A Reflection on a Spring 2025 Panel Conversation
by Anthony Comeau – A.M. ’24 Regional Studies East Asia
The Purpose of the PhD
PhD programs promise to fund curious minds to dedicate three to six years (or more) wrestling with deep theoretical questions and/or urgent technical problems at the highest level. The human body, our social world, and the universe remain ripe for discovery. In the humanities, even if the maxim that “there is nothing new under the sun” holds true, humanistic scholarship may still reinterpret the past in light of new archival discoveries, events, or ascendant ways of thinking. This can be valuable as an end in itself and profoundly consequential when scholarship ripples out into public opinion, government, and the law.
No matter your field, the purpose of the PhD is to produce new knowledge––and, along the way, train new educators. At its best, becoming a PhD is a long-term commitment to unite scholarly passion with public service. The culmination of your doctoral research––the dissertation––ideally emerges from coursework and collaboration with peers and mentors in and beyond the university. In finally donning that PhD gown on graduation day, you will add your voice to a dynamic conversation across the ages on the very bounds of human understanding. Diploma in hand, you’ll happily accept that ready-waiting tenure-track position, secure that esteemed chair, blissfully teach for fifty years (never missing time for loved-ones of course), and then finally retire with just enough time to finish that lingering manuscript to maximum satisfaction. THE END… right?
Now, even the more starry-eyed among our readers will feel something off about the picture above. This may be someone’s path, but is it yours or mine? And should it be? In short, we have to step back and ask: What are the myths and realities about pursuing a PhD? Which myths can we challenge, or at least be aware of? And which realities might move us in alternative directions entirely?
You’re not alone
Everyone’s path to (or away from) the PhD will be distinct. The good news, however, is that others can help you think through: (a) whether pursuing the PhD is right for you in the first place, and (b) what you might encounter once you accept that offer and embark upon your unique journey.
In Spring 2025, the Mignone Center for Career Success held a panel, Pursuing the PhD: Myths and Realities, featuring:
- Juan Arias (PhD ’24 Romance Languages and Literatures)
- Sarah Mohamed (G6 Government),
- Marwa Osman (G4 Biological Sciences in Public Health), and
- Vaishnavi Patil (G7 History of Art and Architecture)
Below are some takeaways from the event, along with some personal anecdotes from our panelists.
Takeaway: The biggest myth, of course, is that you’re going to easily secure a tenure-track job upon completion of the PhD.
Juan, who is currently a language preceptor in Harvard’s Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, confirmed this, saying, “It’s true that for some fields there may not be a lot of options in academia, but by talking to people in different roles within and outside academia, I learned there’s so much you can do with your PhD.”
Sarah, who studies foreign influence and media in the Arab world, added that it’s also a myth that “a tenure-track position at a large research university is the only thing you should want to do.” Depending on one’s interests, skills, or goals, other options may be better. It’s important to explore these options, both within and beyond the Academy, while you’re still a graduate student, Mohamed explained.
Marwa, who studies intersections between neuroscience, public health and environmental justice, agreed, mentioning that in the natural sciences, there are plenty of options in industry. “If you want to pursue industry, you want to work with a principal investigator (PI) who has insights there, but it’s also important to be honest with yourself and not be so fixated on what you decided in the beginning. Being open to change will help you find the best path,” Osman concluded.
The panel agreed that another myth is that you’re only doing “one thing” during doctoral research, even as the dissertation requires narrowing. “In political science, many of my colleagues are working on many projects at once and have several different research areas. Exploring other topics during the PhD can be an interesting way to flex your intellectual muscles,” Sarah explained. Juan added that “it’s also a myth that you have to be working on the dissertation 24/7. I was surprised that I actually had free time to do other things.”
Takeaway: “Fit” is key, both with particular advisors/PIs (principle investigators) and with the institution broadly.
Marwa highlighted that the support of your PI is central, explaining that if you’re in a rotation-based program, you want to be more holistic in your search and look at a number of labs to make sure there are enough people who can support your research.
