HWU MSc RED Week Notes - Week 0

Last week (beginning Monday 5 September 2022) was a bit of a whirlwind. 

It was "Welcome" or "Induction" week for the MSc in Renewable Energy Development, which I am studying towards, part time, at the Orkney Campus of Heriot-Watt University - the International Centre for Island Technology (ICIT). 

I had the week off work, so that was good. On the other hand, Monday - Wednesday were days 5-7 of the 2022 Orkney International Science Festiva (OISF), and there was lots of online, audio-visual and other work to do to assist the team in running that.

Overall, it was great to meet the small band of enthusiastic MSc students who will be based in Stromness - they are from France (3), Sweden/US (1), India (1), Orkney (1 - me!) and the rest of Scotland (1). It was equally great to meet the teaching staff and researchers at ICIT. 

Dr Sandy Kerr will teach one of the 2 courses I am taking this semester - The Economics of Renewable Energy. Sandy has been a good friend for many years, so it will be interesting to hear his lectures! Prof Susan Krumdieck, and her 3 post-doctoral assistants will teach the other course, Transition Engineering. Susan co-founded Transition Engineering with another old friend of mine, Daniel Kenning from Pleshey in Essex. If you'd like an overview of what Transition Engineering is, you can see Daniel and Susan in action when they gave a talk - Engineering the Future - at this year's OISF (the silent intro ends, and the event begins at 3m50s)

Overall, the induction week was a great mix of detailed information, time to socialise with other students and staff, and some Orkney orientation for those just arriving to study. I've been mostly impressed with the HWU enrolment and registration processes, and the professional services staff (and also the academic staff!) at ICIT have been very helpful and informative. It was particularly good to have sessions with the HWUnion President, and with the Careers Service, both by teams link from Edinburgh. All the new students are starting to get to grips with the "virtual learning environment" Canvas, and with the various WiFi, email, online information, and other university systems!

ICIT's new base - the new Robert Rendall Building, part of the Orkney Research and Innovation Campus (ORIC), is beautiful, and has stunning views over Stromness and Scapa Flow. It is slightly weird that all my children went to primary school in the same building before the school moved, and the old building was renovated to become what it is today! 

I write this on Tuesday of Week 1 - but this is a week note for last week, so I will leave it there for now.

(C) orkney.com - https://www.orkney.com/life/energy/oric