Research Supervision
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Experienced supervisors

Overview and research

Experience as a supervisor tends to go hand-in-hand with experience as an examiner. In fact, many supervisors comment that they learn and develop each time they examine a thesis. Furthermore, each time they supervise a candidate to completion they consider that they are in a better position to examine.

Many experienced supervisors, particularly (although not only) those in the sciences, feel that as they progress in their career they grow away from the day-to-day skills and abilities that they had at the bench, and hence take on a different role with their students. Rather than offering the coaching and 'hands-on' support they provided earlier in their career, they become more of a mentor and sponsor. However, this requires them to find others who are able to support new candidates, often turning to post docs.

In addition to mentoring their students, many experienced supervisors find themselves mentoring less experienced supervisors. Some universities have policies that require staff new to supervision, to be on a panel where they are mentored by a more experienced supervisor, before they can be the principal or chair of the panel.

The above text was based on the following research:

Mullins, G., & Kiley, M. (2002). 'It's a PhD, not a Nobel Prize': How experienced examiners assess research theses. Studies in Higher Education, 27(4), 369-386.

Pearson, M., & Kayrooz, C. (2004). Enabling critical reflection on research supervisory practice. International Journal for Academic Development, 9(1), 99-116.

Ideas and tools

An excellent resource, particularly for staff working in laboratory settings, is Managing the right moves: A practical guide to scientific management for post docs and new faculty, from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Questions to ask yourself:

  • Do you feel confident that you are up to date with current policies and procedures?
  • How has your role as a supervisor changed as you have become more experienced?
  • How do you mentor less experienced supervisors?
  • What do you learn from examining a thesis now that you are more experienced?

ANU information

CEDAM, in conjunction with ANU Colleges offers workshops, seminars and special topic sessions for supervisors. Contact your College Associate Dean (Postgraduate/higher Degrees) for further information about the Research Supervision Induction Program conducted by CEDAM

Staff and HDR candidates can participate in the graduate award course EDUC8004 Research Supervision, which is offered as part of the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and the Masters in Higher Education. Further information regarding the two award programs (which are offered to ANU Staff on a HECS-waiver scholarship) is available from the CEDAM web site.

 

For College-specific information contact:

Currently colleges are compiling information for experienced supervisors at ANU. In the meantime, contact the College Associate Dean (HDR) for more general college information.