Objectives:
- To lower barriers for help seeking by ensuring students know the course staff, their advisor(s) and senior researchers in their labs to ensure they feel comfortable enough reaching out when they need help.
Attend a course staff office hours
You’re required to attend the office hours of one member of the course staff at least once throughout the semester. The purpose of these meetings is for us to get to know all of you. As such, you don’t need to have a specific question in mind (but if you do, that’s always welcome). If you can’t make any of the office hours, please reach out to one of us to schedule a time!
One-on-one with your advisor.
You’re required to meet with your advisor(s) at least once this semester to get to know them on a more personal level. One good way to do this is to ask them to lunch. You’re welcome to invite other first-year students from your lab to join. Below is a list of questions for you to ask your advisor, in addition to any other questions you may have. After meeting with your advisor(s) please report to us on their responses and what you learned:
- What did your advisor(s) find most challenging about grad school?
- What did your advisor(s) enjoy most about grad school?
- What is one thing your advisor(s) you would tell their past self as a first-year PhD student?
- What is one way your advisor didn’t expect to grow as a result of grad school?
- What hobbies does your advisor have?
- Is there anything else you learned about your advisor that was interesting/helpful/susprising?
If you have trouble reaching finding a time with your advisor, let us know – we will find a different way to accommodate you.
Meet with a more senior researcher in your lab.
You’re required to meet with a more “senior researcher” from your lab at least once this semester (this can be a more senior Ph.D. student, a postdoc, a research associate, etc.). Please prioritize folks from your lab who work on an area similar to what you’ll be working on. If you are the only person in your lab (or have other problems scheduling a time), no problem – just let us know. The purpose of this meeting is for you to gain insight into your Ph.D. process from someone who was recently in a similar position. Below is a list of questions for you to ask them, in addition to any other questions you may have. After this meeting, please report to us on their responses and what you learned:
- What is one piece of advice they could have given themselves in the first year of their Ph.D.?
- What is one thing they learned to do that made their meetings with their advisor(s) feel more productive?
- What do they do for fun?
- What aspects of the Ph.D. do they most enjoy? How have these changed over time?
- What aspects of the Ph.D. do they find most challenging? How have these changed over time?