As a graduate student, topic selection becomes much more complex. In the NFM Department at Oregon State University, each on-campus graduate student must mutually discuss research interests with every graduate faculty. From this discussion the graduate faculty mentor should be selected. The selection of the graduate faculty mentor should be one whose research interests are most similar to yours. If you are unsure of compatibility of interest and personality it is sometimes useful to take a Readings and Conference (NFM505) with this faculty member. Once a faculty mentor has been selected you may undertake a project totally independnt of any project that is currently underway. Frequently, graduate faculty may already have a project underway. From the project more questions of researchable interest may have arisen. The mentor will point you towards the possibilities. Frequently, these are done due to your academic and professional time constraints and funding support. It is important that the student and the faculty mentor remember that the project proposed should contain original research. This takes the work beyond that of the graduate student only serving as a laboratory worker or technician.

The advantages of being a part of a larger project is the synergism of working with others on a collaborative project and the potential for funding support.

Updated: Wednesday, October 31, 2007.