Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC)

After completion of the Preliminary Qualifying Examination (PQE), a Dissertation Advisory Committee is formed to oversee the student's dissertation research. This committee is often the same as the Preliminary Examination Committee. Dissertation Advisors are not members of the Dissertation Advisory Committee but are expected to attend all Committee meetings.  

Forming Your DAC  

The DAC must consist of at least three members, one of which will be a faculty member of the Immunology Graduate Committee below is a list of members plus additional faculty who have been approved to sit on the committee:

  • Andrew Luster, Arlene Sharpe, Branch Moody, Catherine Wu, Diane Mathis, Duane Wesemann, Francisco Quintana, Frederick Alt, Isaac Chiu, Ivan Zanoni, Jonathan Kagan, Judy Lieberman, Kai Wucherpfennig, Marcela Maus, Marcia Goldberg, Michael Brenner, Michael Carroll, Michael Starnbach, Nir Hacohen, Phillip Kranzusch, Shiv Pillai, Stephanie Dougan, Thorsten Mempel, Timothy Hla, Ulrich von Andrian, Vijay Kuchroo, Wendy Garrett

One of these individuals serves as the DAC chair. Other members may be chosen from the Immunology Program faculty, other Harvard departments, or from other area universities (only one member of the DAC may be from outside of the Immunology Program).  All committee members must hold an academic appointment of at least an Assistant Professor or higher.  It is advantageous to the student to choose Committee members who are generally available for consultation.

Meetings

The first meeting should take place within 6 - 9 months of their PQE exam. The Dissertation Advisory Committee will meet every 6 to 9 months (see Timeline for Completing the Degree on the right). It is the student's responsibility to arrange these meetings in a timely fashion. Students who are significantly late in arranging DAC meetings will not be permitted to register for the following semester. The Committee Chair will be responsible for submitting the DAC report for each meeting to the Program Administrator immediately following the meeting.

The Dissertation Advisory Committee has the responsibility to the University to assure that the requirements of the Program and of the Office for Graduate Education are being met by the candidate. A major role of the Committee is to assist the dissertation advisor and the student in deciding when to close off further experimentation and to begin writing. If a student has questions or problems of any kind, he or she may seek help from the Chair or any member of the Committee.

Preparing for Each Meeting

In order for the Dissertation Advisory Committee meeting to be most productive and informative, the student must write a two page summary of the work completed since the last meeting and submit it to the members of the Committee, ideally one week before the meeting and no later than 48 hours before. This summary will also be attached to the Dissertation Advisory Committee Report.  

The summary should adhere to the following format:

  • Specific Aims: A restatement of the original Specific Aims of the dissertation project.
  • Studies and Results: An account of the studies conducted towards each Specific Aim, including both positive and negative results. The report should also describe any technical problems encountered and how they were addressed.
  • Significance: A brief discussion of the significance of the findings to the broader scientific field of immunology and how they contribute to advancing knowledge.
  • Plans: A summary of the future plans to address any remaining Specific Aims, including any modifications to the original experimental approach. If major changes in the research plan have occurred, a more detailed document may be required.

This report will serve as a basis for discussion during DAC meetings and will be submitted as part of the NIH-style Progress Report (2 to 3 pages). It is essential to keep these reports concise and focused on scientific progress.

In addition, the student must complete an  IDP form prior to every DAC meeting and email it to the Program Administrator.