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Staff Directory Home Professional Services Academic Section Postgraduate Research Education Team

Postgraduate Research Education Team

The Postgraduate Research Education Team supports many aspects of the University's postgraduate research education provision, including Doctoral Training Partnerships and postgraduate research student skills development.

We have oversight of procedures and central administration for Postgraduate Research (PGR) student casework, re-registration, progression and examination processes, and we advise to departments on these areas.  We work on strategic and policy developments to support and enhance postgraduate research education.  We also run cohort building projects and events for PGR students, and PGR student skills development via Proficio. 

The Team is part of the Academic Services Division.

Team member Responsibilities 
Laura Ruddick - Senior PGRE Manager 
  • PGRE Team leadership and oversight, and senior professional support to Dean of PGR&E, Deputy Deans (PGR Training) and Faculty Deans (PG).
  • Senior input to the strategic development of PGRE provision, projects and the postgraduate research student experience.
  • Oversight of procedures for PGR student re-registration, progression, examination and PGRE Regulations, Codes and Policies.
  • DTP/CDT institutional Admin Lead and senior project development, including operational management for CHASE DTP, SeNSS DTP, SENSS DTP and Soc-B CDT.
  • Advice on complex student casework including progress, assessment, appeals and complaints.
  • Training, advice and guidance to departments and partner institutions.
Andrew McCarthy - Postgraduate Research Education Manager
  • PGRE Team management and professional support for the Dean of PGR&E, Deputy Deans (PGR Training) and Faculty Deans (PG).
  • Proficio and PGR student training.
  • Management of procedures for student re-registration, progress, examination and escalated student casework. 
  • Training, advice and guidance to departments and partner institutions.
  • QA&E of PGR provision via PGR ARCs and Periodic Review.
  • Operational management of Aries DTP and Eastern ARC.

Felicity Kingsgate - Postgraduate Research Education Officer
  • Co-ordination of doctoral student casework and enquiries for Essex Business School, Economics, Government, ISER, and University of Suffolk.
  • Operational support for SeNSS, SENSS and Soc-B CDT.
  • Lead for PGR Progress Procedure.
  • PGRE team projects, working groups and events.
Andrea Olle - Postgraduate Research Education Officer
  • Co-ordination of doctoral student casework and enquiries for East 15, HSC, Law, LiFTS, Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, PHAIS, PPS, Tavistock & Portman Trust, and Writtle.
  • Operational support for CHASE.
  • Lead for PGR Examination processes.
  •  PGRE team projects, working groups and events.
Jenny Wilders - Postgraduate Research Education Officer
  • Co-ordination of doctoral student casework and enquiries for Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Language and Linguistics, Life Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, and SRES.
  • Operational support for ARIES CDT and IGGI.
  • Co-ordination of Proficio and PGR student training, and related activity.
  • PGRE team projects, working groups and events.
Aaron Archer - Postgraduate Research Education Assistant
  • Administration of student casework and examination and responding to queries for East 15, HSC, Law, Life Sciences, LiFTS, Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, PHAIS, PPS, Tavistock & Portman Trust and Writtle.
  • Administrative support for CHASE.
  • Support for projects, working groups and events.
Hope O’Rourke – Postgraduate Research Education Assistant
  • Administration of student casework and examination and responding to queries for CSEE, EBS, Economics, Government, ISER, Language and Linguistics, Psychology, Sociology, SRES, and University of Suffolk.
  • Support for projects, working groups and events.
Sarah Huckerby-Long - Postgraduate Research Education Assistant
  • Administration of Proficio and related activity.
  • Administrative support for PGRE events.
  • Administrative support for DTP/CDT events.
  • Support for projects, working groups and events.

Dean, Deputy Dean, and Faculty Deans for PGRE

Team member Responsibilities 
Professor Shane Martin, Dean of Postgraduate Research and Education
  • Academic lead for all strategic aspects of Postgraduate Research Education.
Professor Ilaria Boncori, Deputy Dean of Postgraduate Research Training
  • Academic lead for all Proficio and postgraduate research student training.
Professor Leanne Andrews, Faculty Dean Postgraduate for the Faculty of Science and Health
  • Academic decision maker for PGR student matters for the Faculty of Science and Health, including student casework, progress and examinations.
Dr Allyson Benton, Faculty Dean Postgraduate for the Faculty of Social Sciences
  • Academic decision maker for PGR student matters for the Faculty of Social Sciences (including student casework, progress and examinations).
  • Academic Lead for the SeNSS/SENSS DTP.
Dr Lisa Smith, Faculty Dean Postgraduate for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
  • Academic decision maker for PGR student matters for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (including student casework, progress and examinations).
  • Academic Lead for the CHASE DTP.

Also see
University of Essex Postgraduate Research Facebook Page
Proficio Short Courses Gateway
Three Minute Thesis Competition 2019
Proficio and Research Degree Resources
Doctoral Training Partnerships
Policies
Regulations
Policies, procedures and guidelines (postgraduate research)
Information for Postgraduate Students
Arrow symbol
Contact us
Postgraduate Research Education Team Casework, examinations, progress and general enquiries
Telephone: 01206 874634
Proficio and PGR student training
Additional contact details
PGR News and Events promotion
Embassy Reporting
Additional contact details
Three Minute Thesis Competition 

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