Cornell University: Diverse stakeholder perspectives improve Ph.D. career development programming

Career development offices benefit from collaborations and network development with industry employers, a new study finds.

The study, “Using Stakeholder Insights to Enhance Engagement in Ph.D. Professional Development,” published January 27 in PLOS ONE.

A team of researchers including Susi Varvayanis, executive director of the Graduate School’s Careers Beyond Academia, and Conrad Smart, physics doctoral candidate, interviewed 45 stakeholders from academic institutions about their perspectives on career development for doctoral students. Using a stakeholder engagement visualization tool developed by the authors, they assessed stakeholder-identified strengths and weaknesses.