The CMB rotation policy for Fall 2020 is as follows. Rotations can range from completely in-person, as they have occurred in the past, to completely virtual, including hybrid structures with both in-person and virtual components. Regardless of the structure, rotations should fulfill three criteria, (1) the structure should honor and respect the rotating student’s and the lab’s approach to health and safety, (2) the expectations of the student and the lab should be made clear at the beginning of the rotation, and (3) the structure should achieve the goal of providing the student and the lab the information they need to make a decision about the thesis lab choice.
In regard to the third point, the expectation is that rotating students will attend lab meeting, present at lab meeting, interact frequently and substantively with all lab members, contribute to the research mission of the lab, and work hard and thoughtfully. Furthermore, the expectation is that the lab will design a research project for the student that can be carried out under the constraints of the rotation structure, integrate the student into lab activities, convey information to the student about how the lab is organized with regard to day-to-day activities and research projects, and mentor the student. Please contact the CMB office if you have questions about whether your plan for rotations fulfills the CMB guidelines.
There will be three rotation periods: rotation 1 (from Sept. 8 – Oct. 2), rotation 2 (from Oct. 5 – Oct. 30), and rotation 3 (from Nov. 2 – Dec. 4). However, these dates can be adjusted, based on the needs of individual rotating students and labs. Please contact the CMB office if you would like to deviate from the standard rotation dates.
In the event that in-person lab rotations must be suspended at some point during the semester, CMB will make every effort to accommodate students in the lab selection process. CMB’s plan would depend on when in-person activities are suspended, and may range from postponing the end of rotations until in-person activities resume to moving rotations to a virtual format for the remainder of the semester. Our goal is to make sure students have enough experience in their lab rotations to make informed decisions while maintaining safety, and we will accommodate individual students’ situations as needed.
Please read the suggestions for faculty and rotating students for fall 2020 rotations.