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For as long as I can recall, a multidimensional question has pervaded my mind: Why does someone “choose” to deviate from “normal” behaviors? Furthermore, how exactly does this cognitive switch occur? I was drawn to consider these issues because my father was a recurrent drug addict who spent most of my life in and out of jail and my mother suffered intermittent depression during most of my adolescence. The latter led me to assume an adult, caretaker role for my younger brothers and even for my mother. I always wondered if our parents were aware of the negative effects their actions had on us. Were they conscious of their decisions? Were they capable of making decisions at all? I could not tell. This lack of understanding filled me with questions I needed answered; unfortunately, school did not assist me. However, things changed in college around spring 2011. In the books I read during freshman year, I discovered the beautiful inner structure and regulated operations of the human brain—its capacity to adapt in response to environmental stimuli and its role as the seat of our thoughts and actions never cease to amaze me. This plasticity explained the diversity I saw around me, including the complexity of my parents’ behavior. Moreover, I realized the great importance of interdisciplinary production of knowledge, informing my decision to obtain a research scholarship (MARC Program) in Dr. Gregory Quirk’s lab. My work contributed to elucidating the role of the rodent infralimbic cortex during the extinction phase of the auditory fear conditioning paradigm by optogenetic means. This posits particular relevance given its potential application to clinical research concerning anxiety and trauma-related mental disorders. As I was preparing to apply to Ph.D. programs in cognitive neuroscience, my career took a detour in 2014. I accepted a teaching opportunity at a small, private school called Estancia Montessori in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. "I became captivated with the translation of neuroscience findings to educational contexts, specifically as a potential path for transforming the notion of scientific culture in Puerto Rico and, in turn, how science curricula and educational investigative practices are carried out." For me, learning spaces became an effervescent laboratory where gradual landmarks of cognitive development occurred every day and thus could be rigorously explored, deconstructed, and even subjected to empirical validation. Although I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus with a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology, this experience made me redefine my core passions as science education and curriculum philosophy. After completing my master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, I aspire to be a public policy researcher and advocate in matters of science education. I strongly believe that for education to be effective on the collective level, one as an educator must always remain committed to comprehend diversity as the never-ending summation of intermingled subjectivities. I intend to work on that, both at a philosophical and experimental (if possible, of course) avenue, as my life’s mission. FEATURED AUTHOR LIORIMAR RAMOS-MEDINA During her bachelor’s degree on Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Liorimar Ramos-Medina collaborated in research projects related to the neurobiological mechanisms of cocaine addiction, under Dr. Carmen Maldonado-Vlaar; and to the learning and extinction of fear memories in rodents in Dr. Gregory Quirk’s Lab. She is an author in two peer-reviewed publications and has participated in research internships at UCSF and Columbia University. She is strongly committed to the development and spreading of scientific culture and awareness of brain and cognitive process at Puerto Rican schools and communities. Liorimar is currently finishing a masters program on Curriculum and Instruction of Science, and works as an educator at a private secondary school in Gurabo.

When I started graduate school, I thought I knew exactly who I was going to work for. I loved my undergraduate research studying membrane proteins, and was intent on continuing that type of research at Yale University. I rotated in a membrane protein lab for my first rotation and figured that the second and third rotations would be merely a formality, so I wanted to explore an area of science that was completely unknown to me. At our yearly departmental retreat, I wanted to choose my second rotation based on the talk that I found most interesting, even if it was outside of my field. Halfway through the first day, a brand new professor jumped onstage and started talking about long non-coding RNAs involved in this cool process called X-inactivation. I knew very little about RNA and had never heard of X-inactivation, but his explanation of his research was so clear and the talk was so passionate that I knew I had to rotate in his lab. I was completely honest with him that I had no background in his research, but was willing and excited to learn everything that I could. One of the best aspects of the rotation was that because there was no one else in the lab yet, I was trained directly by my advisor who was fresh from a postdoc and knew all the tricks to get the experiments working. And boy, were there a lot of tricks to learn! I really enjoyed being able to discuss both the big picture scope of the project and the small details of each experiment with my advisor. It was some of the best training I have gotten in graduate school. For my third rotation, I decided to try out a more established lab with a lot of graduate students. I had a great project, a wonderful graduate student advisor, and good interactions with the PI. When it came time to decide which lab to join, I was surprised to find myself torn between the three labs. Here’s how I made my decision: Things to ask yourself about what you want in a mentor: Do you want a mentor who is very hands on (talking through the details of your data, helping you plan experiments, etc.) or do you want more freedom to do experiments without interruption? Do you want to design your own project based on the lab’s interests or join an established project in the lab? Some PIs want their students to work on already outlined projects with little flexibility, while others want the graduate student to drive the research direction of the lab. Some PIs offer a combination of both, giving the student a safe, tractable project to get an early publication while leaving the student with the creative space to design his or her own project on the side. Things to ask lab members about the work environment: Do you need/want flexible hours or a set schedule? If you do not want to ask directly, ask if everyone shows up to lab at the same time or if people leave in the middle of the day. Do your labmates have outside hobbies, families, or religious/spiritual communities to which they devote a lot of time? This is a good way to gauge the work/life balance of lab members. I decided to join the brand new lab with unknowns. What will the lab environment be like in a few years? How will my interactions with my mentor change over time? It was a thrilling, sometimes hectic, mostly amazing journey, and I am very glad that I chose a new lab for my graduate school career. "There are many benefits of joining a lab as the first student! As I mentioned, you are trained directly by the professor, but also get exposure to starting a research lab. Imagining how the great scientists in your field got to where they are can be difficult. This way, you see the process in action from the start!" In addition, you will get a lot of leadership and mentorship experience throughout graduate school. Your PI will need help recruiting new students and postdocs to the lab, and even as a second year student, you will be the most senior person in the lab. You will have the chance to mentor everyone who is new, which is a great experience, especially if you are interested in mentorship roles later in your career. Finally, your work will set the foundation for the rest of your PI’s career, so the two of you will form a very special bond over the work that you do. The methods that you develop will most likely be cited by everyone in the lab long after you leave, immortalizing your work! If you are interested in joining a new PI’s lab, I compiled a list of tips: Getting hands-on training Typically, new PIs don’t have as many responsibilities, so you will get a lot of personalized training at the start of your graduate career. For a lot of graduate students this can be a really great opportunity. However, if you like working with little interruption, it may be tough discussing experiments with your advisor often. This dynamic will probably change as your PI (and you as a graduate student!) gets more senior. S/he will have more responsibilities, more students, and you will be expected to become more independent as your training progresses. Find graduate student mentors in other labs who are more senior You won’t be able to get advice about the qualifying exam or dissertation guidelines from your labmates, so it is important to seek out those mentors in other labs. Your PI won’t know the requirements so they will rely on you to tell them what’s necessary. Communicate with your PI early and often about expectations Established labs have clear expectations, like how many hours per week you will work, whether everyone comes in on weekends, even how you celebrate birthdays. New labs need all of those things established, so do yourself a favor by having conversations with your PI early and often about these expectations. I expected that my PI would require a certain number of hours per week in lab, but he made it very clear from the start that he wants people to have a healthy work-life balance. Any time we need to leave the lab for a doctor’s appointment or an exercise class, we should do so. He believes that happy graduate students are more productive. Conversely, it is important for you as the first student to speak up about your expectations for your PI. How often would you like to meet to discuss your data? How much autonomy would you like over your project? It can be intimidating to ask these things of your PI, but remember that they have never done this before and are learning from you. Part of the joy of being the first pancake is that you can test out the settings on the griddle. You are teaching your PI as much as they are teaching you Your PI and you are both experiencing all the craziness of graduate school together. At some point, you will become frustrated with your project and will need to communicate with your PI about how to get through that period of frustration. Your PI may also be frustrated and stressed about the process of tenure, grant applications, and the pressures of publishing. If your PI directs some of that frustration at your project, try to be understanding, but advocate for yourself. Again, you are the first pancake here. Communicate to your advisor when things are not working. There are definitely times when graduate school is frustrating, and no matter the advisor you will have challenges along the way. Now that I am reaching the end of my graduate school journey, I am pleased that I chose to join a new lab and would recommend this to anyone who is on the fence between a new and established lab: Take the plunge into the deep end. It is completely worth it. FEATURED AUTHOR ERIN DUFFY Erin was born and raised in Hebron, Connecticut. Previously, she received a combined Bachelor of Science in Molecular & Cell Biology and a Master of Science in Biochemistry through the University Scholar program at the University of Connecticut. She is currently a Ph.D. graduate from the Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Program at Yale University and a 2013 National Science Foundation GRFP Fellow.

