The Scientist - USA (2021-02)

11.2020 | THE SCIENTIST 15

Google identified with recommendations

from graduate students we spoke with to

create a list of five concrete ways to improve

advisor/advisee relationships.

1. Set expectations: Communicate
   research and managerial expectations
   between students and advisors at the start
   of the graduate program, and continuously
   check in to adjust these expectations.


2. Track performance: Set a meeting
   schedule to track project accomplish-
   ments and goals.


3. Coach students: Graduate students,
   regardless of work style and personality,
   will thrive with advisors who coach and
   challenge them, as well as express interest
   in their success and personal well-being.


4. Avoid micromanaging: Professors
   must strike a balance between providing
   advice, showing students they trust them,

and empowering them to develop as inde-

pendent researchers who may soon be

managing their own research groups.

5. Foster a positive environment: Pro-
   fessors and students should endeavor
   to create an environment where every-
   one understands that failures are inevi-
   table and OK. Framing academic chal-
   lenges in a more positive way allows
   students to feel comfortable discussing
   issues early and often, enhancing men-
   tal health and research productivity.

Many graduate students inherit the advis-

ing style that they experienced, so effec-

tive and communicative graduate student/

advisor relationships would go a long way

in producing successful managers who can

go on to propagate future generations of

scientists. These skills will also benefit the

roughly half of US science and engineering

PhDs now employed by the private sector,

which tends to value project management

skills more than the academic sector tra-

ditionally has. Whatever young scientists’

futures hold, they will fare better if they are

supported by their mentor and trained to

be a capable advisor themselves. J

Angela E. Boag is a policy advisor

for climate change, forest health, and

energy at the Colorado Department of

Natural Resources. Nathalie Isabelle

Chardon is a postdoctoral researcher

in the Community Ecology Unit at the

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche

Research SLF in Switzerland.

Poor graduate student/advisor experiences can largely be chalked

up to one thing: there are few specific expectations or standards

for professors when it comes to managing their graduate students.

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