Revised August 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Required Classes ………………………….…....……………………………………………….…………….
Page 3
Advisor Selection ……………………………………...………………………….…………………………..
Page 4
Required Trainings ………………………………………………………………………….………...………
Page 5
Exams
M-Exam ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 5
Q-Exam ………………………………………………………………………………………………
Page 6
A-Exam ………………………………………………………………………………………………
Page 7
B-Exam …………………………...………………………………………………………………….
Page 7
Annual Assessment …………………………………………………………………………………………..
Page 8
Selecting a Special Committee ………………………………….……………………………………………
Page 8
PhD Timeline ………………………………………………………………………………….……..……….
Page 10
Student Status
In Absentia …………………………………………………………………………………….….…. Page 11
Leave of Absence ……………………………………………………………………………….…..
Page 12
Academic Integrity …………………………………………………………………………………...…...…
Page 12
Important CBE Links ……………………………………………………………………………….………..
Page 13
Student Resources ……………………………………………….......……………………………………… Page 14
Faculty Expectations for MS&PhD Students …………………………………………………………...……. Page 15
Advisor Expectations …………………………………………………………………………...…………… Page 17
Fellowships ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 18
If changes to the handbook are made during the school year, the DGS will email an
updated version to all MS & PhD students.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 2
1st Year PhD Required Classes
PhD
All incoming PhD candidates are required to take five courses within their first year in the program. In addition to the
academic courses, there is a seminar series which all CHEME graduate students are expected to take every year.
Fall semester:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CHEME 7310: Advanced Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
CHEME 7510: Mathematical Methods of Chemical Engineering Analysis
CHEME 7110: Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
CHEME 7620: Principles and Practices of Grad Research
CHEME 7900: Chemical Engineering Seminar
Spring semester:
6. CHEME 7130 - Chemical Kinetics and Transport OR CHEME 7770 - Advanced Principles of Biomolecular
Engineering
7. CHEME 7900: Chemical Engineering Seminar
MS Required Classes
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
MS
Page | 3
Advisor Selection
MS & PhD
The selection of a research advisor (“chair of your thesis committee”) is the most important activity of the fall semester
Note: Even if you are already confident about your advisor selection, you should embrace this process as an opportunity
to explore all opportunities within the field. Conversely, the advisor cannot commit to accept you into his or her
research group prior to the completion of the advisor selection process (end of October). Finally, you are not authorized
to work in a lab until you have documented the completion of all safety trainings through Cornell courses.
In light of the importance of advisor selection, we have organized the process along the following milestones:
1. Faculty presentations will take place on the dates show below. Virtual attendance at these presentations is
mandatory for all PhD and MS students. Attendance will be taken at each advisor presentation. If you cannot
make it for any reason contact Bianca (bpb76@cornell.edu) to explain why you will not be able to attend.
All other presentations will take place from 12:10-1:20 PM in Olin 128.
Every Tuesday and Thursday from September 8th – September 29th
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 4
2. MS students are required to meet with three faculty members.
PhD students are required to meet with at least four faculty members.
3. Make sure that each of the faculty members that you meet with sign your Advisor Selection Form. We
encourage students to attend lab group meetings and to talk to the current students about their experience in
the lab and group.
4. You will then complete the Advisor Selection Form where you will choose the faculty you would like to work
with in order, starting with the faculty you would most like to work with.
5. We will then begin the matching process which will attempt to match your top faculty members with the
faculty’s top student choices. Please keep in mind, that there are only so many spots available in each lab, which
is why it’s imperative that you attend all of the lunch sessions and speak with multiple faculty that you are
interested in. Although there is no guarantee, the first advisor choice can be matched in vast majority of cases.
Required Trainings
MS & PhD
Below are the required trainings for MS and PhD students. The classes must be taken before the start of the fall 2021.
1.
2.
3.
4.
CPR
First Aid
Lab Safety
Chemical Waste Disposal
CPR/First Aid Requirement for CBE graduate students:
All CBE graduate students (PhD and MS) are required to complete both CPR and First Aid training as a graduation
requirement. Log in to CULearn (culearn.cornell.edu) and search EHS 5350 (CPR) and EHS 5360 (First Aid) for available
classes.
Sign up online and then attend class at the EH&S offices on Palm Road across from the Vet School. We
recommend signing up as early as possible (especially for First Aid, which is given less frequently than CPR) so that you
do not have to scramble to find an available class before the end of your first semester.
Lab Trainings
Once you join a lab coordinate a meeting with the lab safety officer (LSO) to discuss trainings and safety protocols. The
official safety training requirements for each lab are also available on the CHEME Intranet.
Exams
MS & PhD
MS Exam (M-Exam):
There is one required exam for MS students, the M-Exam, also referred to as a thesis. The M-Exam is an oral exam which
place in front of the MS students special committee. A masters student takes the final M-Exam upon completion of all
requirements for the degree but no earlier than one month before completion of the minimum registration
requirement. This oral exam covers the topic of the master’s thesis.
CHEME Field Recommendation:
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 5
1. All students should submit a written thesis document (as defined by their special committee and any graduate
school formatting guidelines) to accompany the M-Exam oral exam.
a. The thesis document could be a publication preprint, a publication draft, a thesis proposal, a research
report, or a summary of their research and plans to complete their thesis (the details of what is to be
included will be as defined by their special committee).
b. This written thesis document should be delivered to the special committee no later than two weeks
before the M-Exam to allow enough time for committee review.
2. M-Exam oral presentations are open to the “public,” i.e., department-wide participation is encouraged.
3. The examination portion of the M-Exam will be closed following a period of public questions.
4. All members of the special committee must attend the M-Exam either in person or remotely.
5. Faculty members may participate via video conference but at least one member must be physically present, on
campus with the student. Faculty who are participating remotely may designate one of their colleagues to sign
the results form on their behalf.
Scheduling your exam: The Graduate School policy mandates that you provide seven days’ notice to schedule your MExam. The DGS will not sign your scheduling form unless you are compliant with this deadline.
PhD Exams:
There are three required milestone exams for PhD students:
1. Qualifying Exam (Q-Exam)
2. Admission to Candidacy Exam (A-Exam)
3. Dissertation Defense Exam(B-Exam)
Q-Exam
The Q-Exam is a field requirement which students take after their first year in the program. The Q-exam consists
of three parts: 1) your core course grades; 2) a research proposal; and 3) your advisor’s evaluation of your progress to
date. These pieces are assembled and sent to a committee of three faculty members, who review it and make detailed
recommendations which are then discussed by the entire faculty in late August. The outcome of this discussion is
recommendations for your future progression in the program, which can be anything from an outright pass, suggestions
for remedial coursework, advanced writing instruction, or recommendation for an MS with possible re-evaluation.
Q-Exam Procedure
Graduate students enrolled in the field’s PhD track will be required to take CHEME 7920 and write a fellowshiptype research proposal as an integral part of the course. The proposal should be drafted following discussions with a
potential advisor as part of the advisor selection process, a writing exercise/assessment, and fellowship proposal
preparation.
Students will work towards the goals written in this proposal (or write another one if the advisor has changed) as
a roadmap for their first-year research leading up to the Q-Exam. In this way, expectations are clear from the advisor
what is to be achieved by the time the Q-Exam report is written.
The Q-Exam is to be completed by the end of the summer of the first year (following their second semester). The
Q evaluation is based on:
1. Performance in core courses; the minimum expectation is a B average for all cores and none below B2. Evaluation of the content and quality of the written research report
3. Progress in research to date & advisor endorsement
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
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A-Exam
They A and B exams are both a graduate school requirement. A student is admitted to doctoral candidacy after
passing a comprehensive examination administered by the student’s special committee. This examination is either oral
or written and oral, as determined by the special committee. The passing of this examination certifies that the student is
eligible to present a dissertation to the graduate faculty.
The A-Exam may be taken after two semesters of registration have been completed in a PhD degree program or
MS/PhD degree in the same field. All doctoral students must complete the Examination for Admission to Candidacy
before beginning their seventh semester of registration in the PhD program.
Grad School Policy:
The special committee must be formed no later than the end of third semester of study. The A-Exam must be done by
the 7th semester. A petition is required after this for each semester delay.
CHEME Field Recommendation:
Our expectation is that, under normal circumstances, students will graduate within 5 years. For this to occur routinely,
students will be expected to schedule their A-Exam sometime between the 4th-6th semesters. All CBE students are
expected to schedule their A-Exam before the end of the 6th semester.

