Training

As part of the Researchers in Residence you are required to take part in a days training.  This is a very good thing as though I think it is a great scheme, it is a little scary to go beyond the walls of the University to a local school.  My training day was in Edinburgh in November, just as the snow started to fall.  It was an early start and I had time for a coffee and cake when I luckily arrived in Edinburgh on time and then made my way to the amazing Dynamic Earth centre (http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk/). 

This engraved rock outside Dynamic Earth makes it clear reconstructing past sea level and environmental change is important for the future.

The day consisted of some fantastically over excited trainers David and Ben, a Researchers in Residence contact Fiona, about 20 nervous PhD students and postdocs (mainly from Scottish Universities) and lots of ideas about what your placement could involve.  David, Ben and Fiona also went through the practical day-to-day points of being involved in the scheme and some of the issues you may encounter, as well as how to get round them.  A PhD student who had participated in the scheme last year explained what she and her colleagues had done in their school.  She also gave some suggestions of things to learn from their experience.  I came out of it tired but excited, and on the train home quickly wrote down lots of ideas.  It was invaluable and anyone else thinking about taking part in the scheme should be reassured that you will receive the support you require and you can ask any questions you want.