The CDT started with a three-day Kick-Off Camp in Oxford. After a warm welcome by the CDT Director, Professor Axel Gandy, all CDT students introduced themselves with a short presentation about their educational background, research interests and hobbies.
In addition to customary introductory talks for PhD students, such as an introduction to Public Engagement and IT, this session was unique as we were given the opportunity to present papers ourselves. The groups for the presentation divided up so that there was at least one student from each university in a group which certainly helped with cohort cohesion. Groups of three read a recent paper on statistics and presented it to the cohort, after which, we got the chance to hear the original authors of the papers introduce their work themselves.
It was not all work and no play, we also enjoyed several social activities, including a walking tour of Oxford and an Escape Hunt, where we got to save the world with a scavenger hunt through the city!
We were well looked after on the refreshment front by our hosts and after formal proceedings were over, we retired to one of Oxford’s welcoming pubs, a fitting end to a brilliant three days.