Name

Dana Strait

School

Northwestern University

Degree Program

Fifth year PhD student in Neuroscience with a specialization in Auditory Neuroscience

Previous Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Music, Whitworth University

Dissertation Topic

Impact of musical training on human nervous system development

Research Interests

Influence of musical experience on brain stem and cortical functions; impact of musical experience on child development and educational outcomes

Advisor’s Research Focus

Auditory neuroscience

Hobbies

Ballet, playing music, motherhood

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I selected Northwestern University for my PhD because it is 1 of only a few programs in the world with a program in music cognition. The institution is also highly respected. I originally studied for 4 years as a PhD student in the music department at Northwestern, but I transferred 1 year ago to my current program.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

To prepare for graduate school, I studied hard for my GRE exams and got to know the people involved in the admissions process as well as I could.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

Yes, my program required GRE scores. I ended up taking the exam twice to make sure I obtained the scores I wanted. My test preparation included an online review course and practice tests.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

My personal statement addressed my reasons for wanting to study in Northwestern’s program and my confidence that I would succeed. My goal was to sound both sincere and decisive, because I think that the professors who review applications want thoughtful, articulate candidates with a clear sense of purpose.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

I selected faculty members who I felt could speak to my strengths. I gave them lists of the accomplishments and personality traits I wanted them to emphasize in their recommendations. In my experience, the number of recommendation letters that professors write can leave them flustered, so lists help them keep everything straight.

What types of questions were asked in your admissions interview?

My admissions interviewers asked questions about my research interests and past experiences. The goal was to establish whether I could fulfill the priorities of their program. They also wanted to know if I had any questions for them. Students should always prepare questions because it reflects the intellectual inquisitiveness of the applicant.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in neuroscience?

Yes, I think students considering applying for a doctoral program in neuroscience should practice their public speaking and writing skills. Neuroscience has a surprisingly large public performance component. Neuroscientists, including doctoral students, often share their research with large audiences, and I think those who present poorly fail to engage their audiences.

The ability to write is also a critical skill for those in the sciences. In my experience, humanities degrees tend to emphasize writing while science degrees neglect it. As a result, many intelligent students with enormous potential cannot get their research published because they communicate their ideas poorly. While grammar certainly matters, phrasing and creative explanations that capture the attention of the reader are important too.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

My program takes 5 to 8 years to complete. Only 2 to 3 of the first years are spent on coursework while the rest are devoted to dissertation research. Many of the credits that students earn for their coursework come from independent research or lab rotations.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

My dissertation research focuses on the effect of musical training on child brain development. Specifically, I examine how musical training alters or has altered the brain development in people at various stages of maturation, from children to adults.

This topic reflects a combination of my academic and personal interests. Music has always played an important role in my life, and I believe in its power to shape how humans behave and function.

Can you describe the process of researching for and writing your dissertation?

The process for researching and writing my dissertation began in my second year. In my field, the dissertation should align with the goals of the sponsoring advisor, or principal investigator, who a student works with. To this end, I chose my advisor carefully, then identified my specific research goals and methodology. At that point, I prepared my dissertation proposal and eventually got approval to start my research.

Typically, I work on my dissertation whenever I am not teaching, working or doing research for another project. While I am not under specific deadlines other than those I set for myself, I find that my colleagues and advisor have played critical roles in encouraging me to finish. Each week, I also participate in a lab meeting with my advisor and the other lab students to discuss our progress.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

My advisor, the principal investigator of the lab in which I currently work, plays supervisory and directorial roles in my education. Thanks to a generous grant, I had the freedom to look for labs and investigators whose research intrigued me. However, most students have far less control over whom they select as an advisor, since they have to consider who will be able to fund them.

My principal advisor guides me through the difficult decisions that accompany this degree path. Early in the program, those decisions include choosing a course schedule and research focus. Currently, we meet regularly to discuss my research and career paths, and she oversees my participation in conferences. I have also found her particularly useful as I prepare to enter the job market and seek out publication for my research.

Does your doctoral program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

Yes, my program required a comprehensive exam in my third year to determine my candidacy. The test was a 60-minute oral exam before a panel of neuroscience professors. For the first 30 minutes, I answered spontaneous questions from the panel related to sensory neuroscience. For the final 30 minutes, I presented my own research on the topic with nothing more than a whiteboard and markers.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PhD program cost?

My program costs me nothing. Through the university and a grant from the National Institutes of Health, my tuition and a monthly stipend are covered. Tuition coverage is standard for many PhD programs. These programs also often provide stipends to help cover living expenses. Universities want their students to focus on research or teaching and not on making ends meet.

Most stipends are too small to cover the costs associated with travel and research. The only way to cover these expenses is through grants, fellowships or scholarships. My grant, for example, supplements my stipend and covers the expenses associated with travel to conferences, including hotel fees and airfare. I also regularly apply for travel grants through my university and other academic societies.

How are you funding your education?

I fund my education with a grant from the National Institutes of Health, which typically require evidence of past research success, such as publications. I also had to prove that I contribute to scientific conferences and am committed to succeeding in my field. This particular grant, like many, is extremely competitive. In my experience, most students often apply for several grants before finding funding. Those who do not get grants must select their labs or programs based on available funding rather than merit or their level of interest in the research.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in neuroscience?

I commit 40 to 80 hours a week to my doctoral studies. The week typically includes editing and writing manuscripts, working on projects for my advisor, analyzing data, testing subjects, preparing presentations and helping to teach classes. Less than half of my time is spent researching my dissertation.

How has graduate school affected your family life?

My doctoral work goes with me everywhere, including home. My husband is also a PhD student, and we commonly spend our evenings on the couch with our laptops and a bottle of wine. We are always working, but we enjoy working together.

I use a few tricks to maximize productivity and free up a little time. These include not watching television and not leaving my e-mail client open. An open e-mail client is an invitation to check it constantly. I also do not use Facebook or similar sites while I work. From a scientific perspective, sites like these force the brain to multitask, which diminishes the quality of work on any individual task.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Over the next 5 years, I hope to be complete my postdoc and move into a faculty teaching position. My advisor has connections that I hope will help me find a solid postdoctoral position, but I have seen several other students skip postdoctoral work altogether and transition straight into teaching. But a student who chooses to pursue postdoctoral research could eventually find themselves in a higher-level faculty position.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a PhD in neuroscience?

The most important insights that I can offer students interested in pursuing a PhD in neuroscience is to work hard and enjoy the process of learning. It is also important to choose a program based on the research being conducted there rather than by the university’s reputation.