have no formal research training experience on commencing their

research degree will be expected to follow and successfully complete some or all modules of

the Master of Research in Human Geography degree programme as determined by their

supervisor(s) and the director of the doctoral programme (note that all MRes courses are

examined by continual assessment). Human Geography students who have already completed

some formal research training may also be required to complete parts of the MRes programme

if deemed necessary by their supervisor and the director of the Doctoral Programme. Full

details of the MRes programme are provided in a separate handbook.

5.3.1 Human Geography research students: transfer from MRes to MPhil or PhD

Research students commencing a PhD in Human Geography are required to complete a

formal programme of research training in Year 1. Some students are admitted for the degree

of MRes in the first instance. Those intending to continue to a higher research degree transfer

at the end of the first year. Students who have already received appropriate research training

at a postgraduate level, or who are exempted from the MRes due to workplace research

experience, may be registered at the outset for an MSc by research with a view to transfer to

PhD, an MPhil or a PhD.

Final decisions regarding upgrading to MPhil or PhD are taken once all marks for the MRes

or components thereof are known OR when the supervisory team has been satisfied that the

student is working a doctoral level (normally about 9 months after commencing their sties for

a full-time student). If an earlier assessment of progress is required, for example, to secure

continuing funding, a provisional judgement will be made by the supervisor(s) and advisory/

progress committee.

There are 3 options available to students who have successfully completed all elements of the

MRes:

1. Complete the MRes, be awarded the degree and leave the University of Aberdeen.

2. Complete the MRes, be awarded the degree and apply to resume studies as a research

student on a 24 month (f-t) / 48 month (p-t) MPhil or 36 month (f-t) or 60 month (p-t) PhD

programme (note that earlier submission is possible).

3. At the end of the MRes year, transfer to year 2 of the MPhil or PhD programme. In this

case students are not formally awarded the degree of Master of Research in Human

Geography, but an academic transcript will list the courses taken and grades achieved.

Note: students who successfully complete the three discipline specific elements of the MRes

may be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods in Human Geography.

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6. School of Geosciences Postgraduate Research Students Progression

Arrangements 20012-13

Assessment for a research degree ultimately depends on an examination of the thesis and its

defence in the presence of a panel of examiners appointed by the University. However,

progress will be monitored, at College and School level, and where progress is

unsatisfactory the University has the right to terminate a student’s candidature for a

research degree.

The College of Physical Sciences introduced a framework for monitoring the progress of all

postgraduate research students with effect from October 2008. The College monitoring

framework includes provisions for the formal assessment of progress at two stages, the

transitions between year 1 and 2 and year 2 and 3 (pro-rata for part-time students). To these

provisions the School of Geosciences has added procedures for monitoring progress in the 3rd

year (pro-rata for part-time students) and during the writing up period.

The progression arrangements for the School of Geosciences outlined below apply to all

students registered for a research degree in the School but will not replace the University

requirement that six-monthly Research Student Assessment Forms are completed. Students

who are co-supervised at the James Hutton Institute (formerly the Macaulay Institute) may

elect to follow either the School of Geosciences or the James Hutton Institute progress review

requirements, but if the latter is chosen they are still required to give a formal research

presentation to the School in as part of the transition between year 1 and 2 and between year 2

and 3 and complete the College of Physical Sciences progression paperwork at the end of

years 1 and 2.

Initial progress

At the end of the 3rd

month of full-time registration (pro-rata part-time) supervisors will

formally notify the Chair of the School Postgraduate Committee whether or not they are

content with the progress the student is making. If any concerns are raised a meeting of the

progress review interview panel (see below) will be convened as quickly as possible.

Progression from Year 1 to Year 2

By the end of the 8th month of full-time registration (pro-rata part-time) every research student

in the School of Geosciences will have or be about to:

given a formal research presentation to the School1;

submitted a progress report (c10 pages/ 3,500 words) that will include a summary of their research activities since commencing their degree, an outline of developments in the scope of

their study and an account of the development of their methodology. A work plan for the

next 12 months and an account of their engagement with research training activities (generic,

discipline specific and specialist) should be appended to the progress report. Students may

append other written work, such as a draft literature review, to their progress report.

By the end of the 9th month of full-time registration (pro-rata part-time) students will have

attended a progress review interview. The interview panel will comprise a member of their

1 The presentation will be given as part of a School/ Discipline research student presentations event.

Individual arrangements will be made for off-campus students and any on-campus student who is

unable to present in the School/ Discipline research student presentations event.

27

supervisory team and their advisory panel2 members. A minute taker will be available if

requested. One of the advisory panel members will chair the meeting and will be responsible

for preparing a note of the meeting. With reference to the progress report prepared by the

student the panel will seek to confirm that the student has:

developed an understanding of their research problem and/or has achieved sufficient background knowledge to proceed with their research;

is familiar with, and understands, literature relevant to their research topic and wider research area and can identify work of significance to their research;

demonstrated a capacity to conduct their research project;

developed an ability to appraise research problems critically;

successfully completed research training as agreed with the supervisory team.

