In pursuit of a Ph.D.: How to choose a post-doctoral lab

Part III of a three-part series in which graduate students at Washington University discuss their thinking behind choices they make at various steps in obtaining a Ph.D. in science.

Start early

Meredith Estep, a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Pediatrics, Newborn Medicine Division, has been through the experience of choosing a post-doctoral lab and can give insight into the process and her thoughts at the time.  For her, it paid off to start paying attention and looking out for post-doc labs early.  Years before graduating, Meredith attended a conference and was very impressed by a talk that was given; not only was the research in the talk interesting, but the professor speaking seemed to her like a personable, genuinely nice person.  When it came time to look for a job, Meredith remembered the professor who had left such a strong impression on her, sent an email about potential post-doc openings, but was told "No."  Yet she persisted and followed up during the next few months, and she was finally offered an interview and a position! 

Think outside the box

Erica Koval, of the Neurosciences Program, is considering pursuing a post-doctoral position in industry rather than the traditional post-doc in an academic environment.  "I want to be able to focus on goal-driven translational work while being part of a larger research team," she explains.  And, Erica believes that spending time in both academia (from her Ph.D. work) and industry would give her enough insight to make the ultimate decision on which avenue to pursue for her future career – a reasonable and logical choice that anyone who isn't 100% sure about his or her career might want to consider!

Post-doctoral research field is influenced by graduate work

Although she precedes her statement with an admission that she wants to keep her options open, Clara Moon (Immunology Program) states that she would love to stay in the field of her graduate work (mucosal immunology) for her post-doc.  Corinne Decker, also in the Immunology Program, agrees that she would like to stay in her field.  Not necessarily the specific subject of osteoimmunology, but definitely an immunology lab, preferably work with direct clinical relevance.  It is interesting to see that the choice of thesis lab potentially has long-term effects.

Funding makes a difference

When asked what the most important factors were for her when deciding on her post-doc lab, Meredith responded that "a position that was already funded" was crucial.  Corinne agrees and says that secure funding would most definitely influence her choice of post-doctoral lab.  Other factors that matter include productivity and a mentor who has time to advise his/her post-docs.

In pursuit of a Ph.D.: How to choose a thesis lab and committee members

Part II of a three-part series in which graduate students at Washington University discuss their thinking behind choices they made at various steps in obtaining a Ph.D. in science.

Finding a good Ph.D. advisor is on top of many students' lists

Haiyang Yu, of the Molecular and Cell Biology Program, knows that he is a very independent scientist.  Thus, in addition to choosing a thesis lab with cutting-edge research and a good project, he placed a strong emphasis on mentors who give their students more freedom.  Erica Koval, a student in the Neurosciences Program, firmly believes that the principle investigator (PI) is the most important factor in this decision.  "Research is hard sometimes, and the PI has to be someone you can easily meet with and talk to about both your experimental successes and failures," she says.  Erica also points out that since you'd want to be able to turn to your PI for guidance throughout your career, it's key to find someone who would be willing and able to give you advice about whatever career path you choose, someone who is "actively engaged in your training and success."  Corinne Decker, a Ph.D. student in the Immunology Program, also cites the thesis advisor as the most important factor in choosing a lab.  It is imperative for students to find a mentor with whom they are comfortable working and interacting.  Corinne warns, "If you don't get along with your PI you might be very, very miserable!" 

Small vs. large labs – both have their merits

With a positive experience working as an undergraduate researcher in a small lab, Kristina Stemler sought something similar for her graduate work in the Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology Program at WashU.  "I worked in a very small lab and got intensive training but by the end I was trained to be independent," Kristina describes of her lab background.  "When I got to graduate school I searched for a thesis lab that would give me personal attention in my early years … but that would allow me to develop my own questions and allow me to work on my own."  Thus, she eventually chose a small lab with a mentor who gives her attention yet understands her need for independence.  Subhajit Poddar, a student in the Immunology Program, places himself on the opposite end of the spectrum and knows that the qualities of a large lab are important to him.  In these labs, the mentor is usually very experienced, and there are plenty of post-docs and technicians who can help and answer questions.  "In a larger lab, someone more experienced than you will always be available," he says. 

What to look for in a thesis committee

As Kristina is currently in the process of putting together her thesis committee, who better to ask about this than her?  First, Kristina put together a list of potential candidates: faculty members with expertise in the different fields her project covers, professors with whom she'd like to interact, and people who could provide resources or training invaluable for her to complete her Ph.D.  And importantly, Kristina then discusses her list with her thesis advisor before narrowing down her choices.  Haiyang has gone through this process already and provides his two cents based on what qualities he was looking for.  "For committee members, they should either be experts in the field, or be very smart and [have] a broad interest and great ideas," he suggests.

In pursuit of a Ph.D.: How to choose a graduate school program

Part I of a three-part series in which graduate students at Washington University discuss their thinking behind choices they made at various steps in obtaining a Ph.D. in science.

