All-Hands Graduate Student & Advisors Meeting

Graduate Students 25 Continuing MSc students

7 New MSc students Austin Morrell & Zach Rasmussen with Dr.

Jason Burkhead Skyla Walcott with Dr. Jenn Burns Dustin Carl with Dr. Doug Causey Karen Carlson with Dr. Khrys Duddleston Hillary Karbowski with Dr. Bjartmar

Sveinbjornsson

3 current PhD students

AY 2015-2016

Expectations As a graduate student, you are a

candidate for a profession degree You are primarily responsible for your

success

Maintain familiarity with degree requirements and timelines Ensure you understand your research Meet all requirements in a timely fashion Maintain good standing in the program

AY 2015-2016

Three layers of requirements Graduate School

Sets general policies for all UAA graduate programs

Oversees graduate student concerns Handles graduate student insurance issues Issues final approval of graduate theses

UAA Course Catalog, Chapter 12

Graduate School Dean: Dr. Helena Wisniewski Director: Elisa Mattison Website:

http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/graduateschool/

AY 2015-2016

Three layers of requirements 2: Departmental Requirements

Sets coursework requirements and departmental level policies

UAA Course Catalog, Chapter 12 Graduate Handbook

Graduate Affairs Committee Dr. Jenn Burns, Chair Drs Doug Causey, Frank von Hippel, Bjartmar

Sveinbjornsson, and Don Spalinger

Graduate Affairs Administrative Assistant Ms. Rachel Lee, 786-7762, ralee5@uaa.alaska.edu,

CPISB 101Q

AY 2015-2016

Three layers of requirements 3: Requirements set by your committee

Specific coursework required beyond that set by the GAC Detailed in your GSP

What needs to be done, research-wise, to graduate Detailed in your thesis proposal

AY 2015-2016

Graduate Student Committee Must be set up in your first semester

Graduate Committee Assembly Form

Minimum: 3 members, 2 from department Lead or Co-advisor must be tenure-track

departmental faculty Advise and guide you through research Committee composition can change over degree

Select a graduate committee that can help you complete your degree

Keep your committee apprised of research progress, challenges, changes to plans etc.

AY 2015-2016

Graduate Student Committee Works with you to:

Sets specific coursework requirements via Graduate Studies plan (GSP)

Provide training in how to conduct and disseminate scientific research

Approves thesis research proposal Tracks progress through annual meetings Provide critical review research products &

thesis in a timely fashion

Helps you successfully navigate your degree

AY 2015-2016

Graduate Studies Plan (GSP) In your first semester, you must complete

a Graduate Study Plan Coursework plan for degree Mix of required & elective courses Reflects catalog @ entrance or exit

Request form from Rachel, complete @ committee meeting, and return to Rachel electronically [DocuSign] Approved plan maintained in Degree Works Student held to approved plan at

graduation

AY 2015-2016

Graduate Study Plan Course Requirements (as of F’13)

BIOL 601: Experimental Design & Statistics Or 604: Exp. Design for Cell/Molecular

BIOL 605: Graduate Proseminar BIOL 606: Advanced Analysis &

Interpretation (or equivalent) At least 1 credit in each of BIOL 698 & 699 9 additional 600-level science credits Electives to bring total to 30

Registrar checks coursework against GSP at graduation

AY 2015-2016

Thesis & Research Credit

Biology 698: Directed Research

Credit for conducting research towards your degree or outside your degree Graded P/F Don’t count into GPA

Biology 699: thesis .

