1. All-Hands Graduate Student & Advisors Meeting

2. Graduate Students  25 Continuing MSc students  7 New MSc students  Austin Morrell & Zach Rasmussen with Dr. Jason Burkhead  Skyla Walcott with Dr. Jenn Burns  Dustin Carl with Dr. Doug Causey  Karen Carlson with Dr. Khrys Duddleston  Hillary Karbowski with Dr. Bjartmar Sveinbjornsson  3 current PhD students AY 2015-2016

3. Expectations  As a graduate student, you are a candidate for a profession degree  You are primarily responsible for your success  Maintain familiarity with degree requirements and timelines  Ensure you understand your research  Meet all requirements in a timely fashion  Maintain good standing in the program AY 2015-2016

4. Three layers of requirements  Graduate School  Sets general policies for all UAA graduate programs  Oversees graduate student concerns  Handles graduate student insurance issues  Issues final approval of graduate theses  UAA Course Catalog, Chapter 12  Graduate School Dean: Dr. Helena Wisniewski  Director: Elisa Mattison  Website: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/graduateschool/ http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/graduateschool/ AY 2015-2016

5. Three layers of requirements  2: Departmental Requirements  Sets coursework requirements and departmental level policies  UAA Course Catalog, Chapter 12  Graduate Handbook  Graduate Affairs Committee  Dr. Jenn Burns, Chair  Drs Doug Causey, Frank von Hippel, Bjartmar Sveinbjornsson, and Don Spalinger  Graduate Affairs Administrative Assistant  Ms. Rachel Lee, 786-7762, ralee5@uaa.alaska.edu, CPISB 101Qralee5@uaa.alaska.edu AY 2015-2016

6. Three layers of requirements  3: Requirements set by your committee  Specific coursework required beyond that set by the GAC  Detailed in your GSP  What needs to be done, research-wise, to graduate  Detailed in your thesis proposal AY 2015-2016

7. Graduate Student Committee  Must be set up in your first semester  Graduate Committee Assembly Form  Minimum: 3 members, 2 from department  Lead or Co-advisor must be tenure-track departmental faculty  Advise and guide you through research  Committee composition can change over degree  Select a graduate committee that can help you complete your degree  Keep your committee apprised of research progress, challenges, changes to plans etc. AY 2015-2016

8. Graduate Student Committee  Works with you to:  Sets specific coursework requirements via Graduate Studies plan (GSP)  Provide training in how to conduct and disseminate scientific research  Approves thesis research proposal  Tracks progress through annual meetings  Provide critical review research products & thesis in a timely fashion  Helps you successfully navigate your degree AY 2015-2016

9. Graduate Studies Plan (GSP)  In your first semester, you must complete a Graduate Study Plan  Coursework plan for degree  Mix of required & elective courses  Reflects catalog @ entrance or exit  Request form from Rachel, complete @ committee meeting, and return to Rachel electronically [DocuSign]  Approved plan maintained in Degree Works  Student held to approved plan at graduation AY 2015-2016

10. Graduate Study Plan  Course Requirements (as of F’13)  BIOL 601: Experimental Design & Statistics  Or 604: Exp. Design for Cell/Molecular  BIOL 605: Graduate Proseminar  BIOL 606: Advanced Analysis & Interpretation (or equivalent)  At least 1 credit in each of BIOL 698 & 699  9 additional 600-level science credits  Electives to bring total to 30  Registrar checks coursework against GSP at graduation AY 2015-2016

11. Thesis & Research Credit Biology 698: Directed Research  Credit for conducting research towards your degree or outside your degree  Graded P/F  Don’t count into GPA Biology 699: thesis.  Credit for actual writing of your thesis  Grades [A-F] are deferred (DF) until degree is awarded  Don’t count into GPA until then New Requirement: Permission to enroll contingent on completion of form (10/30) Outlines what must be done to earn the credit AY 2015-2016

