Summary of Graduation Requirements
Successful Thesis Defense and Submission
All students must write, defend, and submit their thesis. The defense takes the form of a public seminar followed by a closed session with the thesis committee. The thesis committee chair is responsible for communicating the result of the defense to the IGG Coordinator, who sends the committee official electronic paperwork to formally approve the thesis. Students submit their thesis document via ETD Administrator to the Office of the Provost.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Scientific Rigor and Reproducibility (SRR)
All students are required to be trained in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Scientific Rigor and Reproducibility (SRR). The Biomedical Graduate Studies Office coordinates these trainings and notifies students of dates and times they are offered. The IGG faculty are required to participate in ethics training once every three years to remain in the group. More information is available on the BGS website.
Trainee Talks
All IGG students must give at least one talk before graduating, preferably on the progress of his/her dissertation research. This can take the form of a presentation at the annual retreat or a presentation at a local or national meeting, or at the student seminars/Research in Progress talks held throughout the year.
Immunology Colloquium and Journal Club
We realize that the majority of scientific information and experience is gained not only from one’s work on a project but also through interactions with other scientists. Often critical insights come from the most unexpected directions. Recognizing this fact, the IGG encourages and requires participation in both formal and informal forums that promote interactions with other scientists and the free exchange of ideas.
First- and second-year students are required to attend the weekly IGG journal club and all students are required to attend the Immunology Colloquium. The student-organized Journal Club meets weekly at a time agreeable to all the current students. At each meeting, a student presents a review paper on that week's seminar speaker's area of expertise.. This exercise is to help students prepare for the material that will be presented at the seminar.
More senior students are strongly encouraged to attend both the journal club and colloquium, but the program realizes that in some cases other seminar programs and journal clubs may be more appropriate to their institutional obligations and interests.
Each year, the third-year class invites several distinguished scientists to visit the University as part of the Immunology Colloquium. The distinguished guest meets with faculty during the day, shares lunch with students, presents a seminar at the Immunology Colloquium series in the afternoon, and meets with faculty afterwards for an informal dinner. The student lunch provides an opportunity to discuss science in a relaxed environment.
Immunobiology Research in Progress
All students are required to attend Immunobiology Research in Progress. Attended by many members of the Penn Immunology community, this seminar series provides students as well as junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and other trainees the opportunity to share their work. This is also an important way for pre-thesis students to learn about potential thesis labs.
Annual Retreat
All students are required to attend the annual retreat for their first five years in IGG (6th years and above are optional attendees). The retreat features invited outside speakers and short talks and poster presentations by the Graduate Group trainees. All Immunology Graduate Group students beyond the second year will present a poster or talk each year at the retreat. Postdoctoral fellows in the laboratories of Graduate Group faculty are also invited to attend and present posters.
Individual Development Plans
Every BGS student is required to complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP) on an annual basis. An IDP is intended to help in the design of, and measurement of progress in, training. It is also intended to help in identifying short- and long-term objectives and relevant development activities. Each student should use the IDP that aligns with his or her progress in the PhD program and status as a PhD or combined degree student. The IDP is due August 1 of each year; however, any graduate group may employ a due date earlier than this, for example to maintain consistency with its advising schedule.