Speaker 1: Good afternoon, everyone. My name is John Schaefer. I'm the associate director for graduate student success and professional development with the Graduate School. Welcome to our next professional workshop series session, which is selecting your thesis or dissertation chair and committee, and with us as our esteemed guest speaker. This afternoon is Dr. Juan Manuel Nino, who will be imparting his knowledge. As I mentioned before, if you can please make sure to hold any verbal questions until the end of Dr. Nino's presentation, and please keep your cameras off and muted during his presentation as well. If you would like to ask questions during the presentation, you are welcome to put those into the chat, and we can get to those during the presentation. Or we can get to those after Dr. Nino has completed his presentation. So, Doctor Nino, I will turn it over to you and you have access to share your screen.

Speaker 2: Thank you so much, John. Yeah, let my screen so that we can right now wrong sharing screen.

Speaker 1: Thank you. So let me make it a full. Yep, I can see you're good to go.

Speaker 2: Okay, well good. Thank you all. Welcome, everyone. I was introduced by John. My name is Juan Manuel Nino. I am an associate professor for the Department of Leadership and Policy Studies here. Today, I've been fortunate enough to be invited to share a little bit about the dissertation process, selecting a chair and selecting your committee members, and what are some of the roles or some of the kind of experiences or devices that we can share as a faculty member to students who are in doctoral programs here at UTSA and how forming your dissertation and your dissertation committee is what is critical and instrumental in both your personal and professional career goals, right? So a little bit about the traditional dissertation process that I would like to share with you is the five-study dissertation, the five-chapter dissertation study, right, where we are familiarized with the statement of the problem, the research question, right, the literature review, methodology, the findings, and going back to how it impacts practice, right? This is a traditional dissertation process. However, another dissertation process that I personally like to use is a six-chapter dissertation, right, where we try to address the problem of practice, right? We talk about the literature review, the methodology, the findings, and then the implications, but then we wrap it up again with reflections of the research. What is your commitment towards trying to personally try to solve or try to address the problem of practice or the problem that you're seeing in your field that you research has highlighted, but then how do you commit yourself as a researcher to try to expand that field of study? So it's important to address and to know the different processes that are involved in dissertations because as we're trying to shift the field of academia, especially now with the R1 designation for UTSAs, we're trying also to be innovative on how we can disseminate new knowledge to the dissertation process. And that dissertation process also is an alternative dissertation, which is a three-paper dissertation, right? Many departments, depending on where your doctorate is being granted at UTSA, is they get the opportunity to have a dissertation process, which is the three-paper dissertation. This is basically, it's a dissertation comprised of three article format that are ready for publication. Your committee will help you develop this. Three papers for your dissertation. So the reason why I like to begin with this end is because the end in mind, right? This is the culminating experience of your torture doctorate journey here at UTSA. We have three ways that we can do it. A traditional approach, a non-traditional approach, kind of a malleable process, and then the alternative dissertation process. Ultimately, it's guided by your dissertation. So what are the possibilities of doing that? So what is the best approach for you? Well, again, depending on where your degree is housed at here at UTSA, this is a collaborative decision determined with your supervising professor, with your chair, and the committee members, and ultimately your professional goals. Why are you here at UTSA pursuing this doctorate degree? So which of these best approaches will kind of commit you in that trajectory towards ascending in professional goals? So then we ask the questions about the dissertation committee, right? What is a dissertation committee? What does it do? Who serves as a supervising professor or as a chair? Who serves on your dissertation committee? And then how do you choose dissertation committee members? And then what can you expect from the committee members? And again, these are very elusive concepts because depending where you are housed at, as far as your degree is, the dissertation or thesis is going to be a very unique, very distinct characteristics, but the commonality is practically the same. And that's what I'll be sharing with you this afternoon. So as we engage in commencing our doctoral degree, we were all kind of assigned an advisor. An advisor is critical into the matriculation and the experience of the graduate degree here at UTSA. Advisor in graduate programs helps students navigate the program, the establishing with the students a realistic timeline for completing the various phases of the program. What should you do in the first year? What should you do in your second year? And so forth. Being accessible and they give you advice, they