By Tari Tan

Increasing representation of trainees from groups underrepresented in the STEM workforce in PhD programs remains a critical goal for the graduate education community, but there are numerous barriers to achieving that goal. Through the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) organization I had connected with colleagues at UC San Diego, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the University of the Incarnate Word who are similarly passionate about removing barriers to graduate education. Together we developed and led a session for the 2023 FUN Education Workshop – and subsequently wrote an article that built upon the workshop session – as a resource for faculty and trainees in an attempt to mitigate barriers such as inequities between graduate and undergraduate faculty in their understanding of the “hidden curriculum” of graduate admissions processes. Specifically, since there is commonly a lack of communication between the graduate research faculty who serve on PhD admissions committees (and who understand what graduate programs are looking for in applicants) and the undergraduate faculty who mentor and prepare students to apply to PhD programs, potential applicants who lack direct personal connections to the graduate education community may be at a disadvantage.

In the article, we provide a general overview of the neuroscience PhD admissions landscape and “demystify” the neuroscience PhD application process in general terms. We then use the case studies of the neuroscience PhD programs at the University of Illinois and Harvard University to provide more concrete examples of how the admissions process works and how applicants are evaluated. In the second part of the article, we highlight the importance of training programs designed to broaden participation and increase diversity in the neuroscience workforce – including Harvard’s own PhD Program in Neuroscience Post-Baccalaureate (PiNBAC) program and the Morehouse And Harvard Partnership In Neuroscience Growth (MAHPING) cross-institutional initiative as valuable opportunities for potential applicants to gain essential experience and professional development. We hope that faculty and students alike find the article to be informative and helpful!

Tari Tan is Assistant Dean for Educational Scholarship and Innovation in the Office for Graduate Education and Lecturer in the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School.

Learn more in the original publication:
Centering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Graduate Admissions.
Tan T, Tomaszycki, M, Martinez Acosta V, Juavinett, A. The Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education (JUNE), Winter 2024, 22(2):A137-A159.