As the first piece in our new series, The Human Side of STEM, Científico Latino is featuring Dr. Patricia Silveyra, an Assistant Professor and head of lab at Pennsylvania State University. We asked her what role has diversity played in her career. About 20 years ago, I walked into a science laboratory for the first time. As a high school student, I had the chance to participate in a science outreach activity where we could see how science was done in a “real” lab. I was fascinated, not only by the novelty of so many chemicals and lab equipment, as well as the variety of projects ranging from plant biology to human genetics, but also because for the first time in my life, I saw people from all over the world working together. I had never seen anything like that before, even though in my native Argentina we have lots of immigrants. In a conversation with one of the scientists, a woman studying plant molecular physiology, she explained to me that it was very common for scientists to travel and work in different parts of the world. “I have worked in four different countries,” she said. I started asking more questions (I had never been abroad myself, so I was quite intrigued!). She laughed. “Scientists are used to work in diverse groups. That’s how we solve problems more efficiently.” I remember this conversation as if was yesterday. At age 16, I was already in love with science. I knew I wanted to learn more about nature, but I was also excited to be part of a “diverse” team at some point in the future. Without knowing much about it, diversity was already playing a role in my STEM career, by motivating me to pursue a career in science. Today, I am the head of a research team that studies mechanisms of lung inflammation triggered by air pollution. Our lab is interested in the specific pathways that are activated in the lungs of men and women upon exposure to ambient ozone and small particulate matter, the principal components of smog. We know that women are disproportionally affected by air pollution, and we also know that some lung diseases affect more women than men. This is why, we pay special attention to the role of sex hormones in lung inflammatory mechanisms. Currently, my research team includes trainees and professionals from the United States, Puerto Rico, Haiti, India, China, Greece, Ecuador, and Argentina. This means that on a daily basis, I work with people from all over the world (how great is that?!). I consider this very important, because the problems we aim to solve as scientists affect people from across the globe. As a diverse team, we learn from each other, and we provide input based on our backgrounds and past experiences. So, today, knowing more about it, diversity continues to play a key role in my STEM career, by positively influencing the quality of my research. I read once that “Diversity in science refers to cultivating talent, and promoting the full inclusion of excellence across the social spectrum.” I could not agree more. "Diversity in science drives excellence, and provides teams with a variety of perspectives that can help solve complex problems more efficiently. By nature, diversity promotes innovation." We hear on a regular basis about programs aimed to increase representation of different groups in science. These have the ultimate goal of bringing talent from all backgrounds to the table. As a faculty member, I spend a lot of time working with organizations that help students and professionals from underrepresented backgrounds to join science programs and receive mentoring. I believe expanding our workforce talent pool, and creating a more diverse science workforce will result in nothing but excellence. Mentoring is one of the most rewarding and impactful activities I have been able to do as a scientist. This is why I know that diversity will continue to play a role in my STEM career, by providing me with opportunities to give back and positively impact the future of science. FEATURED AUTHOR PATRICA SILVEYRA, M.Sc., Ph.D. Dr. Silveyra is an Assistant Professor at Penn State College of Medicine. Her laboratory studies mechanisms of lung inflammation induced by air pollution, with an emphasis on sex differences and the role of sex hormones. She received her Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and she did her postdoctoral training at Penn State University. She joined the faculty at Penn State College of Medicine in 2013 after receiving an NIH BIRCWH award, and she has been funded by NIH and multiple research foundations since then. She currently holds a K01 award from NHLBI to study sex differences in ozone-induced lung inflammation. Dr. Silveyra is a mentor and advocate for women in science and underrepresented students, and she serves in several national organization committees and boards.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions represented in this post are my own and in no way reflect those of my program, institutes, or funding agencies. Having been born in Mexico and moved to the US when I was nine, I have always both understood the advantages that diversity brings, along with the challenges that integrating two worlds can bring. Looking back on it now, it doesn’t surprise me that I ended up studying my PhD across two continents and three supervisors. I have learned much during my three years as a PhD student, most of it relating to the developmental processes that regulate the development of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) during embryogenesis. Catch me at a happy hour after the lab and there’s little else I’d rather talk to you about…seriously. But some of the most salient lessons have been those relating to the graduate experience, from application to graduation. "Every graduate program and lab that you apply to, whether at a small research university to superstar R01, will have its pros and cons. The trick to making the right decision that fits your career goals and personality is knowing the cons so that you can navigate around them and take advantage of the pros that a program can offer you." The NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars program is different to most traditional US programs because you get to work both at the NIH as well as Oxford or Cambridge in the UK. You are, however, a UK student, fully enrolled at your university, where your degree is conferred, but funded through your NIH lab unless you bring your own, outside funding. The first clear advantage is that you will be getting an experience that few others get. Few get a chance to work in an exceptional lab at either the NIH, Oxford, or Cambridge. Even fewer get to do so at two of these during one PhD. However, because of the competitive nature of the program, and because in the UK, PhD students have to graduate after four years (another advantage/disadvantage, depending on your perspective) you have to apply and interview for the program with a very clear idea of what your research interests are. This does not mean that you have to have a project lined up, but certainly that you have some idea and have contacted PIs at both the NIH and either Oxford or Cambridge about being in the program. Having some form of fellowship also helps your chances of getting in, but is not necessary (the program takes roughly 13-15 unfunded students a year; check the program websitefor more information). One of the biggest challenges, and potential pitfalls, of being in this program, is the rigor with which you have to manage your project and your PI’s. That’s not a typo: "You have to manage the collaboration, communication, and work with your own PI’s." This is something that more and more programs are encouraging and training their students to do (aptly named managing-up), but something that due to the nature of the program, you have to do inherently. It’s a good skill to learn, but doing so can pose a challenge. Some students who do so poorly can end up with two separate mini-theses instead of one coherent project by the end of their four years, and if you’re looking to land a big post-doc position that will set you up for an academic career at an R01, this might place you at a disadvantage. That being said, I know students who, due to the rigor and nature of their collaboration and respective labs, publish two large papers over the course of their study. Because UK programs are four-year programs with no publication requirements for graduation, you will hit the ground running when you start, and have to maintain that momentum and self-motivation to publish. You won’t get lab rotations to decide on a lab environment, and you won’t get as much time to explore interesting projects within a lab. This program is perfect for those of you who, like me, feel ready to focus solely on your research and not take any more classes or spend time in rotations. General Grad School Advice: Today, depending on where you do your PhD, the odds of you landing an academic tenure-track career with your own lab are, at the highest, 20%. If you’re a minority, the reality is that the current environment is such that it’s even lower for you. I don’t say this to discourage you from pursuing a PhD, or even an academic track, but you should be realistic as to what your other options are, and about having this conversation with your supervisor from the get-go. There are plenty of resources out there that can point you in the right direction on learning skills that will be important for your career whether you choose to stay or not, and a supervisor who understands and supports this type of learning is critical. I count myself lucky to have the privilege to have done research in three different continents, but in all three, I have found that academic science culture does not value or promote self-care in the way other industries