Last edited Sept 23, 2026
Drafted by Kim-Vy Tran and Iuliana Banks based on resources from Charlie Conroy, Josh Wing, and others.
For the purposes of these guidelines, Higher Degree Research (HDR) students include SAO predocs, post-bacc (SPARK), and Southampton students.
These guidelines are to be shared with the supervisors and the students.
Core to our training mission is to ensure that students supervised by SAO scientists and engineers are able to fulfill the requirements of their academic program. While research supervisors are typically experts in their disciplinary fields, they may be less familiar with the formal structures, processes, and constraints embedded in contemporary degree programs. Supervisor guidelines are thus essential to ensure successful outcomes for both the supervisors and students within the required timeframe. Guidance includes making expectations explicit, supporting consistent and equitable supervision practices, and helping supervisors navigate both academic and pastoral dimensions of their role.
Clear, proactive communication is critical to the success of any research candidature, particularly within structured degree programs where milestones and completion timelines are strictly adhered to. This is especially true for international research students, who may face strict visa‑linked and/or scholarship deadlines (for example, 3.5 years for many Australian and UK PhD programs). There is also the added complexity of cultural differences, unfamiliar academic norms, and power asymmetries between student and research supervisor. Any mismatches in unspoken or unclear expectations about roles, responsibilities, communication, and progress can dramatically impact the student’s ability to meet the requirements for graduation and overall experience.
To support the development of the student’s career path. This includes both focused advising related to specific academic issues, research topics, professional development, etc., and broader mentoring related to career choices, work-life balance, etc. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to assist in the development of connections with other senior scientists who can ultimately serve as references and additional sources of mentorship for the student.
To provide research projects that develop specific technical skills and set students on a broad path of research that will remain fruitful beyond their time at the CfA.
To ensure a welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable engaging in a diverse array of scientific topics, challenging others, and being challenged themselves.
To recognize the student’s strengths and weaknesses and adapt the supervising strategy to suit the student.
To provide constructive and timely feedback both on the progress of the past week / month and, several times a year, on the overall status and direction of the thesis / postdoctoral appointment.
To be available as someone to talk with in case of bullying, harassment, or difficult social issues.
The advisor should ensure that the student has a secondary mentor, in case there are issues that cannot be brought up with the primary advisor.
To support the student as they transition from here to the next phase of their career.
To implement their responsibilities and expectations, each supervisor and student should create a supervising plan that incorporates your most effective advising/mentoring mechanisms and integrate approaches from other faculty members, as needed. Examples of topics that can be included in the advising/mentoring plan:
Communication
The initial orientation meeting between the supervisor and student.
Frequency and format of regular communications including meetings between the supervisor and student, e.g. weekly individual meetings and group discussions.
The scheduled reviews for student’s research and professional progression, e.g.:
SPARK interns meet with Research Advisory Panel (RAP) every 2 months
Predocs meet with Predoc Research Review Committee (PRRC) annually (at minimum)..
Continued involvement (after completing SAO appointment) – Does the supervisor continue to help advance the student’s career?
Research Progress
Meetings (group, sub-group, one-on-one) that are held to discuss research progress. (Comment on format, frequency, duration.)
Mention key topics that are included in these meetings, such as how to ask a clear, valuable scientific question, how to approach it experimentally and interpret data; relevant methodology; reasonable timelines; record keeping; research integrity; authorship order; and publishing practice
Supervisory and Collaboration Skills
Opportunities for the student to develop supervisory skills while doing the proposed research. These could include collaborating with other students, co-supervising undergraduates, and working with technical staff on the specific project or in more general tasks associated with the research group.
Students typically benefit from being included in supervisor’s weekly group meetings, consider including them in discussions and asking them to contribute.
Scientific Writing
Expectations regarding writing research papers or review articles, and responsibility of the student
Guidance and feedback that are given during the paper writing process, including regarding effective writing styles, how to present data, and how to choose a journal
Expectations about helping prepare research grant proposals including the student’s degree of responsibility and general guidance on formulating a grant proposal.