All students should submit a written document (as defined by their special committee) to accompany the A-Exam
presentation.
o The document could be a paper preprint, a paper draft, a thesis proposal, a research report, or a summary
of their research and plans to complete their doctoral degree (the details of what is to be included will be
as defined by their special committee).
o The expectations for the A-Exam will be communicated to the student during the first special committee
meeting (Year 2).
o This written document should be delivered to the committee no later than two weeks before the A-Exam
to allow enough time for committee review.




A-Exam presentations are open to the “public,” i.e., department-wide participation is encouraged.
The examination portion will be closed following public questioning.
All members of the special committee must attend the meeting.
Faculty may participate via Skype but one member must be physically present, on campus with the student.
Faculty who are participating remotely may designate one of their colleagues to sign the results form on their
behalf.
Note about scheduling your exam:
The Graduate School policy mandates that you provide seven days’ notice to schedule you’re A-Exam. The DGS will not
sign your scheduling form unless you are compliant with this deadline.
B-Exam
A doctoral candidate takes the Final Examination upon completion of all requirements for the degree but no
earlier than one month before completion of the minimum registration requirement. A minimum of two semesters of
registration must be completed between passing the A-Exam and scheduling the B-Exam. This oral exam covers the
general subject of the dissertation.
B-Exam Procedure
Note that following these recommendations is always at the discretion of the committee.
 The expectation is that students will finish their PhD in 4-5 years.
 Students should continue to host committee meetings each year after the A-Exam until the B-Exam is completed
to stay on track.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 7
By the Graduate School Code of Legislation:
A complete thesis draft must be delivered to committee no less than six weeks ahead of the defense so that the
committee can evaluate if it is suitable for defense. There is no exception to this rule unless you obtain explicit
permission from everyone on your committee.
 At least five business days before the defense, the student must give each member of the committee a final
version of the thesis.
o This version of the thesis may require modification following the examination, but is expected to be in as
close to final form as possible.

