Welcome to the RDI

Introducing the RDI

Key topics for doctoral success

What is the RDI?

The RDI is a multi-day intervention to provide a timely and preparatory experience to help incoming doctoral engineering students in their transition to their doctorate. Supporting this transition would likely increase the success and graduation rates of doctoral students.

This NSF-funded project supports institutions to develop and implement an RDI on their campuses.

Interested in hosting an RDI?

If you want to host an RDI in your institution, please complete the interest form and save the date to participate in the 2024 Showcase.

In this showcase, you will engage in workshops to design and adapt the RDI at your institution and learn how others implemented their RDI.

Interest form

If you wish to explore how your institution can better support first-year doctoral students, fill out this form

Our team will contact you to discuss different ways through which you can build an RDI for your institution.

The three goals of the RDI project

Support institutions to create their RDI

Institutions have implemented an RDI on their campuses adapted to their context and needs.

Develop a curriculum for the Institute

We created a curriculum, guidelines, and supporting material for the workshops, including directions to facilitate monthly group meetings with doctoral students (success groups).

Research on students’ persistence

We are examining the effect of different RDI interventions on doctoral students’ success and retention.