do. Sometimes, it can be quite the opposite, leading to mental health issues, loss in productivity, and burnout. This is why choosing your supervisor and lab environment are more important than choosing a research project, and why having a strong support network and resources are also critical. I count myself lucky to have ended in labs with supportive supervisors. Others, unfortunately, can’t always say the same. Regardless of your goals, embarking and navigating a scientific PhD is a wonderful opportunity for growth and learning, and the skills learned are transferable to many satisfying, impactful careers. As a member of an underrepresented minority in a PhD program, I have had the opportunity to interact with some of the most inspiring scientists I feel lucky to call colleagues and would not trade the experience for anything else. FEATURED AUTHOR JUAN PABLO RUIZ Juan Pablo Ruiz is an HHMI fellow that is currently working towards a DPhil in Biomedical Sciences through the NIH/OxCam program. His research interests are in tissue and stem cell engineering, as well as developmental biology. He also has a wide array of interests which include positive psychology, literature, and creative writing. To promote well-being and life satisfaction in the academic sciences, he founded Labmosphere.com. As someone who just recently received an autism spectrum diagnosis (Asperger’s Syndrome), he is also working to break the stigma around conversations on mental health and neurodiversity in scientific academia. You can find him on Twitter @HappyStemCell.

AND HOW TO DECIDE TO APPLY TO THE PROGRAM THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU If you are thinking of applying to graduate school in psychology, you’ve come to the right place. Many students who major in psychology go on to pursue a graduate degree in the field. However, there are many different types of programs, so it can be overwhelming to decide which one is the best fit for you. First and foremost, applying to graduate school is nothing like applying to undergraduate programs – It takes serious reflection and introspection to figure out which program is right for you. Here is a brief overview of the different types of programs in the psychological and social sciences fields. "Psychology-related graduate programs can largely be divided into two categories: clinically-oriented programs, and research-based programs. A good first step in deciding which program is right for you is to figure out which of these categories best fits your career goals." Clinical programs Clinical programs will provide training in working with both psychological and academic diagnostic assessment, providing therapy for individuals, couples, families, or groups, and some programs have an additional clinical research component. If this sounds like the kind of training you would be interested in, then maybe a graduate degree in a clinical field would be best for you. There are many different types of degrees within the clinical path, and one of the benefits of clinical training is that there are also many career paths you can take after graduation. For example, getting a PhD in Clinical Psychology can help you prepare for a career as a therapist who sees clients in a private practice or medical setting, or as a professor who might see some clients, but also does clinical research and teaches at the university level. A unique aspect of a PhD in Clinical Psychology is that it holds a similar value for research as non-clinical research-based programs, so students will be required to complete research projects along with developing clinical skills and theory. But, let’s say you have decided you don’t want to pursue research in your future career and you just want to provide clinical services. There are still other clinical options for you. For example, you could get a PsyD – a five-year doctoral program that often exclusively focuses on clinical work – or you could get a Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling – which is a two-year degree, and in many cases, you can work alongside other doctorate level counselors in the same offices. There are also several other related degrees one could get as well. For example, Licensed Clinical Social Workers provide similar types of therapy and develop client relationships in assisting with and coordinating mental health care needs. When thinking through these options, it will be important to reflect on your career goals, including your interest in research, the amount of time you’re willing to spend towards a degree, your financial ability to pay for graduate education (for example, often only PhD program provides tuition remission and stipend), and your goals for career earning potential (i.e. the average salary for PhDs and PsyDs is often higher than Masters-level clinicians). There are so many options for working with clients in a clinical capacity. If you are interested in working directly with clients and in the mental health fields, my biggest recommendation is to find individuals who are working in jobs that interest you, and talk with them about their jobs. Ask questions and hopefully, you can narrow down which career path is right for you. Research-based programs Research-based programs in psychology look largely different from clinical programs. This is the kind of program I am currently in. I receive no clinical training, I never see clients, and I don’t do research in mental health. My graduate program is training me for a career as a university professor, or an applied researcher. I have heavy quantitative methods and statistical training, several research responsibilities, and I even get some practice teaching at the college-level. Research programs like these are subdivided into topic areas. For example, I am in a Developmental Psychology program, but within my department, we have several other programs like: Human Factors and Applied Cognition, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. These are all subfields within psychology, and there are many more. If you are interested in pursuing a degree that will train you for a research career, then looking into one of the subfields in the psychology departments at different universities might be a good place to start. Most research-based programs offer both Masters and PhD level degrees. The difference between them is usually based on how much research you want to pursue during graduate school, and what specific careers you want to be prepared for when you graduate. Career options after graduation are as diverse as the graduate programs themselves. More applied fields include working at think tanks or research agencies (e.g. Westat, Mathematica, Urban Institute, AIR) or working in consulting. The work in these organizations are heavily research-based, but they have an applied focus. This means the projects you would work on may be are relevant for state or federal programs, or social or science policies. Another possible career path is to remain in academia and become a professor at a university where you are responsible for creating an academic research program, as well as teaching and advising. If any of this sounds interesting to you, the best place to start is to think about your favorite class in college. Which class made you the most excited? Or which topics covered in your classes intrigued you the most? This might help you jumpstart your graduate program search, and help you find a program that is right for you. You can also browse through university websites and look at programs in social sciences and see which ones stand out to you, then contact the department/program coordinator and set up a meeting to talk about the program and ask questions. How and why I chose my program I grew up with a very limited understanding of the diversity of careers available to me. When I started college, I was on the pre-med track, and my plan was to become a pediatrician. I knew I wanted to work with children in some capacity, but I knew little about other options besides becoming a physician. For the first three years of college, I took all my pre-med requirements. As I was nearing the end of my degree in Neuroscience, something just didn’t feel right. I didn’t think I was on the right track, I didn’t enjoy my classes, but I didn’t know where else I could go or what else I could do. As an elective course for my major, I decided to branch out into Psychology. I took Developmental Psychology, and I immediately fell in love with it. I loved learning about child development, and began talking with all my professors about possible career options in this field. I learned that you can get a graduate degree in developmental psychology and do research with children and learn about how they experience their world. I instantly knew this was the right path for me. From there, I decided to take a two-year research assistant job in a Child Development Lab and that helped jumpstart my journey toward my PhD in Applied Developmental Psychology. In addition, I started a blog as a way to help other students who might be going through a similar time of questioning their future career path, and hopefully help guide them toward the right graduate program. I hope you find this blog helpful, and I wish you the very best of luck in finding the right program for you! BLOG CONTRIBUTOR TANYA TAVASSOLIE Tanya is a PhD candidate in Applied Developmental Psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, where she also earned her Masters degree. She studies the academic achievement of low-income, ethnically, and linguistically diverse children. She hopes to work at an applied research firm after graduation. Her blog is designed to help guide students through the graduate school application process, and the first few years of graduate school.