Presentation skills
Expectations to attend local, domestic and international meetings and present their work - Indicate which meetings will be most relevant for this advisee/mentee
What opportunities are advisee/mentee researchers given to practice communication, and what feedback for improvement is given?
Are there any classroom teaching opportunities, and if so, what?
Critical assessment skills
What opportunities are there for commenting on other research projects in the group; and for participating in journal articles and grant reviews?
What guidance is given on how to critique work effectively, in both oral and written formats?
Networking
● What steps will the advisor/mentor take to help the advisee/mentee researcher set up networking connections that will be useful during the course of the project and beyond? These would include finding a second mentor, and meeting leaders and peers in the field.
Career guidance
Mention any career guidance the advisor/mentor provides - This would include discussion during the annual review of realistic career options.
Is the advisee/mentee encouraged to access available CfA resources that would inform on career possibilities, as well as practical guidance on how to move to the next career step? These include workshops throughout the year on various careers, grant and proposal writing and opportunities, how to perform in an interview, and research group management.
Initial meeting:
SPARK interns have their initial meeting with supervisors in Week 1.
Predocs must have their preliminary meeting with the Predoc Research Review Committee (PRCC) approximately 6 weeks after their start-date.
Suggested topics to discuss during the initial meeting between the advisor/mentor and the advisee/mentee:
Career goals
Research project outline
Research group culture (including typical daily schedules, interactions, etc.)
Meeting schedule – (between advisor/mentor and the advisee/mentee; with the research group)
Expectations regarding supervision and independence
Networking skills and how to find an additional mentor(s)
Additional points raised by advisor/mentor and the advisee/mentee
Review of any required forms to fill out
Reviews:
Based on the discussion in the initial meeting, the advisor/mentor and the advisee/mentee can create an individual development plan that can be discussed during the annual review. Example of questions to address during the annual review:
Have any career goals and related timing changed during the last year? If so, please expand.
What progress has the advisee/mentee made towards stated career goals? Does the advisee/mentee feel that sufficient progress was made towards them? Does the advisor/mentor feel that sufficient progress was made towards them?
After reviewing this advisee/mentee’s own career goals and timetable, ask yourself: Are the goals realistic?
Briefly describe the research progress during the last year.
List the publications, presentations and seminars for the year.
List any honors and awards received over the past year by the advisee/mentee.
What opportunities for technical learning, acquiring teaching or mentoring experience, or developing other professional skills does the advisee/mentee plan to seek out next year?
What professional or career development issues would the advisee/mentee like to discuss?
Is this advisee/mentee researcher demonstrating progression towards independence? If not, what strategies could be recommended to reach this goal?
What are your expectations for this advisee/mentee for the next year?
What opportunities for technical learning, acquiring teaching or mentoring experience, or developing other professional skills could be beneficial to this advisee/mentee?
Information about mental health resources available across Smithsonian can be found here: https://sites.google.com/cfa.harvard.edu/intranet/organization/operations/mental-health-resources
SAO Ombuds team: https://sites.google.com/cfa.harvard.edu/intranet/organization/sao-ombudspersons-office
CfA/SAO Guide for Supervising HDR Students
Expectations:
Regular twice weekly meetings with advisory team to monitor progress, resolve challenges, and guide research trajectory
Every-other-week meetings with Cecilia and/or Josh
Every-other-week “research recap” SPARK cohort meeting to present results from the previous two weeks
Active attendance/participation in CfA seminars, group meetings, and networking opportunities – on topics relevant to your research, but always CfA colloquia
Create a research advisory panel (3 people including supervisor) and meet with them every other month
Attend SPARK training sessions once a month
Attend and present at an appropriate professional conference (AAS, AGU, NeurIPS, etc)
Present your research to the CfA
Document the results of your research in a professional report/manuscript
Attend and participate in the monthly SAORA journal club; including presenting one paper during the journal club
September
Week 1: Orientation and onboarding: introduction to CfA facilities and resources; meet advisor and discuss project scope. Meet everyday this week.
