Life of a Grad Student

I previously thought that merely staying prolific in high-quality publications is enough to be considered an excellent engineering graduate student. Don’t get me wrong, publishing in prestigious journals is, without a doubt, challenging. However, it is not impossible. With proper knowledge, wit, perseverance and strong work ethics it is attainable.  

As I proceed with my graduate studies, I realized, and I bet post graduates and individuals with advanced degrees would agree, you need more than just being smart to finish the graduate program. 

At undergraduate level, a majority portion of given tasks at a classroom can be solved by using one’s own wit and skill without relying on others for teamwork. Even if excluded from a team project, an undergraduate can lead a whole project by himself or make up the missing grades by excelling on midterms or finals. Also, you’re unlikely to spend more than 12 hours on a daily basis with people involved in any group project. So even if there is conflict, you can push it under the rug for a semester rather than resolve the issue.  

I’m ashamed to admit it, but this is what my undergraduate life was like.

Now that I am a graduate student, I am faced with new challenges. Not only do I have to deal with advanced-level projects but I must also work with irreplaceable collaborators who have their own unique skills to contribute.

I have the capacity to learn and diligently study designing, fabricating and characterizing adhesives with knowledge of adhesion and its mechanics. However, I am lacking in experience when it comes to numerical modeling for supporting experimental data or other fields including electronics and chemistry. Although I could exhaustively learn all the required knowledge and skills to conduct research, it would be a very steep learning curve. It will be challenging to finish an interdisciplinary project with a tight deadline without a collaborator. Now I need to learn the balance of working independently but also relying on others to finish the job. 
 
​I highly appreciate that I am in an environment where my colleagues, advisor and graduate school offer the opportunity for me to learn essential work dynamics before being thrown into the tough employment market where there is little room for error. 

In addition, by working closely with members from Iowa State International Student Council, Outreach and Advocacy committee and other organizations, I am training myself to listen and understand the needs of struggling international students and act in a timely manner. ​

Every day I am realizing that excellent performance, interpersonal skills, and even financial management at graduate level are inextricably linked. I am excited to see how I, Dohgyu, will turn out in 3 years when I graduate.