Partners for Graduate School Experience in Chemistry (PGSEC)

Partners for Graduate School Experience in Chemistry (PGSEC) gives college juniors and seniors from primarily undergraduate institutions exposure to chemistry graduate school. This program is designed to reach out to students who might not have previously considered graduate school as a career path.

Program Overview

In conjunction with the Chemistry Opportunities (CHOPs) program, PGSEC students are invited to spend 2-3 days at UW-Madison. Travel accommodations and food are provided for students who attend PGSEC. Students will learn about various professors’ cutting-edge research and see what types of research you might expect to conduct as a chemistry graduate student. In addition, UW-Madison faculty and staff are available throughout the program to meet individually with students. Students also tour state-of-the-art facilities such as an NMR facility, high-performance computing cluster, X-ray crystallography laboratory, mass spectrometery laboratory, glass-blowing facility, and catalysis center.

We encourage PGSEC students to get a first-hand view of graduate school life by interacting with current UW-Madison graduate students during the program. Upon arrival to UW-Madison, each PGSEC participant is greeted by their graduate student host, and throughout the program, the hosts attend all PGSEC events. Students from past PGSEC programs have expressed how much they enjoy having the opportunity to ask graduate student hosts questions about their personal experiences in graduate school.

Finally, students get an opportunity to discover Madison and experience the welcoming, unique, and diverse culture. Past PGSEC programs have included tours of the state capitol, a visit to the State Street pedestrian shopping and dining area, and experiencing the Dane County Farmers’ Market at the Capitol.