Advisers
Each graduate student has an adviser to help design their program and to closely guide their mathematical development. The Director of the Graduate Studies (DGS) may also be consulted about any aspects of the requirements, planning the program of study, or any other matter pertaining to the graduate studies. A student in their first and second year is assigned an adviser from the Graduate Curriculum Committee in September of each academic year before they choose a dissertation advisor. A student preparing for the qualifying examination is advised by the chair of their qualifying exam committee. A student writing a dissertation isadvised by the dissertation supervisor.
It is vitally important that the students begin thinking about a possible dissertation supervisor sufficiently early in the program (normally toward the end of the first year or the beginning of the second). Students should be constantly browsing different areas of mathematics and discussing math informally with classmates and faculty, as they search for the fields which attract them most.
Students are advised to learn more about the research of the faculty members as early as possible, starting with the current listings of faculty and their research interests. Graduate students may organize seminars in which they invite faculty to explain their areas of research. Students are expected to attend department colloquiums, and may benefit from some of the many research seminars.
Graduate students with learning disabilities are encouraged to contact the Director of Graduate Studies and the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at ssd@northwestern.edu.