Topic outline

  • General

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    Welcome to the School of Mathematical Sciences QMPlus page for PhD students. This page provides information to on procedures specific to your programme of study, practicalities of carrying out a PhD, and the support and facilities available.

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    Contacts

    Director of Graduate Studies: Dr Reem Yassawi - The DGS has the overall responsibility for the School’s PhD programmes.

    Deputy Director of Graduate Studies: Dr Alex Shestopaloff

    Postgraduate Research Programmes Officer: maths-phd@qmul.ac.uk - Contact for queries on progression, stipend payments, fees, general queries. 

    Research Manager: Isabella D'Adamo - Contact when PGR Programme Officer is not available. 

    Education Services Manager: William Ng - Contact for queries on PGR teaching, demonstrating and marking.

    Finance Manager: Andrea Young - Contact for queries on expense claims.

    School Operations Officer: Gilda Tafilaku - Contact for queries on payment for TA, demonstrating or marking work.



  • WORKING ON CAMPUS

    WORKING ON CAMPUS: RISK ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

    The documents in this section contain our University-approved procedures and guidance to ensure the safety of our staff and students.  Please note these documents may change according to circumstances, and you will be alerted to any major amendments.

    If you have any queries relating to your return, please contact maths-facilities@qmul.ac.uk

    MAIN DOCUMENTS


  • Useful Links

  • Expense claim procedure

    IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the QMUL Travel and Expenses Policy.

    Where purchases are made and expenses need to be claimed back, all relevant tabs on the expense claim form need to be filled in and given to your Head of Group for approval with all original receipts attached.
    Once approved the form should be submitted to the maths-travel@qmul.ac.uk .
    All expense claims must be submitted within three months of the expenditure taking place.
    Payments are reimbursed by bank transfer.
    Please note that it is not necessary to complete a new expense claim for each trip. Multiple claims, even if these relate for example to different conferences, can be combined onto one expense claim form to minimise paperwork and administration for both yourself and the Finance Manager. Two main points to remember are:
    1. Always seek advice first before spending any funds
    2. Please fully read the QMUL Travel and Expenses Policy

  • TRAVEL

    The preferred travel agents are Key Travel who accept official University purchase orders.  If you can get a cheaper fare on line it may be possible to pay with the School credit card. However, you should supply a quote from Key Travel with your order to evidence that you have achieved a cheaper price.

    TRAVEL INSURANCE

    If you require Travel Insurance whilst travelling on university business, you are not automatically covered. This applies to any trip you take. You will be required to complete the online application form for single and multi-trips. This will generate a travel certificate which confirms cover is in place.

    For more information and details on how to register your trip please visit: http://qm-web.finance.qmul.ac.uk/sections/insurance/travel/ 

    If you have any further questions, please contact the Insurance Manager, Rahima Choudhury at r.choudhury@qmul.ac.uk or call 020 7882 5678


  • PHD ANNUAL LEAVE

    • For full-time PhD students the annual holiday entitlement is 30 working days plus the eight UK public holidays and the four QMUL closure days. Holiday entitlement is pro-rata for part-time students and for parts of a year.
    • PhD students should agree their holiday periods with their primary supervisor and note this in the Supervisor Log on MySIS. PhD leave cannot be approved on MyHR so should not be requested through this system.
    • PhD students should also log absences other than annual leave (e.g. attendance at conferences, research visits, etc.) on the Supervision Log, after agreeing these with their supervisor.

     Please do not submit one of the old “absence on college business” forms as these are no longer in use.


  • SMS Support

    There are a number of staff who you can approach within the School for support including:

    • Your supervisor(s)
    • Your assessment panel (two academics conduct your annual reviews)
    • The Director of Postgraduate Research Studies (see above for contact details)
    • The PGR Programme Officer (see above for contact details)
    • The Student Support Officer (see above for contact details)

  • Queen Mary Support

    Advice and Counselling Service: The Advice and Counselling Service provides a range of specialist, professional and confidential services to support students with financial, welfare, legal, emotional and psychological issues.

    Disability and Dyslexia Service: The Disability and Dyslexia Service provides information, guidance and support to disabled students, including those with specific learning differences like dyslexia and mental health difficulties.

    Mental Health Coordinator: The Mental Health Coordinator provides one-to-one appointments for any student with mental health concerns.

    PhD Support Group: The groups aim to provide a safe, confidential space in which PhD students support each other with personal, emotional and relationship issues that are holding them back.

    Wellbeing workshops: Wellbeing workshops for PhD students and postdocs run by the Researcher Development Team

    Mental Health First Aiders

    Student Health Service: There is a free Student Health Service available on campus. Student Health Service is provided by Globe Town Surgery. Students living in Queen Mary accommodation at Mile End or Whitechapel and students living in the borough of Tower Hamlets (E1, E2, E3 and E14) are encouraged to register with the Student Health Service (located in the Geography Building at Mile End Campus).

