Coaching PhD students

Prof. Dr. Bart Noordam

FOM-Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics,

Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Noordam@AMOLF.nl, www.AMOLF.nl

Disclaimers: I am not an expert, just someone from the field

Only experience in Physics and Chemistry

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AGENDA

Based on 4 years PhD program

• Year 1 Arrival

• Year 2 Data collection

• Year 3 Presentation of first results

• Year 4 Thesis preparation

• Year 5 Oeps, not yet ready!

• What to do after your PhD?

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New role: transition from master student to post doc

• As a PhD student you are in between a

master student and a post-doctoral fellow

• Consider what you expect from this role

and what others expect

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Day 1: who to meet at your department/institute?

WHO ROOM

❏ Group leader (your own)

❏ Group member (your colleagues)

V
❏ Director 1.14
❏ Secretariat 1.13
❏ Librarians 1.20
V
❏ Head E&I (e-mail address!) 0.40
❏ Head Instrument making 0.09
V
❏ Receptionists
❏ Head Engineering Office 0.02
❏ Supply room personnel 0.81
❏ Head Financial administration 0.82
❏ Facilities (keys!) 0.92
❏ Health & Safety Coordinator 0.87
❏ Travel/Accomodation Officer 0.85
❏ Personnel Officer 0.83

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Day 5: Beyond research, set your training goals

Facts:

Most students will after their PhD NOT continue in that field of research

Recently graduated researchers claim to benefit in their new job from the skills
learned, less from the content

Conclusion:

Focus on content and skills

Example:

Set every three months a goal you want to achieve, related to but not exactly
focused on your thesis research

• How can I effectively communicate with my supervisor?

• How can I can get most out of a day full of presentations?
• How can I present my latest results such tha I get MOST feedback?

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Week 2: read and discuss your training plan

Training plan is written by supervisor

Research
Research objective
Design of research, as well as reporting method and timing of response

Training plan
What expertise and skills must be acquired during your PhD training?
How is this be implemented (1st year specific, subsequent years general)
(e.g. lecture course, symposia, traineeships, studying abroad)

Supervision plan
How often and in what way is personal supervision provided by group
leaders and/or other supervisor(s) (at least once a weeks)?
(+ yearly planning & evaluation meeting)

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AGENDA

• Year 1 Arrival

• Year 2 Data collection

• Year 3 Presentation of first results

• Year 4 Thesis preparation

• Year 5 Oeps, not yet ready!

• What to do after your PhD?

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Work discussion: informal presentation

Format

• Weekly meeting of 15-20 scientist

• PhD students present 6x per year their results

Objectives

• Ordering of data in presentable format

• Training of presentation skills
• Feedback on scientific program
• Learn to improve results by incorporating input from others
• Define next steps

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Project progress monitor
- monthly evaluation with supervisor

Initiative often taken by PhD student

Communication and planning tool

 
Name :
Date :
Proposed date next progress meeting :
Project :
Number of months active in project :
End of project :

1. What are the most important results of the past month?

2. Did you deviate from the planning and what was the cause?

3.  What are the most important goals for the next month?

4. What needs to be done to achieve these goals (hurdles to be taken)?

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AGENDA

• Year 1 Arrival

• Year 2 Data collection

• Year 3 Presentation of first results

• Year 4 Thesis preparation

• Year 5 Oeps, not yet ready!

• What to do after your PhD?

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Elevator presentation of results

Be always prepared to discuss with peers and

coaches in 1 minute conversation:

• What you are doing?

• What type of problem you still have to solve?

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Presentation of results in conference format
- at your own University/Institute

Format

1. Weekly meeting of 60 scientist

2. PhD students present 1x per year their results
3. Presentation of 15 minutes + 5 minutes questions
4. Followed by weekly Colloquium (1 hour)

Objectives

1. Training of presenting in conference format

2. Information exchange within Institute
3. Feedback of peers and coaches

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Visit at least one international meeting each year

Format

1. International setting 50+ participants

2. PhD students give oral or poster presentation
3. Informal discussions in breaks and special sessions

Objectives

1. Get to know the field you are working in

2. Understand the position of your own research
3. Familiarize with latest results
4. Make contacts with experts

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Advice: start writing papers/chapters as soon as possible

Data collecting approach Publishing loop

• Data • Data
• Data • Analysis
• Data • New data
• Data • Final analysis
• More data • Chapter/article
• Enough data??

• Writing
• Oeps competitors
published earlier! • Data
• Writing • Analysis
• Oeps need other data • New data
• Writing • Final analysis
• Writing • Chapter/article

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AGENDA

• Year 1 Arrival

• Year 2 Data collection

• Year 3 Presentation of first results

• Year 4 Thesis preparation

• Year 5 Oeps, not yet ready!

• What to do after your PhD?

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Time management – count down

Make a count-down planning together with supervisor

Month Activity

-10 Finish chapter 1

-8 Finish chapter 2

-6 Finish chapter 3

……

……

-4 Write Introduction + summary

-3 Thesis submission to committee

0 PhD defense

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Survive the complexity of multi tasking
by planning and communication

Finalize chapters

Solve some issues in Look for new job

interpretation
PhD student in action

Lay-out and printing of

thesis

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AGENDA

• Year 1 Arrival

• Year 2 Data collection

• Year 3 Presentation of first results

• Year 4 Thesis preparation

• Year 5 Oeps, not yet ready!

• What to do after your PhD?

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Employment: do not fire PhD students

• Timing and planning

is also responsibility
of supervisor and Employer should
employer give PhD student
a contract until
• Shared obligation to defense
find a job for PhD
student

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Important for PhD student: your boss has a boss

Someone, not directly involved,

should monitor progress

Director/Dean

Supervisor/Professor

PhD Student

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Formal extension after 3,5 years
- given a 4 years program

Month Activity
-10 Finish chapter 1
-8 Finish chapter 2
-6 Finish chapter 3
……
……
-4 Write Introduction + summary
-3 Thesis submission to committee
0 PhD defense
3 New job/contract ends

Ph D Student Supervisor/Prof. Director/Deam

date date date
signature signature signature

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AGENDA

• Year 1 Arrival

• Year 2 Data collection

• Year 3 Presentation of first results

• Year 4 Thesis preparation

• Year 5 Oeps, not yet ready!

• What to do after your PhD?

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To Postdoc or not to Postdoc?

PhD

Postdoc Industry

Academia Industry

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Alumni network can support finding suitable position

Database of former Bi annual meeting

PhD students at Institute

Name: …. Former PhD students

Adress: ….. (20-30) meet current
E-mail: ….. generation (20-30) to
Left Institute: ….. see the Institute
again and exchange
Employer: ….. job experiences
Job descripotion: …

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Summary/warning

Tools are just tools to support:

• Planning

• Communication

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AIM of this presentation

1. Share some insides

2. Show some obvious tools that can help

3. Discuss these issues with audience

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