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Ph.D./M.Sc. Resources - Your School

Orientation Information

This 'Your School' page will help new and established research students find their way around the School and make the most efficient use of its resources.

There are many resources that are also provided centrally by UNSW. You can link to these by visiting the 'Your University' page of this site.

Guidelines and resources relating to your academic progress can be found in the sections on Stages, Progress, Thesis and Examination for which links are provided under the main site buttons at the left of this page.

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First Day and Enrolment (Research Students)

It is important that you let the School know (usually via your supervisor) the exact date and the approximate time that you will first arrive in the School. Usually you will arrange to meet your supervisor first and then attend to some administrative formalities.

You should ask your supervisor for directions to the Student Centre on the first floor of the Dalton Building. The Administrative Assistant (Postgraduate) will have your information package and enrolment form.

You can now go back to your supervisor and begin your project.

GOOD LUCK!

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Important Contacts

EMERGENCY NUMBERS - see the emergency telephone numbers page

Your most important contact is your supervisor. He/she will help you to become familiar with the members and operation of your research group and the School. During your project you should see your supervisor if, after consulting this WWW site, you still have a problem or are uncertain about procedures.

If you have an administrative problem (e.g., enrolment) see Administrative Assistant (Graduate Studies) located in room 106 in the Chemistry Student Centre at the southern end of the the first floor of the Dalton Building. They will direct you to the most appropriate member of the administrative staff or the Director of Graduate Studies.

If you have a safety problem please contact the Chair of the School Safety Committee Berta Litvak (ext 54648).

Report all building or facility faults to the School Administrative Officer, Rick Chan (ext 54702).

The 'About the School' section of this site provides a convenient searchable directory of all staff and postgraduate students. Contacts outside the School are provided in the 'Your University' section of this site.

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Your Workspace and Tools

Soon after arriving at UNSW you should be allocated a permanent desk as well as filing and bookshelf space. It is likely that you will be required to share an office with other researchers.

You will also be provided with benchspace according to the needs of your project. This is likely to be in a shared laboratory - usually with other members of your research group. Different groups share laboratory equipment in different ways. If you need any item that is not available in your laboratory you should discuss this with your supervisor or other member of the research group.

Keys for after-hours access to your workspace(s) will be issued to you in the School office at the time of your enrolment.

For access to telecommunications and the Internet see below.

 

Your Research Proposal

After six months of enrolment as a research student, you will be asked to submit a research proposal, literature review and a completed questionaire about how you are going in your project. You will also be asked to present a 20-minute introductory seminar followed by an interview with the School Graduate Studies Committee along with your supervisor. This is part of the progress review process which is described elsewhere. You should begin preparing your research proposal early. Progression beyond the induction stage of your project requires a satisfactory research proposal.

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Computing, Internet and Telecommunication

The School has an extensive computer network with high resolution printers, colour printing and scanning facilities. Many computers are available in laboratories for shared use by graduate students. These are mostly connected to the Internet via the Campus-Wide Network. All graduate students are eligible for an e-mail account and 500Mb of server disk space that is protected by password. Students can work on any of the shared computers in the School and access their secure hard-disk space and mail boxes. All e-mail accounts for graduate students are managed by the UNSW IT Services (ITS). After you have obtained your UniPass (see the UNSW IT Services) contact Dr Ron Haines in order to set up your email software and server space.

The School provides a web page (the 'local' home page) with key information for students and staff in Chemistry. This page is the default home page on the public computers on the School's network. You may wish to bookmark this page on the browser that you use on your personal computer.

All communal computers allow direct searching of the UNSW library catalog through the library web site (there is a convenient link on the local home page) as well as other libraries. If you have a computer with a modem or cable connection at home, you can connect to the UNSW network for a full range of Internet services at very low cost. Consult the ITS web page for information about the dial in and email services provided by the University.

Your supervisor will advise you on how to use the telephone and facsimile facilities within the School.

Access and Security

Your supervisor will advise you about which rooms you will need access to during your project. As most of these are likely to locked after-hours you will be issued with keys. These must be signed for in the School Office and a record is kept. You must hand in all of the keys that are recorded for you at the end of your project. You cannot graduate unless these keys are returned. It is your responsibility to relock rooms that you use when you are not occupying them.

The School of Chemistry buildings are locked after-hours and entry is via a security door by swiping your student card. After-hours access will be arranged for you at the time of your enrolment by Ken McGuffin.

