Navigating research: Expectations and guidelines for supervisors and graduate students
Session Type
Workshop
Room
Physics and Astronomy, room 150
Start Date
17-7-2025 10:30 AM
End Date
17-7-2025 11:30 AM
Keywords
Inclusive Teaching, Mentorship, EDI, Behavioural Expectations, Graduate Students, Research Experience
Primary Threads
Teaching and Learning Science
Abstract
A healthy work environment is crucial for graduate students to succeed in scientific research. As the head of the research team, the supervisor shapes the team culture and has the responsibility to relay expectations to students and uphold these to provide an inclusive work and learning environment (Maher et al., 2020). Without these expectations, destructive behaviours, such as abuse of power by senior graduate students, toxic rivalry for space, equipment, and/or attention, and continual exposure to microaggressions can lead to a lack of intra-lab mentorship for junior members and an isolating, hostile learning environment, all of which can slow graduate student progress and may lead to withdrawal from the program (Reithmeier & Williams, 2020), particularly for students from equity-deserving groups. Programs must set clear expectations for behaviour and provide training on handling breaches to help supervisors maintain a safe and collaborative research environment, ultimately reducing conflicts and the time spent resolving them.
Adverse outcomes from a lack of behavioural expectations are not limited to thesis-based programs but can also impact course-based graduate science programs, particularly those with laboratory courses/rotations. Foundational guideline frameworks exist (Council of Ontario Universities, 2023), but the extent of implementation of such expectations is varied in Canadian graduate science programs.
Using the literature as a starting point, presenters and participants will explore the impact of setting guidelines for science supervisors and graduate students, and how to better train/support faculty in conveying and upholding them. Participants are encouraged to bring their own devices.
Elements of Engagement
This session will be an interactive workshop. Session participants and presenters will work in breakout groups to examine and share ideas/experiences regarding: 1) the impact of setting guidelines and expectations in research environments, 2) opinions on existing research guideline frameworks from Canadian universities, and 3) how to support faculty in relaying and upholding behavioural expectations. Then together, we will consolidate these, and participants will leave with concrete ideas for how to better support graduate students' success in thesis and non-thesis environments. These will be collected and provided to all participants. This workshop session will offer valuable insights into creating and restructuring guidelines for graduate students in science programs. We will conclude with a discussion on which frameworks of guidelines and expectations supervisors and graduate students would like to incorporate at their own institutions. All materials provided in the workshop will be available digitally via PDFs and QR codes.
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Navigating research: Expectations and guidelines for supervisors and graduate students
Physics and Astronomy, room 150
A healthy work environment is crucial for graduate students to succeed in scientific research. As the head of the research team, the supervisor shapes the team culture and has the responsibility to relay expectations to students and uphold these to provide an inclusive work and learning environment (Maher et al., 2020). Without these expectations, destructive behaviours, such as abuse of power by senior graduate students, toxic rivalry for space, equipment, and/or attention, and continual exposure to microaggressions can lead to a lack of intra-lab mentorship for junior members and an isolating, hostile learning environment, all of which can slow graduate student progress and may lead to withdrawal from the program (Reithmeier & Williams, 2020), particularly for students from equity-deserving groups. Programs must set clear expectations for behaviour and provide training on handling breaches to help supervisors maintain a safe and collaborative research environment, ultimately reducing conflicts and the time spent resolving them.
Adverse outcomes from a lack of behavioural expectations are not limited to thesis-based programs but can also impact course-based graduate science programs, particularly those with laboratory courses/rotations. Foundational guideline frameworks exist (Council of Ontario Universities, 2023), but the extent of implementation of such expectations is varied in Canadian graduate science programs.
Using the literature as a starting point, presenters and participants will explore the impact of setting guidelines for science supervisors and graduate students, and how to better train/support faculty in conveying and upholding them. Participants are encouraged to bring their own devices.