Food Science and Technology Pub Date : 2020-05-28 , DOI: 10.1002/fsat.3402_16.x
Nicola Cholod of BBSRC explains the benefits of Professional Internships for PhD Students (PIPS) for both students and host organisations .
‘For those businesses that employ staff with PhDs, such is the value placed on their specialist knowledge, research skills and problem‐solving ability, that three quarters of employers taking part in the research said their loss would have either a business critical or significant impact on operations ’ according to a report by CFE Research[1] , which looked at the impact of doctoral careers.
Having a PhD is a gateway to many different careers in and out of academia and research, so it is essential for students to have a well‐rounded skill set to enhance their CVs. Undertaking an internship gives students the opportunity to develop the transferable skills needed for the workplace through hands‐on, experiential learning and provides context for their doctoral research in relation to the wider regulatory and professional environment.
Established in 2011, the Professional Internship for PhD Students (PIPS) is a key component of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) programme. BBSRC, part of UK Research and Innovation, a non‐departmental public body funded by a grant‐in‐aid from the UK Government, remains the only funding agency for doctoral training to mandate a three‐month PIPS outside of the academic research programme, providing BBSRC‐funded DTP PhD students with the opportunity to carry out a work placement unrelated to their doctoral research during their PhD.
The PIPS programme provides many benefits to students, universities and host organisations alike. Students develop new professional skills and competencies while broadening their horizons giving them a wider perspective on their research.
Students can explore different types of employment, working environments and practices outside academia with host organisations. This is an important way for them to increase their exposure to industry as many PhD students come to realise that opportunities available to them for an academic career are limited.
Placements establish, develop and maintain collaborations between academia and industry whilst developing links and networks in research areas.
Case studies
The following case studies provide examples of PIPS student projects:
Kiwi fruit study
Stuart Woodcock, a PhD student at John Innes Centre (JIC), undertook his placement at Kiwi Vine Health (KVH), a leading biosecurity agency in New Zealand. During his placement, Stuart researched Psa, a pathogen of kiwifruit that has plagued the New Zealand industry since 2010. 
Not only did the placement benefit Stuart personally and professionally, but Stuart's contacts at KVH began collaborating with his supervisor, Dr Jacob Malone. They now have an on‐going collaboration and are co‐supervising a PhD student.
‘The placement increased my confidence and helped develop my critical analysis and thinking skills, which I can apply to my own work especially for more impact driven research. This has also reinforced my belief in global collaboration ’ says Woodcock.
Dr Jacob Malone, JIC commented: ‘My lab has already benefitted from the contacts Stuart made and it is clear that the New Zealanders are keen to explore other possible collaborations with JIC, so there is the potential for further collaborations with JIC labs in the future ’.
Science communication
Lucka Bibic, a PhD student from the School of Pharmacy at the University of East Anglia (UEA), developed an appreciation of the importance of effective science communication skills through her three month PIPS placement at online science radio show and podcast, The Naked Scientists .
‘The PIPS placement allowed me, an aspiring scientist, to be on the other side and play the role of a science reporter in a real setting ,’ says Bibic.
As part of the PIPS placement, Bibic produced her own one‐hour radio show for the BBC and ABC (Australia) entitled Animation: A Reel Deal which involved identifying and briefing potential interviewees, prepping interview questions and collecting data from scientific papers.
From her placement, Bibic learned how to give more effective talks at conferences, write more comprehensive papers and outreach proposals and how to communicate with a variety of audiences and educate the next generation of scientists.
Automation and robotics
One host organisation, Singer Instruments, a product manufacturing company specialising in lab automation and robotics, has praised the PIPS programme for providing a valuable link between science and industry.
Being an SME of fewer than 50 employees allows the interns to contribute and gain skills across Singer Instrument's full spectrum of activities and apply their scientific knowledge in an industrial context helping the company understand the scientific market when developing new products.
Since 2016, Singer Instruments has hosted 12 PIPS interns and Managing Director, Dr Harry Singer, said ‘Our first PIPS intern started a three‐month placement in January 2016. He was so valuable that we've been recruiting back‐to‐back interns ever since. PIPS interns always bring something fresh to our business. They invariably accelerate the project or function they are working in, whether it's market research, working on new applications, quality assurance or new product development .’
