UCo: Grad School Explained Panel
The PCC Undergraduate Cohort (UCo) hosted a “Grad School Explained” session on the afternoon of Monday, April 29th, 2024. This event was formed to supply undergraduate students interested in climate grad school with the opportunity to learn more about the process and connect with current climate grad students to ask questions.
Hosted in the Life Sciences Building, the event began with Pagliacci pizza and time to socialize with fellow undergrads. Around 5 pm, the event shifted into a panel discussion featuring six current UW graduate students focusing on climate change in various departments. The panelists included Aina Hori (SMEA, Masters), Madeleine Strait (BIOL, Ph.D.), Zachary Espinosa (ATM S, Ph.D.), Aesha Mokashi (DEOHS, Masters), Stella Heflin (ATM S, Ph.D.), and Jack Winterhalter (SMEA, Masters). A UCo introduction and opening questions were led by undergraduate Isaac Olson, guiding the panel into the session. Each panelist introduced themselves, their program, and what they were working on and studying. The panelists represented four different UW programs, each sharing their unique grad school experience.
After introductions, questions were opened to the audience. Panelists dove into how they chose their programs and matched with their advisors. Many said that their choice to continue their education was propelled by the requirements of their field and potential jobs. For others, their decision was driven by their interest in research and academia. Some of the panelists shared that they entered the workforce before deciding to begin grad school. These roles included hands-on opportunities as research assistants or with Americor, which helped guide them to pursue further education in graduate school.
The panelists expanded on how the application process can be different between programs. Aesha shared how she applied to the DEOHS program and later chose an advisor. Stella and other Ph.D. students contrasted that she sought out potential advisors and then applied to the programs and schools hosting them. It was shared that STEM Ph.D. programs often expect students to research and reach out to potential advisors, later meeting for a “mutual vibe check”. Zac and Madeleine expanded on this and the importance of finding a program with multiple advisors you would want to work with as things do not always work out as planned.
The grad students also shared how they prepared for grad school. Many said that getting involved beyond their coursework, such as in undergraduate research, was very important. Madeleine shared that she completed the core series in math, biology, physics, and chemistry. She said having this strong foundation helped prepare her for graduate school and she was very grateful for it. Jack shared that although an undergraduate degree can be important, pursuing graduate school in a different field is very common, especially as your interests change. He mentioned that although he is working on different things in grad school, his undergraduate degree in biology helped when it came to landing TA positions.
The panel was followed by breakout groups at tables around the room where students could rotate to talk to different panelists. Grad student Sarah Leighton (SMEA, Masters) joined the panelists for the table talks. This allowed students to ask more direct questions and hear more about the individual experiences of the grad students. These conversations flowed from advice and tips for undergraduates to more information on how to get involved and prepare for graduate school. Grad students answered questions on the application and decision process, grad school finances, and more. Overall, it was a very informative and insightful session for the undergrads. It was wonderful to bring together both undergraduates and graduate students in climate.
A special thanks to the graduate students for sharing their insights and making this event possible. An extended thanks to the UCo planning team including undergraduates Medha Kumar, Luciana Calle, Lauren Henrie, and Isaac Olson, and graduate students Madeleine Strait and Aina Hori.
Written by Elise Herzfeld, PCC Undergraduate Assistant studying Oceanography