Author name: mayrasharlenne

Graduate students rely heavily on their advisors, but mismatched working styles can lead to difficulties that persist throughout the PhD journey. The graduate-advisor relationship in engineering is particularly close, with the advisor acting as research supervisor and co-author in addition to dissertation chair. Strained relationships can worsen over time and be one of the most

Graduate students, especially those studying science and math, are more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population. Many students drop out of their programs because of stress, with some studies showing that up to half of graduate students are more stressed than usual. Advisors are often blamed for causing stress in students,

Ph.D. programs provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct independent research in their chosen discipline. The qualifying exam is a significant milestone in this journey, assessing students’ proficiency and readiness for the next stage of their doctoral studies. However, these exams can be stressful and impact students’ motivation and self-efficacy, which can

Underrepresented minority students are completing their PhDs in engineering at lesser rates and over longer periods of time than majority students1. Research examining doctoral attrition shows that poor advising relationships are a key factor contributing to delayed and incomplete doctoral degrees. Doctoral education is affected and structured VIA policies and practices set by each Department,

Although it seems obvious for advisors to develop positive and successful relationships with students that lead to degree completion, many advisors do not approach doctoral advising in this way. Research follows suit as most prior work on doctoral advising takes a unilateral approach towards advising; they focus on either positive practices for student success or

Click Here to access the CGS Workshop Handbook Doctoral attrition is rampant and rising mental health concerns point to a graduate student population that is struggling with the doctoral process. Research shows that these issues are worse in underrepresented populations in STEM. Poor socialization or transition into the doctorate can worsen doctoral attrition.  However, research