thesis committee chair

Thesis Committee

The Ph.D. Thesis Committee has the responsibility of advising a student on all aspects of the thesis experience, from the proposal process through the preparation and defense of the final document.

The Committee should be comprised of

• the Thesis Advisor(s),
• the Thesis Committee Chair who presides at all committee meetings (must be a BE faculty member), and
• at least one additional member (unrestricted).

The student and research supervisor should agree upon members of a Thesis Committee, and the student is responsible for inviting faculty to sit on their committee. Beyond administration of the Oral Exam, the Thesis Committee is meant to provide guidance on the various aspects of the student’s project; Thesis Committee members should therefore be selected with this goal in mind.

Forming the Committee

During the summer of the second year, the student must submit the BE PhD Thesis Committee form  to the BE Academic Office ) to request approval of the Thesis Committee membership.

Changing the Committee

The Thesis Committee constituted for the Oral Exam/Thesis Proposal may change over the course of the student’s research, as determined by the student and advisor with approval by the Graduate Program Chair. Students should submit a new PhD Thesis Committee form (above) to the BE Academic Office.

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Dissertation Committee: Roles, Functions, and How to Choose

The path to a dissertation is filled with choices that determine the quality of your experience as a student as well as the future strength of your professional network. 

Choosing your dissertation committee is one of the most important decisions–and one of the most fraught–that you’ll make as a graduate student. With the stakes being so high, many doctoral students worry about making a misstep and getting it wrong. 

Fear not! Putting together your dissertation committee becomes easier once you know the right questions to ask: of potential committee members, of your dissertation chair, and of yourself. While forming your dissertation committee can be challenging, striking the right balance will lead to a richly rewarding academic experience that will pay dividends throughout your career. Do your homework, and you’ll be just fine. 

Dissertation Committee Questions

• What does a dissertation committee do?
• Who serves on your dissertation committee?
• How do you choose dissertation committee members?
• What can you expect from your dissertation committee? 

What Does a Dissertation Committee Do?

The basic function of your dissertation committee, which typically consists of five members, is to guide you through the process of proposing, writing, and revising your dissertation.  

Dissertation committee members serve in a mentoring capacity, offering constructive feedback on your writing and research, as well as guiding your revision efforts. They are also the gatekeepers of the ivory tower, and the ultimate judges of whether or not your dissertation passes muster. 

The dissertation committee is usually formed once your academic coursework is completed. It is not uncommon in the humanities and social sciences for dissertation committee members to also write and evaluate qualifying exams, and of course serve as faculty. By the time you begin working on your dissertation, you may know the faculty members who will serve on your dissertation committee quite well. 

Who Serves on Your Dissertation Committee? 

To a degree, who serves on your dissertation committee is up to you. Dissertation committees usually consist mostly of faculty members from the doctoral student’s home department, though this can vary due to the rise of interdisciplinary programs. 

Some universities also allow an outside expert–a former professor or academic mentor from another university–to serve on your committee. It’s advisable to choose faculty members who know you and who are familiar with your work. 

While it’s a good idea to have a mix of faculty members, it’s also important to be mindful about the roles they can play. For instance, I always advise graduate students working in quantitative fields to have a statistician on their committee. When there’s big data to crunch, it never hurts to have a stats expert in your corner. You’ll also want at least one faculty member–besides your chair–whose research is in the same relative area as yours, or adjacent to it. 

How to Choose Dissertation Committee Members

Think Carefully. It’s tempting to approach a faculty member who is a superstar in their field (if not, necessarily, in yours) to lend a little extra sparkle to your own academic credentials. Or perhaps the kindly professor you can always count on for an easy A. Or even the faculty member you’d like to be friends with after graduate school. Right? 

Not so fast. Here are some things to keep in mind when building your dissertation committee dream team: 

• Avoid Superstars. Though the prospect of having your department’s most eminent name on your committee sounds exciting, their star power comes with a price. Between guest lectures, books, keynotes, and conference travel, their time is not their own, and it won’t be yours, either. Choose dissertation committee members who have time for you. 
• Choose faculty members you know, like, and can learn from. It’s not a bad idea to approach a professor whose coursework challenged you. One of the professors who served on my committee was such an exacting grader that my term papers for her courses were accepted for publication without revision (academia’s most coveted mythical creature). 
• Keep your eyes on the future. Members of your dissertation committee can be your mentors, co-authors, and research collaborators throughout your career. Choose them wisely. 

Forming Your Dissertation Committee

Reaching out to potential dissertation committee members and formally asking them to serve on your dissertation committee can be a surprisingly taxing process. It takes some planning, and you’ll want to put some thought into it before making the big ask. While being asked to serve on a dissertation committee won’t come as a surprise to most faculty–they know the drill–these are some considerations to know going in:

• Talk to your advisor before approaching anyone to be on your committee. Remember, your advisor knows their colleagues in a way that you don’t, and is also aware of departmental politics, potential personality conflicts, and which faculty members are a good fit on a dissertation committee. Trust your advisor’s judgement. 
• Know what you’re asking. Serving on a dissertation committee is a big time commitment for any faculty member. If they say yes to being on your committee, it means they are invested in you and your research, and they want to play a role in your future. It doesn’t hurt to send a thank-you note. 
• Don’t sweat it if they say no. It does not reflect on you as a student or a scholar. A good faculty member is aware of their limitations, and they probably just don’t have the time or bandwidth to take on another big commitment. Thank them and move on. 

Expectations

Once your dissertation committee is formed, it’s time to get down to business. As a faculty member, I love serving on dissertation committees because doing so gives me the chance to work with grad students one on one as they journey into new frontiers and carve a place for themselves in academia. It is a deep, rich learning experience, and it’s thrilling to watch students transform into scholars. 

Even though researching and writing a dissertation is the most challenging work you’ll ever do, recognize this time for the opportunity it truly represents. In your dissertation committee, you have a panel of experts all to yourself, and they’re eager to help you knock your dissertation out of the park. This is the experience of a lifetime; take advantage of your dissertation committee’s time and talent, and channel that energy and goodwill into your development as a scholar. 

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Courtney Watson, Ph.D.

Courtney Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Radford University Carilion, in Roanoke, Virginia. Her areas of expertise include undergraduate and graduate curriculum development for writing courses in the health sciences and American literature with a focus on literary travel, tourism, and heritage economies. Her writing and academic scholarship has been widely published in places that include  Studies in American Culture ,  Dialogue , and  The Virginia Quarterly Review . Her research on the integration of humanities into STEM education will be published by Routledge in an upcoming collection. Dr. Watson has also been nominated by the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award, and she is a past winner of the National Society of Arts & Letters Regional Short Story Prize, as well as institutional awards for scholarly research and excellence in teaching. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Watson has served in faculty governance and administration as a frequent committee chair and program chair. As a higher education consultant, she has served as a subject matter expert, an evaluator, and a contributor to white papers exploring program development, enrollment research, and educational mergers and acquisitions.