A formal note of the meeting will be prepared and be made available to the student,

supervisor(s) and advisory panel members. If the supervisor(s) and advisory panel are content

with the student‟s progress the student will be confirmed as on track for a PhD. If any

concerns about the student‟s progress are identified the student may be required to attend

specific training courses or submit additional written evidence of their work. If the student‟s

progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory the interview panel will meet with the Head of School

and/ or Chair of the School of Geosciences Postgraduate Committee and/ or PGR coordinator

for the student‟s discipline to discuss options which will be communicated to the student in

writing3. In the event that the student is deemed to have the potential to submit for the degree

of MSc by research they may continue their registration to complete that degree.

Alternatively, if progress is deemed unacceptable the student will be advised to withdraw

from study.

Following the progress review meeting the advisory panel will complete the College of

Physical Sciences Graduate School Year 1 progress review form (available at

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cops/graduate/assessment-process-255.php). One copy of this form

should be lodged in the student‟s School file and another copy should be sent to the Graduate

School. Please note that in cases where students have elected to go through the progress

monitoring of institutions such as the James Hutton Institute this form must also be

completed.

Progression from Year 2 to Year 3

By the end of the 20th month of registration (pro-rata part-time) students will have:

Given a second formal research presentation to the School

Submitted a 4 page / c1,500 word progress report in which the research activities undertaken over the previous 12 months are outlined. A work plan for the next 12 months

and an account of their engagement with research training activities - generic, discipline

specific and specialist (as specified in the Joint Research Councils Skills Training

Requirements), and conference and seminar attendance etc. over the previous 12 months

should be appended to the report. Copies of draft chapters, conference papers/ posters,

2 All research students will be assigned an advisory panel when they commence their studies. The

panel will comprise two members of academic staff, one from the students‟ discipline and one from

another discipline within the School. A member of the supervisory team will also sit on the panel.

Non-supervisory members of the advisory panel will be available to meet students to discuss any

matter relating to their research.

3 Item 6.5 Guidelines to be followed when dealing with PGRs making unsatisfactory progress in the

University‟s Code of practice for Research Students, Supervisors, Heads of School, Heads of Graduate

School and College Postgraduate Officers will be referred to.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cops/graduate/assessment-process-255.php

28

working papers etc., documents which illustrate the progress that has been made during Year

2, should be submitted if requested by the progress review panel.

By the end of the 21st month of registration (pro-rata part-time) students will have attended a

second progress review interview (ideally involving the same interview panel as for the 9th

month review). The panel may request copies of additional written material if required. The

research presentation and progress report will form the basis of the discussion between the

student and interview panel. If progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory a meeting will be held

between the interview panel and the Head of School to discuss options. In the event that the

student is deemed to have the potential to submit a thesis to be examined for the degree of

MPhil or MSc by research they will be allowed to continue their registration with the

intention of submitting an MPhil or MSc by research thesis. Alternatively, if progress is

deemed to be unacceptable, the student will be advised to withdraw from study.

Following the progress review meeting the advisory panel will complete the College of

Physical Sciences Graduate School Year 2 progress review form (available at

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cops/graduate/assessment-process-255.php ). One copy of this form

should be lodged in the student‟s School file and another copy should be sent to the Graduate

School. Please note that students who have elected to go through the progress monitoring of

institutions such as the James Hutton Institute must also complete this form.

Monitoring progress during year 3 / writing up

By the end of the 33rd

month of full-time registration (pro-rata for part-time students) students

will submit to their progress review panel a short (2 page) progress report and a detailed

timetable for the completion of their thesis.

If the panel considers that the student is on track to submit within the period of supervised or

study or within the first few months of the writing up period no further action will be taken.

If there are any concerns about the student‟s ability to complete within the period of

supervised study or within the first few months of the writing up period, a meeting will be

held at which progress will be discussed and a realistic, detailed timetable for completion

within the 12 month writing up period will be agreed. A formal note of this meeting will be

made.

If the thesis has not been submitted by the end of the 9th month of the writing up period a

further progress review will be instigated, following the same procedure as for the 33rd

month

review above.

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cops/graduate/assessment-process-255.php

29

7. Postgraduate Research Students, Research Training and Personal and Professional

Development (Personal Development Plans)

Being a research student is not simply about collecting and processing data and producing a thesis.

Doing a research degree requires the development of many skills, including personal, career and

professional development skills as well as skills directly related to the topic you are studying, namely

developing your knowledge about and ability to use a range of research methods and analytical

techniques. Professional development also encompasses participation in the intellectual and

professional life of your discipline, the University and the wider academic community.

While some skills can be learnt and honed through personal experience, others are learnt in a more

structured manner. To ensure that these skills are developed, formal research, personal and

professional development training is now considered to be essential for ALL postgraduate research

students and post-doctoral researchers. Training courses may be taken at all stages of the PhD. Some

training is specifically designed for new PGRs and some is most suitable for students in the middle of

their research degree or in their final year. Research students in Human Geography follow training

guidelines set out by the Economic and Social Research Council: these requirements apply to ALL

research students in Human Geography, broadly defined, regardless of their source of funding or

specific research topic.

Training in generic and transferable skills is provided by the College of Physical Sciences and by

central University units, including the Directorate of Information Technology and the Staff

Development Unit. Attendance at these and other relevant training and skills development courses

comprise part of each research student‟s Personal Development Plan. Further, specialist skills

training may take place outwith the University.

7.1. The Researcher Development Framework

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF) is a major, new, UK wide approach to researcher

development, which aims to enhance our capacity to build the UK workforce, develop world-class

r