Sarah, for her part, urged students to consider that faculty often move in academia. Sometimes professors take students with them, but this isn’t guaranteed and maybe not desirable. At the same time, you want to make sure you’re connecting with people and not trying to go it alone either, especially in bigger departments. “You have to learn how to advocate for yourself. This means showing up, making your presence known, and asking faculty to engage with your work,” Mohamed advised.
Vaishnavi highlighted that in many niche subjects there may be just two or three schools that are a real option to support your doctoral studies. She studies China-India connections via Buddhism and was seeking both a South Asianist and a Chinese Art Historian to advise her research. Harvard was one of a few schools that fit the bill. “You’re committing yourself for the next six to seven years––so you really want to be in a place where you’ll find supportive and engaging mentors.” At the same time, location also played a big role in her decision. “Not everyone can visit, of course, but now that we’re in the Zoom world, you can still reach out to professors and graduate students in the programs to which you’re applying. If you poke around, you can learn a lot.”
Takeaway: If it’s customary in the field, reaching out is probably a good idea. In short, find out about the culture within your target field. Then, if and when you send that email, introduce yourself as a curious, budding scholar that advisors might get excited about.
“I reached out to everybody,” Vaishnavi said, “but I usually had more success if I asked for an appointment or suggested concrete times to speak.” She also reminded attendees that the decision to admit a student is often department-wide, not just based on one person’s evaluation. “Just making that first impression could help you, not just to show your passion, but also to learn about them,” she advised.
“I wrote to one PI specifically and it’s actually the one whose lab I’m in now,” Marwa added. “I would strongly advise that you reach out to PIs whose labs you’re interested in. It shows that you’re engaged and excited about the lab.”
Juan, who researched human-animal relations in Medieval Iberian literature, explained that, especially for smaller departments, a lot of students may want to work with the same professor. Reaching out can help you avoid submitting an application when your preferred advisor isn’t taking students that year.
“You may be their colleague one day,” Sarah added. “As long as people are available, it doesn’t hurt to reach out, but don’t take it personally if they don’t respond. Do it if you can. If you can’t, that’s okay. But definitely go to visit days, if you can.”
Takeaway: This varies, but, generally, talking to people and exploring your passions will help bring things into focus.
“I was very certain from the get-go because I love research,” Marwa said. Sarah, in turn, advised that if you are one of those people who’s hesitating about the PhD, “ask yourself where the uncertainties are coming from: Do you really like doing research? Is this the right discipline for you?” Vaishnavi confirmed this, urging that prospective PhD applicants might look to first gain experiences relevant to the field to get a sense of post-PhD life. “It’s a long, arduous path, even if it’s really rewarding. If you can get the job you want now, maybe try it out before you decide to get a PhD.” In her own case, Vaishnavi completed two master’s programs before entering the PhD and had also interned at museums. Through these experiences, she confirmed her love of research, writing, and fieldwork. Moreover, the kind of training a doctoral program provides is essential to the kind of curatorial role she hopes to take on in the future.
Takeaway: You definitely want to have a solid sense of why this discipline when you make a go at PhD applications. However, it’s by no means necessary (nor desirable) to have everything figured out when you begin. The very point of pursuing the PhD is to master (and eventually intervene) in the field itself.
For his part, Juan stressed that most American PhD programs provide sufficient time to change your research direction if you so choose. With programs in other countries this can be less the case, given shorter time horizons and funding structures. “I do think it’s good to be open-minded,” Marwa agreed. Sarah concurred, adding that “that’s why you take courses. You continue to learn.”
Takeaway: Remember that you will be much happier and more productive if you don’t neglect your physical and mental health. Be sure to meet people outside your field and continue to pursue your personal passions to enrich your life while en route to the PhD.