 Once the committee approves of the draft version (but not necessarily the final document), then scheduling of an
oral defense can be made.
 Students should plan to commit to spending two weeks after the defense to make thesis edits mandated by the
committee.
 The oral defense is to be announced with no less than seven days of public notice of the date.
Note about scheduling your exam:
The Graduate School policy mandates that you provide seven days’ notice to schedule your B-Exam. The DGS will not
sign your scheduling form unless you are compliant with this deadline.
Annual Assessment
MS & PhD
Student Progress Review: SPR
The Graduate School Assessment: Student Progress Review
A graduate student’s progress toward the degree is determined not only by the quality of work completed
(gauged through faculty evaluations, Student Progress Reviews, and formal exams) but also by the length of time spent
in pursuit of the degree. For research degrees, the Graduate School measures this progress in terms of registered
semesters. Registration requirements are intended to ensure that all students for the degrees of the Graduate School
have satisfactory opportunity for concentrated study, in most cases on the Ithaca campus, and for participation in the
cultural life of the University. A PhD student is required to complete six semesters and an MS student is required to have
four semesters of full-time registered status.
Rule: The special committee chair shall provide qualitative feedback on student progress for each year of study, from
the second year through the completion of the degree, using the Student Progress Review form. Students are required
to complete a self-assessment, reflect on progress towards established academic goals, report on professional
development activities, and identify future plans and timeline. All work done by a student in fulfillment of an advanced
degree shall be freely available for inspection and evaluation by any interested member of the graduate faculty.
For more information visit: https://gradschool.cornell.edu/academic-progress/requirements-milestones/student-progress-review/
Selecting a Special Committee
MS & PhD
MS:
Rule: Master’s degree students must complete their Special Committee selection by the end of the second semester.
What Constitutes a Special Committee?
A master’s student must have at least two members of the graduate faculty on the special committee—one in the major
subject (the chair) and one in a minor subject.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 8
The Philosophy
The selection of the special committee is up to the student in consultation with his/her major advisor. Theoretically,
your minor/s can be in any field; however, in practical terms, you will want to select faculty who will, in some way,
contribute to or support your research goals.
The Power of the Special Committee
The faculty member who represents a particular subject/concentration on the committee determines the specific
requirements for that student (e.g. coursework needed). The committee, as a whole, evaluates the student at the time
of the M-Exam and determines whether you have met the appropriate standards for original research contributing to
the knowledge base of the field.
Procedure
You add committee members through your student center (link just below advisor box to “Graduate Committee
Selection”).
Students who do not have their full committee approved by the end of their second semester will have a hold placed
on their registration for the third semester.
PhD:
Rule: The Graduate School requires that all doctoral students have a full special committee no later than the end of the
3rd semester.
What Constitutes a Special Committee?
A minimum of three members of the Cornell graduate faculty constitute a special committee for a PhD student.
1. One member, the chair of the committee (major advisor), represents your major field and concentration.
2. One minor member must represent a minor outside of Chemical Engineering
3. The third minor member may either:
• Represent another minor outside of the field or
• May be an internal minor in some subspecialty of Chemical Engineering
To find the faculty members of any given field, go to: http://gradschool.cornell.edu/academics/fields-of-study/fields and
look under faculty toward the bottom of the first page for the field. To find all of the fields to which any given faculty
member belongs, go to the same page, on the right hand side (Narrow your Search) you can enter the faculty member’s
name at the top and check the box halfway down “Filter by Faculty”. This will display all of the fields and concentrations
that person can represent.
The Philosophy
The selection of the special committee is up to the student in consultation with his/her major advisor. Theoretically,
your minor/s can be in any field; however, in practical terms, you will want to select faculty who will, in some way,
contribute to or support your research goals. The field requires that at least two of the members of your committee are
qualified to read and understand the technical aspects of your dissertation.
The Power of the Special Committee
The faculty member who represents a particular subject/concentration on the committee determines the specific
requirements for that student (e.g. coursework needed). The committee, as a whole, evaluates the student at the time
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 9
of the A-Exam and B-Exam and determines whether you have met the appropriate standards for original research
contributing to the knowledge base of the field (approving your dissertation). Students are encouraged to meet with
their full committee at least once a year to ascertain that everyone is in agreement regarding the progress toward the
degree (Hint: committee members can be useful allies)
Procedure
You add committee members through your student center (link just below advisor box to “Graduate Committee
Selection”).
Students who do not have their full committee approved by the end of the third semester will have a hold placed on
their registration for the fourth semester.
Timeline
PhD
Suggested Timeline Towards PhD Degree
Semester (month)
1st semester
(August/September)
Benchmark/Comment
Meetings with prospective advisors/labs. Students are strongly encouraged to explore a
number of different laboratories, meeting with the faculty member and with current lab
members. Many students attend lab meetings for the labs of interest. Attendance at all
advisor selection presentations is mandatory and attendance will be taken at each
presentation.
1st semester
Complete required base safety trainings for PhD students: CPR, First Aid, Lab Safety,
(October/November) Chemical Waste Disposal
2nd semester
(May/early June)
Decide on minor members for the Special Committee. The Special Committee must have
at least three members: the PhD advisor (a CHEME field member) and two Cornell faculty
members, one of which should be non-CHEME. Students should meet with prospective
minor members to discuss their willingness to serve as a minor committee member and
their potential contributions to the student’s planned PhD program. Class requirements
for the minor fields should also be identified and discussed.
2nd semester
(June-August)
Prepare for Q-Exam. Instructions will be sent out in late May or early June about the QExam expectations.
5th or 6th semester
Completion of A-exam. The A-exam must be completed before the beginning of the 7th
semester (4th year). Taking the A-exam earlier offers the advantage of providing an early
opportunity to collect constructive feedback on the planned PhD research project.
Students should have sufficient preliminary data to support the motivation of the work
and the (general) feasibility of the approach. Prior publication is not required. Students
should discuss expectations with their PhD advisor and Special Committee members
well before the 6th semester.
Students should meet at least once annually with their Special Committee to discuss
research progress and, particularly from the ~8th semester on, to discuss the plans
required towards graduation. Materials such as an updated CV, conference abstracts,
publications and transcript, should be distributed in advance of the meeting
5th to 10th semester
10th semester
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Completion of B-exam, thesis submission, and degree conferral.
Page | 10
Student Status
MS & PhD
Student Status vs Registration Status
Student Status defines the student’s current relationship with the university as active, on pause, completed, or
withdrawn.
Registration Status is the official recognition of a student’s relationship with the university and authorizes student’s
access to campus resources.
Registered Status
 Active and engaged in full-time study on Campus (Ithaca, Weill, Cornell Tech, Geneva) or In Absentia,
(100+ miles from Ithaca)
Non-registered Status
 Leave of Absence (Personal and Health)
 Leave Upon Completion
 Withdrawal
Events Triggering a Change in Status




