1. How to Select a PhD Advisor?
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
Information Seminar on
How to Select a PhD Advisor?
Date: June 02, 2017
Day & Time: Friday 10:00 am
Venue: Old Senate Hall
Organized by
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology,
Vehari Campus
Seminar Series on Study Abroad

2. PhD advisor is the most important person in someone’s academic and research career

3. Supervisor and his responsibilities
Giving guidance on research – usually strong guidance in selecting topic
Being accessible to student when advice needed
Giving advice on scheduling of successive stages of the work
Arranging for the student to talk about their research
Ensuring that the student is made aware of inadequacy of progress or of standards of work below that generally expected

4. Why is it important to select a supervisor?
What traits do we need in a supervisor?
Good scientist
Someone who is doing good science
Good mentor

5. How to find a good scientist?
PubMed them
Quality of research
Number of research articles
Find their H-index
Ask for advisor’s CV
Ask senior faculty and his students
Winner of any distinguished scientific award
Have funding

6. How to find a good mentor?
Avoids scientific trivial questions
Ask his trainees
Has lot of students
Check his trainees list
Acknowledges his students

7. Good mentor help students....
Formulate good questions
Formulate good experiments
Create a happy lab environment
Give good talks and write good research papers
Independent and confidant over time

8. Finding a supervisor on the basis of their careers
Young faculty advisors
Advantages
Enthusiastic and energetic
Have links with their advisors
Tend to be web savvy
Are more active in recruiting students
Work alongside their students

9. Disadvantages Demands a lot from their students
High expectations from their students
Suffer early burn out
Tend to stick to their graduate research
Tend to underestimate the time

10. Mid-Career faculty advisors
Advantages
Are at the peak of their research performance
Achieved recognition
Have strong circle of contacts
Administrative roles

11. Disadvantages Often networking at conferences
Sabbatical leaves away from group
Dominate research ideas and projects

12. Senior faculty advisors
Advantages
Long track record of research
Achieved significant recognition
Alumni from their research group
Personal connections with industry
Have strong collaborations
On editorial boards of many journals

13. Disadvantages Close to retirement Lack of energy and enthusiasm
Out of touch with the lab
May have arrogant behaviour
Out of touch with career issues

14. Questions you might ask a potential supervisor
Project
Supervisory style
Expectations
Funding
Track record

15. Questions you might ask the former students of the potential advisor
Supervisory style
Expectations
experience

16. Always hope for the best but prepare for the worst

17. Thanks