12. Thesis proposal  Must be completed by end of second semester  Outlines the main research question(s)  Research should generate data sufficient for at least one peer-reviewed scientific publication  Includes information on the methods you will use to collect and analyze data  Touch on conclusions that will be drawn  Proposal to be reviewed and approved by your graduate committee.  Once committee approves, turn copy in to Rachel Lee AY 2015-2016

13. Research Expectations  As the lead researcher for your degree, you should:  Become familiar with key literature in your research area  Fully understand the hypotheses and methodology that you will use in your research  Ensure that you have all required permits and trainings  Maintain good records (lab notes) of your research  Appropriately analyze the data collected  Write up your findings for publication  Turn over all notes/data/results upon completion AY 2015-2016

14. Required Trainings  Compliance & Research Integrity form to help identify needs:  Lab Safety Training to get access to building  Read Chemical Hygiene plan  Research specific Lab Safety trainings  Responsible Conduct in Research training  IACUC training if working with vertebrates  IRB training if working with human subjects  Radiation safety training (& refreshers) if working around rads  TA’s: Lab Instructor briefing, Online FERPA training, Title IX training AY 2015-2016

15. Annual Committee Meetings  At least once each academic year, hold a meeting with your Graduate Committee in order to:  Keep your committee apprised of your progress  Ensure that you are on target for timely completion of your degree  At least a week prior to meeting, provide committee with report that includes  Past progress in coursework (including grades)  Research progress summary (key findings, etc)  Other activities (outreach, training, meetings etc)  Updated CV  Timeline of plans through to degree completion  coursework, research plans, meetings/publication AY 2015-2016

16. Annual Committee Meetings  At the committee meeting  Present your research progress to your committee  Review your academic progress  Discuss any challenges/changes to degree plan  Review/revise timeline (explain changes)  Your committee will complete the annual report and provide it back to you for your signature  Due to Grad school by May 15 th  Students held to timeline AY 2015-2016

17. “Good Standing”  Have completed all paperwork required to date (based on time in program)  Any deficiencies noted at the time of admission must be cleared in the first year  Maintaining adequate progress, as reflected by timeline  Be continuously enrolled  Maintain 3.0 GPA  Must be in good standing to be eligible for funding opportunities & TA-ships  If not in good standing, can be dropped from the program  Notified in semester that lapse occurs  If plan to correct is not in place by the end of that semester, the student will be force dropped from the program AY 2015-2016

18. Records Check  We have updated departmental files and records to reflect what is currently on file  Check status sheets  PhD students –  Please provide office with copies of all UAF paperwork  Check in with Rachel to update your file AY 2015-2016

19. Continuous Registration  All UAA graduate students must be registered for at least one UAA graduate credit per academic semester (F, Sp)  Exception: on an approved leave of absence  If not continually enrolled, can be dropped from the program  PhD students should enroll in some UAA credits if conducting research @ UAA AY 2015-2016

20. Approaching Graduation  File application for graduation the semester you intend to graduate  $50 fee  Can be rolled to next semester ONCE  Will initiate a degree audit by the registrars office  Status shown on UAOnline AY 2015-2016

21. The Thesis  Thesis formatting guidelines provide by the graduate school  Updated regularly  Follow the current version EXACTLY  Regular trainings and online help  The final thesis needs to be uploaded online AY 2015-2016

22. Thesis format  Can write thesis in single monograph style or in manuscript style  Monograph style – one long document, with a single abstract, intro, methods,…  Not often used in Biological Sciences AY 2015-2016

23. Thesis format  Manuscript Format  Each chapter represents a manuscript  Must ALSO have general thesis introduction and an overall conclusion  For data chapters  Student must be lead author on the paper  Submitted papers that are part of the thesis should be approved by GSC committee & all co-authors prior to submission for publication AY 2015-2016

24. Thesis submission  Once complete, your advisor should read and review thesis for :  Content  Grammar & Style  Formatting  Once approved by advisor, submit thesis for review to committee  Review above issues, and suggest changes as necessary  Process can be done independently for individual chapters, but must also be followed for the thesis entire  Committee decides if it’s ok to defend AY 2015-2016

