UC San Diego Graduate Student Timeline to Degree & Benchmarks Mary Allen Director of Graduate Academic Affairs UC San Diego, Office of Graduate Studies IDEA Student Center, ENG GRAD Talk; October 24, 2014

What is the goal of graduate school? Advanced training in a specific area – The masters is the new bachelors Discover new knowledge – Ph.D. as the “union card” for a research career Acquire teaching skills Demonstrate tenacity and the ability to identify and solve an important problem

Key elements of graduate education Technical mastery Familiarity with the field – Your specific topic – The discipline in general – Depth and breadth Professional skills – Presentations (formal and informal) – Writing (papers, grants) – Training others (lab supervision and/or formal teaching opportunities)

Domains of professional development for graduate students Communication skills Broad information literacy Interpersonal competence Effectiveness as an educator Working in diverse, multidisciplinary teams Cultural sensitivity Leadership Professional ethics All equally relevant to the aspiring professor and the budding entrepreneur

Key milestones in graduate education Complete core coursework Complete depth/elective courses (Pass research exam) Enter dissertation lab Develop aims and preliminary data Advance: qualifying exam Defend! 0 years5-6 years Ph.D.! Service as a teaching assistant

Functional milestones in graduate education Understand the basics of the field Add knowledge specific to your project Show you can apply the basics Find an interesting project Acquire data to show topic is feasible Present your plans to committee Ready for the real world as an independent investigator 0 years5-6 years Teach others what you have learnt

Other milestones Present your work internally Submit abstracts to meetings and present nationally Contribute to then write conference papers Write journal articles Write reviews that synthesize the field – Introduction to your dissertation Complete dissertation

Time limit definitions Pre-candidacy (PCTL) – Time by which the student must advance to candidacy Support time (SUTL) – Amount of time student is eligible for university support (TA, GSR, fellowship) Registered time (TRTL) – Total amount of time a student can remain registered for their degree aim Normative time – Time within which the department/program expects that most students will complete their Ph.D.

JSOE Ph.D. time-limits (in years) DepartmentPCTLSUTLTRTLNormative time Bioengineering3675 Bioinformatics3675 Chemical Engineering4675 CSE w/masters4784 CSE w/o masters4785 ECE w/masters4675 ECE w/o masters4786 Materials Science4675 MAE Eng physics4786 MAE all others4675 Nanoengineering3675 Structural Engineering4675

Choosing the right project ….and a back-up Balance of risk and reward in primary project You should be able to map out (in writing) the specific aims and milestones Some floundering is inevitable and perhaps even desirable, but know when to call it quits – Thesis committee can help provide perspective and insights –get one on board as early as possible

The importance of mentoring *** ***, p<0.001; ~1000 students total Poor Excellent UCSD data for national Ph.D. Completion Project

Choosing the right mentor Your relationship with your Ph.D. advisor will sometimes feel like a marriage Mentor’s style – First assess your own – How much interaction do you need/feel comfortable with? Track record – Especially time to degree and completion rates – Try to talk to current and past trainees Other considerations – Youth vs. stature – Precise project (less important than you may think)

Aspects of good mentoring Triple A model – Accessibility – Adaptability – Appreciation But you must take the initiative to secure your mentor’s help – Be a triple A mentee

Accessibility You will always need to be proactive As your mentor’s commitments accumulate, will require some juggling and flexibility on your part – But critical to seek undivided attention, focus – Make appointments, schedule time at the beginning or end of the day – Be attentive to your mentor’s deadlines (grants, teaching, etc) Electronic communication helps, but cannot substitute for face to face meetings

Adaptability Your needs should evolve over time – Move from nuts and bolts to the unwritten rules – Your mentor should know when it is time to step back and let you fly solo Even when you don’t believe it yourself This goes beyond chronological considerations Be open about your career direction and any changes – Seek resources to prepare for the full range of research-related careers

Adaptability (continued) Ask your mentor(s) to connect you with others in their network who can help you – Attend seminars and ask questions – Seek introductions at meetings to other leaders in the field – Don’t be shy! Mentoring can be for life – Sometimes a relationship runs its natural course – no-fault divorce – But in general, benefits from sticking it out

Appreciation Your efforts should directly accrue benefits to your mentor – Seek appropriate credit A truly effective mentor takes genuine pleasure in the accomplishments of others But you should be appreciative too

Ways to ensure progress Be proactive – Take responsibility – who has the most to gain? – Understand the requirements for your program and all relevant deadlines Work with your graduate coordinator Formal reviews at least annually (with committee after advancement) – Request written feedback – Include your own response/reflections Consider asking your mentor to help you develop an IDP (see

Closing thoughts Graduate school can be both intellectually stimulating and incredibly intimidating in equal measure Milestones break the task into manageable chunks Help and resources are always available to you Good luck!

Any questions?