- [+] Getting Started
On arrival you will be given an information package and allocated a student host. The student host will help you settle in by introducing you to the other postgraduates, show you around the Centre and the University and will endeavour to answer your questions.
You should also go to the Postgraduate Research and Scholarship Office (Hackett Hall) and finalise any outstanding details/items regarding your enrolment/scholarship.
Speak to all CWR academics to find out about their research areas.
Organise computer accounts and photocopying PIN number.
Meet CWR staff in charge of their section to find out how things operate within the Centre.
After 2-3 weeks you are expected to:
Decide on your research area, project title and supervisor(s).
Whilst you are entitled to work for up to 20 hours a week, CWR discourages you to work during the period when you are writing your research proposal.
- [+] Research Proposal and Seminar
Your research proposal is due within six months in the case of PhD students and 4 months in the case of Masters students from the date of commencement of degree. Guidelines for preparing Research Proposals and required format are available on the UWA Graduate Research School website, please click on proposal preparation on the external links below.
CWR requires students to present a research proposal seminar prior to final submission of the research proposal to the Graduate Research School.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL SEMINAR:
The purpose of this seminar is to allow the student to inform others, to confirm their topic of research, expected methodology and the expected outcomes. This seminar is to provide the student with feedback from peers and academics.
The steps for arranging the seminar are:
1. Consult with your supervisor/s and get an agreement on the content of the research proposal. Ensure that your supervisor/s have read your research proposal and approved it for presentation.
2. Liaise with the Administrator on a suitable time/date. Please provide at least 1-2 weeks notice.
3. Email title and short abstract to your supervisor/s for approval and once this is received send it onto the Administrative Officer.
4. The Administrative Officer will send out an email inviting students, academics, staff and visitors to attend.
5. After the seminar, a general email will be sent out inviting evaluation and feedback on the following aspects:
- Clarity of oral presentation
- Literature review
- Proposed methods of analysis
- Feasibility within time frame
- Potential for contribution to new knowledge
Responses will be collected and given to the student. The student should finalise the research proposal and circulate it to supervisor/s for final approval. Students should subsequently fill in required form and submit their Research Proposal to the Graduate Research School.
- [+] Annual Reports
Annual Reports are due on the anniversary of your enrolment date each year.
Students will receive a hardcopy of the Annual Report form and instructions from the Postgraduate Research and Scholarship Office approximately two months prior to the due date of the report.
Completed Annual Reports (signed by student and supervisor/s) are to be handed to the Centre Manager two weeks before the due date.
If your scholarship/award is due to expire before the next Annual Report ensure that the section requesting an extension for a further six months is completed.
A copy of the Annual Report can be downloaded from the external website, see below and click on forms.
- [+] Final Thesis Seminar and Thesis Submission
Procedures for Examination of MEngSc and PhD Theses:
1. Students are required to submit three journal papers prior to PhD thesis submission and two journal papers prior to Masters thesis submission.
2. Before the thesis can be submitted, the student will be required to present the completed work in the form of an open Seminar. The seminar will be arranged by the Manager. The purpose of the Seminar is to celebrate the near-completion of your thesis and to receive feedback. A date of not more than 2 months before final submission is suggested for the thesis seminar. To arrange the final thesis seminar:
- Seek approval from your supervisor and email Manager of your intent to present your thesis seminar.
- Once the date of the seminar is set, the student should submit a seminar abstract for approval to the Supervisor then send it onto the Manager for distribution.
- Seminar notices will be circulated inviting academics, staff, students and visitors to attend. Notices will also be sent out to the seminar mailing list.
- The thesis seminar will be evaluated by all academics in attendance on the following aspects:
* Clarity of Oral Presentation
* Visual Aids
* Methods of Analysis and Synthesis
* Scientific Merit / Contribution to New Knowledge
* Discussion
and based on their comments and recommendations, the student will then be encouraged to incorporate any suggested changes.
3. The final decision to submit the thesis rests with the supervisor(s) after considering the feedback generated from the seminar. When the supervisor(s) have satisfied themselves that the completed work meets the required standard necessary for the award of the MEngSc or PhD degree, the student will be informed that they may begin the process of submission and examination of the thesis.
4. As the thesis is being readied for submission, the supervisor(s) must submit the names, details of 3 external examiners + one reserve examiner for the PhD (2 examiners for a MEngSc thesis + one reserve), along with a justification on the choice of each examiner. These must be eminent scientists in the appropriate area(s) of specialisation who have not been associated in the work of the student during the course of the study programme.
5. When the thesis is ready for presentation, it must first be signed off by the supervisor(s) as worthy of examination. The required number of loosely bound copies will then be submitted to the Graduate Research School. Four copies are needed for a PhD thesis and 3 for a MEngSc thesis.
