Graduate Program (MBD): Selecting a Thesis Advisor and Laboratory

After a student has finished rotations in 3 different labs (PATH551), he/she can choose a Thesis Advisor. Additional lab rotations may sometimes be taken if the first 3 rotations have not lead to a choice of a Thesis Advisor and home lab. More than three rotations must be approved by the Program Director.

Choosing a thesis advisor is a process of mutual evaluation that usually proceeds smoothly, but that is difficult to describe. At the end of a laboratory rotation, the faculty member and graduate student should discuss the potential for establishing a successful association between the student and the lab. Several factors are taken into consideration, including current or future space availability, funding options, specific research projects available, and overall group dynamics. Often no explicit offer (or refusal) is volunteered by the faculty member. It is the responsibility of each graduate student to inquire about working in any lab that he/she is enthusiastic about. Students will be discussing these matters with the Program Director as the first-year advisor. The Program Director can help obtain information, give advice, or act as an intermediary. The Program Director must be notified by the student before a final agreement is formalized to ensure that the proposed Thesis Advisor is made aware of his/her financial and educational responsibilities.