Selecting a research advisor is one of the most important decisions you will make during your first semester. Much of your training will involve close interactions with your research group and mentor, making this choice critical for your success over the next several years. Therefore, it requires careful consideration.
Gathering Information
To make an informed decision, explore a broad range of faculty, even those outside your immediate research interests. While aligning your research interests with potential advisors is important, consider these additional factors when choosing an advisor:
- Is the advisor accepting new students? Some research-active faculty may not be recruiting due to group size or funding constraints, so it’s important to confirm availability early.
- What projects are available? Specific projects may be full, or advisors may be seeking students for particular funded projects. Discussing research opportunities will help you understand what is available.
- What have alumni gone on to do? Investigate the career paths of former group members to see if their outcomes align with your own career goals.
- Which research group will best prepare you for your desired career? If you already have a career path in mind, consider which group can provide the best preparation. For example, if you aim to work at an R1 institution, you may want to select an advisor with a strong publication record, who publishes in high-impact journals, and who has mentored students that have gone on to academic positions.
Academia vs. Industry: What Future Employers are Looking For
When considering your future career, it’s helpful to understand what employers in different sectors prioritize:
Academia
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- Strong publication Record
- Publications in high impact journals
- Experience with grant writing
- Potential for continued research impact
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- Strong Publication Record
- Experience with grant writing
- Potential for continued research impact
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- Strong publication record
- Prior teaching experience
- Teaching certificates
- Demonstrated student mentorship
Industry
- Strong Publication Record
- Strong Scientific Knowledge
- Leadership & communication Skills
- Commitment to safety
High-Impact Journals and Impact Factor: A Brief Guide for Chemistry Graduate Students
High-impact journals are scientific publications that are widely recognized for publishing groundbreaking and influential research. These journals typically have a broad readership and are considered prestigious within the scientific community. Examples of high-impact chemistry journals include Nature Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), and Angewandte Chemie. Nature and Science are high-impact journals that publish articles in a variety of STEM fields. Publishing in these journals can enhance a researcher’s visibility and credibility.
Impact Factor (IF) is a metric used to evaluate the influence of a journal based on how frequently its articles are cited by other researchers. It’s one of the most widely recognized measures of a journal's quality and reputation, though it has its limitations.
How Is Impact Factor Calculated?
The impact factor of a journal is calculated annually based on a simple formula:
For example, if a journal published 100 articles in 2021 and 2022, and those articles were cited 500 times in 2023, the impact factor for that journal in 2023 would be 5.0.
What Does the Impact Factor Mean?
Journals with a high impact factor tend to publish research that is frequently cited by other researchers, indicating the journal's influence within the field. These journals often have a rigorous peer-review process and are highly selective in accepting manuscripts.
What Does This Mean for Your Graduate Career and Group Selection?
While it’s helpful to be aware of journal reputation, it’s important to recognize that:
- Junior faculty (untenured) may not yet have many publications—or any at all—in high-impact journals. This should not be viewed as a negative or a deterrent to joining their group. New faculty often bring fresh ideas, cutting-edge approaches, and are highly invested in mentoring their students.
- Different subfields of chemistry have different publishing norms. Some areas emphasize rapid communication in lower-impact journals with high frequency, while others focus on publishing fewer but more in-depth papers in journals with higher impact factors.
Ultimately, the quality of your research experience, mentorship, and opportunities for growth are more important than the journal names alone. Use this metric thoughtfully—but not exclusively—when evaluating research groups.
Additional Considerations:
- What are the advisor’s expectations for students? How often will you meet? What are the group's expectations for progress, and what is required to earn a Ph.D. in the group?
- How is the group managed, and what are the group dynamics? Spend time attending group meetings or interacting with current members to understand how the group functions and whether the environment suits you.
- What is the advisor’s mentorship style? Is the advisor hands-on, or do they rely on senior students for day-to-day mentoring? Does the advisor support conference attendance and development of soft skills?
- What is the advisor’s career stage? Tenured or untenured status can influence the dynamic in the group. There are advantages to working with both tenured and untenured faculty, so consider how their career stage might impact your experience.
- What is the group size? Larger groups may offer more peer support, while smaller groups might provide more individual attention from the advisor.