25. Thesis defense  After receiving permission to defend from your advisor and committee, it’s time to plan your defense.  At least 2 weeks in advance of the planned oral thesis defense, you must:  Provide complete copy of thesis to all GSC members  Schedule time & room for defense  Work with graduate affairs admin (Rachel)  Provide copy of thesis title and abstract  Preferred in Departmental seminar slot (3:30 F)  Defense must occur during academic year  Thesis formatting and signature pages must be approved by graduate school before thesis defense AY 2015-2016

26. Public thesis defense  Thesis defense  ~45 minute seminar open to the public  Can be organized in ‘chapters’ or monograph style  Introduce background and thesis research  Describe methods used  Present results  Draw conclusions  What you did, why you did it, what you discovered & how it is important  Presentation should be able to be understood by a senior undergraduate biology student  Followed by Q & A period AY 2015-2016

27. Private portion  Separate ‘closed’ door defense with thesis committee  Committee can ask additional questions, request justification of methods etc  Changes to the written thesis may be required based on committee review of written thesis and/or oral defense  May (or may not)sign off on thesis at that time  Complete and submit the “Report on Thesis/Dissertation Defense” Form AY 2015-2016

28. Additional Approvals  Once thesis approved by entire GSC there is still more to do…  Departmental approval  Submit electronic copy of thesis and signed thesis cover sheets to Rachel Lee for departmental review  Review will occur only if graduate school has already approved thesis formatting  Changes may be requested  Director signs only after approved by departmental reviewer  Can take > 2 weeks! AY 2015-2016

29. Additional Approvals  Once approved and signed off by department, you need  College approval  thesis meets college/school requirements  Changes can be requested  Graduate school approval  thesis conforms to university formatting requirements, abstract is readable to a non- specialist; thesis is acceptable to UAA  Submission online  Each take ~ 2 weeks AY 2015-2016

30. Graduation Deadlines  Fall 2015  Dep’t: 11/12  CAS: 11/26  GS: 12/10  Spring 2016  Dep’t: 3/14  CAS: 3/28  GS: 4/11  Summer 2016  Dep’t: 6/13  CAS: 6/27  GS: 7/11 Plan Ahead! Don’t turn your thesis in at the last possible date! AY 2015-2016

31. Appointment Letters  Students working as teaching or research Assistants receive appointment letters:  Issued before the start of each semester or summer  Read carefully  Turn in on time & follow up  If required to complete timesheets, it is your responsibility to do so in a timely fashion AY 2015-2016

32. Graduate student health insurance  To receive the benefit you must complete enrollment process with Graduate School in timely fashion at the start of each semester  Students who expect to have teaching, service or research assistantships during an upcoming academic year may qualify for health insurance for the preceding summer period  Worth checking: Ask your advisor or departmental secretary AY 2015-2016

33. Travel Authorizations  Any travel related to your work as a graduate student must be covered by a travel authorization (AT)  Insurance only travel still done with paper TAs  New online Travel Expense Management System (TEMS)  Get travel authorized prior to ANY expenditures  Complete expense report within 2 wks of travel completion AY 2015-2016

34. Other Issues  Personal reimbursements for work related expenses  Try to avoid using personal funds for work related expenses  Have your advisor purchase with their ProCard  Get a LPO issued  Employee reimbursement forms must be signed by grant PI, and department AY 2015-2016

35. Upcoming student deadlines  Teaching Assistantships  Spring TA-ships due 11/1  New applications  Renewal forms  Must be in “good standing”  Must have teaching evaluation by instructor  If you do not intend to continue as TA in spring, you MUST meet with Dr. Rainey AY 2015-2016

36. Questions / Concerns?  Your research & career  Your advisor &/or GSC  Departmental policies about graduate studies or concerns about your advisor or GSC  Grad Affairs Committee  If not comfortable with either of the above  Departmental Director, Dr. Fred Rainey  Policies about pay, travel, etc. or Status of graduate paperwork / good standing  Administrative assistant / Grant technician AY 2015-2016