Resources for Genetics PhD Mentors and Handbook

The Genetics Training Program includes about 8-12 entering students each fall and a faculty pool of over 80 mentors from more than 20 different campus departments.

Our program distinguishes itself from other graduate programs on campus by its strong emphasis on genetic-based analysis. Our students are committed to genetics and choose to join our program at UW because of the outstanding genetics expertise among our training faculty. Therefore, we seek mentors who can provide solid genetics training to our students based on their own prior training and/or research experience in genetics. We define “Genetics” broadly but rigorously to include not only research on genetics questions but also research using genetics-based approaches and/or genetic model organisms. Our training faculty emphasizes the methods and logic of genetic and genomic analyses.

Genetics mentors can train top-notch Genetics graduate students and interact with other program mentors conducting research with a strong Genetics focus.

Genetics mentors must meet the following requirements:

1. Provide excellent mentorship to Genetics students by supporting their development as independent scientists, guiding them through research on a genetics-based project(s) and supporting their professional development
2. Maintain a funding plan for each Genetics student that they choose to train.
3. Participate in the Genetics program through the following activities:
   a. Serve on Genetics thesis advisory committees. (Each student needs five members including at least three Genetics mentors per committee.)
   b. Attend Genetics Colloquium (3:30 pm Wednesdays) on a reasonably regular basis (~30% of colloquia) during academic year
   c. Attend Genetics Summer Colloquium (3:30 pm Wednesdays) for students whose committees they serve on.
   d. Participate in the Genetics Program recruitment season (January– March annually).
   e. Serve on various program committees and teach workshops by invitation.
   f. Attend the annual Genetics Retreat
   g. Optional activities: participate in teaching courses within the program
4. Complete a mandatory two-hour mentor training workshop once every 5 years.
5. Complete an annual activity report and submit a formal renewal application every 5 years.

Application Materials for new applications:

1. A current NIH biosketch.
2.  A list of Current and Pending Support that includes your role (e.g. PI, co-I) and direct costs of each source per year, outlining funds to your lab.
3. A 1–2-page statement of research interests. Include a description of your own training and/or research experience in Genetics.
4. A ~ 1 page description of thesis projects that would be appropriate for a Genetics grad student (as opposed to students in other graduate programs).
5. A list of past and current trainees and their current position and/or funding source. For current trainees, also list scientific meeting attended in the past year.
6. A brief statement of how you, as a mentor, would participate in the Genetics program.

Applications are due on November 1 and April 1.

The Graduate Program Steering Committee, which consists of Genetics faculty, non-Genetics faculty mentors, and current Genetics PhD students,  completes the first review and applicants who they are interested in  recommending to the full faculty will be asked to give a seminar to the genetics community focused on genetics, which usually occurs as part of our regular Wednesday afternoon Colloquium series at 3:30 pm during fall and spring semesters. If Colloquium slots are not available, the seminar will be given during a Genetics faculty meeting (Fridays at 12pm).

Faculty votes are scheduled once per semester.

If you would like to be considered as a mentor, please send the above items to Genetics Graduate Program Manager Martha Reck (mreck2@wisc.edu ) and she will follow-up to provide a timeline.

All mentors will complete an annual activity report and submit a formal renewal application every 5 years. This application will consist of information about the mentor’s training record, funding record, participation in the program, and mentor training.

Update your Profile on the Genetics Website

Mentor Expectations at a Glance
1. Strive to provide excellent training to and supportive mentoring of Genetics PhD students.

2. Ensure that students are empowered to meet programmatic requirements, as outlined below.

3. Ensure that students have funding opportunities outside the years of training grant support.

4. Support students in their professional development goals, as outlined in their Individual Development Plan (IDP) and their Professional Development Experience Proposal.

5. Participate broadly in the UW-Genetics training program.

6. If your student was on the Genetics T32 training grant, to credit the grant (T32 GM007133) on ALL publications that the student is an author on from their time as a graduate student at UW (even if they are no longer funded on the grant but were at one time) – in doing so, please make sure publication meets public access requirements.

7. Support timely graduation of the student. We aim for students to graduate in under 6 years in the program. This is an important metric in the training grant renewal; students who wish to stay beyond this time in the lab should consider defending and staying as a short-term postdoc.