Vaishnavi, who was a fellow for two years in The Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS, said that getting involved on campus gave her “a real sense of belonging,” especially being an international student from India and not having family in the U.S. Despite interruptions due to COVID-19, she was still able to complete fieldwork abroad, and upon her return to campus, she could call upon relationships she had built early in the program.
“I’m very passionate about scientific outreach,” Marwa said. “I’ve done volunteering for The Health Professions Recruitment & Exposure Program (HPREP), which is affiliated with Harvard and works with high schools in Cambridge and Boston to support students interested in medicine or bench-based work. Because I’m in public health, communicating to the public is very important to me. There’s a PI who does community-based research in the environmental health department. Some colleagues and I have given presentations for her in Jamaica Plain pertaining to environmental exposure and the body. I also did work with Science in the News to write summaries of recent publications. So outreach and science communication are two things that I’m very passionate about beyond my own research.”
Sarah, who has a toddler, stressed the importance of self-care and engaging personal passions. With the limited time she had outside studying or writing, this meant baking, jogging, yoga, and recently boxing. “It’s taking care of my body, attending faith-based events, and participating in a community,” Mohamed said. “I was also very fortunate to be a part of a cohort of twenty-five students coming into my program, so we all got very close. Making friends outside of your department is also good for a variety of reasons. I’m making friends today!” she smiled.
Juan agreed and added that in terms of personal well-being, winters in Boston were particularly tough, especially coming from Colombia. “I needed to have some sort of extra activity, so I bought a bike. Now I know the city from end to end.”
Takeaway: The panel agreed that full immersion in one’s passions and being of use to others through these are the most rewarding aspects of the PhD journey.
Sarah and Juan shared that through the PhD they discovered their love of teaching. For Juan, it’s being a language preceptor and also teaching pedagogy. For Sarah, this means working with undergrads in GOV 20 – Foundations of Comparative Politics. For Vaishnavi, the highlight of her time in the PhD has been fieldwork, having the funding to dedicate an entire year to traveling to all the sites addressed in her dissertation. For Marwa, her program’s combination of cutting-edge scientific research and training in public health is incredibly meaningful: “When you’re hunkered down in the lab, it can be easy to forget the greater societal impact of one’s research,” she explained.
Vaishnavi aims to put her doctoral training to use in a curatorial position at a museum. Marwa said she hopes to stay within academia, pursuing a postdoc in neuroscience to expand her understanding of the field. Sarah is interested in opportunities to leverage her research to work on media ethics, tech and public policy. “I’d love to keep my current job,” Juan said. “I love it,” referring to his current position teaching language as a preceptor, and he hopes to continue in this vein.
UPDATE – October 2025. This program was held in Spring 2024. As of October 2025, here’s what the panelists are doing:
- Juan Arias, PhD ’24 Romance Languages and Literatures, Interim Preceptor in Spanish, Department of Romance Languages & Literatures, Harvard University
- Sarah Mohamed, PhD ’25 Government), Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
- Marwa Osman, PhD candidate, Biological Sciences in Public Health, Harvard University
- Vaishnavi Patil, PhD candidate History of Art and Architecture, and Research Associate, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Our panelists all stressed that resilience, flexibility, and connection are indispensable in and beyond academia en route to the PhD. Given advances in AI, global pandemics, and geopolitical shifts, it’s fair to say this will only become more so the case going forward.
That said, walking away from the discussion, I thought to myself that no matter how much our world may change, the human impulse for discovery and meaning in relation to others won’t easily fade. And to sustain this, we may need both an appreciation for certain worthy myths and an analysis of more sobering realities. If, for whatever reason, we don’t like the direction our world is taking, the knowledge that emerges from doctoral research, across the disciplines, might play a role (however small) in moving us toward a better future.
Hopefully hearing about the journeys of these four scholars has helped you think through whether pursuing the PhD is right for you. In the meantime, the Mignone Center for Career Success is here to advise you along the way!
Anthony Comeau received his A.M. in Regional Studies, East Asia in May 2024 and is now a PhD student in East Asian Languages and Cultures at Stanford University.
