The Natural Resources Institute Postgraduate Society (NRIPS) was created in February 2015 to enrich members' academic, social, and intellectual interests of our members. NRIPS is run by postgraduate students for postgraduate students.
NRIPS meets monthly to discuss topics of interest to postgraduate students within NRI, such as publishing academic papers, qualitative research methods, and post-PhD career options. They also present an open forum for everyone to talk about their experiences.
NRIPS organises a range of social events—from 'potluck' dinners to bowling, ice skating, and movie nights—and celebrates their members' academic and personal milestones. Since its inception, the society has successfully organised and facilitated seasonal gatherings for the whole Institute, including the annual Autumn picnic and a Christmas party.
They look forward to continuing and building on NRIPS activities and events as our community grows.
The society is governed by a committee structure elected annually by the NRI postgraduate student body.
The Annual NRIPS Symposium
NRIPS's standout event is its yearly PhD Symposium, initially envisioned in 2016 as a professional platform for students to showcase and exchange their research, refine communication skills, and build valuable connections within the Institute. Over the years, this event has flourished into a thriving annual gathering, expanding its influence and impact each year.
The Symposium provides a welcoming atmosphere and stimulating academic environment for NRI and the Faculty of Engineering and Science (FES) students to showcase their research and gather valuable participant feedback. The event's networking opportunities bring together students and staff from the University of Greenwich's Impact and Innovation Themes to explore research from different disciplines whilst enhancing the NRI research community.
From 2023, the NRIPS Symposium will be run in parallel with other Schools in the Faculty of Engineering and Science, giving greater opportunities for inter-disciplinarity and research sharing.
Each NRIPS Symposium begins with a 'keynote speech' given by a distinguished speaker, which is then followed by three sessions organised according to the stage of the student's research degree—early, middle, or final. This format optimises the time available and enables the audience to give focused feedback and advice.
- 1st session: early-stage students present their work plans in 'turbo talks,' 3-minute presentations.
- 2nd session: middle-stage students show their work progress via poster presentations.
- 3rd session: final-stage students present their work in more depth in 15-minute talks.
The formal presentations are accompanied by poster-viewing sessions and discussions during coffee breaks and lunch, with refreshments organised by the committee.
Certificates are awarded for the best presentations and posters.