Credit for actual writing of your thesis Grades [A-F] are

deferred (DF) until degree is awarded

Don’t count into GPA until then

New Requirement:Permission to enroll contingent on completion of form (10/30) Outlines what must be done to earn the credit

AY 2015-2016

Thesis proposal Must be completed by end of second

semester Outlines the main research question(s)

Research should generate data sufficient for at least one peer-reviewed scientific publication

Includes information on the methods you will use to collect and analyze data

Touch on conclusions that will be drawn

Proposal to be reviewed and approved by your graduate committee. Once committee approves, turn copy in to

Rachel Lee

AY 2015-2016

Research Expectations As the lead researcher for your degree, you

should: Become familiar with key literature in your

research area Fully understand the hypotheses and

methodology that you will use in your research Ensure that you have all required permits and

trainings Maintain good records (lab notes) of your

research Appropriately analyze the data collected Write up your findings for publication Turn over all notes/data/results upon completion

AY 2015-2016

Required Trainings Compliance & Research Integrity form to help identify needs:

Lab Safety Training to get access to building Read Chemical Hygiene plan

Research specific Lab Safety trainings

Responsible Conduct in Research training

IACUC training if working with vertebrates

IRB training if working with human subjects

Radiation safety training (& refreshers) if working around rads

TA’s: Lab Instructor briefing, Online FERPA training, Title IX training

AY 2015-2016

Annual Committee Meetings At least once each academic year, hold a meeting

with your Graduate Committee in order to: Keep your committee apprised of your progress Ensure that you are on target for timely completion

of your degree

At least a week prior to meeting, provide committee with report that includes Past progress in coursework (including grades) Research progress summary (key findings, etc) Other activities (outreach, training, meetings etc) Updated CV Timeline of plans through to degree completion

coursework, research plans, meetings/publication

AY 2015-2016

Annual Committee Meetings At the committee meeting

Present your research progress to your committee

Review your academic progress Discuss any challenges/changes to degree plan Review/revise timeline (explain changes)

Your committee will complete the annual report and provide it back to you for your signature Due to Grad school by May 15th Students held to timeline

AY 2015-2016

“Good Standing” Have completed all paperwork required to date (based on

time in program) Any deficiencies noted at the time of admission must be

cleared in the first year Maintaining adequate progress, as reflected by timeline Be continuously enrolled Maintain 3.0 GPA

Must be in good standing to be eligible for funding opportunities & TA-ships

If not in good standing, can be dropped from the program Notified in semester that lapse occurs If plan to correct is not in place by the end of that semester,

the student will be force dropped from the program

AY 2015-2016

Records Check We have updated departmental files and

records to reflect what is currently on file Check status sheets

PhD students – Please provide office with copies of all UAF

paperwork Check in with Rachel to update your file

AY 2015-2016

Continuous Registration All UAA graduate students must be

registered for at least one UAA graduate credit per academic semester (F, Sp) Exception: on an approved leave of

absence

If not continually enrolled, can be dropped from the program

PhD students should enroll in some UAA credits if conducting research @ UAA

AY 2015-2016

Approaching Graduation File application for graduation the

semester you intend to graduate $50 fee Can be rolled to next semester ONCE

Will initiate a degree audit by the registrars office Status shown on UAOnline

AY 2015-2016

The Thesis Thesis formatting guidelines provide by

the graduate school Updated regularly Follow the current version EXACTLY Regular trainings and online help

The final thesis needs to be uploaded online

AY 2015-2016

Thesis format Can write thesis in single monograph

style or in manuscript style

Monograph style – one long document, with a single abstract, intro, methods,… Not often used in Biological Sciences

AY 2015-2016

Thesis format Manuscript Format

Each chapter represents a manuscript Must ALSO have general thesis introduction

and an overall conclusion

For data chapters Student must be lead author on the paper Submitted papers that are part of the thesis

should be approved by GSC committee & all co-authors prior to submission for publication

AY 2015-2016

Thesis submission Once complete, your advisor should read and review

thesis for : Content Grammar & Style Formatting

Once approved by advisor, submit thesis for review to committee Review above issues, and suggest changes as necessary

Process can be done independently for individual chapters, but must also be followed for the thesis entire

Committee decides if it’s ok to defend

AY 2015-2016

Thesis defense After receiving permission to defend from your advisor

and committee, it’s time to plan your defense.