Student feedback
Students have commented that through the PIPS placement scheme they have developed new skills in personal qualities, self‐management and working with others. Over 80% of students commented that the placement has had a positive impact on their training and skills development along with their employment prospects being enhanced. Students feel better able to market themselves through gaining the confidence to speak with people in their newly created professional networks.
Undertaking placements has enabled student awareness of the industrial application of their research field and has allowed them to put into context the work of other researchers in their laboratory and beyond.
Host organisations
Host organisations agree that the programme works very well and that it is important to give students the skills that are relevant to their future careers. The students are not the only ones to benefit from the scheme and host organisations have reported that the skills of their workforce have increased through establishing and maintaining collaborations with academia and increased knowledge exchange; this has enhanced existing policies and processes.
Host organisations can work with highly skilled BBSRC‐funded students, who in return make a positive contribution to the organisation. Host organisations commented that through recruiting and training apprentices, promoting youth opportunities and accommodating internships and work experience students, they believe that they are supporting the upskilling of the population.
BBSRC, part of UK Research and Innovation, and the Doctoral Training Partnerships are always looking for new organisations for the PhD students to work with. If you have an interesting project that you would like to offer to a PhD student for three months please contact the PIPS programme. 
Nicola Cholod, Portfolio Manager, Capability and Innovation, BBSRC
Email nicola.cholod@bbsrc.ukri.org
For PhD placement opportunities please contact
pips@bbsrc.ukri.org
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non‐departmental public body funded by a grant‐in‐aid from the UK government.
BBSRC invests in world‐class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.
Funded by government, BBSRC invested £451m in world‐class bioscience in 2019‐20 (ukri.org/files/about/dps/bbsrc‐dp‐2019/). We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
中文翻译：
博士生专业实习
BBSRC的Nicola Cholod解释了博士生（PIPS）的专业实习对学生和所在组织的好处。
“对于那些企业，拥有博士学位聘用人员，这样做是放在自己的专业知识，研究技能和解决问题的能力值，雇主参与研究的四分之三说，他们的损失将有一张关键业务或显著的影响上的操作根据由CFE研究报告“ [1] ，其看着博士事业的影响。
