Hello PhD Students,

It's that time of year again... time for the Bioengineering faculty to do a formal evaluation of the progress of doctoral students.

This yearly review of doctoral students in the program allows us to make sure everyone is on track, and to help us make decisions about scholarship/TA/GRA fund allocation. To help us with your evaluation, please prepare a brief progress report that covers the points below and submit it, together with you latest CV, to Professor Chitnis [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> by May 21.  If anyone would like to discuss their current situation in person, please email Professor Chitnis separately to make an appointment.

1. Courses taken during both semesters of this past year: Fall 2020 - Spring 2021, with grades.
2. Courses planned for next year and whether you will be doing additional research rotations.
3. One paragraph description of the research you have engaged in during this year.
4. Results (provide scores) of qualifying exam or defense of doctoral research proposal (if appropriate).
              If you have not yet taken qualifier, provide proposed date
              If you have not yet submitted your proposal, provide proposed date
5. Talks or posters presented at professional society meetings or in departmental colloquia; attendance at professional meetings.
6. Publications, manuscripts submitted for publication during the year, and/or manuscripts in progress during the year.
7. Community service or involvement in university, State-wide, national, or international societies, including officer in graduate student organizations
8. If applicable: Classes, labs and/or recitations taught through either (A) a teaching assistantship (course name and number), (B) Assistant Instructor (course name and number), or (C) supervision of undergraduate Bioengineering senior design team.

NOTE, we will provide flexibility with the following milestones due to the COVID-19 situation.
***First year students, entering with MS: Please complete the form "Program of Study" in consultation with your qualifying exam committee. If you are still with your original advisor, you should have completed your qualifying exam or be planning to finish your qualifier by the end of the summer. If you did two research rotations and changed advisor, then let me know who your new advisor is and plan to finish your qualifier by the end of the Fall semester.
***1st year students, entering with BS: If you do not plan to do additional research rotations, please prepare a draft of the form "Program of Study" and discuss it with your advisor.
***Second year students: You should have completed your qualifying exam and plan of study. Please finish both of these by the end of the summer if you have not.
***Third/Fourth year students: you should have finished your dissertation proposal, and advanced to candidacy.  Students who have not done so should provide a written justification and timeline for advancement to candidacy.
***Fifth year (and higher) students: please provide a brief plan for remaining time to completion, including anticipated date (i.e. semester) of dissertation defense.

Thank you,
Parag


Parag V. Chitnis (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
PhD Program Director
Department of Bioengineering
Volgenau School of Engineering
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, 1J7
Fairfax, VA 22030
1-703-993-5039
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