At least 2 weeks in advance of the planned oral thesis defense, you must: Provide complete copy of thesis to all GSC members Schedule time & room for defense

Work with graduate affairs admin (Rachel) Provide copy of thesis title and abstract Preferred in Departmental seminar slot (3:30 F)

Defense must occur during academic year

Thesis formatting and signature pages must be approved by graduate school before thesis defense

AY 2015-2016

Public thesis defense Thesis defense

~45 minute seminar open to the public Can be organized in ‘chapters’ or monograph style

Introduce background and thesis research Describe methods used Present results Draw conclusions What you did, why you did it, what you discovered & how

it is important

Presentation should be able to be understood by a senior undergraduate biology student

Followed by Q & A period

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Private portion Separate ‘closed’ door defense with thesis

committee Committee can ask additional questions,

request justification of methods etc Changes to the written thesis may be

required based on committee review of written thesis and/or oral defense

May (or may not)sign off on thesis at that time

Complete and submit the “Report on Thesis/Dissertation Defense” Form

AY 2015-2016

Additional Approvals Once thesis approved by entire GSC there

is still more to do… Departmental approval

Submit electronic copy of thesis and signed thesis cover sheets to Rachel Lee for departmental review

Review will occur only if graduate school has already approved thesis formatting

Changes may be requested Director signs only after approved by

departmental reviewer Can take > 2 weeks!

AY 2015-2016

Additional Approvals Once approved and signed off by department,

you need College approval

thesis meets college/school requirements Changes can be requested

Graduate school approval thesis conforms to university formatting

requirements, abstract is readable to a non-specialist; thesis is acceptable to UAA

Submission online

Each take ~ 2 weeks

AY 2015-2016

Graduation Deadlines

Fall 2015 Dep’t: 11/12 CAS: 11/26 GS: 12/10

Spring 2016 Dep’t: 3/14 CAS: 3/28 GS: 4/11

Summer 2016 Dep’t: 6/13 CAS: 6/27 GS: 7/11

Plan Ahead! Don’t turn your thesis in at the last possible date!

AY 2015-2016

Appointment Letters Students working as teaching or research

Assistants receive appointment letters: Issued before the start of each semester or

summer Read carefully Turn in on time & follow up

If required to complete timesheets, it is your responsibility to do so in a timely fashion

AY 2015-2016

Graduate student health insurance To receive the benefit you must complete

enrollment process with Graduate School in timely fashion at the start of each semester

Students who expect to have teaching, service or research assistantships during an upcoming academic year may qualify for health insurance for the preceding summer period Worth checking: Ask your advisor or

departmental secretary

AY 2015-2016

Travel Authorizations Any travel related to your work as a

graduate student must be covered by a travel authorization (AT)

Insurance only travel still done with paper TAs New online Travel Expense Management

System (TEMS) Get travel authorized prior to ANY

expenditures Complete expense report within 2 wks of

travel completion

AY 2015-2016

Other Issues Personal reimbursements for work related

expenses Try to avoid using personal funds for work

related expenses Have your advisor purchase with their

ProCard Get a LPO issued

Employee reimbursement forms must be signed by grant PI, and department

AY 2015-2016

Upcoming student deadlines Teaching Assistantships

Spring TA-ships due 11/1 New applications Renewal forms

Must be in “good standing” Must have teaching evaluation by instructor If you do not intend to continue as TA in

spring, you MUST meet with Dr. Rainey

AY 2015-2016

Questions / Concerns? Your research & career

Your advisor &/or GSC

Departmental policies about graduate studies or concerns about your advisor or GSC Grad Affairs Committee

If not comfortable with either of the above Departmental Director, Dr. Fred Rainey

Policies about pay, travel, etc. or Status of graduate paperwork / good standing Administrative assistant / Grant technician

AY 2015-2016