Doing an internship
Personal or health reason
Off campus research
Starting a job



When chair leaves Cornell
Approaching degree completion
Writing dissertation
In Absentia
In Absentia is a registered active status that provides an opportunity for graduate students to engage in fulltime study at an off campus location (at least 100 miles away from the student’s campus). Tuition is $200.



Conducting research for an extended period of time at a location far from campus.
Traveling to another institution for an extended period of time to use library, archival, laboratory, or
other resources to advance your scholarship.
Taking courses at another university that are not available at Cornell.
PhD students are eligible for in absentia after completion of two semesters, masters students after completion
of one semester. Both can be in absentia a total of eight semesters.
 PhD students may not complete more than two of the required semesters of registration while
approved for in absentia study.
 Masters students may not complete more than one of the required semesters of registration while
approved for in absentia study.
In Absentia Status Rules
 In Absentia Petition
o Study plan and documentation required
o Travel registration with Travel Registry required for international travel
 Not eligible for TA, 20 hour limit for RA & GRA
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 11



Auto enrolled in GRAD 8000 for fall and spring only
Not automatically extended, new petition justifying need is required
Auto enrolled in SHP required for fully funded PhD students
In Absentia Petition (R5) – Due to current university travel restrictions, the in absentia request form is available only by
request. Extension of prior in absentia status may be approved for students who are remaining at an approved remote
location. Special circumstances will be reviewed on a case by case basis. The link to the online form can be requested by
contacting Graduate School Student Services at gradstudserv@cornell.edu.
Leave of Absence
Leave of Absence is a non-registered status that allows students to temporarily separate from the university and
can be granted for personal or health reasons. Students who take a leave of absence relinquish access to campus
facilities and services that accompany student status.
◦ Planned, between semester leaves for job or internship
◦
Planned, mid semester for when completing degree requirements
◦
Unplanned, mid semester leaves for personal or health reasons
International students who take a leave of absence must either (1) leave the United States or (2) receive
approval for another visa status. Students on the Health Leave of Absence may have options for remaining in the United
States for a limited, specified duration of up to 12 months.
Leave of Absence Rules



