Providing Opportunities for Scholarship and Research: contribution to the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID)

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Providing Opportunities for Scholarship and
Research contribution to the Carnegie Initiative
on the Doctorate (CID)

• Basic Information, and Program Requirements for
  Graduate Students (Effective, Summer, 2005)
• Department of Chemistry
• Howard University
• Washington, D.C.
• www.chem.howard.edu
• Tel. [phone]

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Departments Mission Statement

• The Department of Chemistry at Howard University
  has a deep historical commitment to the training
  of African Americans and others of African
  descent. However, we actively recruit and train
  talented students from all communities, on both
  the undergraduate and graduate level. The
  Department fully dedicates itself to developing
  confident scholars through research, mentoring,
  professional development, and networking in order
  for them to excel in the global community. At
  the graduate level, we seek out promising
  students who can benefit from the Howard
  University experience by providing training in
  funded, and nationally competitive research
  projects that will prepare them for leadership
  roles in industrial, government, or university
  careers.

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Broad Objectives

• To maintain and build upon the role of the
  Department as a leading provider of doctorate
  education to students of African descent and
  other groups that are underrepresented in the
  chemical profession.
• Increase graduate student enrollment by 100
  percent over a 5-year period
• Increase Howards contribution of the nations
  annual production of African American Ph.D.s from
  its current 10 to about 15 in a 5-year period
  (based on 2004 data)
• To provide significant opportunities in graduate
  education to those students whose level of
  preparation may not reflect their true potential.

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Broad Objectives, cont.

• To build upon a national recognition as a leading
  graduate chemistry program as perceived by peer
  institutions, the National Research Council , the
  American Chemical Society, and other relevant
  professional organizations.
• To develop students who can demonstrate excellent
  theoretical knowledge, think critically, as well
  as communicate basic chemistry knowledge and
  research findings to scientists and students
  through oral presentations, lectures,
  peer-reviewed publications, and supervise
  undergraduate and graduate research projects
  (Developing future Stewards of the Profession)

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Expected Outcomes

• Increase graduate enrollment from the current 30
  to 40 by 2005/06, to 45 by 2006/07, to 50 by
  2007/08, to 55 by 2008/09, and to 60 by 2009/10
• Increase the annual production of African
  American doctorates to 5 by 2008, and to 7 by
  2010.

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Major Programmatic Initiatives

• Early Assessment of Commitment and Competency
  (Quality Control)
• Summer Workshop for incoming graduate students
• Placement Examinations
• Special Courses to Enhance Preparedness for
  Graduate Studies
• Flexible Curriculum
• Student-specific curriculum
• Opportunity for interdisciplinarity.
• Early transition to research enterprise
• Integration of Professional Development into
  Curriculum

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Early Quality Control Establishing Core
Competency

• Standardized Placement Examinations in
  Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical
  Chemistry for In-coming Students
• Use standardized ACS exams as placement exams for
  in-coming graduate students. Students must pass
  all 4 exams to demonstrate competency of
  undergraduate material.
• Summer Academic Enhancement Workshop for
  In-coming Graduate Students
• 6 weeks of Academic Enhancement in the Core
  Chemistry Sub-disciplines to prepare for Exams

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Early quality control, cont.

• Failure in any ACS sub-discipline exam
• Special graduate courses will be offered to
  enhance preparedness for graduate studies in the
  sub-discipline
• Students must pass the ACS exams at the end of
  the 1st Semester
• Failure to pass ACS exams in the 4
  sub-disciplines at the end of first semester
• Student would be placed in the Masters Program

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Flexible and Student-specific Curriculum

• After passing all ACS exams
• Only 15 Hours of Advance Chemistry Courses
  Required Prior to Ph.D. Candidacy
• Choice of Interdisciplinary Courses for
  additional Coursework to complete the 36 hours
  requirement
• Biochemistry
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biology
• Chemical Engineering (Materials Science)
• Teaching and Communication

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Flexible Curriculum Early Transition to Research

• Student to join research group end of 2nd
  Semester
• Selection of Advisory Committee end of 2nd
  Semester

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The Research Enterprise Group Mentoring through
an Advisory Committee

• An Advisory Committee consisting of a Research
  Advisor and 2 other faculty, at least one must be
  from a different sub-discipline
• The Advisory Committee will be included in the
  Dissertation Committee

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Integration of Professional Development into
Curriculum Presentation Skills

• Student to give an Original Idea Presentation
  to the Advisory Committee in the 3rd Semester.
  This shall be on a topic other than the students
  research
• Student to give a defense of thesis proposal to
  the Advisory Committee.
• Thesis proposal to be written in form of a grant
  application, which could be used as a basis for
  the application for candidacy.

