Explore Grad School

Grad school helps you learn more about specialized aspects of ChemE, exposes you to more job options, and gives you more opportunities to network with other universities or companies. In this page we will dive into Kaan Murat’s opportunity with the University of Delware. He’s a PhD candidate there and an Alumni of VT from the class of 2023.

Kaan Murat

  • Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering ‘23

  • Current PhD Candidate at the University of Delaware

What is your day to day like?

It’s similar to having a full time job, you are working 9-5, constantly in office reading papers and researching topics related to your project, while only going into lab while needed. You are also working on presentations and your own research papers while you are in office.

How has your experience been so far?

My first semester is mainly all classes and finding the right advisor and lab to work with. I started researching in January (2024) and I’ve been reading a lot, learning specifically how to scientifically communicate.

What are some benefits of doing grad school?

For one, the connections. The connections you gain from grad school are arguably the most important connections you’ll ever make since you meet people researching in the same field as yourself. Another is that you are most likely going to get paid for going to grad school. Almost always you get a scholarship that covers your tuition and you are paid an amount that is sustainable enough to afford the essentials (rent, food, gas, etc.).

What do you plan your research topic to be?

I’m planning on researching the measuring of bio accumulation of forever chemicals (PFAS) in animals (including us). PFAS can include chemicals such as HDPE and PET which are commonly found in your plastic containers and water bottles. Most people get PFAS from water. I’m hoping to use microfluidics to find mass transfer data to measure bio accumulation within the skin.

What is something you wish you knew before going ot grad school?

If you think you know what you are oging ot research before going ot grad school, in reality you probably don’t. Your interests in specific topics can change rapidly. I highly recommend doing undergraduate research before deciding whether or not you would like to a PhD. When choosing between multiple schools, don’t stress too much since you honestly can’t make a wrong decision since both schools are almost always great choices. Lastly, keep an open mind when it comes to research, don’t lock in on one topic.