Preparation of graduate students is necessary for producing strong, independent scientists, who will advance the knowledge of their fields. Unfortunately, there have been critiques of graduate education in chemistry, ultimately stating that it fails to prepare students for present and future careers in academia, industry, or government work. Although suggestions for improvement have been made, there is a lack of research aimed at the knowledge and skills (K&S) that chemistry graduate students actually gain and grow in during their graduate education based on the graduate students’ personal experiences. In this longitudinal, qualitative case study, four chemistry graduate students were interviewed about the K&S they gained throughout their first two years of graduate school. This study aims to investigate the question: What is the impact of programmatic elements on graduate students’ professional development? Socialization theory and cognitive apprenticeship theory provided the lens for the development of the semi-structured interviews to investigate the K&S students perceived they gained, and grew in, throughout the first two years of their graduate school experience.  We found evidence to support socialization theory for how graduate students grow during their graduate school experience. Some of the primary themes we extracted included Perceived Value, describing how the graduate students determined if aspects of graduate education were relevant and beneficial for their growth; Support, describing the network of faculty, fellow students, and friends necessary for success; and Environment, describing the impact of culture within and outside of the university setting.<br/>

Impact graduate school program elements have on chemistry students’ professional development: Longitudinal study

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.