    PHD101: Slack channel for neurodivergent PGR students: You can join by following this link and signing up with your @qmul.ac.uk email address: https://join.slack.com/t/neurodiversphdqmul/signup

    Multi-faith centre: The Multi-Faith Centre is on the 2nd floor of the Students' Union Hub and provides a space for quiet reflection, contemplation and prayer for students and staff.




  • External Support

    Togetherall (Previously the Big White Wall): All PhD students can access free online support with Togetherall. Whether you're suffering from stress, are struggling to sleep or simply need someone to talk to, Togetherall can help you get support, take control and feel better. Togetherall is completely anonymous, so no one needs to know you are using the service unless you tell them. To join Togetherall, simply go to https://togetherall.com/en-gb/ and sign up under Queen Mary University of London with your email address.

    Student Minds

    Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline: Confidential support from LGBT+ volunteers 10am - 10pm every day. Tel: 0300 330 0630

    Employee Assistance Programme: QMUL employees have access to 'Workplace Options'. This is a free, confidential and independent resource to help you balance your work, family and personal life. The service provides information, resources, referrals and counselling on any issue that matters to you, such as work-life balance, relationships, debt, child care, anxiety and depression, bereavement and loss.

    Freephone: 0800 243 458
    Email: assistance@workplaceoptions.com
    Web: www.workplaceoptions.co.uk
    (username: queenmary, password: employee)


  • PhD student reps

    There are a variety of ways in which you can tell us what you think and share your ideas for improvements. Student representatives, who are elected by students, also speak on behalf of the student body at School, Faculty and QM-wide level via various committees, groups and meetings. The PhD Student Representatives are currently:

    Zain Kapadia: z.a.kapadia@qmul.ac.uk

    Maria Pintado Serrano: m.f.pintadoserrano@qmul.ac.uk

    George Scriven: g.scriven@qmul.ac.uk 

    Eve Mladenova: i.mladenova@qmul.ac.uk

    Please contact one or all of the above Student Representatives if you have any issues that you want to be addressed. It is in your own interest that your needs are represented and the School of Mathematical Sciences believe it is very important to ensure that there is a good flow of information between our PhD cohort and the staff responsible for PhD matters.


  • PhD Forum

    The PhD Forum meets twice a year, and all PhD students are strongly encouraged to attend. It is led by PhD students and is attended by the Director of Postgraduate Research Studies, the Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research Studies, the Head of School, the School Manager, PGR Programme Officer, PGR Student Representatives and any other relevant members of staff. This meeting gives you a chance to raise questions and concerns directly to the school’s management team.

    PHD FORUM DATES 2023-24:

    19th October 2023, 2-3pm

    14th March 2024, 2-3pm


    PHD FORUM DATES 2022-23:

    20th October 2022, 2-3pm: Notes from meeting

    23rd March 2023, 2-3pm: Notes from meeting

    PHD FORUM DATES 2021-22:

    31st March 2022, 2-3pm: Notes from meeting

    21st October 2021, 2-3pm: Notes from meeting

    PHD FORUM DATES 2020-21:

    25th March 2021, 2-3pm: Notes from meeting

    22nd October 2020, 2-3pm: Notes from meeting

    PHD FORUM DATES 2019-20:

    8th April 2020: 3-4pm. Notes from meeting

    26th March 2020: 2-3pm. Notes from meeting  and School Manager response

    31st October 2019: 2-3pm. Notes from meeting


  • PGR Committee

    The Postgraduate Research Committee meets formally twice a year. It is chaired by the Director of Postgraduate Research Studies and attended by the Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research Studies, Director of Research, Heads of Groups, the PGR Programme Officer, the Head of School, the School Manager, the Research Manager, the PGR Admissions Tutors, and the PGR Student Representatives. The remit of the Committee covers every aspect of the teaching and training of PGR students, from office accommodation to annual assessment procedures.


    POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH COMMITTEE DATES 2023-24:

    • 16th November 2023, 2-4pm
    • 18th April 2024, 2-4pm

  • Hot-desking in PhD Office - MB-402

    Desk Use Policy for PhD Office MB-402

    PhD students:

    • PhD students will be offered a standard laptop for the duration of their studies in the School. 
    • Hot-desks with monitor, keyboard and mouse are available to book in the PhD room (MB-402) through LibCal: qmul.libcal.com/reserve/MB402
    • Desks can be booked for one day (7am-9pm, Monday-Friday)
    • Bookings open 7 days in advance
    • You must leave the desks clean and dispose of refuse before you leave
    • Other work spaces are available on the campus, e.g. the Library or Graduate Centre.
    • Students will be allocated a pedestal or a locker to store belongings. Some pedestals are currently located at hot-desks.  However, being allocated a pedestal at a hot-desk does not give the individual any rights to that hot-desk.
    • Pedestals / lockers must be emptied at or before award and any keys should be returned to the PGR Programme Officer.
    • If the allocated pedestal or locker is no longer required by a current PhD student, please remove any belongings, return any keys and notify the PGR Programme Officer so that storage space can be re-allocated.

