Insights into S&T Graduate Student Fast Facts and Psyche

1. Insights into S&T Graduate Student Fast Facts and Psyche Venkat Allada Office of Graduate Studies • Graduate education is a strategic national asset*. • “Graduate students really drive the research enterprise.” (Former UC President Atkinson, Sept. 2010)** • * Future of Graduate Education in the US (ETS & CGS report 2010) • ** Full report: http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/Gr_GradEdAmComp_0407.pdf

2. Note: Total enrollment does not include non-degree students .

3. FS10 Male to Female Ratios Updated with FS10 census #s

4. Campus Students by Level and Program

6. Note: Put any program with fewer than 20 MS students in "other." Note: Put any program with few than 10 PHDstudents in "other."

7. Note: Countries with less than 4 students were removed from the lists.

9. Incoming Graduate Student Profile Fall 2010

10. When They Were Born

11. A Little About Them… When they were kids… • Pac-Man was introduced • Cable was born • Personal Computers (PC) Introduced by IBM • Hole in the Ozone Layer Discovered • Mikhail Gorbachev Calls for Glasnost and Perestroika • New Coke Hits the Market • Wreck of the Titanic Found • Challenger Space Shuttle Explodes • U.S.S.R. Launches Mir Space Station • DNA First Used to Convict Criminals • Berlin Wall Falls • U.S. President Bush announces that he doesn't like broccoli Sources: http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade80.html, http://history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1980timeline.htm

12. Frequently Asked Questions – Prospective Students • Prospective Student FAQ’s are based on the questions we have received from: • 18 Webinars in the past year • 32 Grad Chat Sessions • 24 Chinese Grad Chat Sessions

13. Frequently Asked Questions – Prospective Students (contd.) Top Question Categories • Life in Rolla (cost of living, weather, sport facilities, etc.) • Funding (how can I get funding?) • Admissions Process • Job Placement After Graduation • What Research Specializations are Available in Various Programs

14. Frequently Asked Questions – Current Students Top Question Categories • Graduate Forms • Thesis/Dissertation Specs • Deadlines • Transferring credits from another university • Reduced enrollment for the final semester

15. Feedback from S&T Admitted Graduate Students Source of Survey: Enrollment Verification Survey sent by Office of Graduate Studies. Received by: 663 students . Source: Office of Graduate Studies 2010 Enrollment Prediction Report (As of 6/24/2010)

16. Why They Came

17. FS10 Chancellor’s Fellows Survey Analysis Of the 64 Surveys Currently Received… Funding 11 have .25 FTE funding 34 have .5 FTE funding 14 have another level of funding

18. Top Things on Grad Students’ Minds • Funding • Multi-year commitment • Tuition fees • Work expectations and evaluation • Selection of Thesis/Dissertation advisor • Selection of Thesis/Dissertation topic • Time-to-degree • Perceptions of past students • Career opportunities (WIIFM)

19. Top Things Grad Students’ may need help on • How to write a thesis/dissertation? How to acknowledge works of others? • Motivation to complete the degree • Time management • Career choices • Present their research succinctly ideas to diverse audience groups • Engage in a constructive dialog with advisors without fear (and learn that it’s sometimes okay to disagree w/ other people’s viewpoints)

20. Typical reasons for advisor-advisee conflicts • Implicit or not clearly stated expectations of one or both parties • Research work and time-line • Publications • Office/Lab. Hours • Professional service • Attendance to research meetings • Fear that advisor may get mad if work is not delivered on time (which in some cases may lead the student to take short-cuts) • Change of plans • Authorship issues • Personality issues; Work style issues • Advisor/student interests not congruent

21. Thanks for your time and attention.