A reflection on participation in the CID: Improvement in graduate student training

through increased student involvement and ownership

Katharine Northcutt , Deborah Soellner , Jessica Poort , Michael Schwartz , and Cheryl Sisk
1 1 1 2 1
1
Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
2
Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

The Michigan State University Neuroscience Program (NSP) participated in the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID) from 2003-2005. The CID prompted
program-wide discussions about improvements to the training program, and how to actively include NSP students in the training process. One of the most recent
and extensive changes to result from these discussions involves the organization and content of Research Forum, our weekly professional development seminar
course.

Format Changes Primary Outcomes Long Term Outcomes

Previous
•Faculty chosen topics
Revised •Students feel more involved in program and are
•Students become active participants in their
•Student chosen topics more interested because they choose topics of
education
relevance to them

•Faculty organized •Student organized
•Topics focus on •Broad range of topics
succeeding in academia
•Consistent attendance •Stage-appropriate
required of all students attendance requirement
based on year in
program and topic
•Students gain organizational experience and feel •Increases student involvement in the program
responsible for success of each session
•Students are better prepared to organize a
•Topics that students particularly enjoyed last year:
seminar course during their career
• student research presentations and critiques
• guide for starting first faculty position
• grant writing workshop •Students are more prepared to make decisions
• career panels about future career and life plans
• discussions about balancing career and family
•Greater faculty involvement due to student
•Topics reflect issues important to the students in requests for them to speak on different topics
attendance and change annually

Examples of Research Forum Sessions

Succeeding in Graduate School Career Preparation Other Topics
• Student research presentations and peer critiques • Career panel with people from diverse academic • Animal rights discussion
• Teaching workshop and non-academic backgrounds • Writing letters to Congress
• Grant writing workshop • Workshop on networking • Balancing career and family discussions
• Manuscript writing workshop • Workshop on developing skills for academic and
• Guide for rotations and picking thesis advisor non-academic jobs
• Information on finding grants and awards • Panel discussion on successfully beginning your
• Comprehensive examination preparation first faculty job www.neuroscience.msu.edu