One of the most important decisions a student makes in graduate school is choosing an advisor or Principal Investigator (PI). This decision can make or break the student. However, there are few resources to reliably assess potential matches. At this point, I’ve worked with over six PIs, so I feel uniquely equipped to tell you how to assess a good match. I’ve experienced everything from the nightmarish to the surreal. I entered graduate school in one department, did four rotations and chose to enter the last lab I rotated in. However, the PI complained that he didn’t have funding, so I needed to find another PI to fully sponsor me. Then, the PI that I found to sponsor me left for another institution! So I did another quick rotation and joined a small lab. Everything seemed fine for months until it came time to qualify for my Ph.D. candidacy. All of a sudden, my PI loaded me with irrelevant lab work, paper-writing, and requests to help other students in the lab. Meanwhile, he refused to meet with me to ensure I was on track to qualify. Out of all my committee members, he was the only one I didn’t meet with. If that wasn’t bad enough, he purposefully derailed me in the qualifying exam. After I was told that I failed the exam, I was forthright in my desire to retake it, as is customarily extended to students otherwise in good standing. Despite the support of the rest of the committee, my PI refused to allow me to retake it and essentially forced me to withdraw from the department. I then did some soul-searching, applied to other schools, and got involved in a software development program. "While interviewing at another school, I conceived of GradPI. If there was an easily accessible resource with information on PIs, it would have saved me years of toil and pain." A past graduate student friend likened choosing a PI to deciding who to marry. While I laughed at the analogy then, the consequences of a poor decision can certainly haunt you in a similar way. I was fortunate enough to eventually get back into a graduate program and find a lab with an awesome PI. But most people aren’t as fortunate; they either endure the misery of an unsupportive PI, take a much longer time than expected in grad school, and/or drop out. While developing the site, I came up with 5 metrics to help you avoid the agony I had, and get straight to the great match. The emphasis you place on each category will depend on your personal preference. SMART Evaluation Metrics for PIs Standing: How well known is this PI in her/his field? How impactful is his/her research? This metric is important because your PI will serve as the springboard for whatever you do next. Therefore, name recognition will be helpful to you after life in the lab. Sir Isaac Newton said it best: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Mentorship: How well does this PI coach her/his students in the lab? How well does he/she prepare students for life after lab? The importance of this metric cannot be overstated. In fact, if I personally were forced to choose only one metric by which to rate a PI, this would be it. While this may not be your preference, it is important to have an advisor who can serve as a scientific mentor, even if not as a career or life mentor. Autonomy: How well does this PI delegate tasks and trust her/his students to get them done? The degree of autonomy desired by students is highly variable; some people prefer clear-cut instructions and daily guidance, while others prefer to be left alone for months on end. Only you can decide what is best for you here. Resources: How well is this PI funded? No matter what your acceptance letter implied, money is not free-flowing and inconsequential in choosing who to do research with. Many PIs stress out over it and are all too eager to make that your concern. Other PIs may use it as an excuse not to accept you into their lab, or to stop funding you entirely. Perhaps former President Barack Obama said it best: “Money is not the only answer, but it makes a difference.” Tact: How well does this PI convey feedback? How well does this PI foster a welcoming environment for students of different cultures, genders, races, religions, and sexual orientations? While some may overlook the importance of this, you shouldn’t. If you get the urge to run in the other direction whenever you hear, see, or think about a PI, do so. Remember that grad school is a 4+ year process. You want to limit negativity during this time in order to maximize productivity. There are many ways to analyze PIs. You can: Do a Google search for things such as: Impact of most recent papers H-index: a metric that measures the productivity and citation impact of the publications of a scholar. It is based on the number of citations a scientist's most cited papers have received in other publications. For example: an h-index of 15 means that an author’s 15th most cited paper has at least 15 citations. Talk with students, postdocs, and researchers in the lab – this can allow one to get a good taste for interpersonal skills matching the mentorship, autonomy, and tact metrics. Search for affiliations with external funding Do a rotation in the PI’s lab-while speaking with others is good, there’s nothing like face-to-face contact to determine how you get along with a PI. These are all good options and you should exhaust what you can before you make such a big decision. Grad PI compiles ratings in these metrics on PIs to make it easier to choose a PI! This website will share the wisdom of graduate students, and help new students make informed decisions about who to rotate, collaborate, work, and have on their committee. Ultimately, we hope this resource will help to improve student retention, productivity, and career prospects. FEATURED AUTHOR GADARETH HIGGS Gadareth was born and raised in the Bahamas. He got his BS at Ramapo College in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, and his MS at Rutgers in Biomedical Informatics, while working as a Business Analyst. He is currently a PhD student in the Breaker lab of the Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology department at Yale University. Here, he is discovering and validating bacterial riboswitches and other ncRNAs. Gadareth is passionate about improving the graduate school experience for all PhD students, and is constantly seeking to expand and optimize GradPI to do this. In his spare time, Gadareth enjoys blackjack, parkour, and tutoring. You can contact him at gadareth@gradpi.com.

