In many ways, graduate education is carried out as an apprenticeship, and the relationship between grad student and advisor is central to the work of the department.
Early in the program. Many students enter the program intending to work with one particular faculty member, while others consider multiple options in their first year. Students are assigned advisors when they arrive in the department. In many cases, a student's initial advisor becomes his/her research advisor, but students are encouraged to talk to other faculty members and develop a breadth of research skills and interests. Students should work closely with their advisors to choose classes and to begin developing a research topic.
Later in the program. After a research advisor has been chosen, the research advisor is responsible for monitoring the student's program. At least once a year, the Graduate Study Committee (GSC) monitors a student's program to ensure that satisfactory progress toward a degree is being made.
- The research advisor has the following roles:
- 1. Advise the student in choosing a course of study and completing the coursework requirements.
- 2. Act as a mentor in the planning and execution of a research project.
- 3. Educate the student as necessary to develop his/her understanding of how scientific research is carried out in a methodical and ethical manner.
- 4. Facilitate the execution of the research project through providing access to equipment, field sites, or research funding.
Students should be aware that they have new responsibilities that they may not have had as undergraduates. One major goal of our program is to help students become independent thinkers and contributors, rather than followers, in the scientific community. Graduate students are afforded great flexibility in designing their coursework program and in pursuing research topics, but this freedom comes with an important responsibility. Students must take charge of their education and are expected to contribute to the upkeep and improvement of the department.
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