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Integration of Professional Development, cont.

• Cumulative Exams
• The cumulative exams will be based on suggested
  literature topics and/or topics from departmental
  seminars.
• Students must pass 4 cumulative exams within 2
  years
• Coffee, Snacks get-together prior to Friday
  seminars to foster collegial interaction between
  students and faculty

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Cumulative Exam Schedule

• Week of Sep 19
• Inorganic
• Organic
• Week of Sep 26
• Physical
• Analytical
• Week of Oct 17
• Inorganic
• Organic
• Week of Oct 24
• Physical
• Analytical

• Week of Nov 21
• Inorganic
• Organic
• Week of Nov 28
• Physical
• Analytical
• Week of Jan 15
• Inorganic
• Organic
• Week of Jan 22
• Physical
• Analytical

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Integration of Professional Development, cont.

• Workshop on business presentation to be sponsored
  and offered by an Industry Partner (Monsanto,
  Colgate-Palmolive were past sponsors)
• Oral Presentation Skills
• Resume Preparation
• Interview Skills

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Integration of Professional Development, cont.

• Each student must enroll in at least one
  Professional Development Course that includes all
  or some of these concepts
• Ethical Case Studies
• Oral Presentation Skills
• Library Resources
• Writing Grant Proposals
• Writing Manuscripts
• Pedagogies of Teaching

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Integration of Professional Development, cont.,
Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)

• Students will be encouraged to enroll in Howards
  Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) courses to satisfy
  the Professional Development Course requirement
• Example, Teaching and Learning as a Scholarly
  Activity (GPFF 403)
• A series of Lectures and Activities focusing on
  the Pedagogies of Teaching and Learning

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Integration of Professional Development, cont.,
Curriculum Practical Training (CPT)

• Provide opportunity for internship for Ph.D.
  candidates at Government and Industrial
  Laboratories

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Significant transitions (and expected outcomes)
to be completed in 2 years

• Completion of placement exams
• Affirmation of basic knowledge
• Completion of required courses
• Broad and basic knowledge
• Completion of cumulative exams
• Exposure to current research literature

• Presentation of Original Idea
• Demonstrate ability to formulate new ideas
• Research Experience
• Beyond the technician stage
• Oral defense of Research Proposal
• Depth in knowledge base
• Contribution to knowledge base
• Application for Ph.D. Candidacy
• Professional development

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Summary Requirements for Ph.D. Candidacy (Max 2
years)

• ACS Placement Examinations
• Must pass exams in 4 divisions in 1st Semester
• Coursework (minimum 18 credit hours required)
• 3 Courses from sub-discipline (division)
• 2 Courses from two other sub-disciplines
  (divisions)
• 1 Professional Development Course
• English Competency and Expository Writing
• Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop
• Cumulative Examinations (pass 4 exams)
• Selection of Research Advisor/Project and
  Advisory Committee
• Oral Presentation on original idea (3rd Semester)
• Oral Presentation on dissertation proposal (4th
  Semester)
• Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation Research
• Application, and Admission to Candidacy

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Summary Requirements for Ph.D. Degree

• ACS Placement Examinations
• Must pass exams in 4 divisions in 1st Semester
• Coursework (minimum 18 credit hours required)
• 3 Courses from discipline (division)
• 2 Courses from two other disciplines (divisions)
• 1 Professional Development Course
• English Competency and Expository Writing
• Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop
• Cumulative Examinations (pass 4 exams)
• Selection of Research Advisor/Project and
  Advisory Committee
• Oral Presentation on original idea (3rd Semester)
• Oral Presentation on dissertation proposal (4th
  Semester)
• Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation Research
• Application, and Admission to Candidacy (First 2
  YEARS)
• Departmental Seminar Presentation (prior to
  Dissertation Defense)
• Completion of 72 credit hours
• Dissertation Completion
• Final Oral Examination

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Reflections on the CID Convening, August 12-16,
Palo Alto, CA

• A Students Perspective
• (Nicole John, Ph.D. Student)

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Purpose of the Convening

• To discuss various strategies used in the
  development of students as researchers and
  scholars.