The NSF GRFP includes an annual $34,000 stipend and $12,000 cost of education allowance for 3 years. In addition to funding, NSF GRFP fellows have access to special resources, like a collection of supercomputers XSEDE, and opportunities for international and federal research experience. Writing a successful application for the NSF fellowship can be tough, but it’s not impossible. Like any grant, it takes time, effort, and a little bit of guidance. Below are some tips and advice for future NSF Fellowship applicants. Visit the NSF GRFP website for information about the fellowship This is one of the best sources of information on how to write a successful application for the NSF. Here you can find information regarding eligibility guidelines, application deadlines, and useful advice for both applicants and reference writers. Make sure to read the Program Solicitation. This document will contain the NSF’s official description of intellectual merit and broader impact that reviewers of your application will look for. Use these descriptions to your advantage when writing your essays. Try to apply before you start graduate school Due to recent changes, students are limited to one application while enrolled in graduate school. This means you can apply either in your first or second year of graduate school, but not both. In order to maximize your chances of winning the fellowship, I would recommend that students apply to this fellowship before they enter graduate school. "Regardless of the outcome, you will benefit from the comments you receive from reviewers and the experience of the application process." Even if you decide not to attend graduate school, being awarded this fellowship would look great on your CV or resume. Start writing early and don’t procrastinate Finding quality time to work on your fellowship application can be difficult especially when you are applying to graduate school or starting your first year of graduate studies. That is why it is important to start early and give yourself deadlines to meet along the way. A good application takes time and many revisions. Plan to have a rough draft of your essays by mid-September to give yourself plenty of time to get feedback from peers and faculty. Lastly, make sure to give your reference writers plenty of advance notice and follow-up with them about the status of your letters. Work closely with a mentor/research advisor when writing your research statement Selecting a topic for your research statement can be difficult, especially if you haven’t started your PhD thesis work yet. Since the NSF GRFP funds the student and not necessarily their project, don’t worry if you end up working on a different project during graduate school. Therefore, feel free to write your research statement on your undergraduate or anticipated graduate research. Lastly, get feedback from your mentor/research advisor when writing your research statement. If your research is part of a larger collaboration, make sure to mention that in your proposal. Include intellectual merit and broader impacts in each part of the application Intellectual merit and broader impacts are the only two criteria reviewers are asked to use to evaluate your application. Therefore, it is important that each part of your application (Personal Statement, Research Statement and Reference Letters) address both of these criteria. In your personal and research statements, make it as easy as possible for your reviewers to find this information in your application. This can be done by explicitly highlighting words or sentences that demonstrate intellectual merit and broader impact or by including headings in your statement that address these two topics. Lastly, remind your reference writers about these two criteria and don’t be afraid to give them a list of specific things you would like them to highlight in their letter. Have other people read your essays Ask for constructive feedback from as many people as possible. Having spelling/grammar mistakes will give your reviewer the feeling of a rushed application. If you personally know anyone who has been awarded the NSF fellowship, getting their feedback can be extremely valuable. Finally, most universities have dedicated writing workshops for the NSF fellowship where you can get feedback on your essays from faculty and other student applicants. Strengthen your broader impacts by becoming a mentor Many applicants find it difficult to fulfill the Broader Impacts requirement for the NSF fellowship. To satisfy this requirement, be creative about how you can use your scientific knowledge to help members of your community. One way to do this is to be a mentor for local middle and high school students taking STEM courses or participating in a science fair. Many universities also have student run organizations that help the general public understand scientific research. Even if you are not currently involved in any outreach activates while writing the application, you can elaborate on your future plans to do so. Send your CV/resume to your reference writers Choosing who will be your reference writers should be the first thing you do to give them plenty of time to write your letters. One of your reference writers will be whoever is overseeing your research plan, while the other two should be previous mentors or professors that know you very well. Make sure to send them your essays and remind them of the two criteria reviewer will be looking for in their letters. Lastly, don’t be afraid to send them a few reminder emails as the deadline get closer. Read additional tips and examples of successful applications online Past winners can be a great resource when applying for the NSF fellowship. Many have written articles (listed below) which can be helpful when writing your own application. Many thanks to all these individuals for taking the time to make these great websites and best of luck to the next generation of applicants! Useful Links 1. Alex Lang, Ph.D. 2. Mallory P Ladd, Ph.D. 3. Robin G. Walker, Ph.D. Científico Latino Relevant Links 1. NSF GRFP Blog Post - lists information on deadlines and sample NSF fellowships and personal statements FEATURED AUTHOR RUBEN ATILHO Ruben is a NSF Graduate Research Fellow and PhD graduate from the Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry department at Yale University. He was a member of the Breaker Lab where he studies bacterial noncoding RNAs called riboswitches. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Quinnipiac University. When he’s not in the lab, he enjoys working with local high school students in the New Haven Science Fair program and the Yale Pathways to Science program.

What is a STEM summer undergraduate research program? A summer undergraduate research program is an 8-10 week science research experience designed to train undergraduate students in scientific research. Each program consists of research under a principal investigator, professional development workshops, and a research presentation at the end of the program. Before applying to a research program at a given educational or research institution, a project description is provided by each participating laboratory in order for students to determine which laboratory they would like to work in. These programs typically include a stipend for living, travel, and other expenses, and may include classes to teach students how to review current research discoveries, analyze scientific papers, and structure a professional scientific report and presentation. My experience with summer undergraduate research programs This past summer, I was fortunate to be part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) in Claremont, CA. This 10-week research program consisted of about 20 undergraduate students, ranging from rising sophomores to those recently graduated, with the aim of training students in scientific research. I had applied to this program because I wanted to expand my research experience outside of the campus I had grown accustomed to, hoping to meet scientists and students with backgrounds and hometowns different from mine. In doing so, I wanted an experience that extended beyond the laboratory—one that would allow me to grow as both a scientist and a person. Prior to this experience, I had participated in another summer research program on campus: the Yale Science, Technology, and Research Scholars (STARS) Program. This program had been my first undergraduate research experience, one where I learned how to conduct scientific research, give project presentations, and critically analyze research papers, among other valuable skills. From my interactions with the dedicated professors and teaching assistants in the STARS Program, my interest in science research solidified, strengthening my commitment to pursuing research throughout my undergraduate years and beyond. Because of my experience in this program and the new set of research skills I had acquired, I was able to begin my sophomore year by contacting a research professor at the Yale School of Medicine to start research in his laboratory. Although I still had much to learn, my experience in the STARS Program made me more confident in my abilities as an undergraduate student wanting to pursue research. By the time I entered my sophomore year of college, I knew that I wanted to participate in another science research program because I still wanted to