     Associate PhD students:

    • Associate students will be allowed to book hot-desks in the PhD room, and can use other work spaces on campus.
    • A locker or pedestal may be offered, space permitting. Pedestals / lockers must be emptied at or before leaving QMUL and any keys should be returned to the PGR Programme Officer.


  • Academic Hubs

    The Mathematical Sciences building has several Academic Hubs (MB-201, 205, 301, 304, 401, 403, 501 & 505 – capacity 8) 

    Equipped with a table, 8 chairs, Wi-Fi and 2 whiteboards the hubs are available to book by PhD students and staff. However, they are not intended to be used as working/office space for individuals.

    To book these, please email: maths@qmul.ac.uk

  • Graduate Centre - Graduate Study Space

    The Graduate Study Space on the 7th floor of the Graduate Centre, Mile End Campus, comprises four study spaces designed for the use of taught and research postgraduate students. The space is open 24/7 throughout the year.

    The 7th floor is comprised of:

    Postgraduate Reading Room

    Group Study Rooms 1 and 2 (GC705 and GC706, respectively)

    Postgraduate Common Room and Terrace

    In addition, a kitchen is available, along with gender neutral toilet facilities. 

    The primary function of all four rooms is to provide a range of study environments for postgraduate students; some of the spaces are bookable for other activities (the Common Room is bookable for certain events where these support the study or development of postgraduate students, for example), though these are kept to a minimum to reduce disruption to the normal access and use of the spaces.

    Further details here: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/contact-us/find-us/the-graduate-centre/



  • Other study spaces

    https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/using-library-services/your-study-environment/study-spaces-across-campus/

  • IT

    The IT Service Desk is the first point of contact for all IT help and support. You can raise a ticket by emailing helpdesk@qmul.ac.uk. 

    IT Services web page

    If you require a new piece of software to be installed on your managed laptop, please contact Ethan Belgrave


    HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING (HPC) CLUSTER

    Q-review recording of the HPC lecture 12.02.20 

    This workshop provides a practical approach to running jobs on the QMUL HPC cluster, and will involve training on topics such as:

    • logging in
    • understanding the job scheduler
    • job submission and job scripts
    • loading and using applications
    • understanding resource usage, choosing optimal resources and other good practice
    • compilers
    • storage
    • array jobs
    Pre-requisites for this workshop will be an HPC account (available from https://docs.hpc.qmul.ac.uk/intro/hpc-account/) and some very basic linux familiarity such as listing files and directories, and using a text editor - the novice tutorial at this link covers this: https://learn.hpc.qmul.ac.uk/tutorials/ (requires an active HPC account)

  • Maintenance issues

    Any maintenance problems within the School should be reported to maths-facilities@qmul.ac.uk. Please do not assume that someone else has already reported issues.

  • SMS funding

    RESEARCH CENTRE FUNDING

    You are strongly encouraged to participate in national and international research meetings. The School of Mathematical Sciences allocates each research centre an annual budget to be used to support PhD students for travel, conference registration and subsistence, subject to approval.  Use of the fund is at the discretion of the Head of Centre following approval by your supervisor. To apply for this funding you must speak to your supervisor and Head of Centre and get approval confirmed by email.  If your claim has approval please ensure that you follow current QMUL procedures for purchasing tickets and claiming expenses. 

    SMS PGR DAY PRIZES

    The Ann Cook Prize

    This awarded annually to the postgraduate student who submits the best poster at the Postgraduate Research Day. The prize is named after Mrs Ann Cook, who for many years was secretary to the Head of School and ensured the smooth and effective running of many aspects of the School.

    The School of Mathematical Sciences Prize

    This prize is awarded annually to the postgraduate student who is judged to have given the best presentation at the Postgraduate Research Day.

    SMS AWARDS

    The Minnie Brooke Memorial Studentship Award

    This award commemorates the achievements of Minnie Brooke, a pioneer and supporter of public health orientation in mental health programmes. Minnie was a Mathematics graduate of Queen Mary University of London when it was known as East London College, and this award recognises and supports promising young researchers who can continue the departmental legacy she helped initiate. This studentship is awarded every few years to a new incoming PhD student.