6. The examiners will be asked to examine the thesis thoroughly, evaluate its suitability for the award according to international standards and best practice, and make recommendations of:
- unconditional pass
- pass subject to minor changes
- pass subject to major changes, and
- unconditional fail.
Upon receipt of the examiners' reports, the Board of Postgraduate Studies in the Postgraduate School will make the final determination of the results of the external examination, along the same lines.
7. The student will then be required to address in full any comments, criticisms and recommendations of the examiners according to the final determination of the Board of Postgraduate Studies. The revised thesis, along with a separate document outlining in detail how the student has addressed the examiners comments, will then be sent back to the Graduate Research School with the recommendation of the supervisor(s) to accept the thesis on behalf of the Centre for Water Research.
8. If the student and/or the supervisor(s) disagree with a particular recommendation or criticism of the examiners, then the student must give a full and credible rebuttal of the examiners' comments. It is not sufficient merely to state that they disagree, it is important to explain why they disagree.
9. The required number of the revised thesis will be submitted to the Graduate Research School for final binding and distribution to the School, the supervisor(s) and the University Library. Please look at the UWA Graduate Research School link by clicking on forms on the external links website below.
- [+] Visitors Program
Each year the Centre receives a number of international and national visitors. Students are required to participate in this program as it will assist them in their academic development and scholarship . Students will be allocated to particular visitors and it is the responsibility of the student host to pick the visitor up from the airport, introduce them to and arrange appointments with staff and students. Students are further encouraged to discuss their topic with the visitor and learn from the visitor during his or her stay.
- [+] Seminar Series
The Centre organises a weekly seminar series that covers a broad of research topics. All postgraduates are required to attend this weekly series as part of their postgraduate training.
A list of seminar speakers and topics are available in the News and Events section of this website
- [+] Postgraduate Courses for 2009 - 2010
Semester 1, 2009
Course Name: FM 500: The Fundamentals of Fluid Dynamics, Lecturer: Jorg Imberger
Objective: To be advised
Course content: Introduction. Equations of Motion. Some Exact Solutions. Viscous Flow. The Concept of Scaling. Common Flow Regimes.
Semester 2, 2009
Course Name: Journal Club, Lecturer: Dr Jason Antenucci
Objectives:
- Improve students ability to critically review journal papers.
- Improve students presentation skills.
- Improve the depth of student's reading skills.
- Improve the likelihood of student's paper to get past the review process.
Course content: The idea is that each student would review 3 papers, relevant to their thesis and chosen in conjunction with me. For each paper reviewed, a presentation would be given, up to 45 minutes (including questions from the other students). I would expect the presentation to mainly focus on the figures and tables in the paper, with the basis of the presentation to follow the L&O instructions to reviewers (available at http://www.aslo.org/lo/instructions/reviewers.html). The idea is that the presentation would be interactive - questions would be taken from the floor at any point, as they arose. The purpose of this approach is get the students to "think on their feet"
Course Name: Physical Limniology, Lecturer: Dr Clelia Luisa Marti
Objective: The primary goal is to provide a comprehensive treatment of the principles and methodology of physical limnology. The course includes an overview of the dynamical processes operating in a lake, emphasizing description of the processes and their role in the lake overall.
Course content: Introduction. Lake classification. External energy sources. Seasonal structure. The surface layer. Upwelling. Differential deepening. Differential heating and cooling. Internal waves. Hypolimnetic mixing. Benthic boundary layer. Inflows. Outflows. Instrumentation and data analysis. Modelling.
Course Name: FM 501 Applied Fluid Dynamics, Lecturer: Jorg Imberger
Objective: To be advised
Course content: Engineering Flows. Hydraulics. Mixing. Surface Waves.
Semester 1, 2010
Course Name: FM 502: Stratified Flow, Lecturer: Jorg Imberger
Objective: To be advised
Course content: Linear Internal Waves. Internal Waves in Continuous Stratification. Internal Waves with Rotation.Modes. Selective Withdrawal. Inflows.
Course Name: Phytoplankton ecology and management, Lecturer: Jason Antenucci
Objective: The objective of this course is to provide sound, quantitative link between the ecology of phytoplankton and the management interventions that can be implemented to reduce the effects of problematic algal species.
Course content: Introduction to phytoplankton ecology, ecology of harmful algae, competition models, time and length scales of the plankton, engineering interventions fundamentals, engineering intervention design, intermediate disturbance hypothesis, coupling interventions with the ecology of problematic species.
Semester 2, 2010
Course Name: FM 503: Mixing in Stratified Rotation Fluids, Lecturer: Jorg Imberger
Objective: To be advised
Course content: Solutions to the Diffusion Equation. Ghost Rods. Turbulent Mixing. Shear Dispersion. Dispersion by Continuous Movement. Kinematic Chaos.
Nb: FM 501, 502, 503 require 500 as a pre-requisite