learn more about research, specifically by working on a new project in a different setting—something that I could not accomplish if I were simply spending another summer on campus. As mentioned earlier, this desire for novelty and excitement motivated me to apply to the KGI SURE Program in California, across the country in a place that I had never been to before. This excitement was mixed with some anxiety about the location and my lack of knowledge about the area, but I was soon relieved to find how accommodating and enriching the experience was. My research project focused on developing yeast strains expressing recombinant proteins for agricultural and environmental improvement of animal feed, and I was able to work directly with the principal investigator of the laboratory. As my research experience the previous year involved genetic engineering for environmental concerns, this project fit well with my background and interests while also allowing me to gain a new perspective on that field of science. Why you should participate in a summer undergraduate research program From my previous experiences participating in summer research programs, I can attest to the vast advantages gained from such programs. "Particularly as an undergraduate student starting off in college, a research program can open the doors both to exploring the type of research you want to pursue, and to having a wonderful group of mentors and professors committed to ensuring that you are able to learn the techniques and skills necessary for a career in research." Additionally, you will meet students just like yourself who have a passion for scientific research. I stress these three points because they are aspects of research that are not always readily available to students, especially when just starting off. At times, it may seem like you do not know what type of research you want to commit your time to, or that you do not know who to reach out to for advice and guidance. Furthermore, it can be stressful to feel that you are struggling to find the “right” research experience without support from friends and colleagues going through the same challenges. Because of these issues that can arise—and may sometimes be overlooked—I believe that a research program is the perfect opportunity to tackle such problems without facing them alone. While I plan to spend my next summer on campus in order to devote more time to my current research project, I can safely say that the previous summer research programs I participated in had prepared me to be successful in the laboratory I am working in now. By developing a good set of bench skills, I was able to start my research project without as much training and acclimation as I would have needed had I not possessed such skills. I also received extensive training on verbal presentation, allowing me to better explain my research to a wide variety of audiences. This training and research exposure enabled me to know what kind of research I was interested in so that I could contact a potential (now current) research group, expressing my interests and previous research experience to the principal investigator of the laboratory with greater confidence and clarity. I will never forget the people I met during the summer research programs I had participated in during the past two summers—many of whom are still close friends with me—nor the knowledge and experiences gained both in and out of the laboratory. Participating in a summer research program is an opportunity I highly recommend to students who may be unsure of what type of research they want to pursue, who want a collaborative and supportive learning environment, or simply to students who wish to meet wonderful friends and mentors who can help and guide them years down the road. FEATURED AUTHOR MINDY LE Mindy is a junior at Yale University studying Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. She is part of the Patrick Sung Research Group at the Yale School of Medicine where her current project focuses on investigating protein-protein interactions in DNA repair, under her mentor Dr. Youngho Kwon. In her spare time, Mindy enjoys writing poetry, taking walks around campus, and reading about the latest discoveries in genetic engineering. In the future, she hopes to pursue an M.D. degree with a focus on clinical research. You can contact Mindy at mindy.le@yale.edu.

I am an international student currently enrolled in the doctoral neuroscience program at Emory University. By international, I mean that I do not have a U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (a green card). "It can be exceptionally challenging and frustrating to apply to graduate programs in foreign status. I hope my story provides people in a similar situation as me with a different perspective to appreciate the entire process in the pursuit of knowledge, including admission to graduate study." The fact that I graduated from an American university and was already living in the States helped me while applying to schools. It may be much more difficult for applicants who are not currently residing in the country to be invited to interview. Also, non-native applicants without an undergraduate degree from an American institution are generally required to provide English proficiency test scores, such as the TOEFL, in addition to their GRE scores. Extra requirements cost more money, time, and effort. Plenty of international students make it in despite more hurdles along the way so do not be discouraged! Solid research experience, grades, personal statement, and recommendation letters are all important aspects of a successful application. Many articles are available for tips on these components so I will instead focus on other things you could do to make your application stand out. I think what really helped me get into Emory was that I was proactive in making contacts earlier in the process. I not only emailed professors with whom I was interested in working, but I also presented a poster at the STEM Research and Career Symposium on campus. Most programs have a similar poster or oral presentation opportunities on campus. Take advantage of these internal conferences/recruitment events. It is very helpful to meet with the members of the admissions committee and see if the school is right for you prior to applying. Presenting a scientific poster is an accomplishment you can add to your CV as well. It also serves as a brownie point in your statement of purpose to pitch for a particular program. As an international student, I am not eligible to apply for most grants. Some students manage to bring in their own funding from their home countries and make themselves more appealing to public schools. Personally, I was ineligible to apply for government funding in my home country because I had graduated from an American high school and was living in the States at the time of application. I decided to be creative and apply for travel grants from international organizations instead. I received a stipend to attend the 2017 FENS Summer School. Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) is an European version of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), committed to training the next generation of neuroscience community. FENS offers week-long Summer and Winter Neuroscience schools on various neuroscience-related topics in beautiful European cities each year and the application is open to all nationals. You must present a scientific poster to attend a summer/winter school. I was ecstatic to learn from so many experts in the field and get some traveling done in Italy before graduate school. It seriously is an amazing program, check it out! Lastly, I encourage people to get involved in science community outreach or advocacy programs. I think scientists should want to bridge the prominent gap between cutting-edge research and public understanding. For example, I was actively involved in the Science Festivals in different cities to share my passion and excitement for science with people of all ages. Last year, I taught 7th-8th grade students in a semester-long neuroscience course at a Citizen School in New York City as part of the Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach (CUNO). As a minority student, I think it is important to show to the community what a scientist can look like and encourage students to explore higher education. Through these outreach activities, I reconfirmed my motivation for creating new knowledge and communicating it with the greater society. Being an international student can feel lonely but you are not alone. My story may not apply to everyone but I hope it helps at least some of you. Congratulations on deciding to apply to graduate schools and good luck! FEATURED AUTHOR NURI JEONG Nuri was born and raised in Suncheon, South Korea. She is currently enrolled in the Neuroscience Doctoral Program at Emory University to study reward circuitry, goal-directed behavior, and addiction. With her undergraduate background in Allied Health and Biotechnology, Nuri hopes to connect the neural and environmental basis of human behavior. Prior to Emory, Nuri worked as a research assistant in the laboratories of Prof. Eric Kandel and Dr. Eleanor Simpson. Nuri is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion in science education. She believes in the power of social interaction in shaping character and experience.