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Applying EQ on Dissertation Committees

By  Tom Butkiewicz

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A productive dissertation committee requires members who have emotional intelligence, or EQ, and positive leadership qualities, such as being authentic and communicating honestly. Those qualities can be empowering components of mentoring doctoral students, especially those in online programs.

Students who embark on a doctoral program often face the daunting tasks of navigating through content courses, learning research methods and designs, and establishing a purposeful working relationship with a dissertation committee. Although universities offer a plethora of resources for those students, the challenges become more intense through the iterative process of preparing a dissertation that meets each institution’s academic standards.

The dissertation committee in most universities often consists of a dissertation chair, second committee member and a university research reviewer. The dissertation chair serves as the faculty mentor, directly supporting the student throughout the doctoral program, while the second committee member usually has a shared responsibility in offering guidance to the student. The university research reviewer works with the dissertation chair to provide direct support to the committee. They also provide indirect support to the student by ensuring a high level of integrity, ethics and quality in the research, along with consistency in the application of university research standards. Committee members should communicate and collaborate with each other, as well as the student, to support the student’s progress and help enhance the quality of their work.

Dissertation chairs are instrumental in guiding students through each milestone of the process. In their efforts to develop sustainable relationships with students, they should tailor their mentoring approaches to each student to meet their individual needs and create positive social change.

Perhaps paradoxically, most mentors have learned to think critically. While critical thinking allows faculty mentors to improve the status quo, increase quality and otherwise drive excellence, too much critical thinking can sometimes block the path to feeling grateful for students’ distinct contributions, gifts and current skills.

The mentor advantage consists of demonstrating emotional intelligence and supporting student well-being by showing empathy, employing good listening skills and making connections by identifying with and relating to students. Internationally known psychologist Daniel Goleman has identified five domains to define the emotional intelligence theory: 1) self-awareness, 2) self-regulation, 3) motivation, 4) empathy and 5) social skills. Students’ engagement often depends on how well dissertation chairs capitalize on those domains to inspire, show compassion and create a sense of purpose that intrinsically motivates them.

In Silent Messages , Albert Mehrabian, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, cited research findings on communication effectiveness related to visual cues, tone and words. In one study, “ A Wealth of Information About Nonverbal Communication ,” Mehrabian found that when people interpret messages about feelings and attitudes, they base 55 percent of that interpretation on visual cues like facial expressions, 38 percent on tone and 7 percent on words. Thus, Mehrabian concluded, as much as 93 percent of communication about feelings and attitudes is nonverbal.

The study strongly suggests that faculty mentors with high emotional intelligence can better recognize students’ feelings, even if they are subtle, through nonverbal communication. And, in fact, faculty mentors with high emotional intelligence tend to have better, more productive relationships with students than those who do not emotionally connect with their students. They understand and support their students’ needs, values and beliefs instead of expecting students to conform to their own. They are also aware of the common negative attitudes they may need to overcome to be effective guides to graduate students, including assumption, arrogance, indifference and the need to control students’ knowledge, feelings and desires.

Positive emotion is a powerful force in influencing and developing students. A faculty mentor with high emotional intelligence can blend critical thinking and a grateful heart to achieve the perfect balance. Successfully connecting with students by focusing on their well-being is an important skill to have. To develop positive relationships with doctoral students, I recommend dissertation chairs take the following steps.

• Make time for students. Be flexible and responsive to meet the varied and changing needs of students across different time zones.
• Listen for ways to establish common ground. This can support congruent communications with students. Faculty mentors who openly listen to a student’s point of view ultimately foster inclusion and build community.
• Show interest in students by asking questions. Gathering information about the lives of students helps facilitate productive mentoring relationships.
• Look for creative ways to help students. This increases students’ motivation to complete assignment milestones throughout the dissertation process. Student motivation increases when faculty mentors give praise for accomplishments.
• Let students into your life. Authentic dissertation chairs show appropriate vulnerability and relatability, which fosters positive relationships. Faculty mentors often establish trust when they share relevant strengths and weaknesses with students.
• Show students you care. Students will have an increased respect for a faculty mentor’s knowledge when they feel supported.
• Think more of your students than yourself. This mind-set enables faculty mentors to practice servant leadership, which enhances student engagement and motivation. Faculty mentors who focus on students before themselves can encourage students to exceed course learning outcomes.
• Adapt to your students’ worlds. Mentoring is more effective when lessons are relevant to students. In doing so, faculty mentors can solicit course discussion responses to understand their students’ world interests.

Creating a sense of purpose and improving student well-being includes assessing students’ situations with gratitude, shifting from critical to grateful thinking, building on students’ success toward goals, bolstering students’ sense of significance and encouraging a focus on positive social change.

Faculty mentors can enhance a student’s dissertation experience by applying emotional intelligence. To support this initiative, universities should develop emotional intelligence training programs for dissertation chairs that teach strategies for applying such knowledge throughout the doctoral mentoring process. One way Walden University addresses this is by including emotional intelligence training for dissertation chairs in the research mentoring proseminar and positive leadership course. Universities that recognize the impact of emotional intelligence on dissertation committees are changing the higher education landscape for the greater good.

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Guidelines for Dissertation Committee Service

It is recommended that the membership of the dissertation committee be submitted to the graduate school for approval at least six months prior to the student’s oral defense

The Graduate Faculty

For dissertation committee purposes, “the graduate faculty” consists of persons who are tenure or tenure-track instructional faculty holding an “unmodified” (i.e., not visiting, adjunct, etc.) appointment at the University of Michigan as professor, associate professor, or assistant professor with an earned doctorate from an accredited institution.

Composition of the Dissertation Committee

Dissertation committees must have at least four members, three of whom are members of the graduate faculty ( see definition above ), and two of whom are from the doctoral candidate’s home program. Furthermore, each committee:

• Must have a sole chair or two co-chairs
• Must have a cognate member who is familiar with the standards for doctoral research and holds at least a .50 appointment in a Rackham doctoral program, other than the student’s home department/program (except IDP programs.)
• May include a university faculty member who is not graduate faculty ( see definition above ), a university staff member, or a qualified individual outside the university to provide expertise in the candidate’s discipline

Roles of the Chair (or Co-chairs) and Cognate Member

The chair (or each co-chair) is responsible for guiding and encouraging the candidate’s design and execution of an original, high quality, doctoral-level research project. The end result of this effort is expected to be a dissertation that makes a substantive contribution to the candidate’s discipline.

The cognate member’s role is to broaden the scholarly representation of the dissertation committee beyond the candidate’s home program. The cognate member also serves the graduate school and its faculty by providing a non-specialist’s perspective on the quality of the dissertation.

