Module: Professional Skills for Scientists

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Professional Skills for Scientists
Module Code	BE537 (ITS) / BIO1025 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Biotechnology
Module Co-ordinator	Michael Freeley
Module Teachers	Denise Harold, Janosch Heller, Paul Cahill, Paula Meleady, Philip Cummins
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination

Description

Module aims: In this module students will develop a wide range of critical and transferrable skills for a successful career in Biomedical Sciences, Diagnostics and Biopharma. These topics include Career Planning, Research Integrity, Intellectual Property and Patent Searching, Science Communication (Writing for Science and Presentation skills), Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Scientists, and Ethics in Scientific Research.

Learning Outcomes

1. Develop creative thinking skills in entrepreneurship and innovation and identify the key attributes of leaders in the diagnostic and biopharmaceutical sectors.
2. Develop a critical awareness of the principles of communicating science through science writing, oral presentations and poster presentations.
3. Develop a systematic understanding of specialist knowledge in science communication by analysing a fundamentally important publication in the field of diagnostics or therapeutics and writing an opinion piece article designed for an expert audience and a lay audience.
4. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the importance of research integrity in scientific research.
5. Identify and critically appraise several types of ethical dilemmas in biomedical research and diagnostics.
6. Undertake comprehensive and in-depth patent searches and demonstrate how research can be commercialised and protected via intellectual property.
7. Critically evaluate strategies that will enable you to plan your professional career.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	10	Workshops on Professional Skills for Scientists
Tutorial	6	Tutorials to support the workshops
Assignment Completion	15	Planning Your Research Career
Assignment Completion	18	Ethics essay
Assignment Completion	18	Patent Searching and Commercialisation of Research
Assignment Completion	25	Science Communication
Assignment Completion	18	Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Assignment Completion	15	Research Integrity
Lecture	10	No Description
Tutorial	6	No Description
Assignment Completion	109	No Description
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Professional Skills
Overview of a wide range of critical and transferrable skills for a successful career in Biomedical Sciences, Diagnostics and Biopharma. Topics include Career Planning, Research Integrity, Intellectual Property and Patent Searching, Science Communication (Writing for Science and Presentation skills), Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Scientists, and Ethics in Scientific Research. The interplay between the regulatory/commercial aspects and patenting/IP elements will be highlighted.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Assignment	Essay on ethical issues in diagnostics and Precision Medicine	20%	Week 22
Loop Quiz	Undertake a patent search and describe various forms of intellectual property.	20%	Week 20
Assignment	Science communication assignment and engagement with Precision Medicine for Health seminars	20%	Week 30
Assignment	Innovation and Entrepreneurship assignment	20%	Week 24
Loop Exam	Research integrity assessment	20%	Week 26

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Other Resources

None