The student wants their work to positively impact the world but their academic interests diverge from their advisor's. They feel frustrated, stressed and overwhelmed trying to complete their program requirements while pursuing meaningful work. Bridging the disconnect between their goals and their advisor's through a dissertation topic that satisfies both will be challenging but critical for the student to have impactful career success.

1. “I want to change
the world.”
“My real interest
is [counter to my
advisor’s].”
I want my work to have an
impact
I want to do something
meaningful.
There is a disconnect
between my academic
program/advisor and my
interests.
FRUSTRATED
OPTIMISTIC
STRESSED
OVERWHELMED
1. Finish comps
2. Identify dissertation topic
that bridges the
disconnect and satisfies
both advisor and student
Highly intelligent, hard-
working, technical PhD student
who is both socially
sophisticated and a cross-
pollinator
Satisfy departmental
requirements while
representing the student’s
intellectual interests
The stakeholder wants the
work to be meaningful and
have a positive impact on the
world
1. Success is measured
for this stakeholder
in terms of affecting
a positive change in
the world, not
through a solitary
analytic achievement.
2. The stakeholder is a
cross-pollinator type
in an organization
that resists drastic
changes.
3. Impact is more likely
to come from
realizing career
goals than from the
dissertation process.