Eligibility for Service on Dissertation Committees

Nominations for dissertation committee service are made by means of the Dissertation Committee form , which must be signed by the chair of the doctoral candidate’s program. All nominations must be approved by the graduate school and are subject to the following guidelines:

• Graduate faculty ( see definition above )—i.e., professors, associate professors, and assistant professors—affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program and who hold an earned doctorate from an accredited institution may serve as a member of the committee, or as sole chair, co-chair, or cognate member.
• Graduate faculty ( see definition above ) not affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program may serve on dissertation committees. They may also serve as co-chair with a member of the graduate faculty ( see definition above ) affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program, but not as sole chair or cognate member.
• Instructors and lecturers who have no appointment as members as graduate faculty ( see definition above ) may serve on dissertation committees if they hold an earned doctorate from an accredited institution. They may also serve as co-chair with a member of the graduate faculty ( see definition above ) affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program, but not as sole chair or cognate member.
• Retired and emeriti professors who were affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program may serve on dissertation committees. They may also serve as co-chair or, by special arrangement ( see Special Membership ), as sole chair or cognate member.
• Research professors (RP,i.e., research professors and research associate professors) who are affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program may serve on dissertation committees if they hold an earned doctorate from an accredited institution. They may serve as a co-chair, regular member or by special arrangement as a sole chair.
• Research scientists, associate research scientists, assistant research scientists, research assistant professors, and research investigators who are affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program may serve on dissertation committees if they hold an earned doctorate from an accredited institution ( see Special Membership ). They may not serve as sole chair or cognate member.
• All those who do not have an earned doctorate, whether affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program or not, must be approved for dissertation committee service on a case by case basis. If approved, they may serve as a member of the committee, as the sole chair, co-chair, or cognate member.
• University faculty and staff not included in the preceding categories and qualified individuals outside the university whose service is desirable may serve on dissertation committees, subject to review on a case by case basis. They may also serve as co-chair with a member of the graduate faculty (see definition above) affiliated with a Rackham doctoral program, but not as sole chair or cognate member.

N.B. No person working toward a doctoral degree may serve on a dissertation committee until all requirements for the degree have been met.

N.B. University faculty who were approved to serve as sole chair or cognate member but who are no longer affiliated with the university may not continue to serve as the sole chair or as the cognate member. The faculty member may serve as a co-chair or as a regular member based upon the eligibility guidelines for dissertation committee service.

Special Membership on the Dissertation Committee

University faculty and staff who are not graduate faculty (see definition above), and qualified people from outside the University of Michigan who may or may not hold academic appointments and whose service on the Dissertation Committee would contribute significantly, may be nominated for special membership by submitting:

• Dissertation Committee form
• A memo detailing the nominee’s expertise in the dissertation topic
• A vita or resume
• Experience in serving on, and chairing dissertation committees (decision-making experience as chair is required)
• Service as a teacher of formal courses or seminars
• Served as a counselor or advisor for doctoral students

Previous experience as a cognate is not required for nomination as cognate (cognate criteria must be met).

• Dissertation Committee Form
• Dissertation Committee Worksheet for Students to submit to Program

Henley-Putnam's Dissertation or Thesis Committees

• Getting Started on Finding Your Research Committee

Committee Members Roles and Responsibilities

• Subject Matter Expert
• Committee Member

Committee Chair.   The chair schedules the comprehensive exams, delivers feedback and results of the comprehensive exams, acts as an instructor, oversees the production of the thesis/dissertation, communicates feedback from the subject matter expert and committee member, schedules the dissertation defense, meets monthly via Zoom with the student/candidate throughout the research courses, and reviews work for publication quality.  The chair deals directly with the student on the quality of the paper, the presentation, the flow, the sequence, and the conclusions.  

The role of the committee chair includes the following responsibilities:

• scheduling the comprehensive exams,
• communicating the grades and feedback from the doctoral comprehensive exam,
• overseeing the production of the dissertation,
• managing the timeline and schedule for completion of each phase of the dissertation in the courses.
• acting as an instructor in the courses,
• contacting the student/candidate regarding setting and meeting deadlines in the dissertation process,
• directing the timely and successful completion of each assignment,
• working directly with the SME and committee member to garner added perspective, feedback, and constructive criticism to strengthen the dissertation,
• communicating with the student/candidate to convey feedback, insights, added perspective, and constructive commentary provided by the committee member and SME,
• confirming with the SME that the content of the dissertation is factual and accurate,
• advising the student on formatting, sequencing, and organizing the thesis/dissertation,
• ensuring the academic quality of the thesis/dissertation, including each of the assignments in courses.
• facilitating final approval of the thesis/dissertation by making sure that all committee members sign the approval form, and
• scheduling and leading the thesis/dissertation oral defense and publication.

Subject Matter Expert (SME).   All members of the committee are subject matter experts (SMEs). The title of this particular member of the committee emphasizes and highlights specific responsibilities within the committee dynamic.  The SME should be in constant contact with the student regarding  content  of the dissertation.  This is the person the student turns to in order to test ideas and conclusions and to ensure the appropriateness, relevance, significance, and accuracy of the dissertation’s content in order to meet university and academic standards.

The SME also certifies the accurate reporting of that material to the chair and determines the factual nature of the work.  The SME knows the subject closely and acts as the student’s sounding board.  The SME does not establish timelines, length of the thesis/dissertation, etc.  The role of SME includes the following responsibilities:

• consistently consulting with the student/candidate regarding the relevance and significance of the research content,
• regularly discussing content with the student/candidate to test ideas and conclusions,
• updating the committee chair about discussions with the student/candidate and about any suggestions or recommendations resulting from those discussions, and
• confirming the accuracy, appropriateness, relevance, and significance of the research focus and content with the committee chair.

Committee Member.   One additional committee member works for the committee chair.  The committee member advises and assists the committee chair in every aspect of the project.  The committee member interacts directly with the chair, not the student.  This prevents conflicting information from being sent to the student and presents a unified stance during the process.  The chair and the committee member work out all responses presented to the student and resolve any conflicting guidance before the student is contacted.  If conflicts cannot be resolved, the chair makes the ultimate decision.  The chair and the committee member work together constantly, but the chair is the face of the university to the student.  The role of the committee member includes the following responsibilities:

• interacting with the chair to provide added insight, perspective, and feedback to be shared with the student, and
• determining responses, suggestions, and constructive criticism that will be shared with the student through the chair.
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• Thesis and Dissertation

Forming Your Committee

Students should not schedule the proposal defense prior to their committee being finalized and their appointment form being approved by the Graduate School.

It is necessary to have the form approved in advance of the proposal defense, as there are instances in which committee members are not approved (for example, if someone is listed as the Graduate Faculty Representative who the Graduate School does not deem  qualified to serve in this capacity).

The Graduate School's requirements for everything from committee formation to graduation clearance can be found under the Current Students tab on the Graduate School website. 

