It is with great pleasure that we, the Postgraduate Research Society (PGRS) Swinburne Sarawak present to you our plan of activities to engage HDR students academically and socially in 2024. As the new committee kick starts their term, we wish to request your support for our annual program.
The events are open to all postgraduate students in Swinburne Sarawak. The purpose of these events is to foster academic participation, encourage research students to interact and share their experience with each other, foster social interaction, and to ensure well-being and interest of the students. Do note that the events listed are tentative and may change as time progresses.
| Date | Event | Description |
| 28 February 2024 | Welcome Party (Social Interaction) | The welcoming party is an ice breaking event to bring together both new and continuing HDR students. Here the postgraduate students will have the opportunity to build and solidify networks amongst their peers regardless of their fields of study. It will also be an evening of games and entertainment because what better way to warm up to people than a display of fun camaraderie and a group feast. This interaction will also include an introduction to PGRS and a rundown on all the events planned for the year. This will be a compulsory event for all postgraduate students to attend. |
| 28 March 2024 | Professional Development Talk 1: Mastering Paper Writing: Do’s and Don’ts | The Professional Development Talk (PDT) will be a dual series event aimed at growing postgraduate students’ skills in crucial research aspects. This first talk targets report writing and offers tips and useful insights into mastering this skill. It will be a 1-hour minimum effort talk for students with a brief Q & A Session at the end to address any concerns the participants may have. This event is open to all postgraduate and undergraduate students. |
| 13 April 2024 | STEM Day Camp | The STEM Day Camp is an outreach program held in Swinburne Sarawak. It will host a variety of STEM related activities to be experienced by primary/secondary school students in Kuching. This event aims to develop an interest in STEM research as well as ignite passions of the younger generations in STEM fields. Participating in these events would subject students to critical thinking activities, encourage students to think unconventionally and sharpen their intellect overall. It will also be an opportunity for postgraduate students to train their communication skills by conveying knowledge in a manner that can be understood by the masses. |
| 8 May 2024 | PGRS Feel Good Session | The PGRS Feel Good Session is an event organized to address mental health concerns. Held during the Mental Health Awareness month, it will bring together all postgraduate students for an afternoon of wellness and recharge. This session aims to give a short breather to PG students in order to check up on their mental health. It will be an invaluable activity to help ensure the wellbeing of our PG students as they go through another year of research. |
| 7 June 2024 | Professional Development Talk 2: Crafting Visual Excellence: Masterclass For Scientific Artwork Preparation | This second talk as stated in the title, targets visual presentation of data. Here the skills of editing graphs and figures can be improved as postgraduate students work towards become well-rounded researchers. Similar to PDT 1, this event will be a 1-hour minimum effort talk for students with a brief Q & A Session at the end. This talk is also open to all undergraduate students who may also develop these skills to be used in their Bachelor studies and final year research projects. |
| 8 June 2024 | Wellness and Mindfulness Retreat |
This outing will be another one of PGRS events targeting mental health and wellbeing. Here is an opportunity for postgraduate students, research advisors and staff to take a short vacation (one-day-trip). A break from our hectic lives spent at a relaxing place with friends is a good way to unwind and take our minds off of the pressures of research. This daytrip will also be the time to remind ourselves to be wary of our mental health as we focus on our research work. It is especially crucial to prevent the adverse effects of poor mental health on students and staff who work relentlessly. |
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14 August 2024 |
Postgrads Career Talk: Going International | The Postgrads Career Talk is a dialogue to acquaint students with the international industries available to us. The speakers will illuminate the career opportunities in their respective countries for research graduates. This event includes an open discussion between the speakers and the audience to address any doubts the participants may have. There will also be an opportunity for participants to network with the speakers over tea break. |
| 4 September 2024 | Research Sharing | The Alumni Research Sharing Session brings back Swinburne Postgraduate Alumni to share their experiences. In this event, the alumni share their research journey and achievements to all postgraduate students. This event aims to inspire and bolster research in the hearts of our postgraduate students as they witness their predecessors succeeding in what could be their own future. |
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21 October 2024 – 6 November 2024 |
PGRS 2025 Elections and Annual General Meeting |
The Elections will be held which will reach all postgraduate students of Swinburne Sarawak. All postgraduate students will have a chance to nominate the next executive committee and standard committee members as well as vote for them. The AGM is where the results of the PGRS 2025 Election will be revealed. PGRS 2024 will officially yield to PGRS 2025 on this day with the PGRS Advisor and Director of School of Research as witnesses. Here, the new President will announce his wishes and goals for his reign as well as introduce his committee to all postgraduate students. |
| 27 November 2024 | Annual Dinner | The customary annual dinner will be held at the Student Hub where all postgraduate students and School of Research staff are invited to witness the establishment of the succeeding PGRS committee. This will also be a night to appreciate the efforts of the conceding committee. The night will be filled with fun, games, good food and even greater company. |