By DeWitt Scott. After much thought and contemplation, you have decided to pursue a doctoral degree.  You have visualized yourself 25 years into the future as a preeminent scholar in some discipline or field that matters to you. Read more...

By Jonathan D. Fitzgerald. A day in the life of a PhD candidate and father of two, a dramatic reenactment:
Grad school friend: I had a crazy weekend; I’m exhausted.
Me: I’m tired too; my kids seem determined to ruin even the possibility of a solid night’s sleep. Read more...

By Danielle Marias. This summer I attended a conference and, for the first time, I feel that I fully experienced and benefitted from the conference. It seems widely understood that conferences can feel overwhelming or intimidating--networking, socializing, navigating a new place, sharing your research, and interacting with esteemed researchers can seem daunting. Read more...

By Heather VanMouwerik. “There is no earthly way of knowing,” muses Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, “in which direction we are going. Is it raining? Is it snowing? Is a hurricane a blowing?” While hurling through the darkness with ever-quickening images streaking across the walls of the tunnel, Wonka’s voice reaches a fevered pitch, something bordering on terror and ecstasy. Read more...

By Anjali Gopal. A couple of times a week, I need to perform an experiment where I apply voltage across a hydrogel and douse it with UV light. Read more...