Composition of the Doctoral Committee: Roles and Responsibilities

The Graduate School requires that doctoral committees consist of no less than four members. These four members must be regular members of the Graduate Faculty or must be granted an exception by the Dean of the Graduate School.  All committees must include a chair and a Graduate Faculty Representative. Assistant Professors are usually not approved to serve as chair unless they have served as a committee member first. Exceptions are granted on a case-by-case basis. 

Graduate Faculty Representative

The primary role of the Graduate Faculty Representative is to ensure that the student is treated fairly and that Graduate School policies are upheld. Expertise in the student's area of research is not a requirement. The Graduate Faculty Representative's responsibilities are explained in greater detail here . Assistant Professors are not eligible to serve as Graduate Faculty Representative. 

The requirement to include an outside member on all dissertation committees is not uncommon among institutions of higher education and is in keeping with best practices in doctoral support. 

Committee Members

Committee members are often chosen to provide topic or methodological expertise. Even without contributing their expertise, committee members may be chosen based on faculty with whom the student has a good professional relationship or who could offer a helpful outside perspective. Committee members are generally not as involved as the committee chair in the everyday progression of the dissertation.  Typically, they read the dissertation only in its final form before the defense, although they should be available for consultation throughout the process and may be more closely involved in sections or chapters in which they have particular expertise. 

The committee members and Graduate Faculty Representative will:

• Approve of the subject matter and methodology of the thesis or dissertation research
• Review and comment on drafts of the thesis or dissertation prior to submission to The Graduate School
• Verify, to the best of their ability, the quality of the data collection and evidence, data analysis, and logical reasoning or interpretation in light of the proposal aims
• Evaluate whether the student’s thesis or dissertation fulfills the requirements of the degree

Selecting a Thesis Committee

#scribendiinc

Tips for selecting your thesis committee

In our Thesis/Dissertation Writing Series, we answered the commonly asked question: " What is a thesis? " We also discussed how to write a thesis or dissertation and offered some advice on the thesis editing process. We will now discuss how to select a thesis committee. The selection of the thesis committee is one of the most important decisions you will make during your academic career.

What is a thesis committee?

A thesis committee is a group of people, usually professors, who supervise a student's work and work closely with that student to answer questions and provide advice. A thesis committee may also act as the examining committee at a thesis defence. In most departments in North America, it is common for the thesis committee to consist of a principal supervisor and two (possibly three) other experts in your field of study. Typically, one member of the thesis committee must be a professor in a different department from that of the student.

Why do I need a thesis committee?

These individuals will act as mentors who will guide you through the process of defining objectives, conducting research, editing drafts, writing the literature review , and writing the thesis. Choose your committee—and especially your principal supervisor—with care. The relationship between supervisor and PhD student should be mutually beneficial. In the sciences, for example, the PhD student will conduct research and take classes, while the supervisor's time will likely be divided between teaching, administration (procurement of funding/maintenance of a laboratory), writing research articles, and mentoring graduate students.

How should I select my thesis supervisor?

The ideal supervisor would be one who

• is readily available for consultation and proofreading,
• is a balanced thinker (i.e., he or she considers both specific and general questions),
• is respected in his or her field, and
• has a good track record with respect to graduating previous thesis students.

Of these traits, accessibility is crucial, as the skills involved in academic research and dissertation writing are more easily acquired when a student has an accessible supervisor as a mentor.

Some final thoughts...

Most of the time, you will need to send out email requests to gauge the interest of members of your potential thesis committee. Then, you will schedule meetings to discuss your research and find out if you are a good match. You don't want to come off as unprofessional in your email because of grammatical or spelling errors, so send your thesis committee correspondence to our thesis editors for their revision.

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Choosing Your Team: Selecting a Chair and Academic Committee

Qualities to Look for in Committee Members and Faculty Chairs

When deciding whom they would like to act as their committees and chairs, graduate students should consider (a) if faculty have compatible personalities with similar research interests; (b) if faculty are experienced in and enthusiastic about directing, advising, helping, and working with students; and (c) what kind of teaching and research reputations the faculty have. Graduate students should definitely consider all three of these characteristics for both committee members and faculty chairs, but graduate students should especially consider the first two characteristics in their choices of faculty chairs. Graduate students work more closely with faculty chairs than they do with academic committee members, so it is important that graduate students can get along with their faculty chairs.

Differences in Mentorship Styles

Being a member of a graduate student’s committee or acting as a chair for a graduate student is a form of faculty mentorship, and most faculty approach mentorship with different styles depending on where faculty are in their own academic careers. For example, a newly hired professor hoping to gain credibility with his or her department might be more involved in a graduate student’s research than would a professor with a well-established academic career. Neither style (hands on or hands off) is inherently good or bad, but both styles have pros and cons. For example, a hands-on chair may provide a graduate student with lots of direction and guidance but may subsume the student’s original research goals into his or her own research. On the other hand, a hands-off chair may provide a graduate student with a wealth of knowledge about research and other industry information but may have less time to spend with the graduate student because he or she is too involved in his or her own work. Before choosing their academic committee members and faculty chairs, graduate students should understand differences in mentorship styles and should identify the mentorship styles of potential committee members and faculty chairs to determine if their mentorship styles will provide them as graduate students with the support that they will need to succeed in graduate school.

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Choosing a thesis committee, published by dr. david banner on may 21, 2022 may 21, 2022.

Last Updated on: 3rd June 2022, 04:17 am

One of the most critical decisions you will make as a PhD candidate is selecting your thesis committee. These people will be with you (we hope) throughout your journey, and there are some key issues to consider as you make these selections. In this article, I will explore some of the things to look out for in this process.

Choose Thesis Committee Members Who Are Strong in the Methodology You Will Use

Once you have a good research question, the appropriate methodology will be obvious. Remember, the methodology flows from the question, not the other way around. Once a methodology becomes obvious, get at least one person on the thesis committee who is strong in that methodology. The choices are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method. 

Qualitative methodology is now quite popular. It is useful to explore a phenomenon, if you just want to learn more about it. There are specific strategies to employ in this methodology. I urge you to get a used copy of Leedy and Ormrod Practical Research (8th edition or later) for more details.

Quantitative methodology is for hypothesis testing. It uses quantitative techniques, such as chi square, T-test, F-test, analysis of variance, and so on. If quantitative is the appropriate methodology for your thesis, we have a mentor on staff who specializes in it and can guide you through the process.

Mixed-method methodology is appropriate when you want to explore a topic and then do some hypothesis testing. This is often seen as a more difficult methodology to implement but, when appropriate, can be quite powerful.

The important thing to remember is that the methodology must follow the question , not the other way around. Many first-time researchers pick a methodology that they think will be easy to implement, but this should not be your criterion. 

So, after you discern which methodology best suits your thesis question, pick at least one committee member strong in that methodology.  

