Postgraduate Course: Data, Methods, and Uncertainty in Sustainable Energy (PGEE11282)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course prepares students to plan and execute rigorous, ethical, and reproducible engineering research in Sustainable Energy Systems. Students will develop researchable questions, select and justify appropriate methodologies, conduct data analytics with uncertainty quantification, and critically appraise literature. A student-led 'Sustainable Energy Research
Conference' provides authentic experience in teamwork, peer review, ethical and inclusive scholarly and engineering practice, and professional communication. |
| Course description |
Core taught components (indicative):
1. Research questions
2. Literature searching, screening, reference management and critical appraisal
3. Research methodology development
4. Responsible research and innovation
5. Reproducible research: version control, documentation, data management plans
6. Energy Data analytics
7. Uncertainty analysis
8. Verification, validation and calibration in Energy Modelling
9. Technical Communicating: evidence, uncertainty and generating reliable recommendations.
10. Student led Sustainable Energy Research-Pitching Conference
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 12,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4,
Formative Assessment Hours 20,
Summative Assessment Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
48 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Exam: 0%
Practical Exam: 0%
Coursework: 100% |
| Feedback |
Feedback Opportunities:
- Make available conference facilities (e.g., lecture hall / rooms) to enable dry-runs and peer feedback before the conference.
- Feedback on A1 (approx. Week 9 in time to be exploited from commencement of F/T Dissertation).
- Feedback on A2 comprises written feedback from peers and academics following Conference, with anticipated engagement. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Formulate a clear, answerable research question and develop a justified research methodology for sustainable energy research, acknowledging limitations.
- Systematically search, screen, and critically synthesise literature; appraise methodological quality and bias to identify evidence gaps.
- Implement approaches for Responsible Research and Innovation.
- Perform exploratory data analysis and quantify and communicate uncertainty and demonstrate data management.
- Work effectively in teams to plan and deliver a themed researchpitching conference; provide peer review; and communicate research plans and methods to technical and non technical audiences.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Research Methods,Methodology development,Data analytics,Reproducibility,Research ethics,Peer review |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Brian Sellar
Tel: (0131 6)51 3557
Email: brian.sellar@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Catherine Davidson
Tel:
Email: c.davidson@ed.ac.uk |
|
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