Finding a Thesis Advisor

Thesis advisor: 

Your Senior thesis must be advised by a Harvard faculty member. Given that ESPP is a multidisciplinary concentration, you are welcome to seek out faculty members with expertise in the environmental and/or policy realms from any Department. The best place to start is by looking at faculty who are currently serving on the ESPP Board of Tutors. In the past, ESPP Senior theses have been advised by faculty members from a diversity of Departments and Schools, including: Earth and Planetary Science (EPS), Economics, Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE), Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), Government, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB), the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). 

Strategies for finding an advisor: 

As you begin searching for a thesis advisor, it is helpful to start by reflecting on your academic interests: What courses have you enjoyed most? What drew you to ESPP in the first place? What are you passionate about learning more about?  Once you’ve identified some topics of interest, begin searching for faculty who work in the environmental and/or policy realm and whose research interests align most closely with your own. A good place to start is by browsing the websites of faculty on the ESPP Board of Tutors and HUCE Faculty Associates. As you navigate this process, we encourage you to meet with your ESPP academic advisor and the ADUS to discuss potential advisors. 

Strategies for working effectively with your advisor: 

The Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF) has some excellent advice for working with faculty, including how to set expectations and maintain a positive mentee/mentor relationship.