To ensure a high quality training the SYSWIND training programme contains various training elements.
Supervised research projects
Each fellow will conduct research on a defined topic mainly locally and closely supervised by the scientific team leaders. This will provide “learning-by-doing”, experience in teamwork and practical research activity experience.
Structured local training courses
Local training courses are taught internally at the Institutional level catering to the specific needs of the researchers. Specific local research training will depend upon project and researcher, but will include courses on the theory behind as well as on practical application of field, laboratory techniques, data analysis and computer based modelling. ESRs/ERs will be registered on the network partners` existing training programs, which vary from institute to institute, but are designed to ensure that the student will be fully aware of the opportunities afforded within their research environment. For example:
- infrastructure (computing services, libraries etc),
- safety courses,
- teaching skills,
- essential computing/programming, statistics, use of databases and computing software
- language courses
Network-wide training and career development
The network-wide structured training elements will give exposure to the different disciplines which are incorporated in this proposal – fostering unique interdisciplinary perspectives which will be a great asset to the fellows in their future career development. These encompass both (i) scientific training provided via an intensive 3 summer schools (including an induction course) and a joint publication, and (ii) non-scientific training through complementary skills workshops. A final 2-day workshop (coordinated by TCD) to be held in August 2013, will encourage participation of general policy making officials alongside industry and academic attendees even though the ESRs will have already completed their fellowship. The consortium expects 20 external participants from outside the network.
Induction course
The induction course will represent the first official meet of the ESR/ER (month 10), including all fellows from the different disciplines. The one week course will start with a public day to present the team(s) and to give the researchers a gentle introduction to the SYSWIND project. This will be followed by an intense series of workshops and lectures on the broad six key thematic areas (such as SHM, Statistical Signa l Processing, Vibration Control, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), WSN etc) to introduce the fellows to their respective projects. By the end of the weeklong workshop students will be fully aware of the key themes of SYSWIND and their integration. The induction course will be combined with the first summer school as a single event.
The SYSWIND book
SYSWIND book will help the ESRs learn writing and editing skills and will integrate their different projects into a whole. The supervisors an the ESRs/ERs will jointly write a book “Recent trends in wind turbine technology”. The book will be later published.
Complementary skills
Complementary skills will be trained by means of workshops which will complement training delivered at the local level. Courses will be delivered by some of the full partners, associated partners and non-network experts (e.g. entrepreneurs, industrialists, venture capitalists). A total of three workshops are planned.
Communication
Workshop 1 includes training of writing skills, presentation and oral communication skills. During this three day course one day will be dedicated to launching the SYSWIND book. Further writing skills will be addressed individually as part of each research project. The other two days will focus on the effective planning, efficient preparation and successful implementation of a presentation. Practical advice on public speaking techniques, and on how to deliver presentations to different target audiences or stakeholders.
Research management
Workshop 2 includes training on career planning, proposal writing and job applications. During this three day course the researchers will learn how to raise their profiles, develop their research portfolios and prepare for their future careers. This will be followed by an intensive collaborative effort to write sample proposals on day two. On the final day we will offer practical assistance to successfully present CVs and to various recruitment and selection procedures currently in use for both academic and non academic positions.
Business management
Workshop 3 addresses issues on intellectual property (IPR), entrepreneurship and business development. This course will be aimed at getting the students to think about how novel ideas can be commercialised, with special examples drawn from three areas: SHM, wind energy, sensors. It will involve a staged series of exercises which move from vision and idea to definition of work to be done; through protecting intellectual property, raising finance, marketing and sales. The whole series engages the researchers by getting them to work in teams and develop a business-plan guided by the training team. They use case studies delivered by entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Business plans are presented to a panel of three judges (including one venture capitalist), followed by a brainstorming session to review the skill-set acquired and it application.