Here you will find guidelines for administrators for the assessment committees of doctoral theses at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering.

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Looking for something else? See: The assessment committee’s work | PhD 1-2-3

Administrator

The administrator will lead the assessment committee’s work and sum up the committee’s recommendation.

Tasks before the thesis defence

1. You and the other suggested opponents receive the appointment letter from the IV Faculty by e-mail, containing the relevant regulations and guidelines.
2. You and the other members of the committee will receive the PhD thesis from the main supervisor once the thesis has been submitted.
3. Contact the committee, supervisor (s) and PhD Candidate to find a date for the thesis defence. The defence must be arranged a minimum of 5 weeks and a maximum of 2 months after the committee recommendation. See template for e-mail to committee (.doc).
4. Inform the PhD candidate and the EPT PhD contact person about the date for the thesis defence. Create a Zoom meeting for the thesis defence day and send an invitation to the IV Faculty PhD contact person and EPT PhD Contact person. See tips on using zoom in public defences. The EPT PhD Contact person will book a room for the thesis defence for those who attend physically, and will inform the committe administrator about the room.
5. You as administrator must also book the physical thesis defence room for a sound check a few days in advance (ref. point 12).
6. Determine a deadline for the assessment committee members’ individual recommendations, and make it known to the committee.
7. Five (5) weeks before the thesis defence at the latest: sum up the recommendations on behalf of the committee and submit it to the EPT PhD contact person, see PhD forms – IV: “Evaluation forms for assessment committee”. Dissent must be described in the recommendation. The recommendation must not contain the title of the trial lecture.
8. Submit the title and subject for the trial lecture on behalf of the committee, via the EPT PhD contact person. See PhD forms – IV: “Evaluation forms for assessment committee”. Deadline: 5 weeks before the thesis defence.
9. The IV Faculty will make the title and subject for the trial lecture known for the candidate 10 working days before the trial lecture.
10. Inform the two external committee members about the following (See template for e-mail to opponents (.doc)) :
    
    1. the programme for the day of the thesis defence
    2. Zoom link
    3. info on how to get to Gløshaugen if physical presence
    4. If physical presence: the EPT PhD contact person will provide a form you can send to NTNU's travel agency who will organize travel and hotel
11. Give the candidate the ready signal to print the thesis (the thesis must be printed at least 3,5 weeks before the defence). The thesis will be made available on NTNU Open by the library.
12. Sound check a few days in advance of the thesis defence (see point 5): Conduct the sound test with the administrator, opponents, PhD candidate and supervisor in the booked room for the thesis defence. A representant of EPT's IT Support team must be included. This is important for both the candidate and the external opponents, to avoid problems at the thesis defence.

Tasks for the administrator on the day of the thesis defence

1. Make sure that all members of the committee is present
2. After the trial lecture, make sure that the committee assesses the trial lecture. Tip: organize a meeting with the committee immediately after the trial lecture and fill out the relevant part of the form, see PhD forms – IV: “Evaluation forms for assessment committee”.
3. After the thesis defence: submit the committee’s report on the defence, via the EPT PhD contact person. All opponents must sign the report. Comments to the candidate must be filled out in the form, see PhD forms – IV: “Evaluation forms for assessment committee”.
4. The first opponent reads out the recommendation to the candidate
5. The administrator gives the gift and card on behalf of the Head of Department
6. The administrator delivers a signed recommendation to the EPT PhD contact person the day after the thesis defence.