On Friday, 20 March, 18 MPhil/PhD candidates gathered for the annual Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering Upgrade Presentation Day.
At UCL, the “Upgrade” is a pivotal moment in a PhD programme. Full-time candidates become eligible for this process from nine months into their programme, marking their formal transition from MPhil to PhD status. The departmental day serves as a vital practice exercise, allowing researchers to hone their presentation skills and defend their findings before an audience of peers, supervisors, and staff—perfect preparation for their formal viva before the upgrade panel.
The day was a showcase of interdisciplinary breadth. Presentations spanned from Robot-assisted Optical Ultrasound Imaging and Prostate MRI Image Quality to a Real-Time Edge-Processing Framework for Portable FD-NIRS, alongside fifteen other high-calibre talks.
Reflections from participants
Matthew Boucher, who presented on Intraoperative MRI-Guided Robotic Systems for Stereotatic Neurosurgery, said of the experience:
“Upgrade presentation day is a unique opportunity to present, ask questions and make new connections with fellow students in the department. It pushes you to start thinking earlier on about the bigger picture, the overall story you are going to tell with your research. The external feedback you get from discussion with academic staff and fellow students can help you address key unforeseen questions before your upgrade viva. Listening to the presentations, you gain a real awareness of the breadth of impactful research being done across the cohort - and you never know where your next collaboration might be!”
Rob Moss, Department Graduate Tutor, said:
“The MPBE Upgrade Presentation Day was a fantastic showcase of the talent and ambition within our student community. It gave everyone the chance to share their work, learn from one another, and gain a wider view of the exciting research happening across the department. It was great to see such fruitful discussions taking place, and I hope these conversations spark new collaborations. The quality and engagement of all the presentations were truly excellent.”
A Celebration of Research Excellence
The event was a resounding success and a powerful reminder of the innovation currently in progress within our department. It came at a fitting time, with QS World University Rankings reaffirming UCL’s leading global role in Engineering and Technology innovation.
In true MPBE style, the day was as much a celebration as an academic exercise. Participants took every opportunity to reconnect between sessions, rounding off the event with a celebratory drinks reception.
Well done and thank you to everyone who took part. We wish you all a successful formal Upgrade!
