“Undergraduate and Graduate Education/Research and Choosing the Right Program and Advisor” Dr. Stephanie Luster-Teasley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Special Guest Ms Brandi Robinson Student Johnson C. Smith University

How did you choose your Undergraduate School? Location Cost Majors Population Campus Life Family History/Tradition

What is Graduate School? Goals: To gain additional educational background in your major To gain additional skills to complement your undergraduate education To train in a specific area

What is Graduate School? Goals: To obtain licensure or increase credentials To conduct RESEARCH in a specific area

What is Graduate School? Graduate school comes in three varieties: Professional schools Master's programs Doctoral programs How long does it take to complete a professional school, MS, or PhD program?

Why Selecting the Right Graduate School and Graduate Advisor is Important “Graduate school is quite different from undergraduate school. It takes longer, it requires more focused and sustained work, it involves more intensive relationships with faculty and other students, and it makes considerably greater demands on your personal identity. “

Things to Consider What do you want to do with your career? Research area  Is the department you are considering conducting research in the area you are interested in working? Personal commitments Financial Needs

Choose a program based on your interest and not just convenience Determine what you are looking for in a program Size of the University Research Tier Faculty Members – Pre-select a faculty advisor that you would like to work with during your graduate study University Support Programs for Graduate Students How to Select a Graduate School

Selecting Graduate School Research the University, Department, and Faculty using the web Look at the web pages for the faculty Look at their research Contact the Departmental Graduate Program Advisor

Selecting Graduate School Visit the University and the Department Talk to the faculty and graduate students Especially talk to faculty that may serve as your research advisor Ask about the size of their research group Find out if they plan to accept additional students into their research groups – is there a current project for a new student? Talk to the faculty member’s students in research group

Look at the city and housing available Find out about cost, financial aid, financial support (TAs, RAs, fellowships) Find out about Medical and Dental Plans for Graduate Students if offered by the University

Selecting Graduate School Find out about admission requirements RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH because selecting the right school and the right advisor can determine your successful navigation of graduate school… MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION

Application Plan Apply to Dream Schools Apply to 1 – 2 Middle of the Road Schools Apply to 1 – 2 schools where you know you will be admitted into their graduate program

You DID it! You were accepted into your dream program You have a TA position or fellowship You are at your new university and in classes Now… you have to select a research advisor

Research Advisor versus Graduate Advisor Research Advisor is different from the Departmental Graduate Program Advisor

Graduate Program Advisor The faculty that directly works with all in coming and current students; the expert in the courses you will need to take; responsible for actively recruiting students for the graduate program; probably your primary contact person through the process of applying for their graduate program

Research Advisor The faculty member that will help guide you through the process of conducting research for your MS or PhD; will help you form your thesis committee; will lead your committee as you work for you degree; your advocate in the department and the University

Your research advisor will become one of the most important people in your graduate program

Things to look for Research Capabilities – lab, funding Leadership Style Working with Students Personality Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor

Advisor Selection Process Most graduate programs will have a seminar where all professors with open projects will present their research It then becomes a competition for research positions – the faculty member will select the student(s) they will work with on their research projects

Good Relationships with Advisor When things work well between you and your advisor, you are able to work together during difficult problems with your research or with your progress through the program Good professional relationship The person you can confide in and get advice when you need help

When the advisor relationship does not work well You selection of an advisor may not always work Tension, disagreement in thought or methodology, personal issues Options: Talk to mentors Work through the process and keep your advisor Investigate the opportunity to work with co-advisors or to get a new advisor

Undergraduate Level Activities that can increase success Undergraduate Research Advisor Relationship Starting early researching schools Apply for fellowships/Scholarships

Statistics Bachelor’s degrees Awarded in Science and Engineering 2001

Statistics Field Distribution of Science and Engineering Graduate Students 2003

Math Eng. All S&EScience Biological sciences Computer sciences All PhD recipients25,25819,993 5, ,265 White14,28112,136 3, ,145 Asian a 6,569 4,184 1, ,385 Black Hispanic 1,336 1, American Indian/Alaska Native Field distribution of doctorate recipients in S&E : 2001

You can do it You have the ability You have the drive What type of job? Where would you like to be? 5 yrs, 10 yrs, 20 yrs

Resources Books On-line Examples: