How to Succeed In Graduate School: Understanding Graduate School Lingo! Sibrina N. Collins, Ph.D. University of Washington Seattle, WA [email_address]

Overview Masters vs. PhD Graduate School Landscape Common language, phrases, and acronyms! Who are the major players? The Dating Game: Choosing a Research Mentor Family Support: The Research Group Unwritten Rules of Graduate School Telling Your Story: Research Conferences

Masters vs. PhD

Graduate School Landscape

Common language, phrases, and acronyms!

Who are the major players?

The Dating Game: Choosing a Research Mentor

Family Support: The Research Group

Unwritten Rules of Graduate School

Telling Your Story: Research Conferences

From the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest!! Wayne State U, 1994 Ohio State, 2000 Postdoc, LSU (2000-01) AAAS, 2001-02 Detour! Claflin University, 2003-06 Henry Ford High School, 19?? Detroit, MI Director, UW, 2006-

Our Legacy in Science and Engineering!

Masters vs. PhD Money Stipend support are typically offered for PhD programs; far fewer for Masters programs Research PhD programs prepare you to do research; Masters programs offer “hands-on” experience Time Masters, 1-3 years; PhD, 4-6 years Check out the Menu: Kinds of Masters Degrees In some PhD programs, you earn a Masters degree along the way Coursework (non-thesis) MS; MS (thesis-option) Earning potential increases!! Salary for B.S. chemist is ~$35K; M.S., $45K; Ph.D., $72K Salary for B.S. physicists is ~$42K; M.S., $58K; Ph.D., $80K Salary for B.S. chemical engineer is ~$54K; M.S., $62K; Ph.D., $83K

Money

Stipend support are typically offered for PhD programs; far fewer for Masters programs

Research

PhD programs prepare you to do research; Masters programs offer “hands-on” experience

Time

Masters, 1-3 years; PhD, 4-6 years

Check out the Menu: Kinds of Masters Degrees

In some PhD programs, you earn a Masters degree along the way

Coursework (non-thesis) MS; MS (thesis-option)

Earning potential increases!!

Salary for B.S. chemist is ~$35K; M.S., $45K; Ph.D., $72K

Salary for B.S. physicists is ~$42K; M.S., $58K; Ph.D., $80K

Salary for B.S. chemical engineer is ~$54K; M.S., $62K; Ph.D., $83K

Graduate School Landscape: Language, Phrases, Acronyms! Degrees M.S. = Master of Science M.A. = Master of Arts Ph.D. = Doctor of Philosophy Examinations Cumulative exams (or “cumes”), placement exams, qualifying exams, Ph.D. candidacy exams Graduate School Status M.S. student, M.S. candidate, Ph.D. student, Ph.D. candidate (A.B.D. = All But Dissertation) TA (Teaching Associate) RA (Research Associate)

Degrees

M.S. = Master of Science

M.A. = Master of Arts

Ph.D. = Doctor of Philosophy

Examinations

Cumulative exams (or “cumes”), placement exams, qualifying exams, Ph.D. candidacy exams

Graduate School Status

M.S. student, M.S. candidate, Ph.D. student, Ph.D. candidate (A.B.D. = All But Dissertation)

TA (Teaching Associate)

RA (Research Associate)

What is the Difference Between a Thesis and a Dissertation? (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In academia, a thesis or dissertation is a document that presents the author's research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification. The thesis or dissertation is normally the culmination of a candidate's research; submission of the thesis represents the completion of the final requirement for the degree being sought. Theses submitted as part of the requirements for a masters degree are usually much shorter than those submitted as part of a Ph.D. (or other research-oriented doctorate).

In academia, a thesis or dissertation is a document that presents the author's research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification.

The thesis or dissertation is normally the culmination of a candidate's research; submission of the thesis represents the completion of the final requirement for the degree being sought.

Theses submitted as part of the requirements for a masters degree are usually much shorter than those submitted as part of a Ph.D. (or other research-oriented doctorate).

Graduate School Landscape! Who are the Major Players? Deans, Department Chairs Professors (Assistant, Associate, Full Profs, Research Professors) Postdoctoral Researchers Laboratory Technicians Graduate Students Science and Engineering Research Groups! A typical research group will include a professor, postdoc, grad students, undergrads, and in some cases high school students.

Who are the Major Players?

Deans, Department Chairs

Professors (Assistant, Associate, Full Profs, Research Professors)

Postdoctoral Researchers

Laboratory Technicians

Graduate Students

Science and Engineering Research Groups!

A typical research group will include a professor, postdoc, grad students, undergrads, and in some cases high school students.

The Dating Game: Selecting a Research Mentor!!! Date (Shop) Around—Keep Your Options Open! Get to know the family (institution)! Why is dating (shopping) so important? ~1-3 years, M.S.; ~4-6 years, Ph.D. Will we ever break up? You will always have a bond with your research mentor!

Date (Shop) Around—Keep Your Options Open!

Get to know the family (institution)!

Why is dating (shopping) so important?

~1-3 years, M.S.; ~4-6 years, Ph.D.

Will we ever break up?

You will always have a bond with your research mentor!

Dating Criteria—What am I Looking For? Research Interests Size of the research group How the research mentor (PI) manages the group Time-to-degree Funding Support Published research Peer-reviewed articles

Research Interests

Size of the research group

How the research mentor (PI) manages the group

Time-to-degree

Funding Support

Published research

Peer-reviewed articles

What’s my role in the research group? What about my funding support? Contribute to science and engineering Original research project Results presented at research conferences, grant proposals, peer-reviewed journals Spend ~40 to 80 hours/week Social Support/Network Funding Support TA = Teaching Associate RA = Research Associate Fellowships (e.g. GEM, NSF, NIH)

Contribute to science and engineering

Original research project

Results presented at research conferences, grant proposals, peer-reviewed journals

Spend ~40 to 80 hours/week

Social Support/Network

Funding Support

TA = Teaching Associate

RA = Research Associate

Fellowships (e.g. GEM, NSF, NIH)

What Can I Really Expect? 1-2 years of coursework Possible TA responsibilities Join a research group Research is a test in patience Tons of experiments—some will work Committee (MS, PhD) Candidacy examinations Learn to Cope with Stress Adapt to changing demands Manage to stay productive

1-2 years of coursework

Possible TA responsibilities

Join a research group

Research is a test in patience

Tons of experiments—some will work

Committee (MS, PhD)

Candidacy examinations

Learn to Cope with Stress

Adapt to changing demands

Manage to stay productive

Maintaining Balance between Professional and Personal Life Devote time for keeping or developing relationships Get involved in at least one activity that is not department related (e.g. exercise class) Encourage friends and family to visit

Devote time for keeping or developing relationships

Get involved in at least one activity that is not department related (e.g. exercise class)

Encourage friends and family to visit

Telling Your Story: Attending Research Conferences Presenting Your Own Research Communication Skills Network Opportunities Conference Activities Technical Presentations Panel Discussions/Workshops/Short Courses Get Involved AISES, AIChE, ACS, NOBCChE, NSBE, SACNAS, NSBP, NSHP

Presenting Your Own Research

Communication Skills

Network Opportunities

Conference Activities

Technical Presentations

Panel Discussions/Workshops/Short Courses

Get Involved

AISES, AIChE, ACS, NOBCChE, NSBE, SACNAS, NSBP, NSHP

Unwritten Rules of Graduate School Work Hard!!! Research vs. Coursework Selective Reading of Scientific Literature is mandatory Communicate with your research mentor Attending Scientific Conferences Establish a Supportive Network Have Fun!

Work Hard!!!

Research vs. Coursework

Selective Reading of Scientific Literature is mandatory

Communicate with your research mentor

Attending Scientific Conferences

Establish a Supportive Network

Have Fun!

Career Options-Industry, Government, Academia! Research Scientist/Engineer Forensic Scientist Pharmaceutical Sales Science Policy Technical Writer Journalist Finance Patent Law

Research Scientist/Engineer

Forensic Scientist

Pharmaceutical Sales

Science Policy

Technical Writer

Journalist

Finance

Patent Law

Acknowledgments National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM) University of Washington (UW), GO-MAP Lori Miller, MPH, UW GenOM Project Alveda Williams, Ph.D., Dow Chemical Company Resources Bavor, C. “A Princeton CS Major’s Guide to Applying to Graduate School.” http://www.cs.princeton.edu/academics/upgradpgm/gsg/php Porter, L.A., “Confessions of a Graduate School Survivor,” In Chemistry Magazine , November 2004, 10-11. Collins, S.N; Ravnik, S.E. “Graduate School: Tricks, Tips, and Dirty Little Secrets,” In Chemistry Magazine , November 2004, 12-14. Stewart, C. “Unwritten Rules of Graduate School,” Minority Scientists Network, June 2002. El-Ghoroury, N.H.; Salvador, D.; Manning, R.; Williamson, T. “A Survival Guide for Ethnic Minority Graduate Students.” http://www.apa.org/apags/diversity/emg.html

National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM)

University of Washington (UW), GO-MAP

Lori Miller, MPH, UW GenOM Project

Alveda Williams, Ph.D., Dow Chemical Company

Resources

Bavor, C. “A Princeton CS Major’s Guide to Applying to Graduate School.” http://www.cs.princeton.edu/academics/upgradpgm/gsg/php

Porter, L.A., “Confessions of a Graduate School Survivor,” In Chemistry Magazine , November 2004, 10-11.

Collins, S.N; Ravnik, S.E. “Graduate School: Tricks, Tips, and Dirty Little Secrets,” In Chemistry Magazine , November 2004, 12-14.

Stewart, C. “Unwritten Rules of Graduate School,” Minority Scientists Network, June 2002.

El-Ghoroury, N.H.; Salvador, D.; Manning, R.; Williamson, T. “A Survival Guide for Ethnic Minority Graduate Students.” http://www.apa.org/apags/diversity/emg.html