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Education & schools

POL is committed to provide excellent educational resources for young scientists as well as developing good relations with local schools. We also have a list of studentships available at POL inconjunction with various universities. We see it as important part of our role to develop the next generation of scientists.

Careers

POL is a Natural Environment Research Council laboratory, and has a strong international reputation for shelf sea dynamics and modelling. It is situated in newly-built premises in Liverpool, adjacent to the Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences of the University of Liverpool. As an active research laboratory we also have a list of PhD studentships available.

Located alongside POL is the British Oceanographic Data Centre, a national facility for storing and distributing data concerning the marine environment.

Opportunities for graduates and undergraduates

Sandwich students
We usually offer one-year placements for up to 10 sandwich students (mainly students studying physical sciences, mathematics and computing degrees). If you are interested in being a sandwich student contact Polly Hadziabdic using the details to the right.

PhD studentships
We offer up to 15 PhD studentships which are jointly supervised with a university supervisor.

Resources for schools

Schools Liaison Officers
NERC's School Programme includes a network of Schools Liaison Officers based at its research sites throughout the country. Link to national list of SLOs on nerc pages when available. The SLOs work closely with local teachers , Education Business Partnerships and the SETPOINT organization to develop a wide range of activities aimed at encouraging young people to take an active interest in environmental sciences.

Schools careers
We attend schools career evenings on request. Some of our female scientists also visit local schools as role models to convince the youngsters (and teachers) that a scientific career is equally appropriate to the girls.

Work Experience and Nuffield Bursaries
We also take part in the Nuffield Bursary Scheme, and have supervised students here who have made a valuable contribution to our research. Two recent Nuffield students helped develop a device that is now being used in our research. The students won several awards with their work, through the Creativity in Science and Technology Award scheme (CREST).

Work Experience at POL is mainly of one week's duration, in oceanography, mathematics, meteorology, electronics, graphic design and administration.

If you are interested then send us an E-mail.

Schools visits
Some school groups have visited POL, usually through the Community Scientists and Neighbourhood Engineers scheme.

Community Scientists and Neighbourhood Engineers scheme
Approximately a dozen of our scientists and engineers are attached to local schools. They visit 'their' schools, assist with particular projects, give talks to the children about their science and attend careers evenings. They also stage mock interviews to help 6th form students facing this daunting procedure for the first time. We hope to help dispel the myth that scientists are all male, look like Einstein and wear white coats!

Vouchers for schools
We regularly collect computer for schools (up to 1000) and active kids (up to 200) vouchers. If you are a local school and can make good use of these vouchers, please contact Polly Hadziabdic, Schools Liaison Officer, making a case for why your school should have them.

Publications and information for schools
Our sister lab, the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton has produced the following excellent posters:

Ocean and earth science poster collection
These four posters look at natural processes - their driving forces, how they work, their effects on people, and how they can be disrupted by our activities:

• Raging Planet - volcanoes and plate tectonics.
• Ocean Food Chains - how microscopic creatures support the fishing industry.
• Ocean Circulation - waves, tides and currents.
• Greenhouse Oceans - climate change.

The posters can be viewed online, and classroom handouts downloaded as PDFs.

Planet Earth
Produced by our funding body, the Natural Environment Research Council these quarterly magazines contain entertaining and informative articles on environmental research. Up to 30 copies are available on request