{"id":105291,"date":"2023-09-28T07:47:17","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T07:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/?p=105291"},"modified":"2023-09-28T07:47:18","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T07:47:18","slug":"nurturing-early-career-scientists-20-years-of-undergraduate-industrial-placements-at-bgs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/news\/nurturing-early-career-scientists-20-years-of-undergraduate-industrial-placements-at-bgs\/","title":{"rendered":"Nurturing early career scientists: 20 years of undergraduate industrial placements at BGS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The summer of 2023 saw the completion of the twentieth cohort of undergraduate industrial placements within the Inorganic Geochemistry Facility at BGS. These students undertake a twelve-month placement at BGS as paid members of the team, typically during the third year of a four-year undergraduate chemistry degree. The students largely originate from the University of Surrey, where an extensive programme set up by Prof Neil Ward comprises industrial placement experience with key sectors in the UK and around the world, with the goal of improving the employability of graduates. Overall, we have employed thirty-six students at BGS through this scheme since 2003, with several also coming from the universities of Nottingham, Waikato (New Zealand) and Adelaide (Australia).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Sophia Dowell was a placement student in 2017 and is currently finishing her PhD at BGS with fieldwork in Kenya. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Benefits to BGS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each year, we have undergraduates with a fresh perspective keen to put into practice two years of learning at university.  Whilst there is an initial investment in training each year as a host, the students\u2019 enthusiasm and passion quickly leads to effectiveness in the workplace.  The rotation every twelve months results in constant questioning and challenging of staff as to why we undertake laboratory procedures in a certain way, and occasionally leads to some innovative ways of thinking. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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David King undertaking fieldwork during his placement in 2018 and 2019. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

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David working in the laboratory. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n

The students are considered part of the wider team and are therefore given their own responsibilities, with guidance. Typically, they are operating complex laboratory instruments (with guidance) within a few months; these can include gamma spectrometers, ion chromatographs, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS) and sometimes multiple instruments \u2013 which is not uncommon in industry. In fact, I completed a similar industrial placement myself many years ago at a pharmaceutical company, an industry in which the employment of undergraduate industrial placements is common for the operation of research equipment under the supervision of graduate or postgraduate scientists. This approach is a valuable recruitment tool across industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scheme has also been a helpful recruitment tool. In 2013, Elliott Hamilton was employed as a permanent member of staff; he now oversees the interview and selection of students each year. We have also recruited past industrial placement students onto PhD programmes, with three completed PhD projects at BGS and two currently approaching completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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Elliott Hamilton testing groundwater during his placement in 2010 and 2011. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

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Elliott working in Zambia for BGS. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n

Networking is a key benefit of the programme. Through communication between university scientists and BGS, the students learn how to cooperate, sharing ideas, data and learning, and have the opportunity to work with young people with different cultural and educational upbringings to some of our staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits to early career scientists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The industrial placement students are given a research project aligned to the ongoing needs of the laboratory and the wider BGS strategy. In general, this will require a new laboratory capability for research or commercial purposes. This activity develops the students\u2019 experience in scientific rigour, reasoning, planning and communication, which is reinforced through oral presentations . Communication learning culminates for the University of Surrey students at their \u2018Industry Day\u2019 when they return for their final year of study. They present their experience to the other companies involved in the industrial placement programme, typically pharmaceuticals and the chemical industry, life sciences, environmental science and materials research.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Kelsey Ferris at the University of Eldoret in Kenya. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Student responsibilities within the laboratories range from the routine daily tasks that are essential to the functioning of the facility (and in maintaining our accredited status to ISO 17025:2017) to the operation of complex equipment. Crucially, they learn how to multi-task, respond to deadlines on varying scales and deal with pressure points through teamwork and communication.\u00a0Importantly, throughout the year the students often clarify what they want to do as a career beyond graduation, with the industrial placement giving them valuable applied skills and knowledge, skills for their CV and the start of their own personal career network. Of the 36 alumni, 16 went onto further postgraduate study, with many others remaining in a science career through professions in teaching, sales or chemistry roles across a range of industrial sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Jenny O’Reilly taking stream samples. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

The students<\/h2>\n\n\n
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