The relationship with your PhD advisor is a crucial aspect of the PhD journey. In this talk, we will discuss the care and feeding of advisors: how a PhD student can actively manage the relationship with their advisor. Topics include things to think about when selecting an advisor, different advising styles, expectations that students or advisors may have, and expectations and constraints that both advisors and PhD students may have.

Stephen Chong is a Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Steve’s research focuses on programming languages, information security, and the intersection of these two areas. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER award, an AFOSR Young Investigator award, and a Sloan Research Fellowship. He received a PhD from Cornell University, and a bachelor’s degree from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.