Teambuilding, Collaboration and Outreach

Teambuilding and Collaboration

It is important, with students based at four different universities, that students feel part of the DTN as a whole rather than a small sub-section. One of the first events of the acdemic year is a teambuilding day, which brings all the DTN students back to York for a day of group activities and challenges, which gives the cohort chance to get to know each other as well as think about the ways they work best.

The DTN strongly encourages students to work collaboratively throughout their PhDs, to give them an understanding of how their individual research can be applicable in other areas. First-year students are required to write a report investigating potential areas of collaboration with each other, and encouraged to follow up any links they find, both with students at their own university and others in the network.

Public outreach

Outreach to the local community gives students a chance to share their passion for their subject with others, as well as being a valuable chance to raise public awareness about the research done at York and further afield. In September 2010, DTN students ran an outreach project to local York primary schools. CCFE lent the DTN their Sun Dome, a science roadshow that takes children on a virtual journey into the sun to find out how fusion works. The project was a great success, and has since been repeated in York, Durham and most recently in Liverpool in March 2012. Students have also presented the Sun Dome at 'Science in the City', during the York Festival of Science and Technology 2011.

Below are a few comments from teachers, pupils and DTN students about the Sun Dome experience:

"Had the WOW factor for the children and gave them an experience that we would not be able to replicate in the classroom" - York schoolteacher

"The Sun Dome is unique: you only have to see the reaction of the pupils and teachers to see that it is very engaging and provokes thought about science, energy and fusion. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to others." - Billy Huang, DTN student

"The Sun Dome is a great opportunity to get young children interested in science and fusion. It's really enjoyable to see them understand what fusion is and the benefit the research we do at the University of York and CCFE will have." - Sarah Elmore, DTN student

"Thank you for bringing the brilliant Sun Dome to our school. We had a really good time, it was really interesting and fun and now I think I will like science from now on." - York school pupil

"We would love it if you could visit us again with more brilliant ideas to tell us. It was brilliant when we were in the dome because it was like the sun was surrounding me." - York school pupil

 

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DTN students work on a team challenge, as part of the 2010 teambuilding day.

DTN students take part in a team challenge on the 2010 teambuilding day.

DTN students Jack Snape and Andy Allen take the Sun Dome to a local primary school.

DTN students Jack Snape and Andy Allen take CCFE's Sun Dome to a York primary school.