Dear Dr. Noelle: Musical Chair?

By Dr. Noelle Sterne Q: It’s time for me to find a dissertation chair. I’m panicked. How? —Chairless A: You’re right to have at least a little trepidation. Here’s what a new “doctor” said in a study of how the choice and behavior of chairs affect doctoral students’ satisfactions: It is impossible to overestimate the significance of the student-advisor relationship. . . . This is both a personal and professional relationship that rivals marriage and parenthood in its complexity, variety and ramif