MEMS Graduate Student Seminar: How and Why did I get a PhD

Pursuing a PhD degree is, for many people, a life-changing career decision. It is a 4-6 year commitment you make to yourself and your advisor, even though the future is full of uncertainty and a lot ups and downs. Everyone loves successful experiments and publications, but one can also have self-doubt and ask: what is the meaning of getting a PhD? is it really worth it? Will I ever get a decent job after this? Just like every career choice question, there is no correct or standard answer to these questions. Nevertheless, in this informal talk, I will talk about my personal reflection on the reasons of getting PhD, many of which were not exactly clear when I was a graduate student. As junior faculty who just changed the academic status, I will also talk about the difference in mindsets and expectation between students and advisors, in the hope that, through mutual understanding, every student can maintain a good relationship with the advisors and thrive in their PhD careers.