Year 1
Read broadly and deeply in area of interest
Apply for fellowships and student-oriented grants
Develop plan for summer project (by April)
Perform field or lab project in summer
Year 2
Apply for fellowships and student-oriented grants
Develop idea for dissertation research and begin writing dissertation proposal (by December)
Complete formal literature review, meta-analysis, proof-of-method, or proof-of concept related to dissertation idea (by end of Spring Quarter)
Submit manuscript from above study (by end of summer)
Perform field or lab project in summer
Year 3
Submit dissertation proposal to committee (by end of September)
Advance to Candidacy (by end of October)
Submit NSF DDIG proposal (October)
Perform field or lab research
Submit manuscript for completed lab or field work (by end of summer)
Year 4
Perform field or lab research
Submit manuscript for completed lab or field work (by end of summer)
Year 5
Complete remaining field and lab work
Apply for postdoctoral positions and funding
Finish writing dissertation
Defend dissertation and submit final version to UCI (by end of Spring Quarter)
Submit manuscript for completed lab or field work