Be Aware of the Politics of Thesis Committee Work

There are political factors to consider as well. Stay focused on your goal. Your job is to get done with a PhD in hand. Avoid any behavior that will put you at a disadvantage politically with the thesis committee. Be sure to get a committee that can work together; talk to other doctoral students about combining certain faculty, who, for example, are known to “butt heads”

Also, don’t be a know-it-all. You can assert your position, but be willing to change your mind if one of your thesis committee member s makes a strong point for you to consider. Keep an open mind as you traverse this journey. 

Try to avoid reactivity in the process. You are relying on your thesis committee for their expertise. Seek to listen to all voices and not choose sides in your thesis deliberations. You are quite vulnerable as a doctoral candidate, so you need to avoid rigid positions and dogmatic viewpoints.

Choosing the Right Chair

Another consideration is asking for someone to chair the thesis committee . Do not pick a junior faculty member (assistant or associate professor), since other thesis committee members are likely to be full professors. Also, do not pick someone as chair who is a “lightning rod” for controversy and a junior faculty member to boot; I did this and it proved to be challenging to get through. 

The thesis committee chair is supposed to be helping you navigate the process of doing the research and writing the five chapters when you are done. So, get a chair who is well-respected , a senior faculty member , tenured , and very knowledgeable in your chosen topic area .

Avoid Thesis Committee Members Nearing Retirement or About to Change Jobs

Another consideration to investigate is whether the thesis committee members have tenure (most will) and whether or not they’re about to retire or move to another university. Many PhD programs have been sabotaged by committee membership upheaval. 

So, if you can discreetly discern this, find out if a potential member might retire soon and move to another job. If a key member moves or retires, it can really slow down the process. 

Remember, the thesis committee is there to support you. However, dissertation approval is a rite of passage and it seems that most committees will really make you work at the defense to make sure you are prepared to join the PhD “club.” 

If you cannot find the “ideal” committee, then go for the following qualities, if possible: Choose committee members who are tenured , are genuinely interested in your topic , and are likely to stay at your university and/or are not nearing retirement .

Making It a Rewarding Experience

All in all, the PhD journey is a rich experience, and both “stick-to-it-ive-ness” and resilience are needed. Consult your thesis committee members often to show your interest and your need for their counsel. Also, pick a topic area that you are really interested in. This work will be your major life focus for quite a while, so pick an area of real interest for you. 

Remember: The PhD journey is arduous, and persistence and resilience are needed. Pick a topic you are really interested in and thesis committee members who can support you, so you will stick it out until completion. 

Dr. David Banner

David Banner is the author of 6 books, 40 journal articles, and 35 conference papers on transformational leadership, Dr. David Banner received his PhD in Policy and Organizational Behavior from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University in Illinois. He worked for the DePaul College of Commerce, The University of the Pacific School of Business, and the University of New Brunswick (Canada) School of Management; he was tenured at all 3 universities and was voted “Outstanding Professor” at all three. He also worked at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wi, where he was the Director of the values-based MBA program, which he designed, recruited students, mentored faculty, set up an Advisory Board and got the program accredited (2003-07). He also worked for 16 years as a faculty mentor for the Leadership and Organizational Change PhD students (2005-21); in his 16 years, he graduated 82 PhDs in his roles as Committee Chair, Committee Member and URR (University Research Reviewer). Mentoring PhD students gives him the most joy and satisfaction. He offers his services to help people complete their PhDs, find good academic jobs, get published in peer-reviewed journals and find their place in the academic environment. Book a Free Consultation with Branford McAllister

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What to Consider for a Thesis Chair/Committee

Because I knew for certain I was going to pursue an advanced degree, I decided to write a thesis near the end of my undergraduate career. It was not an easy feat I will admit, however I chose a thesis committee that consisted of professors I have taken classes with before, and who knew my style of writing fairly well. Thanks to this experience, I learned how important it is to think carefully about the professors you want for your thesis committee/chair. I have provided a few points to take into consideration when deciding on who to include in your thesis committee. Writing a thesis is no easy task, so it is important to consider who would be the best fit for your committee to provide you feedback and understand your topic clearly.

Thesis Chair:

Does the professor have experience with the topic you are writing about?

Theses can be based off of papers you have already written for a class, the goal is to expand on your ideas and add new sources and information. That was the case with my undergraduate thesis. I wrote a paper for a class I took near the end of my undergraduate career. I exceeded the length requirement and learned that I still had a lot to say about my topic and more sources to include. Finding a chair was easy, the professor I had for that class eagerly agreed to direct my thesis and serve as the chair.  

That is one way to find a thesis chair. Another is to consider the area of study that the professor specializes in. You wouldn’t want to have a communications professor serve as the chair for your thesis on the works of Edgar Allan Poe for example. The professor you choose must have experience with your topic of interest. You also wouldn’t ask a professor who specializes in American literature from the eighteenth century to serve as chair to your thesis on nineteenth to twentieth century British literature. This is not only important to your credibility as a writer but to the feedback you will receive to strengthen your paper as well.  

Does the professor specialize in your topic?

It’s important that the professor you ask to be your thesis chair has a massive amount of experience with the topic you are choosing to write about. It would be even better if you choose a professor that specializes in that area of study. It can provide a lot of help to you as a writer as well because the professor can provide very specific feedback and questions that other professors who are not very familiar with your topic may not.

Has the professor served as a thesis chair before?

Experience is important and something you should seriously consider when finding a professor that is right for your work and will best serve your thesis. It is okay to ask a professor to serve as your thesis chair if they have not done so before, but be sure that they are the best fit for the position. A professor with loads of experience will serve you better however, as they know what to expect from a thesis and a thesis defense and can help you better prepare for such a tall task.  

Thesis Committee:

Have you worked with the professor before? Are they familiar with your work?

It’s important that you find professors to make up your committee that understand your writing style and strategy. This is your paper, the way you format the paper is entirely up to you. However, if a professor is not familiar with the way in which you write or if they prefer one specific style of writing, it will cause difficulty when editing as well as finalizing your thesis. That was my main area of concern when finding two other professors to make up my thesis committee. The professors I ended up choosing where very familiar with my writing style and understood the format with which I wrote my thesis. Their feedback helped me develop a paper that I was very proud of and helped me improve as a writer.  

You also want to find professors who will push you to do better, even if you have a decent draft. I learned in my sophomore year of undergraduate school that writers, no matter what they are writing and no matter how old they are, never stop writing or revising. It wasn’t until my senior year of undergraduate school, and working on my own thesis, that I found out how true this statement is. I had the pleasure of working with professors who have suggested many things for my papers that turned out to be great advice or just what I needed to hear to complete my work. It is important that you recruit professors who push you to be all that you can be. My own writing is improving and is far superior from the papers I have previously written in undergraduate school, but it is far from perfect. Finding a professor that understands this and wants to help you succeed is crucial to you as a student and writer. Also having a thesis committee full of professors that you know support you helps to keep you calm when fixing your thesis and preparing to defend it. It certainly relieves unnecessary stress.

