1 / 15

Excel in Graduate School: Mastering Work Ethics for Success

This guide by Dr. Sundar Christopher emphasizes the importance of work ethics for graduate students. Learn to take ownership, initiative, work hard and smart, and prioritize well-being for holistic success in academia. Gain insights on building trust with advisors, project ownership, and proactive habits. Dr. Sundar's practical tips offer strategies for academic productivity, including staying updated with research, becoming a resource center, and managing time effectively. Find motivation to excel in your academic journey with this comprehensive resource.

marystanley
Download Presentation

Excel in Graduate School: Mastering Work Ethics for Success

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Navigating Graduate School and Beyond: Sow Well Now To Reap Big Later Work Ethics: Ownership and Initiative Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  2. Skills • Work Ethics for the Graduate Student • Take Ownership • Take Initiative • Work Hard and Smart • Be Whole Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  3. Work Ethics for the Graduate Student • Poor ethics can ruin your graduate experience. • Take ownership of your project. Good work habits will follow. • Build a trust relationship with your advisor. • Communicate with your advisor about your work hours and if they need to be modified. • Maintain an online calendar and share it with your advisor. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  4. Take Ownership • Think of the project as YOUR project…not your advisor’s project. • Be innovative and productive. • Research and write papers. • Be patient if advisor is slow to hand off ownership. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  5. Think of the project as yours • Many students think of themselves as hired hands on their advisor’s project. • Remember that the proposal was won on the strength of the advisor’s reputation. • The advisor must give up ownership to the student while still providing solid guidance. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  6. If the student thinks of the project as the advisor’s… • The student will not progress. • The student reads papers for the sake of reading and analyzes data for mundane reasons. • The student is listless in meetings with the advisor and has few innovative ideas. • The student simply waits for the advisor to issue the next instruction. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  7. If the student takes ownership of the project… • Excitement grows about the project. • Innovation flourishes. • Productivity increases. • Independence is nurtured. • Graduate school becomes more meaningful. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  8. Food for Thought • What are some ideas to take ownership of a project in your research environment? • What are some metrics for success once you have taken ownership? • What are some challenges for a student taking ownership of a project? Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  9. Take Initiative • Know your end goals. • Don’t allow problems to linger. • Become a resource center. • Create a blog or website for your team. • Present a poster or a talk at a conference. • Write a proposal for a fellowship. • Be in the driver’s seat. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  10. Become a Resource Center • Read the papers your advisor recommends • Read 5-10 papers each week • Write a short discussion about your thoughts for each reading • Stay up to date with the most current research • Organize the papers you read • Create a blog • Comment about recent articles online • Post ideas about recent breakthroughs Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  11. Work Hard and Smart • Publish papers while still in graduate school. • Think of yourself as a resource center. • Read and assimilate at least ten journal papers per week. • Email your advisor about new research and ideas in your field. • Read and familiarize yourself with the classic review papers in your area. • Allocate time to read. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  12. Practical Tips: • Get student memberships to organizations and societies in your field. • Visit the websites of the most common journals. • Summarize your thoughts about each paper in a blog. • Learn to code, analyze, and interpret results and information. • Learn an interactive programming language such as IDL. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  13. Food for Thought • Put yourself in your advisor’s shoes. What work ethics would you want your student to have? • List 5 top-notch research habits. • Do a SWOT analysis on your research habits and formulate a concrete plan to assess these habits periodically. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  14. Be Whole • Manage time effectively • Maintain a balanced exercise regime • Eat healthy and drink plenty of water • Get enough sleep • Take breaks and unwind • Build relationships and bond socially • Remember that productivity is linked to the well-being of the whole you. Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

  15. Food for Thought • What are the external stress factors in your life? How can you manage those stress factors? • What are some specific steps you can take to incorporate exercise in your life. • How do your peers incorporate healthy lifestyles (including exercise) into their lives? • How can you help the graduate student community in your department bond? Dr. Sundar Christopher sundar@nsstc.uah.edu

More Related