This section summarizes feedback we received from our students. Students in our program are serious about their education and they have many thoughtful ideas about what they’d like in a mentor. Below is a summary of students’ feedback on qualities of a great mentor (* recurrent themes from the survey). A great mentor is:
• *Available, approachable, and supportive of what students need to be successful
• * Has regular meetings with students and communicates clearly with students
• * Provides regular feedback to students, including what areas they can improve on and concrete suggestions about how they can improve
• * Clearly communicates expectations
• * Listens to student ideas
• * Open to students’ creativity but also an able to shape and manage that creativity into feasible experiments with likely outcomes
• * Discusses career goals with students and allows them to participate in professional development outside the lab
• Involved – in the lab, program, department, research
• Discusses a timeline to graduation and provides feedback on progress toward graduation
• Supportive of committee meetings, programmatic requirements, and professional development
• Has knowledge about potential funding resources for students
• Encourages collaboration and can expose students to knew contacts/collaborators
• Knowledge of how the program works
• Is honest about how they mentor and what expectations are

Student opinions on what makes a bad mentor (* recurring themes):
• * Not available or willing to meet regularly
• * Apathetic toward student’s progress, project, or goals
• * Inconsistent mentoring – inconsistent with feedback or follow through
• * Not clear about expectations
• * Disorganized
• * Doesn’t allow student to participate in outreach or professional development outside of lab
• Participates in favoritism
• Doesn’t give credit for students’ work
• Criticizes student’s desired career path
• Prevents students from graduating despite publications and progress

Graduate Program Committees

External mentors regularly participate in the Graduate Program Steering Committee and the Graduate Program Admissions Committee.

Student Thesis Committees

Each Genetics PhD student will establish a thesis committee consisting of at least 5 faculty, 3 of whom must be Genetics mentors. In addition to participating in the student’s certification meeting, annual committee meetings, prospectus meeting, and thesis defense, thesis committee members are asked to act as regular sources of scientific and professional development support for the student. Thesis committee members should also attend the student’s summer colloquium presentations in year 3 and year 4.

Colloquium

The Genetics department holds a weekly colloquium on Wednesday’s at 3:30pm in 1111 Genetics/Biotech during Fall and Spring Semesters. During Summer Semester, 3rd and 4th year Genetics PhD students present their research.

Admissions and Recruiting

Each January the program will interview prospective new students via Zoom and each March  will invite admitted students to visit. We need all Genetics mentors to participate in these recruitment opportunities for them to be successful. There are also additional opportunites to meet with prospective students and to attend conferences to represent the program.

Annual Career Symposium and Retreat

All Genetics PhD students are required to attend and participate in our Annual Career Symposium and Retreat each September. Mentor attendance and participation at this event is vital to its success.

Annual Welcome Picnic

During orientation each August we will hold an Annual Welcome Picnic. This is a great opportunity for new students to meet current students and Genetics mentors.

Other

There are also opportunities to teach workshops and courses, guest lecture in courses, and to participate in working groups and subcommittees.

Students may be admitted to the Genetics Training Program through two tracks:

1. Program Admission in which a student completes rotations in their first semester before joining a lab
2. Direct Admission in which a student begins in a specific faculty members lab at the time of enrollment

The admission track(s) through which we can consider a prospective student depend upon funding availability, and also upon the number of potentially appropriate labs for them.  Most of our domestic students do rotations while supported by program funds.  Due to more limited non-federal funds, about two thirds of our international students instead join the program via direct admission.

Rotations are four weeks long. The goal is not to finish a research project but to get a clear impression about interacting with a potential faculty mentor and doing research in their lab.  The vast majority of our rotation students join a lab by December of their first year and begin their thesis research.

With direct admission, a prospective student is accepted based on an agreement with a specific faculty mentor who commits to providing their funding.  The student would join this lab upon beginning their PhD program, with the intention of completing their thesis research with the sponsoring faculty mentor.  A conversation about direct admission can be initiated by either an applicant or a faculty mentor.

All Program Admitted Students participate in lab rotations during their first semester.

Rotations are meant to provide students with the opportunity to do research in labs of interest with prospective mentors before choosing the lab in which they will complete their research and thesis. Students are encouraged to choose a diverse set of rotations.

During Orientation students will hear short rotation talks from Genetics mentors who are interested in recruiting students to their labs. Students will then will set-up rotations with three of those mentors of interest. Rotations are 4 weeks long and must be done in labs of Genetics mentors.  Rotations must be reported to the Graduate Program Manager by the end of the first week of Fall semester.

At the end of each rotation, both the student and the mentor are asked to complete an evaluation of the experience.  Program Leadership will use these evaluations to follow up with either students or mentors about areas of concern, if necessary, and to keep track of the rotation experiences.  If either the student or mentor has any difficulties during the rotation or questions about the rotation process, they should reach out to the Graduate Program Manager.

Sometimes it may be necessary to end a rotation early, as either the student or mentor realizes that it is not going to work out. Please contact the Graduate Program Manager with questions about this process.

At the end of the semester (and rotations) lab choices will be determined by mutual decision of the student and mentor. Once a decision is made, the student and mentor should submit their lab choice to the Graduate Program Manager. Final approval will be provided by the Predoctoral Program in Genetics after the mentor’s funding has been reviewed.

