Research Mentoring for Graduate Success
RESEARCH WITH
MS & PH.D. STUDENTS
Josh Galster & Anant Aiyyer
2022
Research With Graduate Students
◦
For most of us, research with graduate students is integral to our job
◦
Recruiting top students to work in your group is just the beginning!
◦
Original research is a fundamental requirement for a PhD (and often MS)
degree
◦
The overall academic experience and career choice of a student is
tremendously impacted by their research mentor
Research With Graduate Students
Breakout Session 1
What makes for successful mentoring?
◦
What are your goals in mentoring?
◦
How does your experience as a graduate student influence how you will mentor
(both good & bad)?
◦
How will you provide support (financial, intellectual, emotional, logistic) for your
students?
◦
How will you help in the career development of your students?
Breakout Session 1
What makes for successful mentoring?
Report out – One from each group shares a key idea/message
from their discussions
Every student is different
◦
Not every student will be like you
◦
They will all need different types of mentoring
◦
Recognize that you may need to adjust how you communicate
depending on the student
◦
Make sure that your expectations are clear
Appreciate the differences in your students, but be consistent in
your interactions with your students
How do you define ‘success’ for your graduate
students? - What are
your
goals?
◦
Thesis/dissertation defense
◦
Technical proficiency/demonstration of skills
◦
Papers published (expectations on number?)
◦
Conference presentations
◦
Types of jobs they will be prepared for
◦
Teaching/mentoring/communication skills that they learn
◦
Timelines for completion
◦
Furthering your own research agenda
What are the student’s goals?
•
Consider a student you currently have, or one you might have
in the future
What are the likely
student
goals?
Your goals vs your student’s goals
◦
Where do the two align or overlap?
◦
Where are they misaligned, and maybe be in opposition?
Breakout Session 2
Your goals vs your student’s goals
Breakout Session 2
Report out – One from each group shares a key idea/message
from their discussions
Not All Graduate research projects Are Alike
◦
Ex 1
: Student recruited on funded grant; needs of the grant are explicit so
student works on chapters closely related to the PI’s research
◦
Ex 2
: Student starts out on a defined project that is supported by the
advisor. Remaining projects are more free form and driven by student.
◦
Ex 3
: Student arrives with a ‘blank slate’ – advisor encourages student to
develop a thesis proposal that is novel on their own.
◦
Ex 4
: Student is co-advised by two or more faculty; develops a thesis
proposal that is a blend of expertise and research experience.
◦
Other
?
Your student needs to know which
structure they are following
◦
Remember that this is your student’s first thesis - they don’t know
how this works
◦
Students need a lot of guidance and timely feedback
◦
Some of the structures may work better for PhD and some may
work better for MS.
Ph.D. Research Timelines
◦
~Year 1
Coursework, in some cases exams or written proposals, writing
graduate student fellowship proposals
◦
~Year 2
Research focused, Qualifying Exams, developing first
chapter/manuscript
◦
~Year 3-4
Focused work on data collection, chapters/manuscripts,
presenting at conferences
◦
~Year 5+
Presenting at conferences, applying for postdocs, jobs, finalizing
manuscripts
◦
**Timeline and benchmarks will vary by university, many things can shorten or
lengthen these phases
**
M.S. Research Timelines
◦
~
Year 1
Coursework, in some cases exams or written proposals, writing
graduate student research proposals
◦
~Year 2
Focused work on data collection, chapters, presenting at
conferences
◦
~Year 3+
Presenting at conferences, applying for jobs, finalizing
writing
◦
**Timeline and benchmarks will vary by university, many things can shorten or
lengthen these phases*
*
Personal experiences – What has worked for us
◦
Define expectations on both sides early
◦
Regular meetings throughout the project
◦
MS – Have a specific question for student to answer
◦
PhD – Start with specific and clear questions, have them define
subsequent directions
While the details of the method and analysis may change, students
should be able to give an elevator speech about their project after
the first year
Personal experiences
•
A graduate student is neither a close friend nor an employee. Treat them as a colleague on a
journey of inquiry.
•
Build trust with fair and equitable treatment
•
Provide timely, honest and constructive feedback
•
Advocate for them in your department (e.g., pay raises, pleasant office spaces) and outside
(e.g., referrals for jobs and post-docs)
•
PhD students are junior research colleagues after they have gone through courses: After they
leave your group, they may remain in your field and be colleagues for years to come. - MS
students are “more like students.” They may not be future colleagues; Try to help them with
their own personal career goals and accept that they may not publish or provide other long-
term professional help (write grant proposals, etc)
Research With Graduate Students
•
One of the most rewarding experiences in academia!