  • PGRF & DCIF

    THE QM POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH FUND (PGRF)

    The QM Postgraduate Research Fund is open to all Postgraduate Research students at Queen Mary who seek funding between £400.00 and £2000.00. The Fund is designed to support travel and other expenses related to your doctoral studies. Applications are accepted on three deadlines each year. Applications to the Fund will be assessed by a Panel of senior colleagues from across the College (two per Faculty). For more information regarding the application procedure and deadlines please see: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/phd-students/funding/pgrf/#d.en.701936

    THE DOCTORAL COLLEGE INITIATIVE FUND (DCIF)

    Queen Mary’s Doctoral College Initiative Fund (DCIF) is designed to support and promote creative and imaginative activities organised by postgraduate research students which will enhance your research experience, intellectual and/or professional development. For more information regarding the application procedure and deadlines please see: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/phd-students/funding/dcif/#d.en.701923 


  • External funding

  • Registration & attendance

    ENROLMENT

    PhD students are required to enrol at the start of their programme. The period of registration will begin from the date of initial enrolment and the maximum period of registration is 3 years 364 days for full-time students or 6 years and 364 days for part-time students by the end of which the thesis must be submitted for examination. Full-time students are expected to undertake a full study week of at least 35 hours. Part-time students should reach an agreement with their supervisors at the start of their registration as to the proportion of time they will spend on their programme to enable them to submit within the prescribed period. For further information on registration and attendance requirements, additional to the points outlined in this section, please refer to the Academic Regulations and Code of Practice.

    RE-ENROLMENT
    All students must re-enrol at the beginning of each academic year (August) through MySIS. Failure to re-enrol may result in de-registration from the programme. You must complete re-enrolment until awarded your degree, even if you have submitted your thesis for examination.

    ATTENDANCE

    • Full-time students are expected to undertake a full study week of 35 hours on their research studies. 
    • Part-time students should reach an agreement with their supervisors at the start of their registration as to the proportion of time they will spend on their research degree programme to enable them to submit within the prescribed period.  The Academic Regulations for Research Degrees state that the workload of a part-time student is deemed to be 50% of that of a full-time student. It is recognised that the time a part-time student may spend on their studies may vary through the course of the programme.  Any arrangement agreed should not compromise submission time within the prescribed period.  
    • Absence: It is your responsibility on such occasions to keep your supervisor and the PGR Programmes Officer informed of the reason for absences. If you are unfortunate enough to have to take extended periods of absence (more than five continuous working days) you should supply a doctor’s certificate. 
    • Interruption: Where a student is expected to be absent for more than one month they should apply to interrupt their studies.
    • Absence for research: Please log any research leave/travel on your MySIS Supervisor Log. Funding for any research travel that is provided by the School / research group / research grant, should be agreed in advance with your supervisor and HoG / grant holder. Student must obtain this approval before submitting claims. 



    ANNUAL LEAVE

    • For full-time PhD students the annual holiday entitlement is 30 working days plus the eight UK public holidays and the four QMUL closure days. Holiday entitlement is pro-rata for part-time students and for parts of a year.
    • PhD students should agree their holiday periods with their primary supervisor and note this in the Supervisor Log on MySIS. PhD leave cannot be approved on MyHR so should not be requested through this system.
    • PhD students should also log absences other than annual leave (e.g. attendance at conferences, research visits, etc.) on the Supervision Log, after agreeing these with their supervisor.
    • QMUL closure days are listed on this web page: http://hr.qmul.ac.uk/procedures/leave/closuredays/


  • Supervision

    In accordance with University policy, each research student will have two research supervisors, a primary and a secondary supervisor. Your primary supervisor will identify your secondary supervisor to you within the first month of your studies.

    Your second supervisor may simply have a pastoral role and act as a mentor, and as a deputy for when your principal supervisor is away. For new staff with no previous supervision experience, the secondary supervisor has to be a senior member of staff. The second supervisor’s responsibility usually includes being an assessor for your annual reviews and may sometimes extend to joint academic supervision.

    You should arrange to see your primary supervisor regularly, the arrangement for working with your supervisor will generally be informal but some supervisors might require you to make appointments to see them, especially if they are particularly busy at that time. It is your responsibility to be proactive in organising contact with your supervisor to discuss your research.

    If you are having a problem, your supervisor would normally be your first contact but if you would prefer to discuss it with someone else then please make an appointment to see the Director of Postgraduate Research Studies or the Postgraduate Research Programmes Officer.

    Supervision log

    All research students are required to use the Supervision Log on the QM Student Information System (MySIS) to record monthly interactions with your supervisors throughout your studies. This system is designed to record details of the supervision meetings; it also allows exchange of notes and documents between the PhD students and the members of the supervisory team. By summarising your strategic courses of action in this log, you and your supervisor will benefit as it should help ensure you are both clear on the way forward, it will also help to identify any misinterpretation.

    This is of particular importance to International students on s student visa, who should note that if your engagement cannot be demonstrated via these recorded interactions, QMUL is required to report this to the UK Border Agency who may curtail (cut short) your immigration permission.

    To log an interaction, log on to MySIS mysis.qmul.ac.uk  and complete an interaction form online.

    See this guide on how to record a supervision meeting on MySIS

    ASSESSMENT PANEL

    Shortly after enrolment your primary supervisor will assign an assessment panel that will be responsible for conducting your annual progression reviews. The assessment panel will be formed of two academics. These are usually QMUL staff members, but on occasions your supervisor may invite an academic from another institution to be part of your assessment panel.



