Identifying the underlying challenges that face doctoral education in chemistry

Area of Science:

• Chemistry
• Science Education
• Higher Education

Background:

• Doctoral education in chemistry (DEC) aims to prepare scientists for global challenges.
• Concerns exist regarding DEC's effectiveness in adequately and equitably preparing students.
• Existing challenges are often based on opinion rather than theory-driven education research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize the issues and challenges within doctoral education in chemistry.
• To gain an evidence-based insight into the challenges facing DEC from the faculty perspective.
• To inform reforms in doctoral education by understanding systemic issues.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research study.
• Interviews conducted with faculty members of chemistry PhD programs in the United States.
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify key challenges.

Main Results:

• Four main themes emerged: 1) Balancing faculty responsibilities, 2) Lack of standard/robust student outcome assessments, 3) Ineffectual programmatic elements, 4) Problematic mentorship.
• Findings highlight systemic, rather than surface-level, issues.
• Identified challenges undermine the goals of DEC.

Conclusions:

• Faculty perspectives reveal significant systemic challenges in US chemistry doctoral education.
• Addressing these challenges requires a focus on faculty workload, assessment, program implementation, and mentorship.
• This research provides a foundation for evidence-based reforms in DEC.