HOW IT MAKES YOU A BETTER GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICANT, A BETTER SCIENTIST, AND A BETTER PERSON Being a lab technician before you apply to graduate school will make you a more mature, competent, experienced, self-assured scientist and potential graduate student. The professors who will be reading your application for graduate school also know this. You could think of being a lab technician as another bullet point on your resume, but spending a year or more as a lab technician makes you a stronger applicant in so many more ways than just having another research experience under your belt. Being a lab technician helped me get into a better graduate program than I could have hoped for as a senior in college, but also made me a better scientist and, I think, a better person. Keep in mind of course that everyone’s experience as a lab technician is different (every lab, every investigator, and every lab technician are themselves different). A better applicant Simply put, applying to graduate school with a year or two of lab technician experience is an advantage, and is increasingly becoming the norm as the number of applicants increases and programs become more competitive. While more research experiences always help, there are many more things that you learn working full time in lab for longer than for a summer (summer is often the least focused time in the lab, with many more students and interns, and when the presence of senior scientists and post-docs is staggered because of vacation). Not only are you more focused on your projects as a lab technician, but you get to really get settled into your identity as a scientist rather than a student. While you are a lab technician, you become socialized as a scientist. As a lab technician, you form stronger relationships with graduate students, post-docs, your mentor, and even other principal investigators. Not only will this help you be more comfortable talking to principal investigators in your interviews for graduate school, but it will also help you communicate about science with much more fluency and detail than applicants that are still in school. I believe that fluency is one of the most important things that makes you a better candidate for graduate school. While I was a lab technician, I was able to go to more talks, speak with more people from other labs (besides undergraduates) than I ever was in college, and even go to a Society for Neuroscience (SfN) conference. Just by spending my entire working day with scientists further along in their careers, I learned so much more about research at the frontiers of neuroscience, as well as the structural elements of science such as grants, publications, and (unfortunately) the politics within and around it. I became better acquainted with the vast discipline of neuroscience as a whole, and my conversational knowledge was no longer confined to my own field or the experiments from the 1980s I had learned about in my courses. When I applied to graduate school as an undergraduate, I didn’t know what theoretical neuroscience was (which definitely made at least one of my interviews awkward). Bonus: You can also apply and go on interviews without having to juggle classes and all the other things that come with being a student. Yay for personal and vacation time! A better scientist Not enough stress can be put on the sheer amount of hours you put in as a lab technician. With that time comes a lot of growth and experience. As a lab technician, because you are around for longer and with more consistency, your lab and your mentors get a much greater return on investing in your skills and your autonomy, and you will be trained in a greater number of and much more sophisticated techniques. You’ll be given more trust in your ability to supervise your own projects, which will start teaching you the independence you are going to need in graduate school. Depending on your field of study, you will probably have the opportunity to see more complex series of experiments through from beginning to end. You also have more free time than as a student. So on your own time, or even less busy days in the lab, you'll have the ability to study things on your own. For instance, you can teach yourself how to program, read papers on a topic of personal interest that you think you would like to pursue in graduate school, or do your research on programs and other opportunities Being a lab technician also better prepares you for the psychological demands of graduate school and a career in science. "Research is at times (for most, often) extremely stressful, time-consuming, and solitary. You should use your tenure as a lab technician to see if a career in research science is really for you." What do you do if you mess up a really time-intensive, expensive protocol, or how do you deal with the pressure and anxiety of being entrusted one? Where do you draw your professional and personal boundaries? Without grades hanging over your head, how do you spend your day in the lab? Are you OK with spending an evening in the lab for a protocol that requires some more attention? Do you come into work because science is your passion, or because you’re getting paid? Is it worth your blood, sweat, and tears? (Both literally and figuratively… I promise I shed all of these as a lab technician.) You may also become acquainted with the negative aspects of your career that you will experience in graduate school and afterwards. Science comes with the inevitable disappointments and failures. Although you should try not let yourself become too discouraged by some post-docs or other senior scientists, try to really understand why some of them might be bitter. If you decide to pursue a career in science anyway, understanding the downfalls of being a scientist will help you make informed choices, might even strengthen your resolution to pursue a Ph.D., and will definitely make you a better scientist. A better person All the stresses, successes and failures of being a lab technician gave me maturity and perspective that have been valuable in all aspects of my life. If you are as lucky as I was, you will also develop a large network of very passionate, intelligent, and warm people, with whom you feel a really amazing sense of camaraderie and belonging. Also not to be underestimated, no one warned me how hard the first year out of college would be. As a 22-year-old, my first time outside of the educational system made me realize how much my work ethic and drive to accomplish something in my life had been fostered and foddered by the constant reinforcement of grades, deadlines, and assignments. I was forced to develop a more internal and resolute form of motivation, that I hope will prepare me for the few and far between moments of gratification that accompany a career as a scientist. As a first full-time job, it was also simply a time to explore. When I finished my undergraduate degree, I assumed graduate school was the logical next step in the trajectory of my life. Working in the lab led me through a healthy (and at times painful) process of questioning my conceptions of myself and my future, and led me to explore many other interests and potential career paths outside of research. Ultimately, being a lab technician renewed and deepened my love for research and my commitment to pursuing my Ph.D. If you decide to be a lab technician, you might learn something else about yourself, and that is OK too. But whatever the outcome is, I can promise you, you will learn a lot. FEATURED AUTHOR OLIVIA GOLDMAN Olivia is a third-year graduate student at Rockefeller University and artist who studies sensory perception to better understand how the mind translates and integrates sensory signals into subjective realities. She is a STEM Co-Director for Científico Latino, and Chief Creative Officer of the virtual reality company NeuroStorm Studios. Previously, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience & Behavior at Barnard College of Columbia University, and worked as a research technician in the lab of Nobel prize winner Dr. Eric Kandel. She is passionate about making science accessible to anyone who is curious. Originally from New Jersey, she believes that awe is the most profound human experience. You can learn more about her on her website or follow her on Twitter.

What is the NIH POSTBAC IRTA? The NIH post-baccalaureate intramural research training award (POSTBAC IRTA) is a one to two years paid research opportunity for recent college graduates interested in applying to graduate or professional health school (medicine, dental, nursing, veterinary).  Students interested can apply directly to laboratories in several of the NIH campuses in their field of interest. As a student interested in medical school, NIH POSTBAC IRTA was a great way to get more research experience, have ample opportunity to network and shadow renowned doctors, learn more about the world of healthcare and biomedical research through conferences, and have more resources to work on my graduate school applications. My experience in NIH POSTBAC IRTA 1. Picking a lab One of the benefits of applying to the NIH POSTBAC IRTA was that there is no deadline to apply. You contact professors you are interested in working with through the IRTA database and find a lab that is interested in having you join as a post-baccalaureate. Once I knew I wanted to do the post-baccalaureate, I contacted professors, was interviewed through Skype by a couple professors and finally chose a research mentor I wanted to work with. The website itself is very helpful and goes into detail of what the application process consists of and it also gives you tips on how to apply. As summer approaches, fewer labs will be available to immediately hire since they will have summer students or incoming staff coming in at that time. Therefore, I advise you that once you email professors and have a chance to talk to some professors, ask to talk to their graduate students or past mentees to get a student perspective on what the environment of working in that lab is like. Although it may feel strange at the time, professors are used to people asking for references and will take it well. 2. Opportunities outside of lab An advantage of enrolling in the NIH POSTBAC IRTA instead of other kinds of post-baccalaureate programs is that it is less structured and you have the freedom to focus on other interests once you are done with lab work for the day. For example, some of my friends took MCAT classes provided in the NIH after lab, while others took seminar style courses that their labs financially covered. As for me, I volunteered in an assisted living community center and shadowed a doctor from a local free clinic. I was able to set up this shadowing opportunity myself by contacting a doctor directly; the volunteering I heard through other NIH POSTBAC IRTA peers. For those aspiring to apply to medical school, IRTA also hosted training sessions for students for the interview process. I found this to be very helpful during my school visits! How IRTA helped me Medical School applicants are expected to have some form of research experience in the past and be able to talk about their research. NIH POSTBAC IRTA was helpful because I did not have profound research experience, especially in the biomedical sphere. Hence, I was able to get meaningful work done and was able to talk about the research I conducted during my interviews. NIH POSTBAC IRTA also has poster sessions and a “school fair” throughout the year. This gave me the chance to learn about medical schools and learn more about what the application process entails. Moreover, I got the chance to attend talks and seminars of the NIH on a wide range of topics. I had the opportunity to hear experts talk about the U.S. healthcare system, studies on health disparities and where the field of medicine is moving towards in the U.S.  