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Pedagogy of Research

• The theory and practice of developing researchers
  and scholars is called the pedagogy of
  research. It involves
• - all of the specific techniques, skills and
  habits of mind a researcher ought to know and
  exhibit
• - how one teaches a student these techniques,
  skills and habits of mind
• - how a student learns and in what settings
  and with whom a student learns best

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Objective To develop students who have the
following skills.

• Ability to ask questions and develop a line of
  inquiry
• Competence in conducting research
• Ability to share findings and communicate results
• Ability to develop a professional identity as a
  researcher and scholar

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Focus of the talks.

• A - Theories that govern a Departments mode of
  activity in the graduate program.
• B - The definition and importance of good
  mentoring.
• C - The challenges involved in instituting good
  mentoring practices.
• D - Different strategies employed to encourage
  faculty to implement good mentoring techniques.

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A -Theories that govern a departments mode of
activity in the graduate program.
The apprenticeship model graduate education
as a form of professional training, an
institutional device guaranteeing education while
the student simultaneously works under a master.
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Characteristics of a good apprenticeship model

• Adequate training of new students by designated
  staff e.g. post-docs, senior graduate students
  and in the absence of these, the advising
  professor.
• A safe period of trial and error.
• Effective and efficient communication.
• Timely correction so that faults do not become
  habit.

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B - Good Mentoring

• In Greek mythology, Mentor was the counselor and
  surrogate father to Telemachus while his father,
  Odysseus, was away. Mentor was key to Telemachus'
  growth by guiding, educating, and protecting him,
  introducing him to influential leaders, and
  teaching him valuable leadership skills. Mentor's
  role in shaping the character and philosophy of
  Telemachus in his childhood is not unlike the
  challenges and responsibilities faced today in
  academia in the everyday interactions between a
  faculty advisor and his or her graduate student.

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Importance of Mentoring

• Having a mentor - or better yet - multiple
  mentors, can be key to graduate student
  development and professional success.
• Students with mentors are more likely to make
  timely progress toward their degrees, to enter
  their professions, and to meet the various
  challenges of their careers.
• Just as professionalism is more than the
  acquisition of knowledge, so must mentoring
  extend beyond the classroom or laboratory and
  even beyond academic and career advisement.
• We must begin to think of a Pedagogy of
  Mentoring

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Pedagogies of Mentoring

• Respect students as colleagues and thus encourage
  sharing of ideas, experiences, and ethics.
• Create intellectual challenges and make standards
  clear through open, frequent, and consistent
  communication.
• Provide reliable advice and continual
  encouragement.
• Be readily available.
• Multiple mentors. No mentor can know everything a
  given student might need to learn in order to
  succeed. Everyone benefits from multiple mentors
  of diverse talents, ages, and personalities. No
  one benefits when a mentor is too "possessive" of
  a student.

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C - Challenges of Mentoring

• Mentoring takes work, experience, and patience.
• Good mentoring practices do not happen overnight.
  
• The mentoring role changes, depending on the
  needs and stage of professional development of
  the student.

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D - Strategies to encourage good mentoring

• Institutions should incorporate mentoring and
  advising effectiveness in the criteria used for
  appraisals of faculty performance, including
  evaluations for the purposes of promotion and
  tenure.
• Faculty Evaluation (bi-annual)
• Exit Interview
• Suggestion Box on Faculty Performance
• Time-to-degree
• Students should be advised to ask for survey
  information from potential Faculty advisors
• Provide guidance on mentoring for new faculty and
  advisers, which can include briefings, workshops,
  the assignment of senior mentors, and
  instructions on campus and Internet resources.

http//www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/mentor/6.html
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Strategies to encourage good mentoring

• Sponsor more discussions of topics relevant to
  mentoring, such as professional standards,
  ethical values, and balancing career and personal
  life.
• Create an institutional award for distinguished
  mentors. The White House Office of Science and
  Technology Policy and the American Association
  for the Advancement of Science have recently
  instituted such awards on the national level.
  Recognition at the Departmental level is a key
  first step.

http//www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/mentor/6.html
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Resources

• http//www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/mentor/1.html
  mentoring
• http//sll.stanford.edu/projects/tomprof/newtompro
  f/postings/97.html
• http//www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/mentor/6.html