Results of questionnaire survey of EngD researchers regarding the AEngD

1. AEngD Survey Results
Steering Committee Feedback
4th July 2012
Marek Kubik and Felix Ng
Research Engineer Representatives

2. Overview
• Survey overview
• Demographics
• EngD Awareness
• AEngD Awareness
• Key Findings
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3. Survey Overview
• 16 Question survey
• 237 respondents
• 19 IDCs approached –
5 with <1 response.
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4. Demographics
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5. Demographics
Which year are you in?
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6. Demographics
What is your background?
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7. Demographics
How many years of industry experience?
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8. Demographics
Institution memberships?
• 81 not Institution members (34%)
•1.3 memberships per respondent
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9. Demographics Summary
• Responses from almost all IDCs
• Some poorly represented
• Good mix of year groups
• Diverse backgrounds, industry experience and
memberships.
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10. EngD awareness
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Not everyone has it.
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11. EngD awareness
Please state your position of the following statement, "I had
a good understanding of what an EngD was when I started."
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12. EngD awareness
Do you EXPECT the examiners
that will conduct you viva to
have a good understanding of
the parameters to which they
should judge you (compared to
a PhD viva)?
Have you had access to people
that have completed an EngD
and can talk to you about the
experience?
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13. EngD awareness
Have you had access to a
published EngD thesis?
Do you understand the difference
between an EngD thesis and PhD
thesis?
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14. EngD awareness summary
• Most respondents knew what they were getting into (but
not all!)
• Few concerned about the viva.
• Majority have heard from successful EngD graduates.
• However, split access to published theses and split
understanding of what an EngD thesis should look like.
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15. AEngD awareness
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Always look behind you.
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16. AEngD awareness
Please state your position of the following statement, "I feel
I have a good understanding of the purpose of the AEngD."
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17. AEngD awareness
Please choose any following statement(s) which best
describe your understanding of AEngD's primary aim
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18. AEngD awareness
What do you hope to gain from the formation of the
AEngD? Tick any that apply.
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19. AEngD awareness
Please choose one of the statement below which you feel is
your understanding of how the AEngD is supported.
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20. AEngD awareness
Choose any statement(s) that best describe why you feel
the AEngD may not be of benefit to you.
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21. AEngD awareness
“My work is on pure chemistry rather than engineering”
“From my understanding I see it mainly as tool for increasing participation in EngDs and not
supporting engineers once graduated”
“The centre and AEngD is new and may not help appropriately while it is still
learning/developing ”
“Not looking for any support or in need of any change to my EngD”
“Without being sure what the exact purpose of the AEngD is I can't easily answer, but I also
don't particularly care as I have nearly finished.”
“In my experience I've found student organisations tend to be farsical”
“Not much effort has been made to publicise it amongst EngD students”
With your understanding of AEngD, Do you think you
will benefit from the formation of the AEngD overall?
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22. AEngD awareness
With your understanding of AEngD, Do you think you
will benefit from the formation of the AEngD overall?
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23. AEngD awareness summary
• Only around 25% respondents felt they understood what
the AEngD is.
• Only a handful understood how it is supported.
• Most respondents believe its main purpose is branding.
• Broad expectations as to how the AEngD will help REs.
• Main barrier is currently lack of awareness.
• Overall positive belief that the AEngD will be of benefit in
the future.
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24. Thank you.
email: m.kubik@pgr.reading.ac.uk
web: mlkubik.tumblr.com
twitter: @mlkubik
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