Your Research Director is a subject matter expert, mentor and guide. Most faculty members feel these are his/her responsibilities:
- Coordinate the actions of the committee and other administrative arrangements
- Maintain the academic standards of the department and the university
- Ensure the relevance of the work – assuring that your work will make useful contributions to the field and your academic growth
- Assist with research question development, feasibility, scope, design, and time line
- Use teachable moments to guide or illuminate
- Review your drafts and provide timely feedback
- Prepare you to defend your work at the time of the oral presentation
- Notify you if progress is unsatisfactory and offer suggestions for improvement
It is important that you, as the student, initiate conversations, ask questions, and report on your progress on a regular basis. The Research Director is not expected to set goals or construct deadlines for you. Graduate students should be self-directed, independent learners and doers, and have a level of autonomy that allows them to work with minimal guidance. The Research Director will provide support and serve as the gatekeeper. I encourage you to discuss expectations (both yours and theirs) with your Director.