provide you feedback. This is where you start forging that relationship that is beyond just the professor-student role. It's more about the researcher, mentee, kind of a hat on, guiding the students in the selection of planning original work or the research topic that can be successfully completed within the expected timeframe for the degree. And we also encourage students in a system to attend and coprocent work at local, national, international conference. And also equally as important presenting is to co-publishing the work in appropriate journals or outlets, books, whatever called. And this is where the advisor, your faculty member kind of get kind of gave you that perspective. And this is very, it is a unique opportunity for you as a student to work with your advisor, to try to determine how is this relationship going to be established and committed to the next phase of your, of your doctoral degree. But also remembering that good mentoring practice entails responsibility, not only in the advisor, which is the faculty, but also as a student reach out to faculty members. Remember you are only one with one advisor. Many times as advisors, as faculty members, we have several students that we have to supervise. So acknowledging that mentor-mentee relationship so that it can be reciprocal and the learning can happen, mutualistic. It's important for that. We also, as a student, we also take responsibility and ownership of our role in how we seek this, this, this advisor. Then how do we shift from advisor to share? So that's why it's so critical that during the years that you're taking your courses, right? You're working with that faculty member who is deemed to be an advisor, right? You're working with that faculty member who is deemed to be an advisor. The advisor can then start building on the relationship, right? That established during the years of coursework and the research process. And most advisors traditionally transition to the sub, to the supervising professor, right? The chair of the dissertation study. And one of the key things is to ensure that students have an understanding of the relevant theories and the metrological and technical skills necessary for the research. Including the provisions of information through an ethical review process where it's applicable, right? You have to go through the IRB and hopefully as you engage in research projects, research designs, co-presenting, co-researching with the, with your advisor, you're able to learn from the experiences, learn from every opportunity that will help you get better prepared when you start doing the research study independently through a dissertation study, right? And we established with the students, a dissertation committee, early on in the dissertation, in early on in the dissertation stage, preferably after comprehensive or qualifying exams. So depending again, the language can be, look very distinct from, from what I've wrote here, a qualifying exam. Many departments call it a comprehensive exam, but the advisor to chair will help you supervise that, that key milestone experiences as you start kind of enhancing your, your, your skills to the next, to the next phase. So selecting your supervising professor or your committee chair, right? Well, one of the recommendations is choose the faculty member with a terminal degree, right? Who is tenured or tenure track within the program? Because sometimes your department, my house, different programs, I'm housed in a department that, that has two different programs. So again, it's just, ideally it would be wise to choose, but it's not the requirement, right? Because one of the, one of the, one of the, one of the, one of the, one of the, one of the, one of the, one of the key requirements is, is to the second bullet, to select a faculty member who has been influential in the events, in your advancement as a doctoral student, not so much as, as I've had it as a professor, I've never had him as a professor, but more in how has a professor influenced your development as a researcher, as a scholar, as a practitioner. Your supervising professor or the chair should be familiar with your topic or an advocate for you, right? Sometimes it's very difficult to find professors in your departments or in your areas with the specializations that you are of your interest. So it's not necessary that you need to find a, a, a professor with, that aligns with your topic, but someone that will advocate for you within your topic, right? And then you, you formalize it by treatment and an agreement from the faculty member to, to serve as your chair. And also, you need to be familiar with the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, once most faculty members, once they get in that chair position, they have established expectations for committee members, right? And once you agree, do you have to consult with your committee chair about other faculty members serving as part of your committee? So it's critical that as we start developing, securing who is going to lead, supervise our study as the chair, and then also consult with your chair as to how does then the committee look like? What is the makeup of this committee? Because sometimes chairs, have very different expectations as to the different roles that they will play. The chair role is, communication is key. This is the person that you'll be working with very closely for the next years as you conduct your, your, your, your inquiry, right? Your dissertation study. Communication is, is critical because that will allow you to pace