Question: Is a specific PI is accepting new grad students this cycle?
Solution: Contact the PI directly.

If you want to work with a specific PI, then you need to know if they are accepting new grad students for the degree program you’re pursuing (MS or PhD). If this wasn't obvious to you don't worry because many undergrads on the path to grad school have asked for advice on this subject.

Dr. Nicquet Blake is the associate dean for admissions & student affairs at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. As part of our Graduate Student Recruit Week in STEM, (#GradRecruitWeekSTEM) she will answer our (and your) questions about the graduate school admissions process while uncovering some parts of the hidden curriculum for diverse students.

Why We Host Graduate Student Recruit Week in STEM

As a recent graduate who has just begun their grad school apps, following #GradRecruitWeek from
@YouInTheLab has been super helpful to be able to hear so many different perspectives about this daunting process. So THANK YOU to all who participate!!

I feel constantly overwhelmed and confused about the graduate app process. Especially, being an international student, it is daunting to search for opportunities. #GradRecruitWeek gives a feeling of comfort amidst all this and I really want to thank you for organising this!

I like the polls because they are what I’m thinking about or things I didn’t know I needed to think about [when applying to grad school].

I’m a first gen[eration] student so I appreciate being able to DM and not have to ask a question [directly to the Twitter Hive]. Also, that you DM me the polls so I could follow without having to look for the ones from my questions.

—from the PI's desk and the Lab Manager's bench

The close of the spring semester brings thoughts of lounging on the beach with a good book, hanging out with friends, or starting an exciting summer internship. In other words, all the things that will make your summer fun and enjoyable. However, don’t let your enthusiasm for the beginning of summer distract you from wrapping up some key tasks in the lab.

We connected with an undergrad in the lab who was planning to apply for several summer research programs. They wanted to know how many recommendation letters they could ask each professor to write. As usual, we edited the conversation for brevity and to remove identifying details so the student remains anonymous.

Dr. Jennifer Robison Assistant Professor of biology at Manchester University located in North Manchester, Indiana. Her research program focuses on understanding the molecular and physiological events that occur during abiotic stress in plants. Connect with her on Twitter @JenRobiSci .

Q1:If you had a mentor(s) as an undergrad who you credit for the career path you're on now, please share a little bit about who they were and what they did that made such an impact.