Industrial Visits

Industrial visits to industrial companies or research laboratories working in the materials field visit are arranged each term by the Industrial Visits Academic Organizer. As part of their practical coursework, each student is required to attend 4 of these visits during their Part I (years 2 and 3). These visits are assessed via a short (no more than 1 side of A4), word-processed report on the visit. See below for details on how to submit the report. There is usually one organised industrial visit per term during your Part I, although not all of these may be available (for instance, Trinity term of your 3rd year). You are therefore advised to attend every Industrial visit you can from the start of your 2nd year. Remember, you need four visit reports in your practical book before you sit your Part I examination at the end of your 3rd year. In addition, you may gain an additional visit from the Industrial tour and/or from an industrial placement during the vacations. The reports are marked and are graded satisfactory (5 marks) or non-satisfactory (0 marks). In total, therefore, completion of 4 satisfactory reports will contribute 20 marks towards the Part I Practical mark.

Industrial visits are open to all undergraduate and graduate students in the Department, although Part I students will have priority. Numbers for each trip are usually restricted to 20-25 people. Details of each visit are circulated individually to students by email. Signing up for the visits is also done by email, and booking is on a first come, first served basis. The coach leaves from the Hume-Rothery Building either immediately after the end of morning lectures, or after lunch, depending on how long it takes to reach the destination. Return time is usually about 6.30p.m.

The Industrial Visits Organiser is Dr Judy S. Kim (email: judy.kim@materials.ox.ac.uk). Secretarial assistance for bookings is provided by Mrs. Lyn Richmond (email: lyn.richmond@materials.ox.ac.uk).

N.B.: Health and Safety issues are important on all industrial visits. Make sure you wear sensible clothes, and always follow the instructions given by the guides at the host institution.

Submission and Marking of Industrial Visit Reports

All reports will be marked by Dr Kim, on a satisfactory / non-satisfactory basis.

All reports are to be handed in to Teaching Lab Technician (Mrs. Paula Topping). Satisfactory markings will be posted on the notice board outside of the Teaching Lab.

Deadlines for submission of reports are as follows:

For term-time industrial visits the reports must be submitted within one week of the industrial visit.

Vacation visits (this covers the industrial tour or an industrial attachment) reports must be submitted by the Friday of 1st week of the term following the visit. A letter from their line manager confirming they were employed by the particular company in question must accompany all visit reports from industrial attachments.