Suggestions on PhD programs?

[fireblitz]

I am rather new to this forum, so hello everyone!

I was wondering what are some good nanotechnology PhD programs? I am especially interested in those that are related to batteries, solar cells, and flexible polymers (ie. OLEDs) research. My application process begins this winter and I will be taking the new GRE and chemistry GRE very soon.

Throughout my undergraduate experience, I've had some ups and downs. It took a while for me to realize my strengths in chemistry. While I got Cs in two of my major classes (one in freshmen year and one recently), I was rather active in research (since high school) and did very well in materials chemistry. I have done poster/oral presentations, 3 publications as well as diagrams that brought one article to the journal's front cover. GPAs are 3.4 cumulative and 3.3 for the major.

Right now I am deciding which universities are safety schools. My current advisor would like me to stay in his lab, but of course there are disadvantages by staying at a home institution for another 3-5 years. But what if it gives the best funding?

I'm very worried about not getting into any... :/

Thanks for reading!

[Xarqin]

Have you looked at the programs at Harvard, MIT and Rice University? Don't limit your browsing to the Chemistry departments... scout around in the ChemE and Materials Science/Engineering websites as well (and maybe even Electrical Engineering). You can often do your Ph.D. as a student in a parent department, but conduct your research with a PI from a different department. Read around and pose questions to specific researchers.

Staying at your undergrad institution to do a Ph.D. is typically not a good idea. They call it 'academic inbreeding' and is often discouraged, but not unknown. It is better for you to expand your horizons and professional network elsewhere. Your current PI's agenda is in line with *his* personal career goals and interests, not yours. It is somewhat selfish of him to want you to stay where you are; my own undergrad PI never encouraged that practice.

Good luck.

[fireblitz]

Staying at your undergrad institution to do a Ph.D. is typically not a good idea. They call it 'academic inbreeding' and is often discouraged, but not unknown. It is better for you to expand your horizons and professional network elsewhere. Your current PI's agenda is in line with *his* personal career goals and interests, not yours. It is somewhat selfish of him to want you to stay where you are; my own undergrad PI never encouraged that practice.

Good luck.

Thanks, Xarqin.

Yes, I have considered this issue and pondered about it for quite some time. It is tempting to have a clear path ahead since I can easily expand on my current project, but I certainly don't want to specialize in one thing this early and carry it on for the rest of my life. I actually worked with other PIs in the chem, bio, and engineering departments this summer. Sadly, everything is just in the same bubble (the engineering guys got the better gadgets though!). Perhaps this should be my safety school. Like many here, I have great doubts about my credentials and where they will take me.