Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper is based upon interview research in which graduate students were interviewed regarding their post-Ph.D. career decision-making.

In this paper, I examine the emotional bases of decision-making for Ph.D. students as they prepare for their post-Ph.D. careers. Through interview data with graduate students and post-docs in biology, chemical engineering, and psychology, this paper will discuss how individuals shape their career decisions as based on emotional criteria. The interviews were conducted at two major research universities with Ph.D. students at various stages of their graduate student careers. The differences between the institutions, departments, and stage-in-graduate-program will be compared.