Has the professor worked in thesis committees before?

This relates to has the professor served as a thesis chair before, but both areas of consideration are extremely vital to forming your committee. You’ll want professors who have previously served in thesis committees because they will have the knowledge and skills necessary to assist you in your own thesis process of revision and debate.  

Can they offer you helpful feedback and/or the help you need?

As well as wanting professors who will push you to be a better writer, you want to make sure that the professors in your committee will provide you with useful feedback, or the kind of feedback you believe will best serve your thesis. You want to be sure that the professors in your committee understand your topic and where you want to go with it so they can provide constructive feedback that you agree with. This type of feedback will act as a missing piece to your paper, sometimes those serving on your thesis committee will look at your paper differently but provide you with the direction that you felt has been missing from your paper. A great feeling this is, which is why it is important to make sure you find professors who see your topic the way you do and agree with the points you will be making. As a result of this, their constructive feedback will be the most helpful to you.

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What's the difference in responsibilities between a committee member, a co-advisor and an advisor in an PhD committee?

What are the differences in responsibilities among them? Can anybody give me an example to elucidate that. Also why are non-tenured faculty more interested in a co-adviser role than a committee member role?

• research-process

2 Answers 2

The advisor is the person who is formally recognized as the person most responsible for supervising the student's thesis research. A co-advisor is a person who also works with the doctoral candidate, but often in a secondary role (perhaps providing scientific but not financial support, for instance).

In my own case, for instance, I had two advisors who were fully equal in both supervising the research and supporting it financially. However, formally one of them had to be in charge of the thesis research—I believe they decided it by a coin flip.

The thesis committee is a body that convenes only sporadically (although sometimes on a regular schedule) to ensure that a doctoral candidate is progressing according to expectations. The committee—which usually includes the advisor and several other faculty members (or other advisors)—is also usually responsible for deciding when a candidate is ready to schedule a defense of the thesis and graduate.

As you can see, this is a very different role than a co-advisor, who takes on a much more active role in supervising and guiding the doctoral candidate's work. While a thesis committee member rarely is a co-author on a paper with the candidate, a co-advisor often will be. Consequently, it's much more useful for a faculty member to be a co-advisor than simply a committee member. (The latter role will not carry anywhere near as much "credit" toward a tenure case as being an advisor or a co-advisor.)

• @aeiesmail ,i am just afraid my PhD advisor might think i am trying to promote my MS advisor by bringing her in as an co-adviser. –  user14285 Commented Apr 18, 2014 at 21:23
• My experience was similar, in that I had two supervisors who were equal in terms of input. Rather than forcing one of them to be a co-supervisor, the institution allows them to share the role, and share the credit, equally. Incidentally, my chair (our word for committee member) also occasionally acted as a third supervisor as his area of expertise was also helpful to my thesis. –  Jangari Commented Apr 19, 2014 at 2:36
• @user14285: If you're only going to consult with your MS advisor sporadically, he need only be a thesis committee member. If he's going to be a co-author, then he should probably be a co-advisor as well. –  aeismail Commented Apr 19, 2014 at 12:32

This breakdown of the different roles comes from the University of Melbourne:

Principal supervisor (i.e. advisor) An appropriately qualified person who takes primary responsibility for the academic supervision of a candidate’s research and candidature

Co-supervisor (co-advisor) An appropriately qualified person designated to assist in the academic supervision of a candidate's research and candidature

Advisory committee chair (committee member) A registered principal supervisor in the administrative department of the candidate who is neither a supervisor of the candidate nor associated with the research project and who is appointed to oversee the advisory committee

In committee meetings (12 month confirmation, 2 year review, etc.) the chair organises the paperwork, basically. They are also there if the candidate needs to confide about their supervisors and potentially make a complaint if one of the supervisors' actions is unethical, or if there is some kind of professional or personal issue between them and the candidate.

As to your second question, I would suggest that non-tenured staff/faculty would push to be a co-adviser rather than committee member, because it raises their supervisory profile whereas being a committee member is really just a bureaucratic position. When applying for tenure-track positions, employers will look at the theses that the person has supervised or co-supervised, in addition to a range of other things, obviously.

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How to choose PhD thesis committee members ?

I am a PhD student in the field of Bioengineering in the US and I plan to move into academia. Any advice on how to choose a thesis committee in this area would be really appreciated.

