Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Grad School and Beyond

CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A STUDENT PLANNING GUIDE TO GRAD SCHOOL AND BEYOND Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF ...

CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A STUDENT PLANNING GUIDE TO GRAD SCHOOL AND BEYOND Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE Where Do the Information and Guidance Come From? The content of this guide was shaped by information gathered from focus groups and surveys of students and postdoctoral appointees. The surveys revealed students’ desire for additional help in answering such questions as the following: ➤ Should I go to graduate school, and where? ➤ Where can I get advice about different disciplines? ➤ What type of experience should I obtain beyond my formal classwork? ➤ What classes should I take outside my major? ➤ Should I stop at the master’s level or pursue a PhD? ➤ What should be the relationship between me and my research adviser? ➤ How my career goals affect my choice of thesis topic? ➤ What nonresearched skills do I need, and how do I attain them? ➤ Is a postdoctoral experience desirable for me? ➤ How much salary will I make when I graduate? Is it worth the investment in time and opportunity cost? Students also expressed a need for career guidance information on ➤ Identifying careers. ➤ Educational requirements for various careers. ➤ Off-campus and postgraduate research and education (extramural programs). ➤ Skills and attributes that could improve employment options. Addressing issues like these is fundamental to a satisfying professional career. In these pages, we encourage students to seek help from peers, friends, advisers, and many other sources in planning a career in science and engineering. It is true that you, the student, are finally responsible for shaping your own career, but your success is largely a product of the abundance and accuracy of career information and the guidance of those familiar with the world beyond graduate school.