Condition # 3 Working together in a mutually respectful and task-oriented manner ( aka Forming Productive Relationships ) Mike Hyman Microbiology - NCSU

Hopefully stating the obvious! The seeds of success (and failure) with Condition # 3 are sown with Conditions # 1 & # 2 – # 1: The right people apply Applicants must be realistic about demands and expectations of doctoral study – # 2: The right applicants are admitted Admissions committees must effectively screen applicants and,upon enrollment, orient them to the program?

NCSU Microbiology PhD program NCSU = Land grant, no medical school Microbiology = ~10 research active faculty 2 main focal areas –Genomics/microbial physiology –Virology/Immunology ~30 PhD students (~6 recruits/year) Applicants mainly from Eastern seaboard Applicants often have work experience Applicants often attracted by RTP/Biotech

Some challenges we face Recruiting and effectively communicating our focus –Too little physiology,too much pathogenesis –How to target employees vs colleges Expectations and post-enrollment issues –Dealing with discipline diversity: Microbiology: less of a unified discipline, more just “small biology” Not just semantics: Prokaryotes grow much faster than eukaryotes! –Ongoing debate about PhD characteristics Time served vs papers produced vs scientific maturity –Keeping students on track Role of prelims (rite of passage vs critical test) When to take prelims and what format Advising and other benchmarks

Things we think we do quite well Early search for synergies and understanding –Phone interview (~45 min) all reasonable applicants –Look for understanding of demands of research –Look for research and personality overlap –Small recruiting visits (50% offer/enrollment ratio) Identifying sympatico students and faculty –3 x 6+week rotations required –Active advising from DGP in 1 st semester Extensive orientation –Graduate School and own PhD program –Timetable of major events and who is responsible for what Student participation in regional/national conferences

Things we are making progress on Providing better training for that all important prelim –Who takes a make or break test without training? –Developing /refining 2 credit Professional Development course ethics (Year 1), grant/report writing (Year 2) Including students in monthly RIPs –Batting around new ideas rather than presenting old ones Better enforcement of prelim timing –6 months before defense is too late! Better enforcement of annual committee meetings –Spotting potential problems before they happen Better coverfire for DGP! –Another important working relationship