“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.” – Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, 1937 Nobel Laureate for Medicine
So far the term's going pretty well, I'm trying to log in as often as possible so I don't lose momentum. I've run into something where I could use some help, though.
One very unusual aspect to the Doctor of Health Education program at A.T. Still University is that the research is contained within the coursework. That means that starting with this very first semester I'll be working on my dissertation. That's exciting, but it also means that I have to start assembling my committee right away.
ATSU provides a committee chair, who oversees the part of the process in which my research and dissertation will adhere to the university's standards. But I'm to recruit two subject matter experts from outside the university who can
First, they must have a terminal degree, whether a research doctorate or a first professional doctorate: PhD, DO, MD, JD, etc. Second, they must have research experience beyond just a completing a dissertation. This means they must have published articles and be familiar with research processes. The criteria say that presentations are acceptable to meet this second requirement, but then add that if the person only has presented workshops and not also published papers or at least posters, then they won't meet the criteria.
The documentation says that external committee members are supposed to be supplemental, and shouldn't expect to spend more than a total of thirty hours reviewing materials over the course of my time in the program. Alas, there's no stipend, although any volunteers would earn considerable goodwill from me.
I need to have two people on board in a matter of weeks, so I've begun asking colleagues and acquaintances who they might know who would be ideal. Because I plan to research the education on nutritional aspects of a vegan diet, I'd like to find committee members who are vegan themselves. I know a number of vegans, but none who meet ATSU's professional criteria.
So, if anyone out there knows someone ideal, please have them contact me? I can best be reached at steve@hiresteve.com
Coming up, I report on my first completed week in the program.