  • Annual progression reviews

    In accordance with current QMUL Academic regulations, all research students are required to be assessed once per academic year in the form of an annual review.

    For full-time PhD students the progression points occur between:

    • 1st year progression: 6-9 months
    • 2nd year progression: 18-24 months
    • 3rd year progression: 36 months (if final examination has not occurred)

    For a part-time PhD students the progression points occur between:

    • 1st year progression: 12-18 months
    • 2nd year progression: 36-48 months
    • 3rd year progression: 72 months (if final examination has not occurred)

     At each of the progression points, research students are required to submit the following documents ahead of the review meeting:

    Your supervisor will submit the following:

    • Supervisor’s Report

    The meetings are conducted by the student’s assessment panel and aim to review the student’s progress and to decide whether or not the student should be allowed to continue with their research as a postgraduate student at PhD status.

    Following the progression assessment meeting, the panel are required to recommend one of the following outcomes to the DPGRS, who has final approval of all progression decisions:

    • PASS PROGRESS – Students status remains as PhD (No Referral assessment is required).
    • REFER – if the performance of a student is assessed to be unsatisfactory, performance indicators will be identified by the panel and the student will be reassessed within 2 months.

    At a REFERRAL assessment the panel will recommend one of the following outcomes:

    • PASS PROGRESS – Student’s status remains as PhD.
    • FAIL - The student’s registration will be terminated on the grounds of academic insufficiency/inadequate attendance.
    • TRANSFER TO MPHIL – The student will be presented with the option to pursue a self-funded MPhil degree. NOTE: MPhil degree programmes are not eligible for studentships, any existing studentship arrangement will cease.

    The research student’s progression status must be concluded within each progression period and will be input into MySIS.

    FIRST YEAR PROGRESSION

    The first year review must take place six to nine months after enrolment (or 12-18 months after enrolment for part-time students). This requirement is to allow you time to take remedial action if necessary before progression to second year.

    Student’s Report: You should produce a short report (usually no more than six A4 pages) outlining the problem you wish to tackle, the background reading you have undertaken, progress made and plans for the future.

    1st year annual review form

    SECOND YEAR PROGRESSION

    The second year review must take place 18-24 months after enrolment (or 36-48 months after enrolment for part-time students). In this review we are looking for evidence of all the qualities necessary for the production of a successful PhD thesis. In addition to adequate levels of scholarship and evidence of progress on the programme of research, you will be required to demonstrate ability in mathematical writing.

    Student’s Report: The written report should be more substantial for this review: at least 20 A4 pages. This report should ideally be viewed as a step in the production of the thesis, and much of the text could find its way, in modified form, into the final production. For example, the report might consist of a projected table of contents, a draft chapter, and a programme of work for the coming year. Depending on progress, the draft chapter might describe a result already obtained, or it might describe the area of study and progress made so far. If you have published a paper or a preprint (say on ArXiv), it is perfectly acceptable to submit that, with a short description of how that result fits into the bigger picture, and conclude with a plan for completion within an absolute maximum of four years (seven years for part-time students).

    2nd year review form


    THIRD YEAR PROGRESSION

    The third year review must take place 36 months after enrolment (or 72 months after enrolment for part-time students). Some students will be able to submit their thesis during the third year. For those who do not, the third year review provides a chance for all involved to assess progress. The main concern is to ensure that a realistic plan exists for completing the thesis expeditiously and before the fourth year of study.

    Student’s Report: The report (around six A4 pages) should concentrate on describing the proposed structure of the thesis (e.g., a table of contents), what has been done already, and what needs to be done. An important part of the report should be a realistic and robust timetable for completion of the thesis, which is also required for the College's formal process of transfer to writing up status.

    3rd year review form


    BEYOND THIRD YEAR REVIEWS

    If you have not transferred to writing up status after three years, further reviews must take place on a regular basis. At the review meetings your Assessors should make recommendations to support the timely completion of your research. The reviews will be scheduled every six months until you have transferred to writing-up status.

    Student’s Report: The reports for these review (around six A4 pages) should concentrate on describing the proposed structure of your thesis (e.g. a table of contents), what has been done already, and what needs to be done. An important part of the report should be a realistic and robust timetable for completion of the thesis. 

    Beyond 3rd year review form

  • PGR Day

    Each year the School holds a PGR Day. This usually takes place late April / early May. This is an internal event to share and celebrate our PhD research. All third year students give short talks on their research and all second year students present a poster.  

    The Ann Cook Prize: This awarded annually to the postgraduate student who submits the best poster at the Postgraduate Research Day. The prize is named after Mrs Ann Cook, who for many years was secretary to the Head of School and ensured the smooth and effective running of many aspects of the School.

