Supervision Style
In three words or phrases: Supportive, organised and goal-oriented.
Provision of Training
I prefer to take responsibility for your technical training at first, providing hands-on training myself, but I expect that you progressively develop your own skills, leading to more independence later.
Progression Monitoring and Management
I'd like to be kept updated on your progress on a regular basis, weekly or at least every two weeks, for the experiments that worked well and especially those that didn't. I will set out my expectations of your progression on a monthly basis. If these progression criteria are not met, we will always discuss a plan of action together. As you become more experienced, I will expect you to take full ownership of your progression, but come to me when you need help troubleshooting.
Communication
I operate an open-door policy and therefore I am accessible most of the time during working hours. I sometimes email my team in the evenings or in weekends, however I will not expect you to do the same. We also use WhatsApp on a regular basis, while if immediate help is needed, you can contact me on my mobile.
PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:
In a group meeting
At least once per week
In year 1 of PhD study
At least once per week
In year 2 of PhD study
At least once per fortnight
In year 3 of PhD study
At least once per fortnight
These meetings will be mainly face to face, and I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.
Working Pattern
Work in my lab requires being present on site (in the laboratory or office) during working hours. As you become more experienced, the working pattern can become more flexible, but certain tasks will still need to occur at set times, and all students need to be able to commit to a rota/timetable shared with other members of the team.
Notice Period for Feedback
I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.