Course Requirements

1. Genetics 990, Research, Every Semester
2. Genetics 701, Advanced Genetics, 3 credits, Fall Year 1
3. Genetics 707, Genetics of Development, 3 credits, Spring Year 1*
4. Genetics 702, Advanced Genetics II, 3 credits, Spring Year 1
5. Genetics 808, From Genes to Grants: Writing Winning Research Proposals in Genetics, 2 credits, Summer Year 1
6. Genetics 708, Methods and Logic in Genetic Analysis, 3 credits, Spring Year 2*
7. Responsible Conduct in Research course, 1 credit (either Oncology 715, Biochem 729 Section 8 , BMC 701, or other approved RCR course)
8. Elective: Any graduate level Genetics course taught by a faculty member  (including special topics) ^
9. Four seminars including summer colloquiums in Year 3 and Year 4
10. Specialized elective coursework at the discretion of your thesis committee

* Genetics 707 and 708 are taken by the first and second years together, 707 is offered one year and 708 the next

^ Students wishing to take a course outside of Genetics course offerings may petition the Graduate Program Steering Committee

Genetics PhD students pursue a variety of research intensive and research related careers after graduation. The Genetics PhD professional development (PD) requirement is an opportunity to improve or gain skills that will be helpful post-graduation, to explore future career opportunities, and to network with others working in areas of interest. This requirement combined with other professional development that students obtain through coursework (grant writing, summer colloquium) and lab requirements (presentations, journal clubs, mentoring undergraduates) are designed to help prepare students for these careers.

An acceptable plan for meeting the PD requirement includes formal training, is separate from the student’s thesis work, and supports the future career goals or addresses the skills identified for improvement in the student’s Individualized Development Plan (IDP). Each student is responsible for charting their own path to meet the PD requirement in consultation with their mentor and thesis committee, obtaining program level approval, organizing and executing the planned activities, and reporting the outcome.

The number and type of activities, as well as when they occur in a student’s graduate career are expected to vary, but all PD plans must include a minimum of 100-200 hours of student effort.

Students will begin to develop their PD plan in their first year by completion of their IDP and through discussions with their mentors and peers. Students will discuss their initial PD plan with their thesis committee at the first year (Certification) meeting. Students must seek approval prior to completion of the activities by submitting a PD plan form approved by their primary mentor to the program. This form must be submitted at least 3 months before the first activity, and will be reviewed by the Steering Committee within 1 month. Students must complete all activities associated with the PD requirement and submit a final PD requirement assessment form in advance of their prospectus meeting. Changes may be requested in writing at any time to program leadership if necessary (career goals change, proposed activity is no longer offered, etc.). Annual thesis committee meeting forms will include reports on progress until the PD requirement is completed.

In addition to course requirements, there are several other requirements students must meet to earn their PhD.

Orientation

All new students must attend orientation and participate in the extended orientation workshops offered throughout their first year in the program. Typically offered workshop topics include: Individualized Development Plan, Rigor and Reproducibility, Mental Health Resources, Choosing a Lab, Forming a Committee, and Tips for Success.

Certification Meeting

By the end of their first year, all students are required to have their first meeting with their committee called the Certification Meeting. During this meeting, the committee will review previously completed coursework and make recommendations for courses that students should take to complete their degree.

Annual Committee Meetings

Students are required to meet at least annually with their committee. Their first meeting will be the Certification Meeting and the second is typically coupled with the Oral Thesis Proposal Defense (Prelim). Each subsequent year of enrollment the student will hold an annual committee meeting to review their research progress and set both research and professional development goals for the next year.  Each meetins should include a review of the  Individualized Development Plan.

Professional Development Experience

All students are required to complete a professional development experience.  This experience is an opportunity to improve or gain skills that will be helpful post-graduation, to explore future career opportunities, and to network with others working in areas of interest. This requirement combined with other professional development that students obtain through coursework (grant writing, summer colloquium) and lab requirements (presentations, journal clubs, mentoring undergraduates) are designed to help prepare students for these careers.

Summer Colloquium Presentations

During the Summer semester Genetics Colloquium is presented by PhD students. All students are required to present Summer Colloquium Presentation during their third and fourth years.

Seminar Presentations

In addition to the Summer Colloquium presentations, each student is expected to give at least two additional public presentations of their research. These can occur at conferences or during other on-campus colloquia.

Oral Thesis Proposal Defense Exam (Prelim)

By August 31 of their second year, each student is required to present an oral defense of their thesis proposal (prelim exam) to their committee.

