Doctoral Advisor Selection in Chemical Engineering: Evaluating Two Programs through Principal-Agent Theory

Background: Little is known about how doctoral advising relationships form, but understanding the inception of these can be helpful to address attrition. Chemical Engineering programs highly structure this advisor-advisee selection when compared other engineering programs.Purpose: This study examines two in practice process from perspective their faculty. In particular, our uses principal-agent theory following research question:How do manage matching process?Methods: Through multi-case methods, we examine faculty perceptions large U.S. Our coding was informed using Principal-Agent Theory as a framework help characterize and develop insight into interactions with students graduate program director.Results: findings showed that perceived control could strongly impact whether they adhere departmental processes adapt existing practices or if circumvent process. also role transparency such impacted engagement.Conclusion: We recommend departments consider shared governance regarding continuously engage conversations surface implicit explicit perpetuate good community academic units. present recommendations for economics frameworks studying processes.