Project requirements#
Projects can come from diverse fields. In previous years, students have worked on computational projects in environmental science, geoscience and geoengineering, fundamental and applied physics, mathematics, chemistry, healthcare, finance, computer science, climate modelling, and many others. However, all projects must be computational and include a substantial coding component to address a relevant research question or tackle an industrial challenge. Students are expected to either:
Develop from scratch a simulation code, data processing/analysis pipeline, or machine learning model to address a non-trivial problem involving a complex system, numerical model, or substantial dataset; OR
Substantially extend or enhance an existing simulation codebase, data processing/analysis pipeline, or machine learning framework, and apply it to a substantial dataset or computational problem - for example, by improving model performance, adding new components, or broadening applicability.
Refer to Marking criteria for the evaluation criteria applied by examiners.
Topic restrictions on GEMS and READY projects#
For ACSE and EDSML, projects can come from any field.
On the other hand, GEMS students must work on projects that address a geoscience or geoengineering problem, whereas READY students must focus on projects related to renewable energy, geoscience or geoengineering.
Use of existing codes#
Projects that primarily involve running existing codes to generate results, without substantially extending or modifying them as explained above, are not allowed. While using existing tools as part of a larger computational workflow is acceptable, running pre-built software cannot be the major component of the project. Such work does not satisfy the IRP’s requirement for substantial code development.
Computational vs. software development and computer science projects#
The IRP focuses on computational science and engineering - applying computational methods to solve problems in science, engineering, and industry - not software engineering or theoretical computer science. Projects that are primarily focused on GUI development, web development, software packaging, database management, mobile app development, or pure computer science topics (such as compiler design, operating systems, theoretical algorithms without real-world application) are not allowed. These may be included as minor supporting components of a computational project, but the core focus must be on applying computational methods, algorithms, data science, or machine learning to solve problems in science, engineering, or industry.
Collaboration and teamwork#
Multiple students may work on the same project topic, either as part of a coordinated team effort or through parallel but related investigations. Students can collaborate by working on individual components of a larger project or by tackling the same problem using different approaches or methodologies. While collaboration is encouraged, each student must submit their own written reports and code, and their individual contribution must be clearly identifiable from the submitted work. For guidance on acceptable collaboration practices and attribution, see academic-integrity.
Start and end dates#
All students must begin their IRP on the specified start date and submit deliverables by the published deadlines. Early or late starts are not permitted. Deadlines for the project plan, final report, and code are non-negotiable. See Schedule for the full timeline. Extensions may only be granted by the Senior Tutor in cases of approved mitigating circumstances.
External placements may extend beyond the IRP end date; however, all IRP deliverables must be completed and submitted by the deadline. Work conducted after the official end date falls outside the IRP scope, and no guidance or support will be provided beyond that date.