MENTORS, ADVISORS, & DOCTORAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS Bruce Lubotsky Levin, DrPH, MPH Associate Professor & Head Behavioral Health Concentration Dept. of Community & Family Health USF College of Public Health

USF OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2015 – 2016 Graduate Catalog Section 8 – University Degree Requirements Major Professor “The Major Professor serves as the student's advisor and mentor.”

WHAT IS MENTORING? “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” - John C. Crosby [Challenge, listen, push]

WHAT DO MENTORS DO? SHARE IDEAS & INTERESTS HELP DEVELOP YOUR CAREER OFFER GUIDANCE, INTELLECTUAL SUPPORT, & PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING CHALLENGING INSPIRATIONAL

FINDING MENTORS Ask yourself… WHAT ARE MY OBJECTIVES FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL? WHAT ARE MY STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES? Ask yourself… WHAT KINDS OF RESEARCH INTEREST ME? DO I NEED A WRITING MENTOR? WHAT TYPE OF CAREER DO I WANT TO PURSUE?

FACULTY ADVISOR Just one? Familiar with USF/CFH doctoral process Accessible? Provides timely & quality feedback? Record of success? Personality “match”… if not working… CHANGE ADVISORS! [Doctoral – Dissertation]

DOCTORAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS Minimum of four faculty members Faculty advisor (academic focus areas) Faculty Member (theory) Faculty Member (research methods/evaluation) Faculty Member (academic focus areas)

DUTIES OF DOCTORAL COMMITTEE Approve plan of study (courses) Prepare annual evaluation (chair) Reviews concept paper Develop qualifying exam questions Grade qualifying exam answers

ASSEMBLING DOCTORAL & DISSERTATION COMMITTEES?

CHOOSE WISELY! SELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK(S) IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH/CFH RESEARCH METHODS AREAS OF FOCUS THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK(S)

CHOOSING DOCTORAL COMMITTEE Specific area-based knowledge? Provides timely & constructive feedback? Previous experience? Accessible? Group dynamics of committee? Problems…CHANGE (Doctoral to Disseration Committee)

APPROACHING POTENTIAL MEMBERS Consult your faculty advisor Experience on doctoral committees “Interview” potential faculty Ask other doctoral students

WHAT IS A DISSERTATION COMMITTEE? Determines when you can defend your proposal Approves proposal defense Supervises research & data analysis Approves dissertation defense Follows CFH & USF guidelines/requirements

2015 – 2016 USF Graduate Catalog USF Degree Program Listing: http://www.grad.usf.edu/programs/search_all.php USF Graduate Policies: http://www.grad.usf.edu/policies.php USF Graduate Catalog, all sections: http://www.grad.usf.edu/catalog.php

References Bonaparte, S, Baldasty, J. Building Your Network: Finding Mentors. Mentor Memo, University of Washington graduate student newsletter. Available online at: https://www.grad.washington.edu/mentoring/memos/finding-mentors.shtml. Accessed on July 21, 2015. Cham, J. The thesis committee [Image]. PhD Comics. Available online at: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1537. Accessed on July 27, 2015. 2015 – 2016 USF Tampa Graduate Catalog. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida. Available online at: http://www.grad.usf.edu/catalog.php. Accessed on July 31, 2015. PhD Student. Choosing Your Team: Selecting a Chair and Academic Committee. Available online at: http://www.phdstudent.com/Thesis-or-Dissertation-Process/choosing-your-team-selecting-a-chair-and-committee. Accessed on July 30, 2015.

References (con’t) Rackham Graduate School. How to Get the Mentoring You Want: A Guide for Graduate Students. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. Available online at: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/downloads/publications/mentoring.pdf. Accessed on July 24, 2015. Shorter D. Welcome to graduate school: six key lessons to help master’s and doctoral students thrive in their first year. Chronical of Higher Education 2014; 61(03). Stanford Teaching Commons. Selecting a dissertation chair and committee. In: FC Lunenburg, BJ Irby (Eds). Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Available online at: https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-talk/selecting-dissertation-chair-and-committee. Accessed on July 30, 2015.