National Graduate Innovation Forum (NGIF)

Published in the Research School of Physics Event Horizon
Vol46 Issue25 28 June–2 July 2021

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has developed this program in association with the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE), and at the instigation of the Australian Council of Deans of Science (ACDS). 

The ACDS sees this event as a pilot to a larger program that will expand the views of science research students about the exciting challenges and career prospects available to them in industry. The ACDS also hopes to expand the views of industry about the value and capability that research trained science graduates can bring to their strategic development.

Your suitability for this program will not be determined solely, or even necessarily, on the alignment of your technical expertise with the areas in the challenge problems. What we hope you will demonstrate is the ability to research a problem, the knowledge of how to identify and draw upon expertise that you need, especially if you don’t have it yourself, to be able to work in a team-based environment, and a willingness to come up with ideas and have a go.

The application form is available from the ANSTO website. In addition, you will be required, if selected, to sign an ANSTO Student Undertaking Agreement. This is to make explicit various requirements for confidentiality, intellectual property, professional conduct, and the like. It is a standard ANSTO requirement for projects that they manage. It is also typical of the kinds of agreements that industry research projects require, and one of the more immediate points of difference between university and industry research culture.

If you decide to apply, you will need to discuss your participation in the NGIF with your supervisor and be confident that it will add to rather than take away from your PhD work. 

You can read the NGIF challenge problems, download the application form and view the ANSTO Student Undertaking Agreement here.

National Graduate Innovation Forum
Program:
Monday 30/6/2021 - Applications Due
Mon-Fri 29/6/2021-3/7/2021 - Shortlisting and selection of students with industry partners
Monday 5/7/2021 - ANSTO Notify successful applicants
Wednesday 7/7/2021 - Signed student undertaking forms due
Monday 12/7/2021 - LAUNCH Event 10am and 1pm (Industry Partners Time)
Wed-Fri 14/7/2021-16/7/2021 - Meeting 1 Design Thinking Workshop 1.5 hrs by ANSTO x 4 ACDS to coordinate
To be confirmed Week of 19/7/2021 - Student project meeting update 1 (1 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 26/7/2021 - Student project meeting update 2 (1.5 hrs) mentor check in (ACDS)
To be confirmed Week of 2/8/2021 - Student project meeting update 3 (1/2 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 9/8/2021 - Student project meeting update 4 (1.5 hrs) mentor check in (ACDS)
To be confirmed Week of 16/8/2021 - Student project meeting update 5 (1/2 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 23/8/2021 - Student project meeting update 6 (1.5 hrs) mentor check in (ACDS)
To be confirmed Week of 30/8/2021 - Student project meeting update 7 (1/2 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 6/9/2021 - Student project meeting update 8 (1.5 hrs) mentor check in (ACDS)
Monday 13/9/2021 - Midway Check in with Industry partners (Industry Partners Time) Thales & BlueScope 10:00 am Airbus & Romar 11:30 am
To be confirmed Week of 13/9/2021 - Student project meeting update 9 (1/2 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 20/9/2021 - Student project meeting update 10 (1.5 hrs) mentor check in (ACDS)
To be confirmed Week of 27/9/2021 - Student project meeting update 11 (1/2 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 11/10/2021 - Student project meeting update 12 (1.5 hrs) mentor check in (ACDS)
To be confirmed Week of 18/10/2021 - Student project meeting update 13 (1/2 hr) mentor check in (ANSTO)
To be confirmed Week of 25/10/2021 - Student project meeting update 14 (1 hr x 4 ) mentor check in (AINSE pitch practice)
Wednesday 3/11/2021 - Classified pitch presentation by Student to Thales
Wednesday 10/11/2021 - FINAL EVENT (Industry Partners Time)

*Industry partners are welcome to join mentoring check-ins