Home Onboarding Graduate Expectations Data & Deliverables DEI
Authorship Agreement Other Resources Off-Boarding Alumni & Current Students
Table of Contents:
Learning the in’s and outs of academia is hard. Here’s a resource to create strategic plans, develop mentorship networks, learn how to consistently write (the almighty academic currency) and more! Try out their dissertation success program, which is the graduate student version of their core curriculum. Don’t worry, you get access to all of these materials for free with your university email 🙂
Graduate school can be hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. USC has many resources to support graduate student mental health, including counseling sessions available through Counseling & Psychology Services (CAPS). One resource I like is Arizona State’s RISE Center’s Fail-Safe Science, a video repository of successful scientists discussing the hurdles they encountered during their PhD programs, how they coped with those challenges, and what advice they have for the current generation of graduate students. Check out this promotional video and the accompanying podcast. If you are struggling and feel comfortable talking with Dr. Ryker, please do so as soon as possible so we can help you set up a plan to get back to a healthy place. Graduate school (or any timeline for it) is not worth sacrificing your long-term mental health.
You can’t be great at everything you do, so learn to prioritize which things to be great at and when.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Twitter
In order to be both great scientists and human beings, it is critical that we behave ethically. What that means to an individual can vary. As a longtime member of NAGT and GSA, I would point you to these resources for the lab. If you are a member of these organizations, it is your explicit responsibility to behave in accordance with these policies. If you are not a member, know that I am and it is my explicit responsibility to adhere to them, which will inform my mentorship of the entire lab. If I (Katherine) operate in any way that you feel is inconsistent with these policies, I encourage you to let these organizations know.
If you have questions/concerns about life at the University of South Carolina, you have multiple points of contact available to you. Depending on the issue you want to discuss, here are a few of those most commonly referenced by the USC community:
Ombuds - Graduate School | University of South Carolina
At the time of writing, faculty ranked above Katherine are those at the full professor level in the SEOE, but especially those serving as the Director, Associate Director, Undergraduate Director and Graduate Director. If there is a problem that you do not feel you can speak to her about (or want to consult first), these are good people to go to.
Our People - School of the Earth, Ocean & Environment | University of South Carolina