    The School of Mathematical Sciences Prize: This prize is awarded annually to the postgraduate student who is judged to have given the best presentation at the Postgraduate Research Day.


    Previous year's winners

    2024

    • Posters: 1st Alexandra Valavanis, 2nd Norberto Lucero-Azuara, 3rd Jordan Marajh
    • The People’s Choice Prize 2024: Kabiru Abubakari
    • Talks: 1st Zain Ahmed Kapadia, 2nd Adam Onus, 3rd Francisco Castela Simão

    2023

    • Posters: 1st Adam Onus, 2nd Zain Kapadia, 3rd Robert Samson
    • Talks: 1st Asier Calbet Rípodas, 2nd Elisa Scanu, 3rd Konrad Anand

    2022

    • Posters: 1st Elisa Scanu, 2nd David Hannon, 3rd Lucille Calmon
    • Talks: 1st George Macaulay, joint 2nd Louis Yudowitz and Arthur Pander Maat

    2021

    • Posters: joint 1st prizes to Louis Yudowitz and Silvia Rognone
    • Talks: 1st Aryan Ghobadi, 2nd Esma Kurban, 3rd Félicien Comtat

    2019

    • Posters: 1st Ali Raad, 2nd Florian Litzinger, 3rd Jin Yan
    • Talks: Joint 1st Christian Pötz & Amirlan Seksenbayev, 3rd Natalie Behague

    2018

    • Posters: 1st Andrea Santoro, 2nd Mayank Shreshtha, 3rd Natalie Behague
    • Talks: 1st Jonathan Hoseana, 2nd Oliver Williams, 3rd Egor Stepanov

    2017

    • Posters: 1st Teerasak Khoployklang, 2nd Liam Williams, 3rd Diego Carranza Ortiz
    • Talks: 1st Jarrod Williams, 2nd Anum Khalid

    2016

    • Posters: 1st Imen Belmokhtar, Joint 2nd Michael Cole & Hakan Guler
    • Talks: Joint 1st Federico Battiston & Nick Day, 2nd Katherine Clinch, 3rd Sol Gil Gallegos


  • Transfer to writing up

    Students should normally submit a request to transfer to writing up status at the end of three years or at the end of their funding (please note that any student whose funding is supported by a fee waiver should transfer to writing up at the end of three years regardless of the duration of their stipend. Students with four years funding for tuition fees do not need to transfer to writing up). If you have not transferred to writing up status and your funding ends you may be liable for tuition fees. Writing up status remains until an award is made.

    Once you have collated all research material and in the opinion of your supervisor be able to submit by your submission deadline, you may request a change of registration to ‘Writing up’. You will not be charged fees during the writing up period; however, a student must continue to re-enrol during the period of writing up. You must have completed the minimum registration period (two years, full-time; four years, part-time) and not exceeded the maximum (four years, full-time; seven years, part-time) in order to apply.

    The application form for transfer to writing up status is available via MySIS in the Research Students Details page in the My Details section. Please select the Supervision and Progression tab. The Transfer to Writing Up task can be accessed by clicking the link in the Transfer to Writing Up section. You must attach a thesis plan to your completed writing up form. The thesis plan should include a table of contents, chapter headings and timetable for thesis completion. A template is provided here.

    The application form for transfer to writing up status will be signed-off by your supervisor and the DPGRS before being returned to the Research Degrees Office. Please note that transferring to ‘writing up’ status is not a right and is only granted to students who have made sufficient progress and who will complete their thesis by their submission deadline.

    Further information can be found at: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/registry-services/research-degrees/research-student-information/writing-up/

  • Examination entry

    Please give notice that you intend to submit your thesis 3 months beforehand by submitting an examination entry form and examiner nominations via MySIS. Guidelines can be found on the RDO website:

    https://www.qmul.ac.uk/registry-services/research-degrees/research-student-information/nomination-of-examiners-and-examination-entry/

  • Thesis submission

    THESIS SUBMISSION

    Details on thesis submission are available on the RDO website

    https://www.qmul.ac.uk/registry-services/research-degrees/research-student-information/thesis-submission--viva-voce/

    Please note that submission of thesis may be online. Please check this web page for current guidance.


    THESIS REQUIREMENTS

    From the Academic Regulations:

    8.86 The thesis must not exceed the following word limits:

    i PhD and EngD – 100,000 words
    ii MPhil – 60,000 words
    iii MD(Res) – 50,000 words
    iv For the degrees of DrPS, DPsych and DClinDent the minimum length of the thesis shall be no less than 25,000 words.

    The bibliography is excluded from the word count; footnotes are included within the word count; appendices are excluded from the word count and should only include material which the examiners are not required to read in order to examine the thesis but to which they may refer if they wish.