yourself, get any constructive feedback, make sure that you're on track, and make sure that, that, everything that you've done to this point is, will allow you to be in good academic standing. Also, your chair, it, it, should reference you to relevant research and professional development resources in the field, using that, that chair's kind of network to help you advance your own research agenda. And also to contribute to the student's professional development through letters of reference and general advice, and also to advise in, in, in general career options, the job market availability. What does it look like for you once you start, once you complete this degree, or you complete this study, the study, what are those options for you? So a chair's role is, is, is a little bit more expanding than just supervising the dissertation study. So that's why it's critical that, that when you start working on, with your chair, to selecting committee members, that you look beyond just, who's going to help me read the dissertation and provide some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, some, you know, feedback, right? It's about building a dissertation that's going to be holistically supportive of your advancement, both professionally and, and, and personally in your goals that you seek to obtain. Your dissertation committee is instrumental in your academic and professional careers, building relationships with professors, with professors who work in your fields of interest. And like I said, just like your chair, it's going to be very difficult to find that person that closely aligns with, your research topic. Make sure that you kind of tap professors who align with your interests, not necessarily are, or who is of your interest, as far as their topic, but who show interest for student support, because they might be guiding you to research that is relevant, that is timely, and that can be impactful as you develop your study. Also, as you build your dissertation committee, talk with your advisor, talk with your professor, talk with your advisor, talk with your or your chair about taking courses outside, with an outside professor in another department. College is a great way to build a relationship with a potential outside member. I belong in the college, I am housed at the College of Education. However, most of our students do take all their, their courses in the College of Ed, but it would be uncommon for them to also take maybe in other departments or in other colleges that, that will help them either with their methods or with, their, their topic of interest that is not, or has not traditionally been addressed in the department, or to a course that they took, or they might spark an interest in a course they took, and they want to further develop that idea a little bit better. So it'll be a great opportunity, so also to work with your chair, and how you can build a dissertation committee member that is outside of your department, or out of your program. But unfortunately, luckily, or, unfortunately, your committee members will ideally work in your primary field of interest, which is a key advantage as you're starting to develop, and again, communication, how do you provide research and support, and it's also very helpful when your, that faculty member is in the primary field of your interest. And also as you approach faculty members in this, in this experience, to invite them to be part of your, our committee, is a one to two page prospectus prepared by approaching faculty, which should be critical, and not to say that you have to give them a, a whole, this is my, my statement of the problem, this is my methodology, this is how the analysis, no, just give them some, a very, a synthesis of what you're proposing to do. And I think that that will engage faculty members if they can contribute, or they can enhance some support as you continue that exploration. So what does a dissertation committee do? Well, the basic function of your dissertation committee, which typically consists of four members, that includes your chair, is due to, is to guide you through the process of proposing, writing, and revising the dissertation, right? It's an iterative process, right? You have four purposes with the chair supervising that study. They also serve as a mentor capacity of offering constructive feedback. They also usually formed once your, your, your, your coursework is completed, and it's uncommon for, also, the committee members to write and evaluate qualifying exams, comprehensive exams, depending what is that your department is using for candidacy. And luckily, by the time you begin to working on your dissertation, you may have known faculty members who will serve in your dissertation committee quite well, because you've had the opportunity to engage them in, as a professor, as a supervising mentor, in a course that you took with them. So that's kind of the opportunity, and the beauty of doing a dissertation towards the end of your program is that you take courses to not only learn from the research out there, but also learn how professors interpret their own research. How is their pedagogy, the andragogy when working with adult learners and how they use all these complexities to help advance students in the dissertation process. How you choose a dissertation? Well, you have to think carefully. I know that it's very tempting to go after faculty members who tend to be more published, who as AKA, doing the superstars in our department, in our field, that will help us, especially for those who are interested