The DTC Vision and Experience
The main goal of the DTC training programme is to prepare a new generation of doctoral graduates for future research and leadership challenges in a globally competitive market place.
To this end we aim to:
Provide a stimulating training experience that encourages students to excel, within a seamless multidisciplinary learning environment.
Encourage students to take charge of their development, by giving them ownership of their training, informing them, providing a flexible course structure, and advice and mentoring on personal development and career path.
Develop topical courses that balance cutting edge technologies, with fundamental principles, core concepts, and professional transferable skills, delivered through best practice teaching techniques.
Foster innovative cutting-edge internationally competitive research.
Work in partnership with industry, to broaden the industrial experience of the students, maintain relevance, and aid rapid routes to exploitation and technology transfer.
The first year of this research programme aims to give students a broad knowledge of a broad range of metallurgical topics, through MSc level modules and group and research projects, in order to make an informed choice of PhD topic. The DTC provides flexibility and travel costs for students to take lectures and projects at the different institutions. After 9 months training students develop a PhD project proposal with DTC staff members, which will form the basis of an individual thesis project for Years 2–4.
The DTC provides the opportunity and funding for students to undertake part of this research project in industry or other institutions, in the UK or overseas. It is expected that many projects will be interdisciplinary, with co-supervision by academics at Manchester and Sheffield providing the student with access to the world class facilities at both institutions.
In addition to the research and taught element of the DTC programme, students will also engage in other activities, such as:
Professional and management skills training
Media and public engagement skills training
Residential team building weekend
Industrial study tours
Annual Summer School
Regular DTC seminar series
Annual DTC Conference
The highlight of the DTC calendar will be the annual DTC Conference, which will comprise presentations by all DTC students. This event will be attended by all DTC students, staff and industrial sponsors.