Understanding concepts behind these topics was not only beneficial for my personal interest in medicine but also brought great talking points during interviews at the medical school itself. "Finally, the NIH POSTBAC IRTA cares that its students make the most out of the program and succeed in their future endeavors." Because of this, the NIH POSTBAC IRTA makes sure to provide opportunities for the students to practice for their interviews, have MCAT courses to make the student a competitive candidate, and have NIH POSTBAC IRTA student research symposiums where students can talk about the impact of their research.  By participating in these activities, I feel like I became a much stronger candidate and got a lot more out than just research during my two-year tenure at the NIH. Useful NIH POST-BAC IRTA Links: 1.     General Information on the POSTBACCALAUREATE INTRAMURAL RESEARCH TRAINING AWARD (POSTBAC IRTA/CRTA) https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta 2.     Videocast on Applying to the NIH POSTBAC Program https://www.training.nih.gov/oite-yt/applyingpostbacprogram 3.     Application for the NIH POSTBAC IRTA Program https://www2.training.nih.gov/apps/publicforms/pbt/forms/pbtapp.aspx 4.     How to Choose a Research Mentor https://www.training.nih.gov/mentoring_guidelines

I recently went to lunch with a college friend who has been deciding whether she wants to apply to graduate school. Her other considerations: medical school, working in the private sector, getting a government job, or applying to Masters of Public Health (MPH) programs. She’s 24, extremely bright, and not locked into any specific career path. The options are limitless. So how do you decide your next step? My advice to her was to write the application essays and cover letters to any programs and jobs she was seriously considering. Yes, this is extremely time-consuming. Some of us hate to write; it’s tedious and frustrating, so writing 5 documents to programs you might not even apply to seems like a waste of time. But when I was trying to figure out my next step, the graduate school application was extremely useful in identifying why I liked science, what I wanted from a career, what research interested me, and what opportunities existed at research universities across the globe that would help me achieve my goals. Researching the internet and taking mental notes on what programs interest you are effective at guiding a decision. But the process of developing written, cogent arguments that convince both readers and yourself that you should attend specific graduate programs can be extremely enlightening. The most successful graduate students are motivated to answer research questions that are tremendously interesting to them. What better time to start figuring out what you want to study than while writing your application essay? I tell you this anecdote not to convince you to write an essay for every potential program or job you are considering. Instead, I hope to convince you that the application essay is not meant to be a hurdle to your next step. Use this writing opportunity to help you make the best decision for you. If you’re really struggling to write a compelling argument as to why you should join a program, perhaps that program is not best for you. I was uncertain if I wanted to attend graduate school when I began the application process. But the essay writing process convinced and excited me about a future in STEM. I hope that with the following tips, you too will make an informed decision about your next career move. Focus on some of your interests, not all If you’re like me, your intellectual interests aren’t constrained to the research of a single department. The personal essay, however, is meant for clearly convey the research topics you’d be interested in committing five years of your life to. There are two approaches to identifying which topics to express interest in. Some applicants might have already identified what projects they’d like to work on during their Ph.D. If that’s the case, the applicant should carefully identify universities who carry out similar research since it only makes sense to attend a graduate school where those projects are possible. Alternatively, if you’re not entirely sure what you want to study, browse through faculty research descriptions and discuss what about specific laboratories excite you. It’s risky writing about research that is not necessarily studied at the university you are applying to; however, part of the beauty of working in academia is that new projects are born daily. If it’s something you’re passionate about and driven to initiate, include it in your essay. Your creativity and enthusiasm may put you at a competitive advantage. Anecdotes are sometimes more insightful than explicit commentary The introduction to my graduate school essay started with a childhood story (a clichéd approach, but I’m a strong believer that childhood hobbies are revealing). As a child, I was obsessed with watching tadpoles and butterflies undergo metamorphosis. Later, I convinced my college roommates to let me contain spring peeper tadpoles in our apartment (I didn’t know this was a weird request until my business major roommate told me it was). During my undergraduate studies, I performed developmental biology research, which inherently complemented my childhood interests. It seemed only natural to start my essay describing what had fascinated me when I was 7. Childhood stories are common but hardly a requirement. Readers will enjoy some form of anecdote that shows how interested you are in a specific subject. Coursework, scientific publications, extracurricular activities, conversations with professors, film, and art are all great places to draw inspiration from to show your passion for STEM. Convince your readers of your interests, rather than just stating what they are. Explanations as to how you became interested in certain things are best. Focus on results When writing undergraduate admissions essays, creative storytelling is applauded and rehashing your resumé is discouraged. "When writing your STEM graduate school application essay, however, it is important to highlight your accomplishments. Scientists are results focused." That isn’t to say you can’t include stories or creative descriptions that express your passion. But if you’re going to discuss past research experiences, be sure to mention relevant skills obtained, publications, posters, talks, or awards. Affirm your ability to communicate, produce publishable results, and ask meaningful, relevant scientific questions. Confidence is better than doubt It might feel tempting to hint at your uncertainty about attending graduate school in the personal essay; however, the best essays convince your school of choice that you’re confident their program will help you achieve your goals. If you are uncertain (which we all are to some degree), approach the personal essay as an exercise to convince yourself and others. Of course, be truthful. But the tone of the essay should be confident as you explain your rationalization for applying to their program. Research the University beyond the laboratories One way to show that you’re serious about a program is to identify very specific qualities that make you want to attend that university. Identifying specific laboratories you’d like to join is a good start. But take it a step further and pinpoint specific resources, collaborations, courses, research paradigms, and university policies that make you excited to take part in their research community. Graduate schools and their respective universities have countless resources that can expand your skillset and establish multidisciplinary perspectives. Show that you’ve done your research about the program by expressing what sorts of things you’d participate in if accepted to the program. Not only will you show that you’ve done your research (as good PhD students do), you will also show that you are interested in science beyond the laboratory. Mentioning these programs is also a great segue for sharing your career goals, especially if you hope to use your STEM education in policy, science writing, education, or biotechnology. Graduate schools are interested in well balanced students who can apply what they learn in the classroom and the laboratory to future positions in academia and the private and public sectors. The personal essay is a great way to show your potential to make a difference outside the lab. Closing Remarks Yes, writing can be time-consuming and tedious. The application essay, however, is the perfect opportunity to figure out and outline what YOU want to do both in graduate school and your future career. Use this writing opportunity to be productive: explore what makes you excited about science and formulate a plan on how a graduate program can help you accomplish your goals. Not only will this writing process help you become a better applicant, it will help you figure out exactly what scientific questions are worth committing a lifetime to.