Select my major professor

In mid-April, new PhD students will identify the lab that they will be joining. This is done in collaboration between the student and the professor in the interested laboratory. Once agreed upon, the student will fill in the Lab Placement Form, sign it, and have the major professor sign it. The student will then need to submit the completed form to the Biology Graduate Department.

The Graduate Office will then make the assignments, based on mutual acceptability to both the professor and student and final approval by the Chair of the Graduate Program. If a research director cannot be found after 3 rotations, the student will need to meet with the Chair of the Graduate Program to discuss other options such as additional rotation.

To be clear about the terminology, “Major Professor” refers to the same faculty as “Research Director” or “Principal Investigator (PI)”. This is the faculty, which mentors the PhD student. The Graduate School uses the term “Chair” for the “Major Professor” for the purpose of the Plan of Study. Please note that Major Professor is not the Chair of the Thesis Advisory Committee.