Brian T Cunningham

5.0 5.0 / 5 1 reviews

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University: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department: Department of Bioengineering
Website: None

Reviews

Total 1 Reviews

Anonymous

Excellent

Posted:

AFFILIATED EMAIL

Dr. Cunningham is an excellent researcher, mentor, and teacher.  The many positive qualities are listed below, but I want to be objective so I have also included some aspects which are situationally negative; despite those, he is great to work for.  He is clear and open about the expectations and lab culture when he is interviewing prospective students.  He encourages students to speak one-on-one with current grad students so they can answer questions in a pressure-free environment.  New students are typically paired with a senior student on an existing project so they can learn and get used to the group and the protocols.  Dr. Cunningham has one of the larger groups (15-20 students) and successfully finds funding from a variety of sources.  The lab feels close and fairly social, though outside-of-lab hangouts are monthly rather than weekly.  That said, nearly everyone is very friendly.  The research is typically interesting and we aim for high-impact journals, though sometimes it takes a while for Brian to come around to new ideas that his students propose, preferring to stay with more established methods.  Students are allowed to have a large amount of autonomy and he expects us to be fairly self-directed, but he is also willing to help and give advice where necessary.  His management style is the opposite of micromanaging; although the frequency of meetings is sometimes high, he gives students a lot of independence.  I have not yet felt pressured or stressed by deadlines; this may or may not be a good thing, depending on your demeanor and style of motivation.  He is somewhat conflict-avoidant, which is sometimes a problem for students in his group when interpersonal disagreements arise, but at the same time he is a kind and understanding person who will genuinely care if something is bothering you.  In summary: Brian is great to take a class from, and his lab is a supportive place to get research done; sometimes there are too many meetings, but he is never hovering over your shoulder watching you work; you're more likely to be frustrated with another member of the group than with him; and he will write glowing letters of recommendation for you because he believes in the potential of every student.

Yes, I recommend this PI.

Review #52

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Brian T Cunningham

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