Expectations

General expectations for all graduate students

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Self-Motivation: You should expect to be responsible for your progress towards your degree. This includes creating a timeline for degree completion that includes all departmental requirements and deadlines. You should expect that work related to your graduate program is completed independently. My job as an advisor is to help and guide you through the process. However, most of the challenges you face will be your responsibility to solve. This is a key part of the process in becoming an independent researcher.  

       

Communication: I expect lab members to be effective and respectful communicators. As part of student graduate program meet with students one time per week during the semester and two times per month during the summer. I expect you to use this time to effectively communicate your progress and relay any problems or questions you may have. We also meet one time per week during the semester as a lab group. During these meeting one student each week will present their progress to the group. Presenting students are expected deliver a polished presentation while the others are expected to listen, ask questions, and provide constructive feedback.    

 

Time:  I prefer not to monitor the work habits of my students. Student may choose when they work if satisfactory progress is being made towards the project objectives. However, as graduate research assistants you are expected to average 19.6 hour of work on your project during the semester and 40 hours a week during the summer. Work life balance is important expect you to take the vacation time allotted to you. I also expect that you inform me when you plan to take vacation time.  

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Flexibility: Research is by nature unpredictable and through the course of your work you may discovery that you path changes. Be ready and willing to accept that and continue moving forward.   

Leadership: As you progress in your degree you will be expected to show leadership among the incoming students. Senior students will be responsible for helping train new lab students in lab, departmental, and university workings.

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Masters Students

I believe the purpose of a MS program is to produce scientist who can answer research questions. Most MS programs require two years to complete. In year one students are expected to complete the required courses work for and MS degree and complete a research proposal. Course requirements can be found at https://engineering.purdue.edu/ABE/academics/graduate in the “Graduate Manual”. Your second year should be devoted to data collection and publication. My general expectation is that by the end of their program MS students will have submitted 1-2 peer reviewed articles. I also believe in giving students the opportunity to present their work at conferences. If students have results to present, I will provide the opportunity to travel and present those result at relevant conferences.   

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Phd Students

The goal of a PHD program is to produce research scientist capable of not only answering research questions but understanding which questions to ask. PhD students are expected to conduct independent research that produces and novel contribution to the science in their field. Most PhD students in ABE complete their degrees in 4-5 years. The first few years of the program should be spend completing course work, collecting preliminary data, and generating a full research proposal that will be used in their preliminary examinations. PhD course requirements can also be found at https://engineering.purdue.edu/ABE/academics/graduate in the “Graduate Manual”. The remaining time in the program will be spent completing data collection and generating journal manuscripts. My general expectation is that by the end of their program PhD students will have submitted 2-4 peer reviewed articles and presented their work at conferences.