Undergraduate classes inspire

Kristina Stemler, a graduate student in the Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology Program, took a Developmental Biology course back in her undergraduate institution, and this decision directly influenced her career choices.  From this, she "was instantly hooked on questions that pertained to organismal development and adult homeostasis."  Corinne Decker, of the Immunology Program, agrees that her undergrad classes played an important role.  "I decided to pursue Immunology at WashU after I had a few really great Immuno classes in college," she says. 

Research lab experiences do not always dictate future choices

Interestingly, the field of research conducted in labs prior to graduate school may or may not have an impact.  Kristina's undergraduate research appears to have made a positive effect; she performed research on topics highly relevant to those studied in her graduate program.  And, she was also part of the Genomics Education Partnership founded by WashU, in which she learned genomic finishing and annotation.  This experience was the one that gave her great insight into the WashU graduate programs, influencing her decision to attend the school and continue her investigations of developmental biology.  Corinne, however, has a different story to tell.  Her undergrad research experience was not at all related to immunology, her current graduate research.  But since she was interested in the subject from other avenues such as her courses, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. in it. 

The impressions faculty make can be critical

Both Kristina and Corinne are in agreement that the faculty at WashU is an important reason for why they chose to join the programs.  "I knew that I would receive support and encouragement from the great faculty that I interviewed with," Kristina says.  Corinne adds that she was "very impressed by how happy and down-to-earth the students and faculty seemed."  Additionally, she liked that there were so many professors in the program, and because of this she felt confident that she could join a lab in which she was interested.  Haiyang Yu, who is in the Molecular and Cell Biology Program, adds that when he was weighing his offers, the fact that the program at WashU was the "largest and strongest" was the deciding factor for him.

Collaboration and extensive interaction attract students

Clara Moon, a Ph.D. student in the Immunology Program, was highly impressed by the "collaborative atmosphere" she found while interviewing at WashU.  "I thought [it] was great, especially for scientists in training," she says.  Indeed, ease of collaboration and interaction can be a deciding factor for students looking at various graduate school programs.  For Kristina, the knowledge that she would be able to interact with other students – both in her program and in a different but related program – through student-run seminars at WashU was a plus for her. 

Life in St. Louis

Coming from rural Pennsylvania, Corinne cites the fact that "St. Louis is a very affordable but not too intimidating of a city" is an important reason for why she chose to study immunology at WashU.  Thus, the surrounding areas of any school can definitely make a difference in deciding which graduate program to attend. 

MIDSCI donates lab supplies for St. Louis schools

MIDSCI has recently donated through the Young Scientist Program (YSP) at Washington University various lab essentials to distribute to St. Louis schools.  These supplies include 1.7 mL microcentrifuge tubes, 0.2 mL PCR tubes, and boxes of pipet tips (pictured).  Some of us may fondly remember those years of high school science labs, when budding scientists began their careers practicing how to pipet solutions into various tubes.  With our inexperienced, unsteady hands, this required intense concentration!  These exercises are not only a fun way to introduce students to laboratory science, but they are also necessary for the training of future scientists.  Thus, the tubes and tips MIDSCI has provided for students will help with this and is greatly appreciated.  Jennifer Mosher, Coordinator of YSP, plans to distribute these supplies using 3 approaches.  Some tubes and tips will be given to the teachers who, by participating in YSP's Teacher Researcher Partnership program, are on the WashU campus conducting research for the summer.  As a second way to distribute the supplies, Jen plans on bringing them with her when she visits local schools.  Finally, they will be made available to teachers who contact YSP and inquire about lab supplies. 

Spotlight on Jen Lynch – Young Scientist Program's Volunteer of the Month for August

Jen Lynch is a Ph.D. student studying Immunology at Washington University since 2005.  At that time, she became involved with the Young Scientist Program (YSP) as a way to continue science outreach that she had already been involved with since high school.  During her years volunteering with YSP, Jen has accomplished so many things.  One is enhancing the teaching team component of YSP, which goes out and performs demos at local schools, by creating and then leading the forensics teaching team.  Another is serving as co-coordinator of the lab recycling efforts of YSP.  Most recently, she chaired YSP's 20^th Anniversary Celebration.  "That was my final gift to YSP and a great way to end my years of volunteering," she says.  Jen has also been directly involved with the YSP-MIDSCI partnership and is ecstatic about it.  The way she describes the inception of this collaboration is that MIDSCI, as a local company, was searching for a productive and meaningful way to give back to the community, and a partnership with YSP made sense for both sides.  This way, MIDSCI provides supplies such as teaching kits to YSP teachers and programs that are invaluable for the science education of St. Louis's youth.  Jen is passionate about issues related to science education; regarding her future career plans, she is looking to combine her Immunology focus with science outreach by obtaining a Masters of Public Health or Policy degree and then pursuing a career in global health, translating science research for non-scientists so that they can make informed decisions about their health.  "In a way, it's taking YSP's goals to a global level," Jen concludes.

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