Evaluative judgement: Empowering students to understand science assessment expectations

The ideal candidate will enjoy creative and multidisciplinary approaches to answering questions. The objective of the PhD project is to employ qualitative and quantitative research techniques to develop understanding and practice in evaluative judgement. You will have the opportunity to shape and develop your own research project within this field. You will work with chemistry and science education academics to ensure research is translational and outcomes can be adopted outside of the department.

This PhD is funded by KCL, a world class research and post-graduate training university. The student will become a member of the Dr Helen Coulshed Chemical Education research group at the Department of Chemistry, King’s College London and will work in partnership with Dr Katherine Aston in the Centre for Research in Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (CRESTEM). The project will include time spent with CRESTEM colleagues, for knowledge transfer and technical training.

We will encourage you to contribute to chemistry department’s teaching, payment of which will be made separately. The opportunity to contribute as a teaching assistant during your PhD programme can be a highly rewarding experience. Training and mentoring in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education will be provided, to include the Faculty’s Preparing to Teach course. You will be eligible to achieve Higher Education Academy (HEA) professional recognition via the Teaching Recognition at King’s (TRaK) program.

At King’s, we are deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities so that the university is an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work and study, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

We particularly welcome applications from marginalised groups as King’s strives to have our staff and employees mirror diversity of our student population. Applications will remain open until a diverse pool of candidates is obtained.

Essential criteria:

·        Minimum of 2:1 in first degree and/or master’s degree in molecular science, science education or related disciplines.

Desirable criteria:

·        Experience of verbal and written communication for information transfer, ranging from informal 1:1 discussion to formal presentations and report writing.

·        Ability to work as part of a team.

·        Commitment to equality, diversity & inclusion

Application Process

1.      Send your CV and cover letter to [Email Address Removed]

2. Complete an online application on the King’s College myApplication system (https://apply.kcl.ac.uk/):

a. Register a new account/login

b. Once logged in, select Create a new application

c. Enter ‘Chemistry Education Research MPhil/PhD (Full-time/Part-time)' under Choose a programme. Please ensure you select the correct mode of study.

3.      CV submission and online application MUST both be completed by the deadline.

All relevant information regarding eligibility, including academic and English language requirements, is available from the online prospectus.

The deadline for applications is 7^th May 2021. References must be submitted by the 14^th May. We aim to hold interviews in late May. If you require support with the application process, please contact the Chemistry Postgraduate Administrator Cairn Macfarland [Email Address Removed]