The module was created to train doctoral students at the University
of Sheffield in the use of FEMLAB, with mild emphasis on chemical
engineering applications. It was last offered in January 2004. We
have a crop of 23 in this year's cohort, and the module usually gets
about 75% home uptake. My classroom license is for 30 (FEMLAB 3.1),
so the intensive module is open to outside participants. We usually
get doctoral students/post-docs/lecturers/assistant profs (only one
full prof so far) and a handful of industrial researchers. Most of
the external participants have been non-chemical engineers, including
some biomedical scientists and chemists.

COMSOL UK have offered to put on an optional free seminar on Friday
4th February to tell us about what's new with FEMLAB 3.1. I plan on
migrating my course notes to FEMLAB 3.1. A limited number of
discounted (GBP 45) copies of the textbook for the module are
available on a first come, first served basis. The University
Bookstore stocks them at full price.

One feature of the module that many participants have found useful is
the hour "masterclass" after lunch where the participants are
encouraged (well in the case of my students, arm twisted) to give a
short presentation on their doctoral project and their modelling
interests/difficulties. Sometimes one of the old hands in my
research team can give immediate help, sometimes it comes to us
latter in the week, and in rare instances after the module.
The other feature that the participants seem to enjoy is community-
building/networking with other young researchers.

I apologize for this blatant commercialism on the bandwidth, but
noting that the University is a not-for-profit organization and I use
the funds generated to support an extra teaching assistantship for a
doctoral student.

Looking forward to welcoming some of you to the UK's Steel City.