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	University of Southern California
	Jun 25, 2024   USC Catalogue 2024-2025     USC Catalogue 2024-2025 Application deadline: December 15 Completion of the program requires a maximum effort by the student for a minimum of four years of full-time work. Screening Procedure The screening procedure consists of written examinations covering core mathematics content. Student must pass three written exams chosen from among the following five core subjects: Probability The department offers the examinations twice a year, prior to the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters.  Either the Algebra or Analysis examination must be successfully completed by the end of the second semester in the program. All of the examinations must be successfully completed by the end of the fourth semester.  The qualifying examination should follow one or two semesters after the successful completion of the screening procedure. Qualifying Exam Committee No later than at the end of the first semester after passing the screening procedure, the student must form a qualifying exam committee. The committee must consist of an adviser (committee chair) and four other faculty members, including at least one from another department.  Qualifying Examination The qualifying examination consists of written and oral components. The written portion of the qualifying examination consists of a PhD dissertation proposal. This document (6 pages minimum) should include: an introduction and overview of the area of research, a statement of the proposed research problem, literature survey, proposed approach including techniques or methods to be employed and references. No preliminary results are required. This research proposal should be submitted to the qualifying exam committee at least one week before the oral component of the exam.  The oral portion of the qualifying examination consists of a presentation of the PhD dissertation proposal and examination by the committee. The student must demonstrate research potential. The student must register for Math 794a in the semester immediately following successful completion of the qualifying examination. Course Requirements The student must complete, with no grade lower than B, a minimum of 60 units of courses carrying graduate credit. Courses outside of the Mathematics Department must be approved by the Graduate Committee. Required Courses The following courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher. Students may opt to pass the written screening exam, at the PhD level, in lieu of the course. MATH 510a Algebra Units: 3 MATH 525a Real Analysis Units: 3 MATH 540 Topology Units: 3 MATH 794a Doctoral Dissertation Units: 2 MATH 794b Doctoral Dissertation Units: 2 Additional courses Five additional courses from the following list must also be completed: MATH 502a Numerical Analysis Units: 3 MATH 505b Applied Probability Units: 3 MATH 507a Theory of Probability Units: 3 MATH 510b Algebra Units: 3 MATH 520 Complex Analysis Units: 3 MATH 525b Real Analysis Units: 3 MATH 532 Combinatorial Analysis Units: 3 MATH 533 Algebraic Combinatorics Units: 3 MATH 535a Differential Geometry Units: 3 MATH 535b Differential Geometry Units: 3 MATH 541a Introduction to Mathematical Statistics Units: 3 MATH 555b Partial Differential Equations Units: 3 MATH 565a Ordinary Differential Equations Units: 3 Additional Requirements Transfer of credit. No transfer of credit will be considered until the screening examination is passed. A maximum of 30 units of graduate work at another institution may be applied toward the course requirements for the PhD. A grade lower than B will not be accepted and at most one grade of B will be accepted. Dissertation and Defense Following successful completion of the screening procedure and approval of a dissertation topic by the chair of the student’s qualifying exam committee, the student proceeds with research towards the dissertation.  The student must form a dissertation committee consisting of at least three members, including the thesis advisor (committee chair) and a member outside the mathematics department. The PhD thesis, based on a substantial amount of original research conducted by the student, must be defended and approved by the dissertation committee. 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Fan and B&W's Chief Technology Officer Brandy Johnson  to discuss the technology and how B&W are putting it to everyday use. While isolating CO 2  for storage, sequestration, or for beneficial use as its own commodity, BrightLoop provides users with the flexibility to convert a wide range of fuels (natural gas, coal, petroleum coke, methane, biomass, biogas, and other industrial process off-gases and materials) into multiple products such as hydrogen, steam, and/or syngas for power, process, and heating. Since the process isolates carbon dioxide, there is no need for post-combustion CO 2 scrubbing, capital and operating costs are significantly reduced.  Related News Your subscription makes our work possible. We want to bridge divides to reach everyone. Deepen your worldview with Monitor Highlights. Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads . Select free newsletters: A thoughtfully curated selection of our most popular news stories and podcasts. 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Then I asked the Virginia Democrat if he’d run for reelection.  By Linda Feldmann Staff writer @linda_feldmann June 24, 2024 | Washington Late in our Monitor Breakfast on June 18 with Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I couldn’t resist asking: Will you run for reelection in 2026? “Sorry!” I added with a chuckle, hoping to convey to the Virginia Democrat that I knew my question seemed off-topic. We had just spent most of the hour discussing the weightiest of issues – election interference, artificial intelligence, border security, TikTok, China, Russia, Israel. But I asked Senator Warner about his plans for a reason. There’s been talk that Virginia’s fairly popular Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, might challenge him in 2026. Suddenly, too, Virginia is looking competitive in the presidential race. If the Old Dominion is edging rightward, that could affect Mr. Warner’s prospects – and suggest larger forces at play in American politics. Predictably, the senator didn’t answer my question. But he immediately pivoted into campaign mode, touting the expertise he has built up serving on and then leading this key committee. And he alluded to his past as a successful entrepreneur in telecommunications. It’s obvious technology doesn’t scare him. “I feel I’m adding value in this job,” Mr. Warner said, appearing at his fourth Monitor Breakfast. He’s also proud of his work with Republicans, calling his panel the Senate’s “last fully functioning bipartisan committee.” The Virginia Democrat clearly approaches his role, and the access to classified information it entails, with the seriousness it deserves. At our breakfast, when asked about a sensitive intelligence matter, he would often pause, look up, and quietly ask himself a version of, “OK, what can I say here?” Mr. Warner did have plenty to say.  My article focused on the risk  that artificial intelligence and disinformation could turn the November election into “the Wild, Wild West.”  Reuters went with the senator’s point  that the United States needs to “up our game” on tracking Chinese technology. The Washington Times  covered Mr. Warner’s comments on a potential TikTok ban . Watch the moment I asked Mr. Warner for his thoughts on reelection at 1:00:20 on our YouTube.  Help fund Monitor journalism for $11/ month Already a subscriber? Login Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. Our work isn't possible without your support. Unlimited digital access $11/month. Digital subscription includes: Unlimited access to CSMonitor.com. CSMonitor.com archive. The Monitor Daily email. No advertising. Cancel anytime. Related stories Monitor breakfast senate intelligence chair sees ‘wild west’ election risks from ai and disinformation, congress takes a hard swing at tiktok, monitor breakfast senate map favors the gop. but steve daines won’t predict a ‘red wave.’, share this article. Link copied. Give us your feedback We want to hear, did we miss an angle we should have covered? Should we come back to this topic? Or just give us a rating for this story. We want to hear from you. 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No subscription You don’t have a Christian Science Monitor subscription yet. 425 IMAGES Dr. (Committee Chair), Thesis Committee Chair How to Select a Thesis or Dissertation Chair and Committee Thesis™ Training Chair, Static Back No Arms Fillable Online psychology clas asu Masters Thesis Committee Chair Fax Fillable Online Thesis Committee Chair Contract Contemporary conference chair VIDEO What I learned as a Ph.D. thesis chair and some tips for students 77th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee PhD defense video 4 Secrets to Dissertation Success:How to Create a Successful Dissertation or PhD Experience Textile Design Thesis #textile #design #designer #ytstudio #pakistan #fitfd Thesis Preparation Video #1 Introduction COMMENTS The Role of the Dissertation Chair The dissertation chair plays several roles during a doctoral student's dissertation. As the most important member of the dissertation committee, the chair wears numerous hats throughout the dissertation process. These roles include advocate, manager, leader, and judge. The trick is to learn which ro PDF Dissertation Committee Roles, Responsibilities and Checklist If the committee member has significant concerns about the quality of the dissertation, they should let the chair know at least one week prior to the defense date. The chair and committee member will confer, and on rare occasions, the defense may be postponed to allow the student to respond to recommendations from the member. Thesis Committee the Thesis Advisor(s), the Thesis Committee Chair who presides at all committee meetings (must be a BE faculty member), and; at least one additional member (unrestricted). The student and research supervisor should agree upon members of a Thesis Committee, and the student is responsible for inviting faculty to sit on their committee. Dissertation Committee: Roles, Functions, and How to Choose Putting together your dissertation committee becomes easier once you know the right questions to ask: of potential committee members, of your dissertation chair, and of yourself. While forming your dissertation committee can be challenging, striking the right balance will lead to a richly rewarding academic experience that will pay dividends ... Roles and Responsibilities of Dissertation Committee Committee Chair. The chair schedules the comprehensive exams, delivers feedback and results of the comprehensive exams, acts as an instructor, oversees the production of the thesis/dissertation, communicates feedback from the subject matter expert and committee member, schedules the dissertation defense, meets monthly via Zoom with the student/candidate throughout the research courses, and ... Checklist for Dissertation Chairs » Rackham Graduate School: University The dissertation committee chair, working with department administrative staff, helps steer the student through the intellectual stages and institutional requirements of doctoral degree work. Advising practices vary from discipline to discipline. However, the outline that follows provides widely applicable guidelines to a chair's key ... PDF Considerations for Selecting a Dissertation Committee/Chair The selection of your dissertation chair and committee is a crucial step in the dissertation process and should be done with careful consideration. Your chair and committee will guide you through the process of curating your dissertation, and will ultimately, serve as the judges for the completion of this project. We encourage you to consider ... How dissertation chairs should mentor each of their students (opinion) The dissertation chair serves as the faculty mentor, directly supporting the student throughout the doctoral program, while the second committee member usually has a shared responsibility in offering guidance to the student. The university research reviewer works with the dissertation chair to provide direct support to the committee. Guidelines for Dissertation Committee Service » Rackham Graduate School Dissertation committees must have at least four members, three of whom are members of the graduate faculty ( see definition above ), and two of whom are from the doctoral candidate's home program. Furthermore, each committee: Must have a sole chair or two co-chairs. Must have a cognate member who is familiar with the standards for doctoral ... PDF Thesis Committee Guidelines Thesis Committee Chair 9 TC1 9 TC2 10 TC3 10 TC4 10 TC5: Guidelines for Thesis Committees 10 . 4 Section 1: THESIS COMMITTEE OVERVIEW Introduction: the function and role of the Thesis Committee All MPhil/PhD students registered in the School of Life and Medical Sciences starting after ... Dissertation Chair: An Owner's Manual A dissertation chair's job is to guide you through the process of completing the most rigorous academic challenge of your life. ... Dr. Courtney Watson has research, professional, and dissertation committee experience in the humanities and social sciences, health sciences, education, and liberal arts. ... LibGuides: Henley-Putnam's Dissertation or Thesis Committees: Committee Committee Chair. The chair schedules the comprehensive exams, delivers feedback and results of the comprehensive exams, acts as an instructor, oversees the production of the thesis/dissertation, communicates feedback from the subject matter expert and committee member, schedules the dissertation defense, meets monthly via Zoom with the student/candidate throughout the research courses, and ... Forming Your Committee The committee members and Graduate Faculty Representative will: Approve of the subject matter and methodology of the thesis or dissertation research. Review and comment on drafts of the thesis or dissertation prior to submission to The Graduate School. Verify, to the best of their ability, the quality of the data collection and evidence, data ... Selecting a Thesis Committee A thesis committee is a group of people, usually professors, who supervise a student's work and work closely with that student to answer questions and provide advice. A thesis committee may also act as the examining committee at a thesis defence. In most departments in North America, it is common for the thesis committee to consist of a ... PDF Thesis and Dissertation Committee Roadmap This document serves to clarify and encourage best practices of committee chairs, members, and students during the thesis and dissertation process. The University relies upon faculty committees to oversee all aspects of a student's dissertation/thesis project. They are responsible for ensuring that the student complies with all the policies ... Thesis/Dissertation Committee Guidelines 2.1 The Committee as a Whole. 2.11 The initial responsibility of the committee is to meet and determine the feasibility of the topic and the thesis/dissertation plan or proposal, and to permit the student to proceed only after such determination has been made. The committee shall sign off on the student's plan or proposal and a copy should be ... The Role of the Dissertation Committee The dissertation committee plays several roles while seeing a doctoral student through the dissertation process. As a body of support to the dissertation chair, the dissertation committee provides checks and balances, a source of support and expertise, and accountability. In many cases, the disserta. Choosing Your Team: Selecting a Chair and Academic Committee Committee members and chairs play an important role in the success of graduate students. Academic committee members and chairs can determine (a) how quickly graduate students progress through their degrees, (b) how successful graduate students are in their research, (c) how successful graduate students are in networking with others in their ... Choosing a Thesis Committee The thesis committee chair is supposed to be helping you navigate the process of doing the research and writing the five chapters when you are done. So, get a chair who is well-respected, a senior faculty member, tenured, and very knowledgeable in your chosen topic area. Avoid Thesis Committee Members Nearing Retirement or About to Change Jobs What to Consider for a Thesis Chair/Committee This relates to has the professor served as a thesis chair before, but both areas of consideration are extremely vital to forming your committee. You'll want professors who have previously served in thesis committees because they will have the knowledge and skills necessary to assist you in your own thesis process of revision and debate. How to select a dissertation committee member wisely? Practically, you may have limited options. At the very least, you should weigh 1, 2, and 3, and estimate how you think each candidate will contribute in each area. Only one thing I would add to this excellent answer: At least one committee member should take you out of your professional comfort zone. Do not choose committee members only from ... PDF Master's Thesis Requirements and Timeline • Master's students completing a thesis are required to form a Thesis Committee. The thesis committee reviews the project and proposal (after development) and sits to hear the defense. The master's thesis committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) members: the Chair of the Committee and two other committee members, or two Co-Chairs ... What's the difference in responsibilities between a committee member, a The thesis committee is a body that convenes only sporadically (although sometimes on a regular schedule) to ensure that a doctoral candidate is progressing according to expectations. ... and share the credit, equally. Incidentally, my chair (our word for committee member) also occasionally acted as a third supervisor as his area of expertise ... How to choose PhD thesis committee members ? : r/AskAcademia TheProfessorO. • 1 yr. ago. Pick those with as many of the following as possible (1) their expertise can help you with your research (2) they are well-known in your field of study (3) they play nice and get along with your major professor (4) they have a lot of funding just in case $$ runs short. 39. Program: Mathematics (PhD) The student must form a dissertation committee consisting of at least three members, including the thesis advisor (committee chair) and a member outside the mathematics department. The PhD thesis, based on a substantial amount of original research conducted by the student, must be defended and approved by the dissertation committee. NIH needs restructuring, key Republican committee chairs say NIH needs reform and restructuring, key Republican committee chairs say. By Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Robert B. Aderholt. Reprints. The NIH under construction in 1938. NIH. W hile the best parts ... Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics On March 25, 2024, the Committee received a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) regarding Representative Ronny Jackson. Pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(8)(A), and Committee Rules 17A(b)(1)(A) and 17A(c)(1), the Chairman and Ranking Member jointly decided on May 9, 2024, to extend the Committee's review of the matter. Dissertation Defense of Daniel Shanks Dissertation Defense of Daniel Shanks. Wednesday June 26, 2024. 10:00 a.m. EST. The Digital Battlefield: Extremist Groups and Social Media ... Committee Members: Dr. Regina Karp, Old Dominion University (Chair) Dr. Matthew Dearing, National Defense University. Dr. Peter Schulman, Old Dominion University ... Fan Lab chemical looping technology gaining national attention Two researchers from the Fan Lab work on a sub-pilot reactor on West Campus. As efforts to decarbonize industrial processes increase globally, the technology developed by Distinguished University Professor and C. John Easton Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering L.-S. Fan, which offers solutions for a low-carbon world via broad applications, may play a sizable role. Even for Senate Intelligence Committee chair, all politics is local At a Monitor Breakfast, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner weighed in on AI, China, and border security. Then I asked the Virginia Democrat if he'd run for reelection. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis