Name

David Hook

School

North Carolina State University

Degree Program

Third year PhD in Material Science and Engineering

Previous Degrees

Master of Science in Material Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University, 2010; Bachelor of Science in Material Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University, 2009

Dissertation Topic

Metallization of solar cells

Research Interests

Thin films; vacuum systems

Advisor

Jon-Paul Maria

Advisor’s Research Focus

Electroceramic in films

Hobbies

Hiking, snowboarding, travel, scuba diving, spending time with friends

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I selected North Carolina State University’s material science and engineering PhD program because I had gotten my bachelors and masters degrees there. The university has a very small department, so I already knew the professors and had an advisor in mind. Its program also has an excellent reputation in the field.

The field itself interested me, as well. I have always had an interest in chemistry and physics, but I knew that getting a job with a simple chemistry degree would be difficult. Material science and engineering, on the other hand, allowed me to pursue my interests without sacrificing my job prospects.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

I prepared myself for graduate school by getting my bachelors degree from the program. I had graduated as valedictorian of my class and had an offer letter for the PhD program before I even applied.

Part of getting that offer letter involved building relationships with my professors from the very start. I think that anyone who wants to pursue a PhD program should speak to as many program faculty as possible. The relationships you create will open doors.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

No, my application did not require standardized test scores, although the program recommends that students take the GRE exams to qualify for fellowships. I had taken the GRE in the senior year of my bachelors program and did not need to retake it.

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

My personal statement included information about my strengths, academic goals and plans for my degree. I found that bragging about myself in my personal statement was difficult, but I think that universities want candidates to have a good sense of their own worth.

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

I chose faculty for my letters of recommendation who were from a variety of departments. For example, I asked an English professor whose class I took in my undergraduate studies. I was comfortable asking faculty for letters of recommendation because I felt that their job is to help students who have proven themselves to them.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in material science and engineering?

Yes, I recommend that students who are considering applying to a graduate material science and engineering program understand the subject area and have a sense of the projects they would like to do. Only students from a few backgrounds apply for material science and engineering programs, so students can make their applications stand out to admissions boards by demonstrating that they have a sense of direction for their research.

Graduate School – The Program

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

My material science and engineering program takes 4 to 5 years to complete. About 30% of the program is coursework and 70% is dissertation research. Students who want to teach with their degrees can request teaching assistantships with professors, but most students do research assistantships through their advisors.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

The focus of my dissertation is the development of a method for metallizing silicon solar cells. I had settled on this topic before I entered the program, which is somewhat typical for my field. Students tend to be given topics or enter into preexisting research studies.

In my case, my advisor had already planned the research project, which he estimated would take a couple of years, and obtained funding for it. He just needed someone who would do it. When he asked me, I agreed.

Although my project was relatively set in stone, I know that students can seek out programs that have funded research projects that will interest them. A major problem for people in this field who decide to come up with their own research studies is the inconsistency of funding or the negative results of their experiments, which can lead to funding drying up.

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

My dissertation process is divided into research and writing phases. The research phase, which is mostly experiment-based, will last for about 3 years. I will start the writing phase in the final 6 months to a year of my program, although I may need to do additional research if I find any gaps.

The biggest hurdle to my project so far has been my preliminary exam, which I will take in a few months. The exam will require me to present everything I have studied so far.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

My advisor plays a central role in my education. I chose him because I felt that he was the best professor in the department. He was relatively young, too, and I felt that he was great at communicating with his students. I had a sense that he would always be around and able to help me.

His role so far has been to mentor me and keep my research on track. I report to him about once a week with my progress, and we go out for drinks on occasion, just to talk. He also helped me find an outside project to work on. I suspect that I will be able to use his industry contacts after I graduate.

I think that new graduate students often make the mistake of being too afraid to speak with their advisors. But, in my opinion, advisors are the people who can offer the best advice and experience. Students should ask their advisors as many questions as they can, even if it makes them look dumb.

Does your doctoral program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

Yes, my material science and engineering program requires 2 comprehensive exams prior to graduation. The first exam is called a qualifier and requires us to write and present a topic proposal that is completely unrelated to our research. The second exam is called a preliminary exam and requires us to give a presentation about our dissertation research.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PhD program cost?

My PhD program tuition would cost around $30,000 without my waiver. Students in my program can choose to do research assistantships or, if they make arrangements, teaching assistantships to get tuition waivers from the university.

The secondary costs, such as rent, utilities, food and books, typically add up to over $600 a month, but most students in my program also receive a stipend to help them cover these costs.

How are you funding your education?

I am funding my education through my research assistantship, which gives me a waiver through the university and a stipend. My stipend is enough to cover all of my secondary costs with some money left over to save. I have not had to take out student loans, and in my experience, doctoral students in my program do not generally have to do so.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in material science and engineering?

The time commitments for a PhD in material science and engineering are very reasonable. For the coursework component of my degree, I spent about 9 hours a week in class and another 30 or more hours in the lab or working on assignments. Now that I have started on my dissertation, I spend about 50 to 60 hours researching. I typically start work early in the morning so my evenings stay free.

How has graduate school affected your personal life?

The effect of graduate school on my personal life has been very small. I think that doctoral students just need to accept that their programs are a part of their lives and schedule their time accordingly.

For example, I have a girlfriend, keep my weekends free and take vacations, despite my doctoral commitments. I see my girlfriend all the time and even plan hikes and movie nights. In my experience, a research schedule can be as flexible as it needs to be.

One way that I manage to maintain a personal life outside of my school commitments is by keeping a list of priorities in my head. I finish the important tasks that need immediate attention and get to everything else when I can. This keeps me from procrastinating too.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hope to be researching in the private sector. I have no interest in doing research for the government or in an academic setting. But I pursue every opportunity that comes my way, so I have no doubt that I will find what I am looking for.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a PhD in material science and engineering?

My biggest insight for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD in material science and engineering is that the job market is strong right now. People leave programs like mine and go straight into private research labs. Graduates can also find work in industries like finance because they have consumer modeling experience.

I would also caution students to avoid working with poor professors or on dissertation research that lacks direction. Some people in my program have languished in it for 8 years because they just cannot get the advisor and research project that they need. In my opinion, students can bypass this risk entirely by researching faculty and projects before applying to a program.