    Guidance Notes on the Submission, Presentation and Binding of Theses for Research Degree Examinations

    Publication Acknowledgement Guidelines for Technical Support

    Thesis template example: https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/queen-mary-university-of-london/fwfyjjkcswpw

    QMRO Thesis Repository: 
    You may find it useful to look through the QMRO page linked here to look at previous successful PhD thesis: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/56370

    Researcher Development courses related to writing your thesis:
    Book courses on: cpdbookings.qmul.ac.uk

    PHD-QMA-301: Writing Your Thesis (2-part course)
    PHD-QMA-301: Writing Your Thesis (2-part course)




  • Viva

    Your supervisor is responsible for arranging the viva and keeping you and the RDO informed of these arrangements. If you have any queries about the viva, please speak to your supervisor in the first instance.

    Researcher Development courses related to writing your thesis:

    Book courses on: cpdbookings.qmul.ac.uk

    PHD-QMA-300: Preparing for Your Viva

  • Graduation

    The RDO will write to successful candidates advising them of the date of the award of their PhD, following which you will normally be invited by the Events Office to attend a graduation ceremony. Graduation ceremonies are normally held in July and December but please note that the 2020 and 2021 graduation ceremonies have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim is for these to be rescheduled to take place in 2022. Students will receive their award regardless of whether they attend a graduation ceremony.

    Graduation ceremonies are organized by the Events Office, email: graduation@qmul.ac.uk, Tel: 020 7882 5148 or 020 7882 7866, Web: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/graduation/


  • Training & Development

    PhD Skills Points System:

    Researcher Development Programme

    Library Services: Support for researchers

    PhD student seminars and events:

  • Taught modules for 1st year PhD students

    In accordance with EPSRC guidance on PhD training, first year PhD students must attend, and be examined on, taught modules to a total of 30 academic credits. Usually this involves taking four London Taught Course Centre (LTCC) Modules, but other options are available. These modules aim to broaden knowledge and should be chosen in consultation with supervisor(s). Modules are examined with a light-touch take home question (or approved alternative). Exam results are provided to feedback to student and supervisor, and do not impact on progression.

    While these modules should be taken in the first year of study (or first two years for part-time students), in certain circumstances some can be postponed to year two, with agreement from supervisor and DPGRS. Modules can be selected from the following providers:

    London Taught Course Centre modules:
    The LTCC is run by a consortium of universities in London and beyond. It offers a programme of high-level five-week courses in mathematics and statistics for PhD research students, as well as short intensive courses on new research topics. Modules are worth 7.5 credits each. The LTCC modules and timetables are listed here: www.ltcc.ac.uk/

    The London Graduate School in Mathematical Finance: 
    For PhD students whose supervisors are members of LGSMF. This group provides a programme of advanced courses in mathematical finance, primarily but not exclusively for first-year PhD students in the various member institutions. Long modules are worth 7.5 credits each. One long module can be substituted for two short modules.  The LMFG modules and timetables are listed here: www.londonmathfinance.org.uk/

    QMUL MSc modules:
    It is sometimes possible to take MSc modules from SMS or other Schools at QMUL, subject to approval by supervisor, module organiser and the DPGRS. MSc modules are usually worth 15 credits each.  PhD students are not expected to attend formal MSc examinations. Instead your assessment may be in the form of a written, take-home or oral examination. MSc Mathematics modules are listed here: www.qmul.ac.uk/maths/postgraduate/taught-programmes/

    Other options:
    If you choose to take a module outside of QMUL, e.g., at another College within the University of London, please note that registration costs will not be covered by the School of Mathematical Sciences. Assessment arrangements should be made in discussion with the respective module convener.  If it is not possible for an assessment to be arranged for the external module, you should refer your case to the DPGRS, who will explore whether alternative assessment arrangements are possible.

    Your supervisor may decide it is beneficial for you to take more than the minimum quota of postgraduate modules, up to a maximum of 60 credits.


  • Teaching, Demonstrating and marking

    Wherever possible, PGR students will be given the chance, and encouraged, to gain teaching experience during their time in the School. There is no guarantee as to the amount of hours that will be allocated or whether there will be teaching every year. There is a limit of a maximum of six hours of tutoring and marking per week during the teaching seminars. You will be paid for this work at rates indicated at: www.hr.qmul.ac.uk/forms/pay/.

    We require a high standard in both marking and tutoring, and it is an important part of professional training for those considering an academic career, as well as being extremely good experience for many other professional careers. The allocation of markers and tutors is carried out at the start of each academic year by the Teaching and Student Support Manager.


  • Mandatory QMUL training

  • PGR research development / career planning guides, Uni of Exeter

    Researcher Development website: https://researcher-development.co.uk/

    Postgraduate Researcher Career Planning Guide: https://pgrcareerplanning.co.uk/

    These were part of a project led by Kelly Louise Preece in the Researcher Development and Research Culture team at the University of Exeter. The pages were developed by PGRs for PGRs, covering topics from working with supervisors to digital research communication and thesis writing. These open-access resources allow PGRs to work through comprehensive courses or navigate directly to specific training needs, benefiting colleagues and PGRs across the sector.


