Recruiting
CBL faculty can advise students in both the joint UMCES-UMCP MEES degree program or in the USM-Toxicology program.
The two programs differ in the timing of applications and how they evaluate and accept students. But in both cases, students cannot be accepted to the program unless an UMCES faculty member agrees to advise them.
By tradition, all students at CBL are fully supported on either a lab-based fellowship or on funds obtained in a research grant. Currently, studentships require salary (~$24k p.a.), benefits (36% of salary), tuition (24credits x $570/credit =$13.7k p.a.) and overhead (53% of salary &fringe =$18.1k) which combine to be $63.3k.
See the GEC page for details on applying for a lab-supported fellowship. You nominate a student – the student doesn't apply for the fellowship.
There are three approaches to finding students. Use all three.
1. Post an available student position on the CBL Web Page. Contact Stacy Hutchinson (x364) to arrange for the advert to be placed.
2. Send an email to friends and colleagues announcing the availability of a studentship.
3. Review applicant files in MEES or Tox as appropriate.
It is a good idea to interview students in person – have them meet existing students as well. We currently, do not have lab funds to support interview expenses.
When you have made a decision, inform the program into which you want the student to be accepted for formal notification.
Advising students
Once you have accepted a student, it becomes your responsibility to guide them through their degree program. There are two aspects to this:
1. UMCES GRA Policy. This policy lays out the "legal" expectations of what you have to do as the employment supervisor of a graduate student. It lays out the appointment of the GRA, benefits, the duration of appointment, defines full and part time status. It also provides due process protections.
2. Graduate program policies. Each of the graduate programs in which we participate have their own policies:
These policies describe the expectations for the academic relationship between student and advisor. They identify course requirements, committee structure, define good academic standing and time to degree constraints.
In addition to adhering to the policies above, please make sure that you make your expectations clear to your student regarding interactions with you, with others in your lab and with the broader CBL community. There are no hard-and-fast rules for how to do this, and everyone does this slightly differently. Some hold regular laboratory meetings which all staff and students attend, others hold regular meetings with individuals. Encourage your students to become involved in the academic life at CBL – support them giving brown bag seminars, encourage them to attend weekly seminars, use the GEC to support their travel to meetings and help them network.
The MEES and Tox programs have specific requirements for graduate advisory committees. CBL places an additional expectation that all PhD students should have at least one committee member external to the University System of Maryland – and the GEC will support involvement of this person. Use this opportunity as a way to help you and your student network.
All students are required to submit an annual progress report to their advisory committee and to their graduate program. This pre-supposes an annual committee meeting.
This web page contains a collection of policies and informational items that we have found helpful for faculty as they navigate their way at CBL. The information is divided into a series of areas that can be accessed by using the navigation buttons on either side of this central information panel.