•
Your reputation will be carried to other institutions by your students
•
Instill the joy of research, the importance of discipline and work ethics, and
lead by example
Good Luck!!
For successful mentoring of graduate students, recognize their individuality, adjust communication, set clear expectations, and provide support in various aspects like financial, intellectual, and emotional. Define success through goals like thesis defense, skills demonstration, publications, and career preparation.
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Presentation Transcript
RESEARCH WITH MS & PH.D. STUDENTS Josh Galster & Anant Aiyyer 2022
Research With Graduate Students For most of us, research with graduate students is integral to our job Recruiting top students to work in your group is just the beginning! Original research is a fundamental requirement for a PhD (and often MS) degree The overall academic experience and career choice of a student is tremendously impacted by their research mentor
Research With Graduate Students Research Methods (Theory/Measurements/analysis) Presenting, writing and publishing Mentoring Discipline/Ethics/Ethos Career choices
Breakout Session 1 What makes for successful mentoring? What are your goals in mentoring? How does your experience as a graduate student influence how you will mentor (both good & bad)? How will you provide support (financial, intellectual, emotional, logistic) for your students? How will you help in the career development of your students?
Breakout Session 1 What makes for successful mentoring? Report out One from each group shares a key idea/message from their discussions
Every student is different Not every student will be like you They will all need different types of mentoring Recognize that you may need to adjust how you communicate depending on the student Make sure that your expectations are clear Appreciate the differences in your students, but be consistent in your interactions with your students
How do you define success for your graduate students? - What are your goals? Thesis/dissertation defense Technical proficiency/demonstration of skills Papers published (expectations on number?) Conference presentations Types of jobs they will be prepared for Teaching/mentoring/communication skills that they learn Timelines for completion Furthering your own research agenda
What are the students goals? Consider a student you currently have, or one you might have in the future What are the likely student goals?
Breakout Session 2 Your goals vs your student s goals Where do the two align or overlap? Where are they misaligned, and maybe be in opposition?
Breakout Session 2 Your goals vs your student s goals Report out One from each group shares a key idea/message from their discussions
Not All Graduate research projects Are Alike Ex 1: Student recruited on funded grant; needs of the grant are explicit so student works on chapters closely related to the PI s research Ex 2: Student starts out on a defined project that is supported by the advisor. Remaining projects are more free form and driven by student. Ex 3: Student arrives with a blank slate advisor encourages student to develop a thesis proposal that is novel on their own. Ex 4: Student is co-advised by two or more faculty; develops a thesis proposal that is a blend of expertise and research experience. Other?
Your student needs to know which structure they are following Remember that this is your student s first thesis - they don t know how this works Students need a lot of guidance and timely feedback Some of the structures may work better for PhD and some may work better for MS.
Ph.D. Research Timelines ~Year 1 ~Year 2 ~Year 3-4 ~Year 5+ Coursework, in some cases exams or written proposals, writing graduate student fellowship proposals Research focused, Qualifying Exams, developing first chapter/manuscript Focused work on data collection, chapters/manuscripts, presenting at conferences Presenting at conferences, applying for postdocs, jobs, finalizing manuscripts **Timeline and benchmarks will vary by university, many things can shorten or lengthen these phases**
M.S. Research Timelines ~Year 1 ~Year 2 ~Year 3+ Coursework, in some cases exams or written proposals, writing graduate student research proposals Focused work on data collection, chapters, presenting at conferences Presenting at conferences, applying for jobs, finalizing writing **Timeline and benchmarks will vary by university, many things can shorten or lengthen these phases**
Personal experiences What has worked for us Define expectations on both sides early Regular meetings throughout the project MS Have a specific question for student to answer PhD Start with specific and clear questions, have them define subsequent directions While the details of the method and analysis may change, students should be able to give an elevator speech about their project after the first year
Personal experiences A graduate student is neither a close friend nor an employee. Treat them as a colleague on a journey of inquiry. Build trust with fair and equitable treatment Provide timely, honest and constructive feedback Advocate for them in your department (e.g., pay raises, pleasant office spaces) and outside (e.g., referrals for jobs and post-docs) PhD students are junior research colleagues after they have gone through courses: After they leave your group, they may remain in your field and be colleagues for years to come. - MS students are more like students. They may not be future colleagues; Try to help them with their own personal career goals and accept that they may not publish or provide other long- term professional help (write grant proposals, etc)
Research With Graduate Students One of the most rewarding experiences in academia! Your reputation will be carried to other institutions by your students Instill the joy of research, the importance of discipline and work ethics, and lead by example Good Luck!!
