Our Students
The MET graduate program typically has between twenty and thirty students. Some come directly from undergraduate, while others are returning to academia from the workforce. Some have participated in enrichment programs, such as SROP’s and PREP’s, others have had experience working in laboratories at their home institutions, and for some, their first extensive research experiences come as part of the graduate program. They come from across the country and across the world.
Led by a vibrant Student Liaison Committee, students engage in leadership and outreach opportunities. A comprehensive curriculum provides training not just in toxicology, but in professional development and responsible conduct. A compassionate group of program leaders are dedicated to the success of all the students in the program, even if the definition of “success” changes during the course of the student’s graduate career.
Our students come from a variety of background and experiences to become leaders in Toxicology. This allows for our alumni to become leaders in a multitude of fields. Don’t you want to join us?
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A Purposely Diverse Student Body
Molecular & Environmental Toxicology has put an emphasis on recruiting and supporting a diverse community of scholars for its graduate program. Following the definition of the National Institutes for Health, we define diversity as those from underrepresented minority communities, those from first-generation households, those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, and those students with a documented disability.
In partnership with the UW-Madison SciMed-GRS Program, MET actively recruits and matriculates diverse communities of scholars to the program. This has included students from HBCU’s, Puerto Rico, schools that do not have the vibrant research environments of Tier One research institutions, and following interactions at conferences, such as SACNAS and ABRCMS.
At present, more than 35% of our student body comes from underrepresented communities. These students can expect to graduate in a similar time frame (+/- 6 months) of their peers.
MET Equity Ambassadors
In the Summer of 2020, MET implemented an “equity first initiative.” To this end, an Equity Ambassador was created. Occupied by a student, the position is dedicated to equity and diversity in all MET programmatic activities. The Ambassador attends all MET meetings, a reminder that the goal of equity is enduring and persistent. Further, the Ambassador reviews and recommends changes to all things MET-related, assuring that equity is at the forefront of program decision making.
Student Accolades
Specific Recognitions
- F31 Fellowships through NIH Institutes
- NSF-GRFP Awards
- MRC-SOT Young Investigator of the Year Recipients
- American Heart Association Fellowships
- Department of Defense Fellowships
- University Awards
- Morgridge Fellowships
- Zaman-Saroya Graduate Award for Excellence
- Wisconsin Distinguished Fellowship
Beyond the Bench
MET encourages students to participate in events that will help them stand apart from their peers when applying for positions at and around graduation. Research and publications are good ways to do this, but there are more.
The curriculum of MET exposes students to two professional development-style classes in their first year to help them prepare to create competitive proposals to national agencies, so that the students can secure their own funding.
Opportunities for engagement abound for students. Whether through program, campus, or national organizations and societies, students are able to present at conferences and network with peers to build upon their CV and identify future position opportunities.
Our students are engaged in their research and utilize that and other tools to stand-out beyond their peers. The listing at left is, but a sample of the accolades that our students have received.
Success Rates
Time to Degree
The average time to degree for doctoral students is 5.3 years. Doctorate students will be engaged in classes and research. Classwork will include both core and elective credits and most students typically complete classroom instruction by Year Two. Following a preliminary exam to move to candidacy / dissertator status, students spend approximately three years conducting the research outlined in their preliminary exam document, publishing research, attending conferences, and moving the science of their field.
Degree Completion Rates
The program prides itself on working with students and advisors to get students to degree. The average success rate of students entering the program for PHD and being successful is better than 75%.
Combined statistics for MS and PHD students indicate that better than 95% of those that enter this program will graduate.
Bottom line: If you are admitted to the program, we fully anticipate that you will leave with a degree.