| [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Thread Index] | [Date Prev] | [Date Next] | [Date Index] |
UCL/NHM Micropalaeontology MSC Course - a new postgraduate training opportunity A Micropalaeontology course has been run very successfully at University College London for 45 years, training many of the leading industrial and academic micropalaeontologists and attracting consistent NERC support, currently five 5 places per year. However, to reflect the increasing range of skills required by micropalaeontologists, and to benefit from the strong collaboration between UCL and the Natural History Museum, this course has been comprehensively revised for 2005, many new lecturers involved, and it will now be jointly run between UCL and the NHM.. The new course is arranged in five 5 components, devised to provide comprehensive and challenging training. All parts of the course include extensive practical work. In addition, transferable skills are developed through a series of individual projects, assignments and presentations. PART A INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND FUNDAMENTALS Introduction to the techniques and methodology of micropalaeontology and field collecting. Training in fundamental aspects of oceanography, limnology and eukaryote biology necessary to understand micropalaeontology. PART B THE MAIN MICROFOSSIL GROUPS This key part of the course consists of a series of 2 two-week modules dealing with the biology, evolutionary history, stratigraphic application and taxonomy of the main microfossil groups. The modules are taught by experts in the field with in most cases guest lectures and provide a unique training opportunity. Practical work, using outstanding material, forms about half the course content. Places on the individual module are available for, e.g., PhD students or industrial micropalaeontologists. PART C APPLICATION OF MICROPALAEONTOLOGY IN GEOLOGY AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH This part of the course provides training in how micropalaeontology can be used in modern geology. It starts with a field course (to the Sorbas Basin, S. Spain in 2005) and continues with modules on the biostratigraphic, geochronological and palaeoceanographic application of microfossils, including biotic and geochemical proxies derived from microfossils. PART D WORK EXPERIENCE A 2 one or two week work experience placement in an industrial or research laboratory to provide hands- on experience. This part also compliments transferable skills training, developed through the course. PART E RESEARCH PROJECT The final five 5 months of the course are spent on individual research projects. Research projects are offered by a wide range of micropalaeontologists working at UCL and the NHM and by outside collaborators, and students will have the opportunity to be based in the NHM during projects. The projects are practical-based, typically using previously barely studied material to address real biostratigraphic, palaeobiological or palaeoenvironmental problems. All projects are written-up to an absolute deadline, and many projects have subsequently lead to publications. With the relaunch, the traditional strengths of this course have been developed into a thoroughly modern course, providing first rate training and a challenging experience. We hope you will bring the course to the attention of potentially interested students. Paul Bown (UCL), Susanne Feist-Burkardt (NHM), Mike Kaminski (UCL), Jeremy Young (NHM) Application, timetable and lecturer information is available on the UCL website http://www.es.ucl.ac.uk/graduate/micropal/UCL-NHM_MSc.html application enquiries should be sent to micropal-msc@ucl.ac.uk NB Both University College and The Natural History Museum are non-profit organisations -- Dr. Jeremy R. Young Head of Micropalaeontology Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5286 Palaeontology Dept. Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 5546 The Natural History Museum Email: j.young@nhm.ac.uk LONDON, SW7 5BD, UK http://www.nhm.ac.uk/palaeontology/micro/micro.html http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ina http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ina/CODENET
Partial index: