Ronald D. Porter Director of Graduate Studies Associate Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics   103 South Frear Laboratory, University Park, PA 6802 Phone: (814) 863-4903 Fax: (814) 863-7024 Email: rdp1@psu.edu B.S. in biochemistry, Cornell University Ph.D. in biochemistry and genetics, Duke University

While no longer maintaining an active research program, Dr. Porter was involved for many years in research in the area of bacterial genetics. Although he dealt with genetic problems in a number of bacteria, his research emphasis involved recombination mechanisms in Escherichia coli and the genetics of the single-stranded-DNA-binding protein encoded by the E. coli chromosome as well as SSBs produced by conjugative plasmids from that microorganism.

Dr. Porter is currently the Director of Graduate Studies for the academic M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology (BMMB). In addition, he exercises academic oversight for the Master of Biotechnology professional masters program. As Director of Graduate Studies for BMMB, he oversees the academic development of all graduate students from matriculation to graduation. After conducting entry interviews with all new graduate students, he supervises an orientation and Teaching Assistant training program during their first semester. During that first semester, he manages the laboratory rotation program and then works with both new students and members of the graduate faculty to determine permanent research laboratory assignments. BMMB graduate students typically teach a section of a laboratory course or assist a faculty member in a lecture course twice during their first two years of graduate work, and Dr. Porter coordinates all graduate student teaching assignments and oversees all graduate student teaching activities and evaluations of teaching effectiveness.

While students select further coursework in consultation with their research advisors once they have been assigned to individual faculty research programs, Dr. Porter continues to monitor student progress and work with the students to make sure that they are meeting the overall academic requirements of the graduate program. He later prepares the report on the performance of second-year BMMB students that is presented at the annual meeting of the graduate faculty held for the purpose of determining whether or not students are advanced to Ph.D. candidacy. Once students have been advanced to Ph.D. candidacy, Dr. Porter oversees the formulation of their Ph.D. committees which consist of their research advisors and additional members of graduate faculty. Those individual Ph.D. committees administer comprehensive examinations and ultimately the final dissertation defense for each student. In addition to coordinating the scheduling of comprehensive examinations and final dissertation defenses, Dr. Porter oversees the graduate research progress seminar series in which third-year and fourth-year Ph.D. students present their own work to a departmental audience.

As chair of the departmental Graduate Affairs Committee, Dr. Porter oversees the formulation and implementation of all policies pertaining to BMMB graduate students. He works with the graduate student representatives who assist in organizing social activities for the students and who represent the overall graduate student population as a vehicle for providing student input on matters pertinent to graduate student affairs. Finally, Dr. Porter serves the BMMB graduate program in the role of ombudsman for all graduate students and graduate faculty members who want a forum for dealing with their specific concerns and conflicts.