Personal Leave of Absence is requested using the Leave of Absence form. Health Leave of Absence is
recommended by Cornell Health.
o Students are required to notify university of planned personal leaves by the end of the term
they currently have registration status.
o Unplanned leaves can be requested anytime during the current semester.
o Leave upon completion available to students who have met all degree requirements.
Can extend for a period of up to 12 months, can be renewed annually to a maximum of four calendar
years.
o Renewal request must be submitted one month prior to the leave expiring to avoid withdrawal.
o Time spent on leave of absence does not count towards time-to-degree limits.
Cancellation of SHP may be required
Academic Integrity
MS & PhD
All CHEME Students are required to adhere to the Cornell University Academic Integrity Code.
1.
2.
3.
4.
A student shall in no way misrepresent his or her work.
A student shall in no way fraudulently or unfairly advance his or her academic position.
A student shall refuse to be a party to another student's failure to maintain academic integrity.
A student shall not in any other manner violate the principle of academic integrity.
Examples of violations of the Academic Integrity Code include:
1. Knowingly representing the work of others as one's own.
2. Using, obtaining, or providing unauthorized assistance on examinations, papers, or any other academic work.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 12
3.
4.
5.
6.
Fabricating data in support of laboratory or field work.
Forging a signature to certify completion of a course assignment or a recommendation to graduate school.
Unfairly advancing one's academic position by hoarding or damaging library materials.
Misrepresenting one's academic accomplishments.
It is in your best interest to be familiar with the Academic Integrity Code.
You can read more here - http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/aic.cfm
To further illustrate the point of Academic Integrity, see below. These are specific examples of student collaboration that
are both ALLOWED and NOT ALLOWED for CBE courses.
Collaboration that is ALLOWED




Working on homework within a
cohort for the purpose of discussion
and learning
Talking with your TA or other senior
students about materials and
strategy for learning
Talking about the contents of a
research paper with your cohort or
group
Using code from previous final
projects or web sources with
attribution
Collaboration that is NOT ALLOWED




Sharing of any material (old
homework, tests, assignments, etc.)
between cohorts (i.e. senior grads)
w/o professor permission
Asking senior students to solve
problem for you
Copying anything (even one
sentence) from any web or print
document, unless source is stated
and the quote is short
Using code from previous final
projects or other sources without
attribution
Important CBE Links
MS & PhD
Door Access Request:
Building access will be provided through your student ID/keycard. In the event that you need access to additional
rooms/labs, you will need to complete a Door Access Request Form, which is available at the link below. Physical keys to
labs and offices can also be requested through this link. The request must be made by filling out the same form but
separately from keycard access requests, however. Please be aware that if you are requesting access to specific labs,
there are required safety trainings that will be required prior to obtaining a key.
https://dooraccess.coecis.cornell.edu/
1. A complete list of safety requirements for Olin Hall labs can be found here:
https://www.cheme.cornell.edu/cbe/intranet/safety/safety-training-requirements
2. Please attach the required safety certificate trainings for the requested labs to the Door Access Request form.
The certificates should be saved as a single pdf document before being uploaded.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 13
Required Lab Training:
All students who will have access to labs must complete safety training for their specific labs. Please work with your
advisors to ensure you have completed the required trainings prior to requesting keys or starting work in the lab.
IT and Facilities Help:
If you are experiencing any problems with computers or printers in the basement computer labs (log-in issues, program
access, printing problems) or if you see a building issue that should be addressed such as a plumbing leak or door
malfunction, please request assistance from IT or facilities through this link:
https://help.coecis.cornell.edu/index.php?/Default.
Graduate School
The Graduate School’s website (https://gradschool.cornell.edu) contains a wealth of information about the services
provided, including a comprehensive staff directory (Https://gradschoo.cornell.edu/about/staff-directory ).
Student Resources
MS & PhD
Staff & Faculty Contacts
TITLE
NAME
Director of Graduate Studies
(DGS)
Graduate Student Services
Coordinator
(GFA)
Tobias Hanrath
Bianca Burns
CONTACT IFO
Email: th358@cornell.edu
Phone: (607) 351-2544
Office: 350 Olin Hall
Email: bpb76@cornell.edu
Phone: (607) 255-4550
Office: 152 Olin Hall
Research Resources and Facilities:

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

Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility (CNF)
Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR)
Biotechnology Resource Center
Cornell RNA Sequencing Core
Genomics Facility
Cornell Stem Cell Program
Cornell Energy Systems Institute
Libraries:



Cornell Library Catalog
Engineering Library
Passkey to access online journals
Career Development and other Resources:
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 14

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
BEST Program to Enhance training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to prepare for
careers beyond conventional academic research
Pathway to Success Program
Career Services for Graduate Students
Tax information
International Student & Scholars Office
Student Health Plan
Funding Opportunities:







Information on fellowships offered by the Cornell Graduate School (see the left sidebar)
Cornell graduate school fellowship database
Overview of opportunities
NIH Fellowships
NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
Cornell Conference Travel Grants (Conference Grant Application)
Child Care Grant Program to offset expenses for graduate student-parents
Cornell Rules, Guidelines, and Policies:




Graduate School Policy and Regulations
Cornell Graduate School general information
Code of Academic Integrity
Grievance procedures, including third-party mediation
Relevant Cornell forms


Graduate School forms
Graduate School resources
Diversity and Inclusion resources (Engineering):




http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/engdiversity/
Health and Wellness resources
International Student resources
Responsible Conduct of research
CHEME Faculty Expectations for MS & PhD Students
MS & PhD
These faculty expectations are a composite of Cornell CBE faculty opinions and the wealth of external writings on this
topic.

Above all else, we expect you to always behave in a strictly ethical manner. You are expected to conduct yourself
with the highest personal integrity. These high standards are expected in all aspects of your work, especially in
the tasks of collecting, analyzing, and presenting research data. There is an implied expectation that if you see
unethical behavior in the group, you say something to your advisor.

Equally importantly, we expect that you will observe all safety regulations and conduct your research in a safe
manner. This includes an expectation that your workspace will be maintained in a neat and clean manner. This
expectation covers lab and office space and shared spaces. Your commitment to safety affects everyone else in
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 15
Olin Hall. If you see something unsafe, tell someone. We expect you to contribute to the strong safety culture of
CBE.

We expect that you will work assiduously and full-time towards uncovering the nature of the scientific
phenomenon that you are studying. Your thesis must convey a new and unique topic of research that you have
discovered.
Some faculty are willing to suggest what this might mean in terms of hours and others do not. But everyone agrees
that a PhD is not a “9 to 5” effort. Remember that time working on the project may not just mean time spent in
the “lab,” but also time spent thinking about and reading about your project. Inspiration for solving roadblocks
can come from a variety of sources. Resilience is key. Note that how quickly you emerge from a “valley” depends
on how much time you put into solving the roadblock.

We expect you to be a team player. You are not competing with the other students in the group either for
resources or the PI’s attentions. Indeed, PIs highly value a team player who is willing to share best lab practices,
whether this means a protocol for experiments or help debugging a computer code. A collaborative atmosphere
in a research group invariably raises the morale and productivity of that group. “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Collegiality and respectful treatment of others in the group is a universal expectation.

We expect you to communicate regularly and in a timely manner with your advisor. We estimate that at least
90% of problems that arise between advisor and a graduate student can be attributed to a failure of
communication. As you progress through the program, you will encounter difficulties of a professional (researchrelated) and/or a personal nature. Sharing your professional frustrations or difficulties openly with your advisor is
almost always preferable to allowing the advisor to guess why you are suddenly less productive. The extent to
which you share personal difficulties is up to you, but if they are affecting your mental or physical health, then
this is a conversation that you need to have. An advisor will not remove you from the group if you share that you
are clinically depressed, for example. Note that visits to Cornell Health will never be shared with your PI. They
could not get that information even if they asked Cornell Health staff directly.
o Good communication with your advisor is essential. We suggest that you make it a practice to respond
within 24 hours to your advisor’s email requests for action or comments. This response could be that you
will need some time to work on that; but responding that you heard them is important.
o If your advisor requires a monthly report, submit it on time. Being perennially late with reports is an
annoyance to the PI that inevitably degrades the way that you are perceived by your advisor, even if you
are a star in the lab. Effective communications will be even more important once you graduate and move
into the workplace whether in industry, government labs or academia.

We expect you to maintain detailed, organized and accurate laboratory notebooks and records (whether
physical and/or electronic media). When you leave the lab, these notebooks and all research data (physical and
electronic) remain the property of the laboratory and Cornell.

We expect you to thoroughly read literature related to your topic, as well as peripheral areas, when starting your
PhD project. You should be immersing yourself in those critical papers as soon as you join a lab. You should be
asking your advisor and fellow lab mates what papers to begin with and then dig deep into the bibliographies of
those papers. We expect that you will continue to read and stay on top of the current literature thereafter.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 16

There is no universal expectation in terms of original paper production. Expectations vary from group to group
and it is important for this aspect, and every other aspect, that you learn the group’s “culture” and specific
expectations that are reasonable given the nature of the work you do.

