https://www.cientificolatino.com/interviews 

Questions (from the website above) that they are likely to ask you: 

“Tell me about your research.” 

  • Have a 3-5 min explanation that hits your project aim and conclusions in a concise manner.  
  • Be ready to elaborate on details when asked about methods you used and reasons as to why you were interested in tackling the research topic.   

“How would you continue your current research project?” 

  • Think of one or two follow up experiments or expected conclusions from your current research. 

  • Perhaps even propose an alternative experiment that may elucidate questions that have been left unanswered or cannot be answered by current experimental tools. This demonstrates that you are thinking creatively and scientifically, always strategizing as you are keeping in mind, “What next?”   

”What was a difficulty you faced in any of the research experiences you have pursued, and how did you overcome it?” 

  • Be prepared to elaborate on a single, but significant, struggle that is illustrative of your resilience.  

  • This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your persistence in science and an opportunity to help steer the conversation towards being more “human”. 

  • Earning a PhD requires 95% persistence, 5% intelligence. Demonstrating to your interviewers that you have struggled and you overcame these struggles upon elaboration of the process reflect on your strong character as a scientist.   

“What would you do if you weren’t pursuing a PhD?” 

  • This is a more infrequent question, but can be expected. Be perfectly honest, even if it’s going to cooking school! You might find a common hobby with the professor and cooking school uses very similar skills in a different way, organization, learning quickly, creatively using the skills you’ve learned to move the field forward.  

“What do you hope to do after graduate school?” 

  • This is an important question for the faculty to understand what your goals are post-graduation and that you are committed to the journey of a PhD.  

  • It is not a trick question, rather, it gives the faculty an idea what your long-term career goals are, e.g. becoming a faculty yourself or a STEM educator at a science museum so that you are able to inspire next-generation scientists about what higher education looks like!  

“What research are you interested in?” 

  • Faculty are not probing to see if you want to join their lab. Rather, they want to know if you have an idea of what you’re looking to study in graduate school. 

  • Refrain from saying you are open to studying anything. This is a red flag because it shows lack of specific interest Every institution has a plethora of amazing labs, but it’s important to show you’re interested in some field. For example: “I really am excited about the cytoskeleton. I could imagine studying how it organizes organelles on the cell level or differentiates neurons on the tissue level” or “I am committed to solving protein structures. I think structural biology is the key to understanding molecular mechanisms. 

Questions to ask faculty: 

“You mentioned [insert assay here] in order to address [insert research topic here]. How did you decide to use this approach to solve [insert current relevant research topic/problem]?” 

  • This question would be a great follow-up to ask the PI throughout his/her research talk.  

  • Not only will this give you clarity how the professor remains engaged with current methodologies, this demonstrates you were attentive and thoughtful throughout his/her research talk. Remaining engaged means not just listening, but showing your interviewer you are able to think scientifically about his/her work. 

“What are ongoing projects in your lab? What are future directions you see your research program going?" 

  • Remember, depending on the field, the publication cycle can take a long time from the conception of a research project to its publication -- so chances are there's lots going on in the lab that you wouldn't have a way to know a whole lot about!​ 

  • Gauging where a faculty member might want to steer their projects going forward is also a great tip to which direction your project would go if you were to join. 

“Is there any advice you would give to a first-year graduate student?” 

  • Professors may have some insight into career development you might be interested in.  

  • They may tell you something surprising! Every professor has a different path into academia, so this question may result in a diversity of answers. 

  

Questions for a director of graduate studies: 

“What are some career-oriented opportunities this program offers to its graduate students? Where do students who graduate from this program generally go next?”  

  • This may come across a bit vague, but this open-ended question will give the faculty the opportunity to interpret this and answer it the way they perceive the program.  

  • Their response will give you a good idea of where successful Ph.D. graduates have gone off to upon graduation:  

  • Universities where they were offered professorship and eventually received tenure, leading their own research groups 

  • Biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry 

  • Healthcare consulting  
      

“What are your favorite features of this program?” 

  • This may give you a broader insight into how the faculty feel about the program, and why they remain part of it. 

  • Avoid asking about the strengths and weaknesses of the program, which may come off as a pointed question.  
      

“Do you have any advice on how to choose a lab?" 

  • The lab you join and the research you conduct will have a greater impact on your PhD journey than the program you enter through. Interviews are a rare chance to get candid advice from faculty on how to tackle this responsibility before you are enrolled in a program.