Dr Marco Saponaro
University of Birmingham

Who is your scientific inspiration and why?

He is called Piero Angela, the equivalent of David Attenborough for generations of Italians.

In three words or phrases how would you describe your supervision style?

Student-centred; laid-back; supportive

In one or two sentences please describe your strategies regarding the following.

Provision of training:

As a PhD student in the lab you will be part of a team that includes also postdocs and other PhD students. As such, the training will be provided by a different group member depending on the specific technique/assay.

Progression monitoring and management:

At the beginning of the PhD we agree in our weekly meetings the goals to reach and it is my responsibility to guide you through the project. When you have acquired enough experience then I’ll be monitoring how you progress with the project.

Communication:

The team has a WhatsApp group chat with which we regularly communicate, and my people in my group have my contact details and know that they can contact me at any time for urgent matters or whenever needed.

How often do your PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting?

At least once per week

In year 1 of PhD study, how often do your PhD students have a scheduled >30 minute 1:1 meeting with you?

At least once per fortnight

In year 2 of PhD study, how often do your PhD students have a scheduled >30 minute 1:1 meeting with you?

At least once per fortnight

In year 3 of PhD study, how often do your PhD students have a scheduled >30 minute 1:1 meeting with you?

At least once per fortnight

What form do your 1:1 meetings with PhD students take?

Face to face (if allowed under current health and safety advice)

Open door policy?

Yes, I am usually contactable for an instant response (if required) on every working day.

My expectation of PhD student working patterns?

Certain tasks in my lab need to occur at set times, and students need to be able to commit to a rota/timetable shared with other members of the team.

Notice for feedback (e.g. on reports, manuscript drafts, thesis chapters)?

I need at least 1 week’s notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.