PhD Residencies and Meetings

All Gateway PhD post-graduate researchers must attend the annual in-person residency held in early August at the San José State University campus in San José, California. Students can choose from a variety of accommodations, and the university offers dormitory-style rooms on campus in the summer. Students are responsible for their own travel and lodging costs. 

The summer residency also serves as an orientation and working session for incoming students. Sessions are held on topics such as academic expectations, developing productive relationships with supervisors and other faculty and post-graduate researchers, and advancing research proposals and other student work. All Gateway PhD program faculty from the iSchool participate in the summer residency, with faculty representatives from partnering university also attending.

In addition to the summer residency, students are also required to attend a virtual residency in late winter

Monthly Virtual Meetings

Students must also attend monthly virtual meetings with all members of the Gateway PhD cohort. The sessions are held via Zoom web conferencing and run about two hours. The monthly meetings fulfill a variety of purposes. While students have regular contact with their supervisory teams, the monthly cohort meetings allow for the development of the full research community. One of the strengths of the program is the access students have to all Gateway PhD program faculty. The monthly meetings are an opportunity for students to get feedback from and participate in discussions with their student and faculty colleagues.