Do They Enter the Workforce? Career Choices after an Undergrad Research Experience

Students in undergrad research internships go on to grad school at rates of 50-75{\%} (Lopatto, 2007;Russell, 2005). NSF studied its undergrad program and found that 74{\%} of physics interns (67{\%} for engineering) go to grad school. PPPL undergrad interns were tracked for 10 years. Only 3{\%} of physics PhD candidates are studying plasma physics, but 23{\%} of our alumni that entered grad school did so in plasma. AIP reports that 60{\%} of physics majors go to grad school (AIP, 2012), but 95{\%} of PPPL interns have gone on to grad schools. Several programs track enrollment in grad school. AIP compiles statistics of undergrads who enter grad school and PhD students who work in the field. There has been no study of interns that follows the path from undergrad to grad school and then on to employment. Our tracking shows that most not only complete their advanced degrees but also stay in STEM fields following their academic careers. 88{\%} of them become part of the STEM workforce, higher than the 82{\%} of all physics PhDs employed in physics after obtaining their degree (AIP, 2014). PPPL puts more students in grad school in physics, and specifically plasma physics, and a higher percentage of those grad students stay in the STEM workforce.