Dissertation Committee

Following successful completion of the qualifying examination, the student proposes a Dissertation Committee comprising at least four members of the faculty, at least two of them members of the Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program. The constitution of the Dissertation Committee must be approved by the Program Chair.

Within 30 days after forming the Dissertation Committee, the student presents to the Committee a written summary of his or her proposed topic and preliminary research progress toward the project’s goals. This initial meeting generally involves a 30-minute oral presentation by the student, followed by discussion and suggestions from the members of the Committee.

Every student must hold at least one meeting of his or her Dissertation Committee each year. After the third year, meetings are held every six months. Additional meetings may be called at any time by the student or by the Committee. The Dissertation Committee monitors the student’s progress based on research accomplished, course grades, and Journal Club and other presentations.