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Supervisory Committee

For each doctoral student, the Head of the department appoints a supervisory committee, on the advice of the Director of studies. The committee consists of

  • Departmental representative
  • Main supervisor
  • Co-supervisor
  • Scientific mentor

The overarching role of the departmental representative is to represent the department in relation to the individual doctoral students and their supervisors. This entails being responsible for the quality and content of the education of the individual doctoral student and to oversee that the university's and doctoral students' commitments are complied with. The departmental representative should have a general understanding of the research area of the thesis project, to be able to understand the conditions for the doctoral student’s research task and follow the progression of the education.

Duties for departmental representatives

  • to ensure that an individual study plan is established, on behalf of the Head of the department and in consultation with the supervisors and the doctoral student
  • to convene a doctoral student progress meeting at least once per semester, to follow up and revise the individual study plan as necessary, and to document this
  • to determine which courses and other components that are relevant to the doctoral student’s education and therefore reward credits (in compliance with the faculty’s guidelines)
  • to be responsible for arranging and assessing the mid-term review
  • to offer the doctoral student a career planning meeting shortly after the mid-term review
  • to ensure that all course credits are completed before the defence
  • to compile if there are special reasons for prolongation of the doctoral student’s studies (other than sick leave, parental leave, and commissions of trust), which measures have been taken, and how long prolongation is requested, and to check with the director of postgraduate studies
  • to ensure that the dissertation, the introductory summary and synthesis of the doctoral thesis, is ready to be defended and meets the faculty guidelines
  • to register the public defence of the thesis
  • to chair the public defence of the thesis
  • to follow up that the doctoral student applies for the degree certificate after passing the thesis defence

Beyond the responsibility for individual doctoral students, the departmental representatives have a joint mission to ensure that there are relevant activities to fulfil the “5 credits of broadening within the research area” for all doctoral students.

Departmental representatives which take new assignments

  • Stefan Andersson, Biodiversity
  • Charlie Cornwallis, MEMEG
  • Dennis Hasselquist, MEMEG
  • David O’Carroll, Functional Zoology
  • Pål Axel Olsson, Biodiversity
  • Allan Rasmusson, Molecular Cell Biology
  • Karin Rengefors, Aquatic Ecology
  • Johannes Rousk, MEMEG
  • Claes von Wachenfeldt, Molecular Cell Biology
  • Eric Warrant, Functional Zoology
  • Helena Westerdahl, MEMEG
  • Susanne Åkesson, Evolutionary Ecology

The supervisor is the doctoral student’s teacher and guide for the research project and supports the doctoral student throughout the entire education. The supervisor must be qualified as a docent and have permanent employment, or be employed at least for the duration of the education, at the department.

Duties for main supervisors

The co-supervisor should assist the supervisor and act as a deputy supervisor if the supervisor temporarily or permanently is no longer available at the department. The co-supervisor should have supervisory training and be employed in the department for at least the expected duration of the doctoral student’s studies.

Duties for co-supervisors

  • to contribute to the supervision and development of the educational project on the basis of supervisory expertise and/or specialist knowledge
  • to act as a deputy supervisor in the absence of the supervisor
  • to take over the supervision if the main supervisor is unable to complete the supervision assignment 
  • to establish an individual study plan, together with the departmental representative and in consultation with the doctoral student
  • to be available and take part in the doctoral student progress meetings

The doctoral student’s scientific mentor is a person who is outside the doctoral student’s research team and who can provide independent support, advice, tips and ideas on both research studies and careers. The advantage of having a scientific mentor is that the doctoral student’s network and perspectives are broadened. By meeting at least once per semester (for example over lunch) the mentor and the doctoral student can also discuss topics that one does not want to take up with the supervisors or the departmental representative (like work environment problems). The mentor meetings can be compared to an informal doctoral student progress meeting, without the supervisors. The doctoral student is responsible for taking the initiative to the meetings.

We recommend that the Mentor is a senior lecturer, professor, or have employment at least for the duration of the education, preferably within Lund University

Duties for scientific mentors

  • to provide the doctoral student with independent support and advice
  • to act as a sounding board
  • to provide the doctoral student with an additional perspective
  • to be available to the doctoral student at least once per semester
  • to participate in the first doctoral progress meeting, and in later progress meetings if the doctoral student wishes

Directors of Postgraduate Studies

Emma Kritzberg
Professor
Aquatic Ecology

Telephone: +46 46 222 40 79
E-mail: Emma [dot] Kritzberg [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se

Klas Flärdh
Professor
Molecular Cell Biology

Telephone: +46 46 222 85 84
E-mail: Klas [dot] Flardh [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se

Biology Doctoral Students Council

BDR – Biology Doctoral Students Council

Graduate School

Geneco graduate school on our external website.

Archiving PhD studies

Charlotta Thomaeus
Financial administrator
Department of Biology

Telephone: +46 46-222 45 98
E-mail: Charlotta [dot] Thomaeus [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se