  • Bloomberg Market Concepts Certification and DataCamp Access

    The following are some resources that will allow you to gain professional skills and make your CVs more impactful in the job market. I suggest you take advantage of these as soon as possible as the sooner you have them on your CV the more traction you will gain in your professional development.

    All these resources are free of charge to SMS students and all take place online. Note that it is forbidden to share the information below, anyone breaking this rule will be banned from any future initiatives.

    You can find more detailed information in the attached slides and all these activities are fully online.

    If you encounter any problems then please double check you have read the instructions and followed the precise steps as described below.

    Most queries we receive are from students who haven’t read the instructions.

    1. Bloomberg Market Concepts.

    Bloomberg is the financial industry standard for data acquisition and news, and the Bloomberg Market Concepts certification will add a powerful line to your CV and I strongly encourage you to take it. In order to do so, sign up in in the link below;

    https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/expertise/universities/

    and use the code 6HB4Z3PFGR.

    Make sure you use your QMUL email address and use the link above so that the cost of the course is covered by our license. If you sign up with your private email address you will be charged $149 for the course.

    In order to acquire the BMC Certification you will take four courses:

    • Economic Indicators;
    • Currencies;
    • Fixed Income;
    • Equities.

    They are all based on first-principles common-sense so there is no finance knowledge pre-requisite.

    Throughout the courses you will have to solve certain multiple choice questions, and you will get the BMC regardless of the grade you achieve.
    I would strongly suggest you try to get a high grade as then you can add that to your CV and it will be useful if you apply to work at Bloomberg.
    The four courses should take around one (very full time) day to complete, and maybe a week if spread the work into daily 2h sessions.

    This will expire on 1st October 2022 but I strongly suggest you get it done ASAP so that you can put it on your CV and LinkedIn.

    There are additional finance courses that you can take on this platform and also add to your CV.

    2. DataCamp.com

    DataCamp is an exclusive online system that provides courses on industry oriented technology with a slant towards data science, and includes courses on Python, R, Excel, SQL, probability/statistics, machine learning etc. I very strongly encourage you to take advantage of this resource to build your professional transferrable skills.

    To access it you will need to click on the link below;

    https://www.datacamp.com/groups/shared_links/c3c26315bf234624892eab095c6933a6cb768e8c89e6935fb5738d3637f439a2 

    Make sure you use your QMUL email address in the form xy12345@qmul.ac.uk . If you try to enrol with your n.surname@se20.qmul.ac.uk or your private email address the cost of the service ($33.25 per month) will not be covered by our QMUL subscription.

    Also make sure you enrol through the link above and not through www.datacamp.com   

    If you have used a previous QMUL SMS DataCamp license and it has expired, you will still need to re-enrol with the link above. All progress in your courses will be transferred over automatically.

    Note that this DataCamp educational license will expire in March 2022. We will aim at renewing it but I suggest you take advantage of it ASAP.

    3. LinkedIn Learning

    Through QMUL you also have access to LinkedIn Learning where you can take around 5000 courses. 

    The coverage is much wider than DataCamp in that there is no particular focus: e.g you can find courses on photography or electronics. 

    You might find many course related to your degree: Time Series, Machine Learning, Statistics and Probability, R, Python, SAS, etc

    To access it follow the instructions here: http://www.profdev.qmul.ac.uk/what-we-offer-/linkedin-learning/

    Kind regards,

    Sebastian (s.delbanorollin@qmul.ac.uk)


  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

    SMS EDI: www.qmul.ac.uk/maths/our-community/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/

    QMUL EDI: www.qmul.ac.uk/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/

    Awareness and Inclusion Calendar  2022-23

  • FAMILY-FRIENDLY support

    Childcare Support for Conference Attendance:
    SMS has a dedicated fund for conference child care support.

    Students with children: 
    Information can be found here: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/parents/

    Advice & Counselling information: https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/money/students-children/ If you are a parent or about to become one, you may be eligible for extra financial support depending on your circumstances. 


  • PRES

    The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) is conducted every other year. The PRES is your chance to feedback to us in the School of Mathematical Sciences about your time as a postgraduate research student at Queen Mary. It is always helpful to hear of suggested improvements or initiatives that we can make to enhance the experience of students.


  • Fire Safety Awareness Course

    All staff and PGR students are now required to complete the new mandatory online Fire Safety Awareness Course. This is a new course, so everyone is required to complete it regardless of whether you have completed it within the last 2 years.  You may repeat this course as often as you like, but as a minimum you are required to complete this course every two years.

    Please log in using your college username and password.

    You will then need to scroll to the bottom of the page to enter the enrolment key. PGR Students should use the enrolment key QMS-03

    At the end of the course there is a fire safety quiz you are required to undertake. The course and quiz should only take 20-30 minutes to complete.