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Safety

The School has an excellent safety record. It is the responsibility of every graduate research student to observe safe practice in the School. Wearing of safety glasses and observation of rules for safe handling and disposal of chemicals is particularly important. All researchers must be aware of the relevant safety information. Please contact the Safety Officer for details.

 

Intellectual Property (IP)

Ownership of the intellectual property that forms a thesis and associated publications resides in all cases with the University. However, any published work of a graduate student must include that student in the list of authors. If the research project of the student has commercial aspects then it is usual for the IP arrangements to be agreed prior to the student beginning work. This is automatic in the case of students who are funded on industrial scholarships. For all other students it is advisable to discuss the matter with the supervisor(s) prior to enrolment or, at the latest, immediately after.

It is essential that research students keep accurate and complete written / magnetic / optical records of their research and that these (or a complete and legible copy) remain with the School at the completion of the project.

The student may take the original or a personal copy of any results or laboratory records at the end of the project in order to do further work or publish results from the thesis. Further publications must recognise all contributors to the study and the University. Usually a paper published from the work in a thesis after it is examined, is written in close collaboration with the supervisor(s).

The School and the University have an Intellectual Property (IP) policy that is fair to students and recognises their input to innovation. For more information on the Official IP Policy at UNSW please [EXIT] to the UNSW InfoNET IP Policy page. Note: You can use the browser [Back] button to return to this page.

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Analytical and Spectroscopic Services

The School has access to a comprehensive range of services in the following areas via the UNSW Analytical Centre:

  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • ICP and Elemental Composition
  • X-ray Crystallography

UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy is available within the School - see Mr Barry Ward for details.

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Workshop Services

The School has access to well equipped workshops for mechanical engineering. The workshops have a proud reputation in construction of sophisticated and high-technology equipment due to the high skill levels of their staff. The workshops are located in the basement of the Chemical Sciences Building. Work undertaken by the workshops must be requisitioned on the appropriate form signed by your supervisor. Work is charged to an account nominated by the supervisor. See the Research section of this site for more information about the workshops (including forms and guidelines for requesting work).

Electronics services are provided by the Faculty Electronics Workshop located near the Mechanical Workshops in the basement of the Chemical Sciences Building.

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Purchasing

Purchasing of chemiscals and equipment is handled centrally in the School of Chemistry by the Purchasing Officer, Mr Joseph Antoon.

  1. Petty cash items (<$100) may be obtained without an order. Arrange advances or reimbursement in the School Store.
  2. Urgent Purchase Orders (orders to the value of $2000 or less) can be written in the School (Purchasing Officer) after a written Purchase Request is provided. Purchase requests must include all relevant information to complete the order.
  3. External Supply Orders are arranged by the Purchasing Officer on the basis of a purchase request. These orders are completed by the University Purchasing Department and take a little longer to process than Urgent Purchase Orders.
  4. Central Store Items comprise many products in high demand around campus. These are usually available at discount prices resulting from government contracts with the suppliers. These items can be ordered via the Purchasing Officer and a Purchasing Request. Catalogs of Central Stores items are available (contact the Purchasing Officer).
  5. School Store Items comprise many commonly used chemicals, glassware and other equipment. A catalog of items is available on the School Server (accessible from any computer on the School's local talk network). A requisition form, signed by your supervisor, is required to draw items from the store.

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Laboratory Manager

Mr Barry Ward is the School Laboratory Manager. He is directly responsible for the operation of the School teaching laboratories. Research students must not consume any resources in teaching laboratories. This rule is strictly enforced. Use of equipment in teaching laboratories must be with the permission of the Laboratory Manager or his nominee for the particular laboratory. If in doubt, contact the Laboratory Manager.

Chemistry Store

The Chemistry Store is located in the basement of the Chemical Sciences Building. This is where you draw goods and arrange petty cash transactions. Transactions involving cylinder replacements/returns, liquid nitrogen and dry ice are also done here. The store is staffed by a Stores Officer (Mr Ian Aldred) during business hours. Access to chemicals from the Schools Special Chemicals Store is also arranged at the School Store. Most deliveries resulting from orders come to the School Store. Contact the Stores Officer if you are expecting an urgent delivery and wish to be notified of its arrival.

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Finishing

When you have completed your research and are ready to submit your thesis you must obtain and complete a clearance form. This must be signed by a number of people in the School to establish, for example, that you have safely disposed of any chemicals, returned any borrowed equipment to workshops and stores etc. The form will be given to you when you have notified the School of your intention to submit your thesis. Failure to lodge a clearance form may result in the delay of processing the results of thesis examination and graduation.