in academia, is having, how do we use professors kind of exposure network cloud to also bring our own presence into the experience. And I think that's something that we have to remember that it's not about how another professor, your supervising chair, that's going to help you complete your study, right? It's the support, the mentorship, the resources that they provide. So think, consult with your supervising professor for recommendations when it comes to committee members. Committee members are critical in the development and the advancement and the completion of a dissertation study. You can, a chair has to work and works collaboratively with the committee. So make sure that you consult with your supervising professor, your chair for the recommendations. Things that I always like to engage in students is that, not to avoid superstars, because I think that term is rather problematic, but working with folks who, faculty members who want to advance students, right? Who want to support. Who want to build that legacy or that, that longevity of their own research methodologies, their own research lines, right? So, select faculty members, you know, and you can learn from and with. And it's not an idea to approach a professor with score or challenge you because you know that you're going to need that as you start engaging. How do you look at your problem, your statement of problem through a different lens, right? How do you look at more critically? How do you look at through a different, and methodological approach through a different theoretical lens, right? So invite folks that you've been taking courses with. And that's one of the advantages that you would have learned what are some of the research interests, the research expertise from the faculty in your department. And also be mindful of the futures. Members of your dissertation committee can be your mentor school authors and research collaborators through your career. Choose them wisely. Choose someone that's going to support and advance you as a researcher, as a novice researcher, as a first-time tenure-track professor. Then reaching out to potential dissertation committee members. Talk to your chair before approaching anyone to be in your committee. It is critical that your chair is aware of who you plan to invite. And then once you know... who you want to, you want to make sure that you state any specific roles for each member, right? If you want for a certain member to come in because they bring a methodological approach that is innovative and you want to leverage that into your study or to bring a specific expertise when it comes to a certain population, certain demographics, right? Or a certain topic that you want for them to present and provide critical feedback, right? So specificity is always critical. It's always welcome. And I think that helps kind of clear out the expectations for the members in your dissertation committee. So when you build your dissertation committee, again, you... it's your chair with three other committees. And this might change a little depending on your program. But always get a core faculty member in your program. Then any professor in the department. And then also, number four here, it talks about a professor in another department. Which I briefly talked about. Maybe taking a course outside of your department, outside your school or college. And potentially also as a scholar practitioner, also you can invite someone who's an expert from an external institution. Maybe from a school district, from an organization, a nonprofit, or even another university that you can lend on their expertise to help you construct and develop your dissertation. And enhance your study. So the next steps, once you figure out who is your... Once you identify who are your candidates and who you have invited, then you're to commit the... And they have accepted your dissertation committee's form. And it's time to get down into business. Because now it's a time that you're able to highlight what is it that you want to do. I, as a faculty member, endure serving on many dissertations committees because doing so, it gives me the chance to work with doctoral students one-on-one as they journey into their frontiers and help redefine academia, right? It's the opportunity that your research needs to be innovative. And this is the space where you kind of build your trajectory. This is the platform where you're gonna launch into a career that is helping you learn what research can be and how it should be. And it's your approach that can help you and help academia be more inclusive, be innovative. So it's a deep, rich learning experience. And it's thrilling to watch students transform themselves into practitioners, scholars, because I think that that's critical that this whole series of being a PhD starts with a problem, a statement of the problem, right? So in order for us to address the statement of the problem, we have to go into the cycle of research, right? And it's cyclical in the sense that we're always, you know, in the cycle of research, right? And it's cyclical in the sense that we're always, you know, practicing our research, but we're practicing our research to improve our scholarship. So that's why it's critical that we never lose our identity as scholar practitioners or practitioner scholars in how we advance and continue doing our work within other institutions of higher education or within the fields that we set ourselves into after we complete our degree. And that will be it for me. And that will be it for me for this opportunity.