In each of the main disciplines of biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry (analytical chemistry is a subdivision of physical chemistry), there is one or more faculty named as the First-Year Adviser for new students. The First-Year Advisers mentor students until they have a Thesis Adviser. They meet with students during Orientation to tell them the results of their Placement Examinations, to plot out a program of course study for the upcoming year, and to begin guiding the student in the choice of a Thesis Adviser. First-Year Advisers remain the contact for issues related to the Placement Examination(s) even after a Thesis Adviser is named.
Most of a student’s efforts in graduate school are directed toward research for the dissertation, and selection of a Thesis Adviser is of utmost importance. To assist students with this critical decision, there are First-Year Advisers, the Rotation and Consultation Programs (see below), and a series of poster sessions by the entire faculty during Orientation, and Lab Open Houses afterward. Familiarity with the faculty is invaluable when choosing a Thesis Advisor and a Doctoral Committee, when seeking advice on a new technique or new research direction, and when arranging for letters of recommendation and job referrals. Students are encouraged to be very proactive in the Thesis Adviser selection process. Students can learn more about specific faculty by taking their courses, by seeking them out at seminars and colloquia, or by visiting them in their office/lab. They can also learn about research groups by talking to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Council (Chair of the Department and four faculty, one from each division) makes final approval on Thesis Adviser choices. Students are not considered to have joined a group until Council approval is received.
When matching students with advisers, preferences of both students and faculty are considered. Every effort is made to place students with the Thesis Adviser of their choice. Constraints include acceptance by the faculty, availability of financial support, and limitation on group size. First-Year Advisers coordinate the adviser selection process. Thesis Advisers choices are subject to final approval by the Department Council and Chair. Students must have a Thesis Adviser by the end of spring quarter to remain in good academic standing and to continue in the program. Normally, the Biochemistry Rotation Program and the Consultation Program are conducted to allow for Advisor choice approvals to be finalized by the end of Fall quarter of the first year. This allows students to have an approved Thesis Advisor as early as the beginning of the Winter quarter of the first year. (See Rotation and Consultation schedule in this Handbook.)
The Thesis Adviser must be a regular faculty member of the University of California or an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. According to UCSD policy, if the Thesis Adviser is an Adjunct Faculty, a regular UCSD faculty must be appointed as Co-Chair. Co-Chairs are normally from our Department.
Students interested in research projects outside of the Department should talk to their First-Year Adviser and senior faculty in their discipline about possibilities. The First-Year Adviser must approve Rotations or Consultations in other departments. Selection of a Thesis Adviser in another department requires approval by the Graduate Affairs Committee and Department Chair. Moreover, there are different policies governing financial support (see Financial Support). The topic of the dissertation must be sufficiently chemical or biochemical as determined by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. A Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty must be named as Co-Chair of the Doctoral Committee. The Co-Chair takes an active role in monitoring the progress of the student and facilitating interactions with the Department. Non-departmental faculty must be the functional Thesis Adviser and may not be an intermediary. Under no circumstances are students permitted to select a Thesis Adviser who does not hold an appropriate UCSD appointment. A maximum of two Chemistry and Biochemistry students will be permitted to work in any single lab outside the Department at the same time.
First Rotation - Monday, Sept. 20 – Friday, Oct. 15
Second Rotation - Monday, Oct. 18 – Friday, Nov. 5
Third Rotation - Monday, Nov. 8 – Friday, Dec. 3
Advisor Choice/Winter Rotation - Monday, Dec. 6, 2010
The Rotation Program is designed to assist new students with choosing a research adviser by giving them first-hand laboratory experiences. There are three rotation periods of four weeks each during the Fall quarter. Biochemistry students participate in at least three rotations before deciding on a Thesis Adviser. Only one of the first three rotations may be with a faculty from another department, and the rotation must be approved by the First-Year Adviser.
Students receive credit for rotations by enrolling in Chemistry 298 (Special Study in Chemistry) for one to four units. The grading option is S/U only, and a grade of S is required to maintain good academic standing. Faculty write an evaluation for each student rotation, and this evaluation is kept on file in the Department. Students spend at least eight hours a week carrying out an assigned project and meet weekly with the faculty members.
Rotation assignments match student preferences whenever possible and are based upon student preferences, faculty preferences, and the number of rotation spaces available in a lab. Assignments for the first rotation will be announced by email prior to September 20, 2010. For the second and third rotations, students should talk to various faculty about their research and ask the faculty for permission to rotate in the laboratory before turning in their rotation request to the First-Year Adviser. After students receive their rotation assignment(s), and before the rotation period begins, they need to contact the faculty to make scheduling arrangements. By the end of the third rotation period, each student submits to the First-Year Adviser either a list of acceptable Thesis Advisers, ranked in order of preference, or a list of additional rotation choices for Winter quarter. In late December or early January, each First-Year Adviser interfaces with faculty, students, and other First-Year Advisers to finalize the choices that will go forward to the Chair and Council for approval. First-Year Advisers continue to work with students and oversee Rotation until all students have a Thesis Adviser that has been approved by Council.
As part of the Rotation process, faculty members are asked to evaluate those students who rotated in their laboratory, and submit the completed evaluation after each Rotation.
Consultation Choices due on or before - Friday, October 8, 2010
Signed Consultation Form (min. 4 faculty consults/signatures) and Advisor Choice Rankings (1st, 2nd, & possibly 3rd) due on or before Monday, Dec. 6, 2010
The Consultation Program is an informal method for students to explore research opportunities. During the consultation itself, the student and prospective adviser discuss research projects available, the student's expectations of the role of the Thesis Adviser, the adviser's expectations of the student, and the number of openings available in the group. Some faculty in these areas will consider a student’s request to rotate; arrangements for the rotation are made between the faculty and the student. The First-Year Adviser should be informed of these arrangements (if any) by Friday, October 1.
Students need to email their choices of Faculty Consultation to Sonha Castelli, sncastelli@ucsd.edu by Friday, 10/8/10. Students should talk to at least four faculty members. Each faculty consulted signs the Consultation Form. A completed Consultation Form should include at least four Faculty signatures, as well as the rankings of the top 2 or 3 prospective Thesis Advisors. Students must submit their Consultation Form and rankings by Monday, December 6, 2010 to Sonha Castelli, at York Hall 4010.
In late December or early January, each First-Year Adviser interfaces with faculty, students, and other First-Year Advisers to finalize the choices that will go forward to the Chair and Council for approval. First-Year Advisers continue to work with students and oversee Consultation until all students have a Thesis Adviser that has been approved by Council.
Students who will spend a full quarter working in one or more faculty labs while choosing a Thesis Adviser may enroll in Chem 297. This non-thesis research course may be taken one time.