You may not be employed full-time while maintaining full-time student status. An exception to this is an
internship related to your academic program that has been approved by your advisor.
Advisor Expectations
MS & PhD
[Adapted from http://www.rochester.edu/college/gradstudies/policies/phd.html]
• Mentoring: to be given guidance and clear expectations about the necessary steps to complete your degree and achieve
the standards defined in your chosen area/field in your research productivity.
• Non-discrimination and non-harassment: to be treated in a fair, impartial, and professional manner in all dealings in
accordance with university policies governing discrimination and harassment.
• Collegiality: to have a collegial, welcoming environment in which to pursue your research, teaching and professional
activities, where students are respected as valuable members of the community.
• Fair treatment: to be given appropriate credit for your work and provided clear guidelines on authorship, data
ownership, and research practices when engaged in joint research projects.
• Conflict of interest: to receive appropriate instruction about conflicts of interest so you can avoid being placed in a
situation that creates a conflict of interest. This could arise, for example, if the PI has a company and you are asked
to perform research from which that company will benefit without appropriate compensation and impacts
regarding the freedom to publish.
• Policies: to receive guidelines on academic policies and procedures.
What happens if communication with your advisor breaks down?
To whom can you turn for help?
Students are often concerned that if they are having difficulties with their advisor, from a personality mismatch to a more
serious dispute, there is nowhere and no-one to whom they can turn for help. We suspect that, in most cases, the student
says nothing and just endures the situation until they leave. There are people to whom you can turn. These include:
•
The DGS. It is part of their responsibility to listen to you describe the situation, to suggest strategies to mitigate
or resolve the issue, and to follow through, if necessary, with the advisor in a manner that will safeguard your
relationship with your advisor. If you feel unsatisfied with the response from the DGS, you can ask for an
appointment with the School’s Director.
•
Diversity Programs in Engineering. Students of color and women may find assistance and certainly their attention
to your issue.
•
If you are experiencing mental or physical problems or difficulties communicating with your advisor, you may seek
help from Gannett or from the Graduate School (especially Janna Lamey).
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 17
Janna Lamey: Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Life
janna.lamey@cornell.edu
Fellowships
A (non-exhaustive) list of graduate student fellowships opportunities.
Susan Daniel, updated 12/9/2017
Fellowship name
NSF GRFP
URL
https://www.nsfgrfp.org/
National Defense
Science and
Engineering Graduate
(NDSEG) Fellowships
SMART service
scholarship
https://ndseg.asee.org/
https://smart.asee.org/
Requires a commitment to work for the DoD as a civilian for
some period of time
Ford Foundation for
Minorities
http://sites.nationalacade
mies.org/pga/fordfellowshi
ps/index.htm
- All U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. permanent residents, and
individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, regardless of race,
national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual
orientation
- Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement
- Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at
the college or university level.
HHMI International
Student Research
Fellowships
https://www.hhmi.org/dev
elopingscientists/internationalstudent-researchfellowships
National GEM
http://www.gemfellowship
Consortium Fellowship .org/students/gemfellowship-program/rulesand-requirements/
Notes
- MS not eligible
- Can apply as a UG senior and once as a graduate student
(either 1st or 2nd yr)
- Usually due in late Oct. or early Nov.
- Open to international students
- Second or third year of PhD study
- Did not hold in 2017
- Under-representation: Candidates are targeted for
participation who are members of the following underrepresented groups in science and engineering as defined by
the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- American Indian/Native
- African American/Black
- Hispanic American/Latino
- Citizenship: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or U.S.
permanent resident at time of application.
- GRE: Applicants will be asked to provide test dates and/or GRE
scores when available.
- Applicants must directly apply to a minimum of three (3) GEM
Member Universities STEM graduate departments.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 18
NIH NRSA Individual
Predoctoral
Fellowships (Parent
F31)
https://www.nigms.nih.gov
/training/indivpredoc/Page
s/predoctoral-fellowshipparent-f31.aspx
NIGMS supports advanced predoctoral research fellows in
fundamental biomedical science relevant to the NIGMS
mission. Students are expected to be in their third or fourth
year of graduate training and to have progressed to Ph.D.
candidacy by the time of award. Applicants must have
identified a research sponsor and a dissertation project that
must be in basic biomedical sciences relevant to the NIGMS
mission, and includes a promising approach to the problem as
well as strong training potential. The proposed mentored
research training is expected to clearly enhance the individual’s
potential to develop into a productive, independent research
scientist.
NIH NRSA Individual
Predoctoral
Fellowships to
Promote Diversity in
Health-Related
Research (F31)
https://www.nigms.nih.gov
/training/indivpredoc/page
s/predoctoral-fellowshipdiversity-f31.aspx
The purpose of this fellowship award is to enhance the diversity
of the health-related research workforce by supporting the
research training of predoctoral students from population
groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in the
biomedical research workforce. Such individuals include those
from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, those with
disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Students are expected to be in their third or fourth year of
