Advising FAQs
Advising FAQs
Is working in pairs an option?
Students can work individually or in pairs. If working in a pair, each member of the pair must provide a justification for how each member will contribute to the project within the Project Approval Form. Students must receive approval to work in pairs from their Advisors prior to starting the project.
I hope you are doing well, I just had a quick question. Can I share the same research project mentor with another student if the mentor is willing?
There aren’t any requirements written into course project procedures that “cap” the number of mentees per mentor when projects are distinct. Up to 2 students can share a single project as well.
Overall, my recommendation is to take mentor experience and availability for project activities into consideration when assessing learner/mentor fit overall. I recommend reading recently completed research articles by the mentor. Recent research articles can be searched via PubMed, reviewing the mentor's Google Scholar (Example) or institutional profile page, or asking them directly for reading recommendations of their prior work.
I also recommend asking questions about availability, current students and projects, and expectations to support a 2-way evaluation of fit.
For example,
How much time do you typically allocate to mentoring students each week or month?
What is your preferred method of communication for regular updates and questions? Are there specific times of the year when your schedule is particularly busy, and how do you manage mentoring during those periods?
How many students are you currently mentoring, and what types of projects are they working on? What strategies do you use to ensure equitable attention across multiple students and projects?
What level of independence do you expect from students in managing projects?
Can I design my own project?
Yes, projects can be designed to meet the course/program project requirements. Ultimately, they’ll be entered into the MINDS database for tracking purposes, but that can occur as the project is reviewed/approved.
How do I make an advising appointment and/or attend office hours?
Standing office hour appointments are available throughout each semester. If you don't have the office hour scheduling link, please email me using either of your institutional email accounts to request it anytime.
Can advising appointments be in groups?
Yes, a group advising meeting is fine. I look forward to meeting.
Are advising meetings via zoom or in-person?
Advising meetings are via webconference using Microsoft Teams (health system account) with an option for dial-in by phone. There is no requirement to use the video function and meetings can be completed with audio-only. When scheduling via the online scheduling link, a calendar invitation will be generated with a meeting-specific login link and an option for a telephone call-in.
My advising appointment time doesn't match what I selected in the scheduling portal. Is it possible to adjust the meeting to the time I originally scheduled?
Several users have noticed that their settings have defaulted to the PST time zone instead of CST. Changing the settings in your account and/or device should correct the mismatched times. If scheduling availability permits, I can also adjust the calendar invite after it is sent and I'm happy to navigate this on a case-by-case basis via email request.
For advising meetings, should we come with a prepared set of questions and topics or since we are MS1 students is this more of a brainstorming session?
Office hours are intended for questions/topics for any stage of the program (e.g., topic interests, feasibility, project-specific challenges/solutions).
If there are documents to be discussed in detail, please send any relevant information ahead of meeting (best to send at least 2 days before meeting date to allow for pre-review).
Can office hours/advising appointments in August fulfill the Fall semester Project Advisor meeting requirement?
If the timing of the office hours/advising appointment is during the months listed for the required Project Advisor meeting for the semester then it fulfills that requirement. For example, for the Fall semester, the meeting needs to occur in September/October to fulfill the Fall semester requirement. The current dates for each Project Advisor meeting requirement are formally listed in the course management system.
If I finish the presentation and final report several months before the final deadline, may I opt-out from future advising meetings?
Please complete all components of the Inquiry project milestones. After all submissions are complete, you can opt-out and waive future advising meetings.
Complete Progress Reports #1-4
Schedule a final Inquiry Advisor meeting.
Submit the final report and presentation (including a recording/voice over) via the e-platform. A PDF confirmation will be generated for upload.
Is advising available between semesters?
Advising meetings are available most weeks during the year. Advising meetings are not available on dates when academic facilities are designated as closed, and advising availability varies for conference travel and other commitments.
Examples of typical holiday closure schedules include:
Thanksgiving Holiday: Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 28
End-of-year: Wednesday, December 24 - Friday, December 26; and Monday, December 29 - January 2.
Facilities re-open on Monday, January 5.
Notes
This content is a courtesy resource with supplemental information tailored to common discussion topics that I have encountered. Other Research Advisors may have different advice, perspectives, resources and recommendations.
All assignment requirements, rubrics, due dates, and course-related contact information should be sourced from the restricted-access course website maintained by the university.
Additional Information
Standing office hour appointments are available throughout each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer). Office hour appointments are not typically available during university-designated breaks. If you don't have the office hour scheduling link, please contact me using your institutional email account to request it anytime.
Additional resource pages include
Research Advising FAQs (this page)