拥有博士学位是通向学术界和研究界内外许多不同职业的门户，因此，对于学生来说，掌握全面的技能以提高其简历至关重要。进行实习将使学生有机会通过动手实践和经验学习来发展工作场所所需的可转让技能，并为他们的博士研究提供与更广泛的法规和专业环境有关的环境。
博士生专业实习（PIPS）成立于2011年，是生物技术与生物科学研究委员会（BBSRC）博士培训合作伙伴（DTP）计划的重要组成部分。BBSRC是英国研究与创新部的一部分，英国研究与创新部是由英国政府提供资助的非部门性公共机构，它仍然是唯一在博士后接受学术研究计划授权的为期三个月的PIPS的博士培训的资助机构，为BBSRC资助的DTP博士学生提供在博士期间进行与博士研究无关的工作安排的机会。
PIPS计划为学生，大学和主办组织都带来了很多好处。学生将在拓宽视野的同时发展新的专业技能和能力，从而为他们的研究提供更广阔的视野。
学生可以通过主办机构探索学术界以外的不同类型的就业，工作环境和实践。这是他们增加行业影响力的重要途径，因为许多博士生开始意识到，他们从事学术职业的机会有限。
实习机构建立，发展和维持学术界与产业界之间的合作，同时在研究领域建立联系和网络。
实例探究
以下案例研究提供了PIPS学生项目的示例：
猕猴桃研究
John Innes Center（JIC）的博士生Stuart Woodcock在新西兰领先的生物安全机构Kiwi Vine Health（KVH）任职。在就职期间，斯图尔特研究了奇异果的病原体Psa，自2010年以来一直困扰着新西兰产业。
这次安置不仅使Stuart个人和专业受益，而且Stuart在KVH的联系人开始与他的主管Jacob Malone博士合作。他们现在正在进行合作，并正在共同指导一名博士生。
'该职位增加了我的信心，并帮助我发展了批判性分析和思考能力，这些技巧可以应用于我自己的工作，尤其是在影响力更大的研究中。伍德考克说，这也加强了我对全球合作的信念。
JIC的Jacob Malone博士评论说：“我的实验室已经从Stuart进行的联系中受益，很明显，新西兰人热衷于探索与JIC的其他可能的合作，因此将来有可能与JIC实验室进一步合作'。
科学传播
来自东英吉利大学（UEA）药学院的博士生Lucka Bibic通过在在线科学广播节目和播客“裸科学家”中进行了为期三个月的PIPS培训，对有效的科学交流技能的重要性有了认识。
Bibic说：“ PIPS的职位使我（一位有抱负的科学家）能够站在另一边，并在真实环境中扮演科学记者的角色。”
作为PIPS职位的一部分，Bibic为BBC和ABC（澳大利亚）制作了自己的一小时广播节目，名为“动画：卷轴交易”，涉及识别和介绍潜在的受访者，准备采访问题并从科学论文中收集数据。
从她的位置开始，Bibic学会了如何在会议上进行更有效的演讲，撰写更全面的论文和推广建议，以及如何与各种受众进行交流并教育下一代科学家。
自动化与机器人
一个主机组织Singer Instruments（一家专门从事实验室自动化和机器人技术的产品制造公司）赞扬PIPS计划在科学与工业之间提供了宝贵的联系。
作为一家少于50名员工的SME，实习生可以在Singer Instrument的所有活动中贡献和获得技能，并在工业环境中运用他们的科学知识，从而帮助公司在开发新产品时了解科学市场。
自2016年以来，Singer Instruments接待了12名PIPS实习生，董事总经理Harry Singer博士说：“我们的第一位PIPS实习生于2016年1月开始了为期三个月的实习。他非常宝贵，我们一直在招聘背对背实习生自从。PIPS实习生始终为我们的业务带来新鲜感。无论是市场研究，新应用，质量保证还是新产品开发，他们都将始终在加速他们正在从事的项目或职能。”
学生反馈
学生评论说，通过PIPS安置计划，他们在个人素质，自我管理和与他人合作方面发展了新技能。超过80％的学生评论说，这种安排对他们的培训和技能发展产生了积极的影响，并且就业前景得到了改善。通过获得在新创建的专业网络中与人交谈的信心，学生会感觉更好地进行自我营销。
进行实习可以使学生了解其研究领域的工业应用，并使他们能够将实验室内外的其他研究人员的工作纳入背景。
主办组织
主办组织同意该计划的效果很好，并且向学生提供与他们未来职业相关的技能很重要。学生不是唯一从该计划中受益的人，主办组织报告说，通过与学术界建立和保持合作以及增加知识交流，他们的员工技能得到了提高；这增强了现有的政策和流程。
主办组织可以与BBSRC资助的高技能学生合作，他们为组织做出了积极贡献。主办组织评论说，通过招募和培训学徒，增加青年机会以及为实习生和工作经验生提供住宿，他们相信他们正在支持人口的技能提高。
英国研究与创新局的BBSRC和博士培训合作伙伴组织一直在寻找与博士生合作的新组织。如果您有一个有趣的项目想提供给博士生三个月，请联系PIPS计划。
BBSRC能力与创新项目经理Nicola Cholod
电子邮件nicola.cholod@bbsrc.ukri.org
有关博士学位安置的机会，请联系
pips@bbsrc.ukri.org
生物技术和生物科学研究委员会（BBSRC）是UK Research and Innovation的一部分，UK Research and Innovation是由英国政府资助的非部门性公共机构。
BBSRC代表英国公众投资于世界一流的生物科学研究和培训。我们的目标是增进科学知识，促进经济增长，财富和创造就业机会，并改善英国及其他地区的生活质量。
BBSRC在政府资助下，于2019-20年度在世界级生物科学领域投资了4.51亿英镑（ukri.org/files/about/dps/bbsrc-dp-2019/）。我们支持大学和战略资助机构的研究和培训。BBSRC的研究和我们资助的人们正在帮助社会应对重大挑战，包括粮食安全，绿色能源和更健康，更长寿的挑战。我们的投资为英国重要的经济部门提供了支撑，例如农业，食品，工业生物技术和制药。
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