Improving the experiences of physics PhD students by supporting their search for a research group

One of the most critical, but least supported, aspects of the first year of a PhD is the search for a research group. To students, finding a research group feels like a high-stakes decision that impacts their graduate school experience and their future career. Additionally, research groups can support persistence and growth as independent scientists. In this talk, I will examine factors that influence when and how students join research groups and the impact of this process on their graduate experience. Semi-structured interviews with 40 first- and second-year physics PhD students revealed widespread concerns about the lack of structured departmental support in finding a research group. With scarce departmental guidance, some students were able to rely on their prior experiences, such as undergraduate research, to access the resources, advice, and knowledge needed to navigate these challenges. Students with ample prior research experience often entered their programs with well-developed research interests, which facilitated earlier integration into a group and enhanced their sense of belonging. Conversely, students who described having fewer research opportunities and limited mentorship prior to graduate school tended to have broader interests and more commonly struggled to find a group. Those students who faced difficulties finding a group frequently reported feelings of isolation, anxiety, and doubts about their program fit, highlighting the need for improved departmental support in the group search process. We propose several options for physics programs to consider in order to better support incoming PhD students, including formal structures that promote equitable early involvement in research. Such reforms could help departments enhance PhD student retention and improve the overall graduate experience. This work was supported by NSF Award HRD-1834516.