Doctoral Consortium

2nd PHM Society Doctoral Consortium

Sunday October 10, 2010, Portland, Oregon

The Doctoral Consortium provides an opportunity for graduate students to present their research interests and plans at a formative stage in their research. The students will receive structured guidance from a panel of distinguished researchers as well as comments from conference participants and fellow students in a collegial setting.
The PHM Society Doctoral Consortium will be held as a workshop on Sunday October 10, 2010, a day prior to the main conference. To allow sufficient time for discussions, the organizing committee will select up to 10 students. Each selected full-time student will received a travel subsidy of up to $1500US (based on daily meal allowance, and receipts for accommodation and transportation). Complimentary conference registration will also be provided. Students presenting at the Doctoral Consortium are also invited to present a poster of their research at the conference, and their two page thesis abstract will appear in the conference proceedings. All students attending the conference are invited to attend the Doctoral Symposium even if they are not presenting their work.

In order to participate, you must submit the following documents to the Doctoral Consortium co-chairs (see below) by July 7, 2010:

  1. A two page abstract of your thesis with a concise statement of the problem addressed, the expected contributions, and the proposed plan including the work already performed (see last year’s abstracts as examples). Your abstract needs to follow the conference paper submission template (Word or LaTeX).
  2. A CV with educational, employment and other experience to underscore the expected contributions of the student to the event. The CV must also clearly indicate the beginning and expected graduation dates and the contact information for your supervisor(s).
  3. A one page statement of why this opportunity is important to you and how you will contribute to the process.
  4. A brief support letter or email from your supervisor – may be emailed directly to the co-chairs.

Although preference will be given to doctoral students, the committee also invites applications from master’s students. We accept submissions from any topics relevant to the conference. The evaluation will be based on the quality and completeness of the submission package, stage of research (preferably at the early stage of the research so that constructive feedback from the panel can be incorporated into the thesis), and on the perceived research potential of the candidate. Notification of acceptance will be provided by July 16, 2010. Accepted candidates will receive detailed instructions regarding preparation for their presentation at the doctoral Consortium.

Please note the following:

  • Students who participated in last year’s Doctoral Consortium are not eligible to participate again this year.
  • Travel reimbursement and free registration is only available to full-time students. Part-time graduate students who are employed in the industry are welcome to participate, but they will not be eligible for travel reimbursement and free registration.

PHM Society Doctoral Consortium Chairs:
Jeff Bird, National Research Council Canada
Sylvain Létourneau, National Research Council Canada