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The PhD-I Program builds on regular PhD Program and provides coursework, mentoring, resources, and support necessary for students to know how to bring their research to market. PhD-I Fellows take additional coursework in business, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and spend up to six months at an industry internship.
Acceptance into the PhD-I Program comes with up to five years of full financial support. For the first two years, you are supported as a graduate research assistant by your dissertation research advisor. Following satisfactory performance, you will receive up to three years of unrestricted funding to follow your ideas, independent of your advisor's research program, and to gain the skills necessary to build an enterprise—such as a start-up company, a new division of an established company, or a government or non-profit enterprise.
Hear from program director Eric Fossum, John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies of Engineering, Vice Provost of Dartmouth's Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer, Queen Elizabeth Prize Laureate, and inventor of the CMOS active pixel image sensor used in almost all cell-phone cameras.
Sensors impact the lives of nearly every human being, and new and emerging sensor technologies are key for scientific discovery. This track supported by—NSF's National Research Traineeship (NRT) program—is for entrepreneurially-minded graduate student researchers focused on sensor technology applications and commercialization.
The Program also offers the option of a Training Program in Surgical Innovation (TPSI)—or "surgical track"—for students wanting to focus on innovations that improve the safety and outcomes of surgical procedures. The program prepares graduates for careers in surgical research and development of technology that can help solve problems, save lives, and improve outcomes in operating rooms. Hear more from Keith Paulsen, the Robert A. Pritzker Professor of Biomedical Engineering.
We occasionally host a webinar for students interested in learning more about the Program. Please email us if you would like to be notified about upcoming sessions.
You can also view a recently recorded webinar.
View the selection below or browse the full PhD-I Program video playlist.
"As a PhD Innovation Fellow, I was both a traditional PhD student doing research and an entrepreneur in training. I have always been passionate about clean energy. I loved that my thesis wouldn't just sit on a shelf, but could be commercialized to advance impact in this area. The PhD Innovation Program set me up perfectly for that." Read Danielle's full Alumni Portrait>>
Applicants must meet all prerequisites and requirements for the standard PhD degree program. New PhD applicants, as well as current engineering PhD and MD-PhD students are eligible to apply to the PhD-I Program. These students are advised to consult with their faculty advisor and Professor Eric Fossum, Director of the PhD-I Program, prior to applying.
Admitted students work with a special advisory committee to see that all of the following PhD-I Program requirements are met:
PhD-I Fellows must fulfill all the requirements listed for first-year PhD students and PhD candidates. However, students pursuing the PhD-I may be excused from the requirement to complete ENGG 197 because of the overlap in skill development gained by ENGG 321.
Once admitted to candidacy, the student works with a special advisory committee to make sure that all the requirements for the PhD-I Program are met.
| COURSE TYPE | NUMBER OF REQUIRED COURSES | COURSES |
|---|---|---|
Innovation Core | 4 courses | ENGM 180: Accounting and Finance ENGM 187: Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (typically taken in the second year of the PhD program) |
|
Innovation Elective | at least 1 course | Choose at least one course, from the following One or more graduate-level technical courses outside the student’s area of expertise.* |
Industry Internship | 1 course | ENGG 300: Enterprise Experience Project To gain first-hand familiarity with how technology innovation is implemented in companies, students will arrange a full-time internship for a period of three to six months. The company must be engaged in some facet of technology innovation. Under special circumstances, students may be allowed to work on their own startup. Students with significant prior experience in a company may request waiver of the internship requirement. While students are on their internship, paid (normal) or unpaid, they will not receive a stipend. They will be eligible for health insurance through Dartmouth if they request it. Prior to starting the internship, students must see Thayer Finance (Cummings Hall, Rm. 135A). |
* The innovation elective requirement is in place of the engineering breadth course requirement in the standard PhD program.
COURSE TYPE |
PHD PROGRAM | PHD-I PROGRAM | PHD-I PROGRAM: TPSI |
|---|---|---|---|
Total Coursework | 11-13 courses total (six courses during the first year) | 15-17 courses total (six courses during the first year) | 15-17 courses total (six courses during the first year) |
Engineering Specialization | four courses (year one) | four courses (year one) | four courses (year one) |
Applied Mathematics | at least two courses (year one) | at least two courses (year one) | at least two courses (year one) |
Professional Skills Development | three courses | three courses | three courses |
Engineering Breadth Electives | at least two | N/A | N/A |
Innovation Elective | N/A | at least one course | at least one course |
Innovation Core | N/A | four courses | four courses |
Surgical Rotation and Training | N/A | N/A | three terms (year two) |
Innovation Internship | N/A | Full-time industry internship for a period of up to 3-6 months | Full-time industry internship for a period of up to 3-6 months |
Original Research and Dissertation | Required | Required | Required |
| Year | Regular PhD Program | PhD-I Program |
|---|---|---|
1 | 100% Thayer Fellowship or | 100% Thayer Fellowship or GRA |
2 | 100% Thayer Fellowship or GRA | 50% Thayer Fellowship or GRA 50% PhD-I Program Fellowship |
3 | 100% Thayer Fellowship or GRA | 50% Thayer Fellowship or GRA 50% PhD-I Program Fellowship + Up to $10K/yr Research Grant |
4 | 100% Thayer Fellowship or GRA | 100% PhD-I Program Fellowship + Up to $10K/yr Research Grant |
5 | 100% Thayer Fellowship or GRA | 100% PhD-I Program Fellowship + Up to $10K/yr Research Grant |
… | 100% Thayer Fellowship or GRA | N/A |
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate program is open to any registered Dartmouth graduate student or postdoctoral researcher, with permission from their principal investigator (PI).
Participants in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate program do not qualify for PhD-I funding.
Learn how Dartmouth Engineering's graduate programs could be a great fit for you. Connect with faculty, staff, and students, and navigate the application process.
Jessica Moody
PhD-I Program Coordinator
jessica.moody@dartmouth.edu