graduate training and to have progressed to Ph.D. candidacy by
the time of award. Applicants must have identified a research
sponsor and a dissertation project that must be in basic
biomedical sciences relevant to the NIGMS mission, and
includes a promising approach to the problem as well as strong
training potential.
NASA Space
Technology Research
Fellowships
https://nai.nasa.gov/career
s/nasa-space-technologyresearch-fellowship-forfall/
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) seeks to
sponsor U.S. citizen and permanent resident graduate student
researchers who show significant potential to contribute to
NASA’s goal of creating innovative new space technologies for
our Nation’s science, exploration, and economic future. This call
for graduate student fellowship applications solicits
applications from individuals pursuing or planning to pursue
master’s (e.g., M.S.) or doctoral (e.g., Ph.D.) degrees in relevant
space technology disciplines at accredited U.S. universities.
National physical
science consortium
grad fellowship
https://www.npsc.org/
- Open to all American citizens
- Providing an annual $20,000 expense allowance, bringing total
funding to as much as $120,000
- Lasting for up to six years
- Covering full tuition and required fees
- Applicants at any stage of their graduate program may apply,
as long as they will be available to accept two summers of paid
internship with a government agency.
- Allowing a research or teaching assistantship
Note: may be eligible for top off from grad school.
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
Page | 19
DOE Computational
Science Graduate
Fellowship (DOE CSGF)
https://www.krellinst.org/c
sgf/
- U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens
- Students in engineering and the physical, computer,
mathematical or life sciences
- Undergraduate seniors
- First-year graduate students (M.S. degree or Ph.D. students
without an M.S. degree)
Stewardship Science
Graduate Fellowship
(SSGF)
https://www.krellinst.org/s
sgf/
The DOE NNSA SSGF is open to any U.S. citizen or permanent
resident alien planning full-time, uninterrupted study toward a
doctoral degree at an accredited U.S. university. Those eligible
to apply include senior undergraduate students and first- and
second-year graduate students focusing their studies on high
energy density physics, nuclear science, or properties of
materials under extreme conditions and hydrodynamics.
DOE Office of Science
Graduate Fellowships
http://science.energy.gov/
wdts/scgf/
Students pursuing graduate training in basic research in areas
of physics, biology (non-medical), chemistry, mathematics,
engineering, computational and computer sciences, and
environmental sciences relevant to the Office of Science
mission areas
NRC Research
Associateship
Programs (RAP)
American Association
for University Women
International
Fellowships
http://sites.nationalacade
mies.org/PGA/Fellowships/
PGA_046301
http://www.aauw.org/wha
t-we-do/educationalfunding-andawards/internationalfellowships/
Big list of many resources…
Link Foundation
Fellowships And
Grants In The Energy
Field
The Link Foundation
Modeling, Simulation,
and Training
Fellowships
The Science &
SciLifeLab Prize for
Young Scientists
http://www.linkenergy.org
/
2-year fellowships of $28,500/year for students working
toward a Ph.D. degree.
http://www.linksim.org/
1 YEAR FELLOWSHIPS of $28,500 for PhD students in areas that
Modeling, Simulation, and Training.
http://www.sciencemag.or
g/site/feature/data/prizes/
scilifelab/
Each year, the grand prize winner will receive a prize of
US$30,000; each of the three category winners will receive
US$10,000. The grand prize winning essay will be published in
Science and essays from the three category winners will be
published online.
Semiconductor
Research Corporation
Fellowships
https://www.src.org/stude
nt-center/fellowship/
SRC offers various doctoral fellowships and master's
scholarships through the Global Research Collaboration (GRC)
and one doctoral fellowship, the SRC/NRI Hans J. Coufal
Fellowship, through the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
- International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or
research in the United States to women who are not U.S.
citizens or permanent residents.
- Recipients are selected for academic achievement and
demonstrated commitment to women and girls. Recipients
return to their home countries to become leaders in business,
government, academia, community activism, the arts, and
sciences.
Page | 20
(NRI). Additionally, the Graduate Fellowship Program (GFP) and
Master's Scholarship Program (MSP), both having a focus on
improving diversity for underrepresented minorities and
women, are funded through SRC and the SRC Education
Alliance and is made available through an annual call and
application process beginning in November of each year for
awards the following fall.
Intel Fellowship
Travels grants
Cornell Conference
Travel Grant
Cornell Research
Travel Grant
Novus Biologicals
Travel Grant
CBE MS/PhD Handbook
http://www.intel.com/cont
ent/www/us/en/jobs/locati
ons/unitedstates/students/internships
/masters-phdfellowships.html
The Intel PhD Fellowship Program awards fellowships to PhD
candidates doing work in fields related to Intel's business and
research interests. These fellowships, available only at select
U.S. universities, include tuition, a stipend, a travel grant, and
an introduction to an Intel mentor. PhD Fellowship students are
also prioritized for internships and full-time positions.
http://gradschool.cornell.e
du/costs-funding/travelfunding-opportunities
http://gradschool.cornell.e
du/costs-funding/travelfunding-opportunities
Grants of up to $675 are open to research degree students to
travel to a professional conference at which they are
presenting.
Grants to conduct thesis/dissertation research of up to $2,000
are open to research degree students, with priority given to
those who have or will have completed their A exams by the
date of travel.
The next grant from Science Impact is a $1000 (USD) award
kindly sponsored by the team at Novus Biologicals. Open to
PhD students, post-docs and new PIs working in wet-lab lifescience research environments.
http://scienceimpact.co/no
vus-biologicals-travelgrant/
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