Week 2: Begin literature review and define the goals of the research project; skills training with advisor (software, data analysis techniques, computational methods). Meet 3 times a week with advisor.
Week 3: Class: introduction to astronomy software; work on AAS abstract with advisor → send draft to Cecilia and Josh.
Week 4: Refine and finalize research questions and objectives; begin to develop a detailed project timeline and work plan.
October
Week 1: Submit AAS abstract (usually end of Sept); develop a detailed project timeline and work plan.
Week 2: Initial meeting with research advisory panel.
Week 3: Class: how to write a grad school application.
Week 4: Should be deep into data collection, analysis, or simulations.
November
Week 1: Career panel (academic path); begin grad school application process (and associated grants).
Week 2: Preparation of preliminary results.
Week 3: SPARK training session “Intro to neural networks”.
Week 4: Presentation: how to give a science talk.
December
Week 1: Prepare poster presentation for AAS.
Week 2: Practice presenting poster; get feedback about poster/presentation; finish and submit grad school and grant applications.
Week 3: Meet with Research Advisory Panel (RAP); present initial findings, methodologies, and progress; get feedback from panel.
Week 4: SPARK training session: how to have a successful science meeting (how to network, how to present, etc.).
January
Week 1: Attend AAS.
Week 2: SPARK cohort meeting – report on AAS meeting and experiences.
Week 3: Continue detailed research work, deepen data analysis; adjust approach based on feedback from science advisory panel.
Week 4: SPARK training session: Neural networks for astrophysics.
February
Week 1: Data analysis phase: troubleshooting, optimization, improvement.
Week 2: SPARK training (observational astronomy).
Week 3: Meet with Research Advisory Panel (RAP) – discuss progress so far: Recommend discussing/deciding w/research advisory panel (RAP) about plans for research: paper?; how will their research be transferred; develop individual plan for what to do after, e.g. developing skills for industry.
Week 4: SPARK training (how to write an academic paper).
March
Week 1: Ongoing data analysis; begin thinking about how to organize a paper/report.
Week 2: SPARK cohort meeting – discussion about grad school and other options.
Week 3: SPARK training (how to write a successful proposal).
Week 4: Work on creating visualizations of results along with detailed summaries of Findings.
April
Week 1: Begin drafting outline of paper/report; identify suitable journals/conferences for submission.
Week 2: Meet with RAP – present outline, discuss next steps.
Week 3: SPARK training (career panel – non-academic careers, visit the OCC in Burlington).
Week 4: Share outline of paper/report with Cecilia and Josh.
May
Week 1: Begin preparing presentation for June CfA-wide showcase.
Week 2: Complete outline of paper/report; begin working on draft of paper/report.
Week 3: SPARK training (telescopes at the CfA – Chandra, EHT, SphereX, GMT, SMA, TEMPO).
Week 4: SPARK cohort meeting – practice presentations with group.
June
Week 1: Begin to wrap up research, move focus to writing paper/report.
Week 2: CfA-wide research presentation: present detailed findings and progress to the broader CfA community.
Week 3: Meet with RAP – present results, discuss paper/report, discuss feedback from presentation.
Week 4: SPARK training: visit the instrumentation labs at CDP.
July
Week 1: Continue working on paper/report revisions, incorporating feedback from advisor and advisory panel.
Week 2: Continue writing.
Week 3: SPARK training: how to handle a referee report.
Week 4: Begin process of submission of paper/report.
August
Week 1: Create a plan for transitioning the project to next steps (continue, hand-off, etc.).
Week 2: Complete submission of paper/report for publication; final meeting with science advisory panel.
Week 3: SPARK training: how to transition to a new appointment.
Week 4: End-of-program reflection: evaluate skills developed, knowledge gained, next steps.