Responsible Conduct in Research Refresher Workshop

During their fourth year, all students participate in a Responsible Conduct of Research Refresher Workshop. The goal of this workshop is to review principles of Responsible Conduct in Research as outlined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), targeted to PhD students in the 4th year of their graduate studies. In particular, this workshop emphasizes how senior PhD students can maintain RCR as they transition to future careers that often involve supervising and mentoring other scientists.

Public Defense and Written Thesis

The PhD culminates with a public defense and written thesis that is submitted to the Graduate School.

The annual stipend for 2024-2025 is $36,000.

First- year program admitted students are funded by the program during rotations.  After officially joining a lab the student’s funding switches to their mentor, typically as a Research Assistant. The mentor will also pay for the month long rotation of the student who joins their lab. Some students will  join the program with their own funding (AOF, NSF) for the first year.

First- year direct admit students are funded by their mentor, typically as Research Assistants beginning in their first semester.

Students will most often continue to be funded as Research Assistants on their mentor’s grants as long as they are making satisfactory academic progress.  However, Genetics PhD students have been highly successful in securing their own funding.

Students are required to meet with their committe at least one time during each year of study.

The first meeting is the Certification Meeting. This should occur no later than August 31 of the student’s first year.

The second meeting will often occur concurrently with the Oral Prelim Defense. This should occur no later than August 31 of the student’s second year.

Each subsequent meeting until the Thesis Defense, will occur at least annually (by August 31).  During these meetings the committee will review the student’s research progress, professional development, and IDP completion. They will also provide advice on the research and professional development. Anticipated timelines for progress of the thesis project will be discussed and concrete guidance will be provided about completing the thesis.

A Prospectus meeting will occur 6 months before the anticipated defense.

A member of the thesis committee, who is not the student’s primary mentor, will serve as committee chair. This person can be the same person for each meeting or this role can change for subsequent meetings. The committee chair will play an important role both during and after the meeting.

ANNUAL COMMITTEE MEETING CHAIR INSTRUCTIONS  and the ANNUAL COMMITTEE CHAIR FEEDBACK FORM.

Suggested Meeting Formats:

After the meeting, the Graduate Program Manager will collect electronic signatures and provide a final copy of the forms to the student for their records.

Graduate school can be a stressful time and we understand that students often need extra support.

University Health Services (UHS) offers a safe and confidential environment with a variety of support services available free of charge and open to all graduate students.

• Getting started: UHS offers drop-in mental health consultations Let’s Talk  Monday-Friday. They also offer mental health counseling services, psychiatric services, wellness services, and disordered eating assessments and treatment.
• 24-hour crisis services: UHS has 24-hour crisis intervention services for students or those who are concerned about a student. Call 608-265-5600 (option 9), 24 hours a day, any day of the year
• If you’re concerned about someone you know, UHS has helpful resources for faculty and friends of students.
• UHS also offers individual, couple/partner, and group counseling, as well as stress management and psychiatry services.

Specific groups are available for graduate students.  Additional groups are available for graduate address relationships, depression, anxiety, and other topics.  Groups typically meet one to two hours weekly, and may run from four to 12 weeks per semester.

The Office of Student Assistance has a staff member dedicated to supporting graduate students.

Other Resources:
Employee Assistance Office
The Opean Seat Food Pantry
Badger FARE
Basic Needs Team
UW Madison Office of Financial Aid

The majority of our recent graduates have current positions in science-related fields. Doctoral Career Outcomes for the Genetics PhD can be found here.

Individual Development Plan

The program and NIH require that every student establishes and annually updates an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP helps students to assess current skills, interests, and strengths and to make a plan for developing those to meet academic and professional goals.

The Graduate School has resources available for learning more about IDP’s, self-assement, and writing the IDP.  https://grad.wisc.edu/professional-development/individual-development-plan/

Professional Development

Each Fall the Program will host a day-long Professional Development Symposium. We maintain a Genetics PHD Program LinkedIn group to allow current students and alumni to connect.  In addition, we will have several career development workshops and programs throughout the year including things such as book clubs, career panels, networking events, and interviewing workshops.

Professional Development Resources:

Graduate School Career Development Programming 

Discover PD

Graduate School Networking Page

Beyond the Professoriate

WARF Ambassador program:

Morgridge Entrepreneurial Bootcamp

Delta program

WiSCIENCE

PEOPLE Program

Summer Research Opportunity Program

Principals of Supervision and Management:

Lynda.com

DoIT Student Technology Training:

Doctoral minor in entrepreneurship

Certificate in strategic innovation

Employment Resources:

UW-Madison Post-doc positions

Post- doc jobs

PHound

Science Jobs

American Society for Cell Biology

USA Jobs

State of Wisconsin Government Jobs

BioForward

Careers in Consulting