2.1.2 Dissertation Research Chair
Dissertation Research Chair: Each student typically identifies, and receives a formal commitment from, a faculty member to serve as a Dissertation Chair by the end of the first semester. The Dissertation Chair is a member of the MGHIHP faculty and an experienced/active investigator who is engaged in well-established programs of research that align with the interests of the student. Students may also request the appointment of external committee members. Such members must be approved by the Program Director, Primary Academic Advisor, and Dissertation Chair, with oversight by the EC. The member must formally commit to providing the time, training and mentorship necessary for the student to develop and execute a successful dissertation (see 3.1.6 Dissertation), including assistance with acquiring the necessary resources (e.g. assistance with grant applications to support research) and ongoing active involvement in aspects of the PhD Program that pertain to the student’s performance/progress in the research realm. In addition to facilitating the student’s Dissertation research, the Dissertation Chair also participates (with the Primary Academic Advisor) in helping the student design his/her Program of Study and in preparing for the Qualifying Examination (see 3.1.4 Qualifying Examination for Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree).