On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, Dr. Janet Rutledge, Dean of the Graduate School at UMBC, addressed the participants of the Winter 2015 Dissertation House. Dr. Rutledge, a national leader in graduate education, discussed the “process” of obtaining the PhD. She stated that the papers that were being written in high school or during undergraduate studies were generally “discovery papers,” or introductions to research. Graduate students are expected to learn the process of doing research in the discipline: gather background information, find out what others have done, learn what has worked well in the past and what didn’t work, and make strides toward possible solutions.

Dean Rutledge also discussed the need to develop skills for becoming an independent scholar, and the need to engage in scholarly activities outside of the classroom and the laboratory. She acknowledged that it can be difficult to develop a sense of scholarly independence, and said, “No one will lower your grade if you don’t submit to a conference.” Following this statement, the dean encouraged the graduate students to participate in their professional societies and begin to develop expert knowledge by connecting with others in the field. She noted that these activities may not necessarily be driven by others, and that students need plans of action to be sure that they are actively engaged in external academic activities that will be of benefit to their knowledge base, scholarly network, and future careers.

Dr. Rutledge’s research covered a mathematical model for speech using low bit-rate coding. In addition to being Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School, she is on the faculty in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.  

At 9:00 AM EST, we opened the Winter 2015 Dissertation House at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC: An Honors University in Maryland). We have a wonderful group of students from UMBC and UMB in house, and we invite you to join us. Our Dissertation Coach is Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale. Dr. Carter-Veale is challenging the group to post “measurable” goals, and she urges everyone to be realistic so that each can accomplish an actual goal by the end of the week. Some people think that they will be able to accomplish huge tasks in a short period of time, and while you will be productive, we want to be sure that you are setting yourselves up for success. Therefore, it is not necessarily prudent to try to finish such a large task within a few days.

Graduate students who are participating in the Dissertation House here at UMBC had to apply to participate. If you are not participating in person, we invite you to join us online:

https://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2015-challenge/

Post your goals and join others in the challenge to “get it done!”

At 9:00 AM EST, we opened the Winter 2015 Dissertation House at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC: An Honors University in Maryland). We have a wonderful group of students from UMBC and UMB in house, and we invite you to join us. Our Dissertation Coach is Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale. Dr. Carter-Veale is challenging the group to post “measurable” goals, and she urges everyone to be realistic so that each can accomplish an actual goal by the end of the week. Some people think that they will be able to accomplish huge tasks in a short period of time, and while you will be productive, we want to be sure that you are setting yourselves up for success. Therefore, it is not necessarily prudent to try to finish such a large task within a few days.

Graduate students who are participating in the Dissertation House here at UMBC had to apply to participate. If you are not participating in person, we invite you to join us online:

https://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2015-challenge/

Post your goals and join others in the challenge to “get it done!”

The following message was posted as part of the Dissertation House’s blog within the “Winter 2014 Challenge” thread.  It is repeated here so that those who read the general blog, will receive the message as well. At the time of the original post, there were 112 messages. Now, there are 134. Good job “DHers!”

The Winter 2014 Challenge thread is here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2014/. Feel free to join. The thread will be active until the end of June 2014.

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January 23, 2014

Buenos tardes a todos!!/Good afternoon to everyone!!

Estoy en Ecuador y estoy muy feliz porque hay 112 mesajes aqui!/I am in Ecuador and am very happy because there are 112 messages here!

Congratulations to all of you on your persistence! What does your persistence mean? If you blogged in during the snow storm, you have already proven that you have what it takes. You have drive and determination. That is a large part of the battle. The Dissertation House exists to assist you with navigating the process and adding “knowledge of the process” to your enthusiasm.

My message for you today is simple:

1) Don’t stop until you’re done!
Dr. Carter-Veale, Dr. Cortes, and some of you have seen people in the DH who felt frustrated, tired, and upset, BUT … they finished. They defended, handed in their dissertations, and walked across the stage with the big robe and the thick bars on their arms. That will be you … soon.

2) Pay close attention to the tips that you will receive in the DH.
These are tried and tested methods. With a pure heart, I ask you to “just do it.”

3) As much as possible, stay in close contact with your advisor.
Your advisor needs to know that you are working.You also want to be sure that you are on the right page and that the expectations are in sync.

4) Utilize the community that is being established in the DH. It helps!
Working on the dissertation does not have to be a lonely, isolated process. You are now surrounded by a community of scholars with like minds and goals. There’s energy there. Feed on it. Use it. Bask in it!

5) Embrace the process.
This is the hard one. The process is difficult, but there are parts of the process that are worth the frustration. The dissertation process teaches you how to deal with long-term projects, how to deal with contrasting personalities (e.g., your committee), how to deal with rejection, and how to handle your own emotions. This is a maturation process. You may not know all of the answers, but you learn how to investigate solutions, and you learn to think through options. You may not like all of the people with whom you’re working, but you learn how to negotiate for what you need, and you learn to appreciate the strengths that people bring to the table, regardless of whether or not you care for them personally. You can still learn from “Painful People.” You can still learn from people, even when they aren’t providing information or assistance in a way that is amiable or projecting a feeling of giving. Take what they provide and find its worth. Above all, learn to appreciate the process of becoming more adept in your field.

Overall, I’m sorry that I’m not there in person for this session, but feel free to make an appointment with me to talk when I return to UMBC in February. Good luck to all of you! Congratulations on your hard work and keep it up. Those letters … “P,” “h,” and “D,” are dangling, hanging around, waiting for you to finish so that they can accompany your name!

Best regards,
Renetta Tull

————————————————————————————–

The Dissertation House is a program of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP

Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale is the “Head Coach” for the Dissertation House.

The following message was posted as part of the Dissertation House’s blog within the “Winter 2014 Challenge” thread.  It is repeated here so that those who read the general blog, will receive the message as well. At the time of the original post, there were 112 messages. Now, there are 134. Good job “DHers!”

The Winter 2014 Challenge thread is here: https://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2014/. Feel free to join. The thread will be active until the end of June 2014.

————————————————————————-

January 23, 2014

Buenos tardes a todos!!/Good afternoon to everyone!!

Estoy en Ecuador y estoy muy feliz porque hay 112 mesajes aqui!/I am in Ecuador and am very happy because there are 112 messages here!

Congratulations to all of you on your persistence! What does your persistence mean? If you blogged in during the snow storm, you have already proven that you have what it takes. You have drive and determination. That is a large part of the battle. The Dissertation House exists to assist you with navigating the process and adding “knowledge of the process” to your enthusiasm.

My message for you today is simple:

1) Don’t stop until you’re done!
Dr. Carter-Veale, Dr. Cortes, and some of you have seen people in the DH who felt frustrated, tired, and upset, BUT … they finished. They defended, handed in their dissertations, and walked across the stage with the big robe and the thick bars on their arms. That will be you … soon.

2) Pay close attention to the tips that you will receive in the DH.
These are tried and tested methods. With a pure heart, I ask you to “just do it.”

3) As much as possible, stay in close contact with your advisor.
Your advisor needs to know that you are working.You also want to be sure that you are on the right page and that the expectations are in sync.

4) Utilize the community that is being established in the DH. It helps!
Working on the dissertation does not have to be a lonely, isolated process. You are now surrounded by a community of scholars with like minds and goals. There’s energy there. Feed on it. Use it. Bask in it!

5) Embrace the process.
This is the hard one. The process is difficult, but there are parts of the process that are worth the frustration. The dissertation process teaches you how to deal with long-term projects, how to deal with contrasting personalities (e.g., your committee), how to deal with rejection, and how to handle your own emotions. This is a maturation process. You may not know all of the answers, but you learn how to investigate solutions, and you learn to think through options. You may not like all of the people with whom you’re working, but you learn how to negotiate for what you need, and you learn to appreciate the strengths that people bring to the table, regardless of whether or not you care for them personally. You can still learn from “Painful People.” You can still learn from people, even when they aren’t providing information or assistance in a way that is amiable or projecting a feeling of giving. Take what they provide and find its worth. Above all, learn to appreciate the process of becoming more adept in your field.

Overall, I’m sorry that I’m not there in person for this session, but feel free to make an appointment with me to talk when I return to UMBC in February. Good luck to all of you! Congratulations on your hard work and keep it up. Those letters … “P,” “h,” and “D,” are dangling, hanging around, waiting for you to finish so that they can accompany your name!

