The Natural Sciences undergraduate program at the University of Leicester is summarized as follows: 1) The Natural Sciences program has grown significantly since its founding in 2004, with student numbers increasing from 5 students to over 60 students currently enrolled. 2) The program is housed in the new Centre for Interdisciplinary Science, which aims to not only offer the undergraduate degree but also support research, outreach activities and potential new masters programs. 3) The core teaching team consists of 6 teaching fellows with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and geology, as well as a program director and associate director, who are active researchers in their fields.

1. Undergraduate programmes in
Seminar
Contributor’s Lunch
Natural Sciences
We are now (mostly)…
Natural Sciences

2. The Working Party Agreement
We are a separate “entity” called the Centre for Interdisciplinary Science
(but not quite a separate Department)
The degree programme (from 2014 intake) is Natural Sciences
TFs are now permanent staff
Continuing involvement at current level for core modules including
examining and marking
Increased support for labs and payment reviews as student numbers grow
[Increased need for projects as numbers grow]

3. Not just a degree programme:
The Centre Mission
Development of the UG programme
PedR: National profile
Leicester community
ESD forum
SPOC (Short Private Online Course)
Masters Programme
Research profile
Outreach

4. The Core Teaching Team
Dr Paul Howes - Centre Director Professor Derek Raine – Associate Director
Research background: relativity, quantum
Research: Condensed
gravity, complex systems
matter, Biophysics
Teaching awards: MBE, NTF, Bragg Medal
Dr Dylan Williams (Chemistry
TF)
Research background – metal
nanoparticles
Teaching – PGCHE(distinction)
UoL award
Dr Sarah Gretton (Biology TF)
Research background – cellular biology of
hepatitis C virus
Teaching awards- PGCHE (distinction)
Dr Cheryl Hurkett (Physics TF)
Research background – gamma
ray bursts;
Teaching awards - PGCHE
(distinction)
Dr Catarina Fernandes (Outreach &
Geology TF)
Research background– spectroscopy of
asteroids
Dr Paul Abel (Mathematics
TF) Research background –
Black Holes
Teaching award - University
partnership
Sherylanne Newton (GTA, CPP)
Research: neuronal plasticity in
noise induced hearing loss
Joe Turner (TA Computing)

5. Student Numbers
60
55
44
40
46
46
42
31
30
27
17
20
17
17
10
5
13
8
13
16
19
22
12
60
4
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Year
Yearly intake
Cumulative student numbers
2012
2013
student numbers
student numbers
50
50
Yearly intake
40
30
20
10
0
2000
2005
2010
Year
2015
2020

6. The IScience modules: structure and progression
D
E
P
T
H
SCALE
Year Prophets and
Powers
1
Atoms, Mol
ecules and
Cells
Neurons and
Computation
Time and Energy
Molecules by
Design
Dynamics
and
Thermodynamics
Year
3
Braining IT
The Origins
of
Science
Year
2
Science of the
Invisible
Organic
Chemistry
Nanoscience
Materials
and
Organelles
CSI
Leicester
Biosphere
Near Space
Ecology
Earth and
Sun
Man and
Machines
Habitable
Worlds
The
Universe
and Life
Forensic Biophysics &
Science Physiology
Communication
Science
Electromagnetic
& chemical
signalling
Earth
through
Time
Evolution
Climate
In each year the module topics range over scales from microscopic to macrocosmic.
Each year takes these topics to a deeper level.

7. Changes
Lab practice
Journal of Interdisciplinary Special Topics (JIST)
Advanced study topics
Module Review
External Examiner
Extension studies were pedagogically innovative
“The quality of the final year projects was astonishing”

8. McMaster Link
Exchange programme
6 outgoing students;
7 incoming students
New purpose built iSci laboratory
Video Linked Expert Sessions
2 UoL staff; 3 McMaster staff
Student Conference

9. Student Society
Graduate Research Seminar
Series
Employability Conference
David McDonagh’s official student blog
http://studentblogs.le.ac.uk/interdisciplinary-science/

10. Scholarship, Research & Projects
Projects:
Student Attitudes Survey, presented at HESTEM (DJR)
Student engagement survey (TEF, £13K)
Teaching Fellows forum (CPH) (HEA £3K) and survey (SNG, DJR)
PBL Group work (SNG with Strathclyde)
ESD SPOC (TEF £3K)
ESD Forum
LeAP PBL Summer Workshop (HEA £1K)
National Natural Sciences Group
Awards
IOP (re-)recognition
HEA Interdisciplinary prize (£1K)
DPW awarded HEA fellowship
External Income
~ £5K per fte staff
College Garner prize: Kelly Deamer

11. Conferences, Invited Talks
DJR: Student Attitudes to Science (HE STEM, Birmingham)
DJR/CPH: Teaching Fellows Meeting (IOP London)
DPW: PBL in a Science Programme (HEASTEM)
DPW: Presentation at Variety in Chemistry, Liverpool
DPW: Context and problem-based learning & Using multimedia resources
(Eurovariety, Limerick)
SNG: Scaffolding PBL using TFs (ESERA Cyprus)
DJR: Interdisciplinary Science (National University of Ireland, Galway)
CPH: How Natural Sciences is using ReadingLists@Leicester (Leicester)
CPH: Embedding and Threading Employability (Leicester)
DPW 2013 College of Science & Engineering Teaching conference
DJR/CPH Interdisciplinary Science co-hosted International Conference
on Quantum Interactions, July 2013

12. Publications
DJR:
Newtonian Mechanics (Pantaneto Press)
Quantum Interactions 2013 (co-editor) (Springer)
QuantumPhysics website (editor) (IOP)
Scaffolding PBL in For the Love of Learning, ed. Tim Bilham, (Palgrave)
CPH & DJR UKTF Forum: Supporting the Teaching Fellow Community
(HEA, New Directions)
SNG & DJR Scaffolding PBL in an Interdisciplinary Science Degree
(ESERA conference proceedings)
DPW: Multimedia Resources for Teaching Chemistry (HEA, New Directions)
Alicia Peel, John W. Bond
Effect of Temperature on the Visualization by Digital Color Mapping of Latent
Fingerprint Deposits on Metal (J Forensic Sci)

13. Outreach 1
Stargazing Live: (CF, PGA, DJR, CPH)
Natural Sciences & Physics
60 -70 students a year
4 days of workshops, projects, labs and
lectures
+ 4 NSC events of 80 students each

14. Outreach 2
An evening with….
A novel approach to public outreach talks
… provides a unique opportunity to meet distinguished University
of Leicester scientists answering questions about their research. The sessions will
take the form of an illustrated interview with most of the questions coming from the
audience. The topics range from space science to nanotechnology. Questions can
range from historical and technical issues to applications and career opportunities.
Primarily designed for teachers to find out more about current science, the sessions
will also be of interest to sixth form students thinking of a career in science.
2013: John Bond, Lewis Dartnell

15. 10th anniversary

16. Thank you
and
Welcome to Our
New Director….