Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC)

Upon passing the qualifying exam, students will choose three faculty members to serve as their Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC) along with their PI to oversee their dissertation research.

The Mission of the DAC

The DAC has four main purposes:

  • First and foremost, the DAC is a scientific advisory committee that will provide expert advice on all aspects of the thesis, extending from experimental paradigms to project feasibility within the time frame of a PhD thesis and to the scientific impact of the work.
  • Second, the DAC will help monitor student progress to ensure that the major objectives and standards for completion of a PhD thesis are being met in a timely fashion. In this capacity, the DAC determines whether the student’s research meets the requirements of the program and when the student may begin writing the thesis. In addition to evaluating completed experiments and manuscripts, progress will also be considered with respect to maturity in scientific judgment.
  • Third, the DAC will help resolve any conflict between student and advisor or other lab members.
  • And fourth, the DAC serves as a liaison to the BBS program heads and administration.

Selecting Members of the DAC Committee

  • The DAC, with 3-4 faculty members, helps guide student progress. The DAC chair, a BBS faculty member with previous DAC experience, reviews research reports and communicates the committee's feedback to the student and advisor. The chair ensures compliance with BBS and OGE policies and assists the committee in providing proper guidance.
  • Alongside the chair, at least one other member must be from BBS, and the third can either be from BBS, HMS OGE PhD Programs, other Harvard departments, or another university, provided they are tenure-track and from an accredited institution.
  • Students should choose members they feel comfortable consulting. They should also discuss potential DAC members with their Dissertation Advisor, who, although attending all meetings, cannot serve as a formal committee member.

Timing & Frequency

  • The first DAC should occur within 3-4 months of successfully completing the PQE.
  • DACs should then follow every 9 months, switching to every 6 months once a G5 or above. 


For more details on the entire DAC process, please read through the Guidelines below.

Forms & Resources

DAC Guidelines DAC Form

DAC Questions