Prospective graduate students
Applying to grad school can be daunting and stressful, particularly for first-generation students or students who are otherwise not familiar with the requirements and process. As a fellow first-generation student, I can relate to some, but not all, of these feelings. Luckily, the EEOB department at Ohio State has put in substantial effort to provide information to demystify parts of the process, and you can find answers to common questions here.
I think one of the biggest contributors to your success in grad school is finding an advisor with shared interests and expectations. Most of the time graduate students are supported by research funding for specific projects, which means advisors can only hire graduate students when they have funding available. This shouldn’t discourage you from “cold” emailing a potential grad advisor who you share research interests because there are often additional options available to support grad students, such as teaching assistantships or fellowships, and it is an opportunity to start developing a personal relationship around your research interests. Contacting a potential grad advisor can be intimidating, and this is understandable because you want to provide a good impression, while generally describing your interests and how they align with interests of their lab. When prospective students reach out to me, I’m looking for evidence of: 1) critical thought about their research interests and how those relate to research in our lab, 2) self-motivation, 3) interest and curiosity of the natural world with a strong desire for learning, and 4) strong writing skills. In addition to qualities I’m looking for in prospective students, the EEOB department and graduate school at Ohio State have specific requirements that must be met for admittance into the graduate program.
Expectations in the lab
People in the Aquatic Conservation and Ecology Lab are expected to treat everyone with respect and contribute to a positive and professional learning environment.
Mentoring philosophy
As an advisor, my role is to provide an environment where students can thrive in their academic and research endeavors. People enter the lab with a wide variety of life and work experiences and require different levels of support. As such, I strive to adapt my mentoring strategy to the individual needs of people, while fostering their development as independent thinkers who are well-equipped to execute novel and high-quality research.
As your advisor, here are some things you can expect of me:
- I will strive to maintain a safe and productive environment for all lab members.
- I will be available when you need help by generally maintaining an open-door policy.
- I will maintain communication about times when I am otherwise unavailable, such as extensive field work.
- I will help you define a thesis topic and plan your research, including selecting relevant coursework and supervisory committee members.
- I will monitor your progress towards achieving your academic and professional goals and provide feedback to help you achieve your goals.
- I will strive to provide you edits and comments on your scholarly works in a timely manner, including your thesis or dissertation, draft manuscripts, or research presentations.
- I will provide career advice, help you build your professional network, and assist you in finding a position following completion of your program by providing honest letters of recommendation.
As a student in the lab, here are some things I expect of you:
- I expect you to maintain good communication about your research and progress in your program. This includes reaching out when you need help or for clarification about anything I said that was unclear or confusing.
- I expect you to know the requirements of your degree program, including important milestones such as coursework, committee formation, proposal submission, and exam requests (EEOB Graduate Handbook).
- I expect you to attend all relevant meetings and department seminars, including lab meetings and one-on-one meetings with me.
- I expect you to come prepared to meetings, which includes a clear idea of the agenda and goals for the meeting.
- I expect you to keep detailed notes of your research projects, electronic scans of field notes, and ensure your data is backed up.
- I expect you to contribute to the overall productivity of the lab, and be willing to assist others when they need help. This includes assisting on other students projects from time to time, assisting on general lab projects, and mentoring junior graduate or undergraduate students.
- I expect you take care of your mental and physical self and look out for the well being of others in the lab. Everyone needs help now and then, so please make sure you seek out help if you need it, and keep an eye out on fellow lab members. You might not always want to reach out to me, and that’s entirely fine and acceptable. Ohio State has many resources available for your benefit.