Best regards,
Renetta Tull

————————————————————————————–

The Dissertation House is a program of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP

Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale is the “Head Coach” for the Dissertation House.

It’s winter and it’s cold. It’s the PERFECT time for you to join us for the PROMISE AGEP’s Winter 2014 Dissertation House Online. Click here to join. In addition to hosting the Winter 2014 Online Challenge, PROMISE will host a residential version of the Dissertation House on UMBC’s campus from January 21 to January 24, 2014 for UMBC’s students who registered in advance. Stay tuned for the Summer Dissertation House in July 2014 which will be available to doctoral students in programs throughout the University System on Maryland.

Unlike the residential programs that take place on individual campuses, the Dissertation House Online is open to any graduate student, from any university … anywhere! Join us online today.

It’s winter and it’s cold. It’s the PERFECT time for you to join us for the PROMISE AGEP’s Winter 2014 Dissertation House Online. Click here to join. In addition to hosting the Winter 2014 Online Challenge, PROMISE will host a residential version of the Dissertation House on UMBC’s campus from January 21 to January 24, 2014 for UMBC’s students who registered in advance. Stay tuned for the Summer Dissertation House in July 2014 which will be available to doctoral students in programs throughout the University System on Maryland.

Unlike the residential programs that take place on individual campuses, the Dissertation House Online is open to any graduate student, from any university … anywhere! Join us online today.

We enjoy hosting in-person events in Maryland for the Dissertation House, the Postdoctoral Writing Suite, and the new pilot “Writing for Publication” workshop. If you missed the deadlines for the in-person events, if you go to a school outside of Maryland, or if you can’t join us on campus, please strongly consider joining us online! You can blog with us and be part of the online community by introducing yourself, posting your goals, and recording your progress along the way. Our Winter 2013 cohorts will be blogging in full swing starting January 22, but you can begin now. Here are the links:

1) For “Writing for Publication” – blog here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/new-initiative-writing-for-publication-january-22-23-2013-umbc/

2) For the Dissertation House Winter 2013 Challenge, blog here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2013-challenge/

These events are hosted by PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP and The Graduate School at UMBC.

Related articles

• “Dissertation House,” “Postdoc Writing Suite,” & “Writing for Publication” – January 22-25, 2013 (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

We enjoy hosting in-person events in Maryland for the Dissertation House, the Postdoctoral Writing Suite, and the new pilot “Writing for Publication” workshop. If you missed the deadlines for the in-person events, if you go to a school outside of Maryland, or if you can’t join us on campus, please strongly consider joining us online! You can blog with us and be part of the online community by introducing yourself, posting your goals, and recording your progress along the way. Our Winter 2013 cohorts will be blogging in full swing starting January 22, but you can begin now. Here are the links:

1) For “Writing for Publication” – blog here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/new-initiative-writing-for-publication-january-22-23-2013-umbc/

2) For the Dissertation House Winter 2013 Challenge, blog here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2013-challenge/

These events are hosted by PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP and The Graduate School at UMBC.

Related articles

• “Dissertation House,” “Postdoc Writing Suite,” & “Writing for Publication” – January 22-25, 2013 (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

Join us for the Winter Dissertation House at UMBC.  Applications are due by December 14, 2012.

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If you are a Graduate Student at UMBC, and if you are working on your  graduate school courses, proposal, or dissertation, then this event is for you!The on-campus setting provides Dissertation House participants with productive and rewarding scholastic engagement. Students who participate in this program will spend each day thinking, writing, and sharing ideas about their doctoral dissertations. Students will learn effective time-management skills; learn how to set small manageable goals, and will meet with a dissertation coach in one-on-one consultations to discuss and address obstacles that might prevent them completing their degrees.This is a weekday (9 a.m. – 5 p.m., non-residential) commitment set for the week of Tuesday, January 22 – Friday, January 25, 2013.This information and other details about the Dissertation House can be found on: http://www.thedissertationhouse.com

Students from other schools within the University System of Maryland may apply and will be considered if there are spaces available. 

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Applications Due:  Friday, December 14, 2012 (Extended and Final Deadline!)RSVP  on MyUMBC by clicking “I can attend” here:  http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/14797

AND follow the link below for Applications Procedures.
http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/apply/