Appendix – Suggested Discussion Questions

Student and advisory committee are strongly encouraged to consider the following questions for discussion. The purpose of this discussion is to provide feedback to both student and committee regarding their roles, expectations, and performance in their relationship with each other; to clarify practical matters of the student's program, skills development, and research needs; and to consider long-range plans. This list does not address all the subjects a student, adviser, and advisory committee may wish to discuss, but it should serve as a guide.

Questions to be considered by the student:

• Have you worked with your adviser to establish realistic and attainable goals in your course work and research?
• Do you understand your adviser's expectations? Have you agreed upon expectations regarding RA/TA responsibilities, hours worked, vacation time, classes to be taken?
• Are you being given too little/too much guidance or direction?
• Do you receive sufficient feedback to accurately assess your progress in the program? Is this feedback given in a constructive manner?
• Do you meet with your adviser to discuss your progress in courses and research as often as you feel necessary? Is your adviser available for consultation?
• Are the members of your advisory (or supervisory) committee actively involved in your program?
• Does your adviser value your work? Do you want your adviser to promote your work more outside the School? Does he/she inform you of opportunities for workshops, meetings, conferences and fellowships? Do you have enough communication with researchers outside the School?
• Are you aware of the funding constraints in your lab that might affect your research (i.e., equipment money, summer salary, availability of travel money, etc.)?
• What additional resources would enhance your studies and research (lab equipment, computer time, ship time, travel funds, etc.)? Have you discussed the possibility of obtaining these resources with your adviser?
• Are you satisfied with your research topic in terms of intellectual stimulation and potential for continued work?
• Are you developing the skills you need to work as an independent scientist (paper writing, giving presentations, collaborating, using computers, writing proposals, reviewing manuscripts, logistical planning, etc.)?
• Are there specific skills you would like to develop to further your immediate or long-term goals such as teaching, speaking, writing, computer programming, etc.? How do you want to go about obtaining these skills? Are there additional courses you should take or experiences you should obtain now to prepare for your career as you envision it 5 or 10 years from now?
• What additional suggestions or comments would you like to offer your adviser that may improve your performance in the program?

Questions to be considered by the adviser:

• Have you worked with this student to establish realistic academic and research goals for the upcoming year? Are the goals you have discussed well-matched to the student's program?
• Does this student keep you sufficiently informed about his or her academic and research activities?
• How well does this student work independently and in collaboration with others? Are they able to define research problems and develop courses of action?
• How does this student respond to your advice/criticism?
• Do you understand this student's expectations regarding your involvement in her or his work?
• Does this student contribute constructively to your research program?
• Do you feel this student's work is making a contribution to the scientific community?
• Have you informed the student of funding constraints that could affect research opportunities?
• Does the student exhibit competence in oral and written communication skills, sufficient for giving presentations, writing papers, etc.? How should they further develop those skills?
• Does the student have adequate knowledge of prior and on-going research related to his/her project? If necessary, what should the student do to remedy this?
• Does the student have adequate technical skills for the research they are pursuing (i.e., computer programming, lab skills, etc.)? What skills should the student develop further, and how?
• What additional suggestions or comments would you like to offer that may improve this student's performance in the program?