lnside a European Graduate Program

My first push toward studying physics came from a high school teacher with an infectious passion and an ability to make
the material accessible and interesting. I developed a more extreme interest during an undergrad course on modern experiments with a large focus on particle physics. I worked with two dark matter experiments, LUX-ZEPLIN and Darkside-50, and greatly enjoyed both, particularly the complexities of the detectors’ design impurities and background elimination, and I really loved being a part of large collaborations. My professors were enthusiastic and kind, and they did a great job preparing me for exactly the type of work I’d be doing in physics.

One of my classes as an undergrad at Augustana University was an independent study of classical mechanics, in this case using computing programs to define, plot, and predict systems of motion or dynamic change. It was enjoyable and challenging in a satisfying way, like a puzzle. Along with classes on the philosophy of religion and history of mathematics, the course made me appreciate the material world and the societal systems that would allow me the privilege of working in physics. Altogether they convinced me that it would be a life-fulfilling career, so I decided to pursue a PhD.

I found, however, that my graduate school wasn’t a great fit. After I met the master’s degree requirements, I decided it would be a smart move for my career and mental health to leave the program early and search in Europe, where I hoped to move anyway. In Europe it’s common to start PhD programs after earning a masters, and there the research supervisors hire graduate students directly for projects rather than the physics department handling admissions. The stability of this system was important to me after having three research advisors, all at different times, during my masters. Also, most of my experience was in dark matter WIMP searches and rare-signal high-energy physics searches, and Europe had many such experiments and projects that appealed to me.

The University of Siegen in Germany has a really wonderful physics department. My advisor, Professor Markus Cristinziani, is down to earth, and the other professors and post-docs are always supportive and helpful. We’re working on a Higgs to charm-anticharm search for ATLAS, a detector at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland. Right now, I’m improving machine learning–based flavor identification tools. There are multiple layers of supervisors for various projects so I can always find someone to help with whatever I’m doing.

The department is small and interactive, and everyone has lunch together. The students have an official group excursion in the summer and a lively Christmas party in the winter. The department and professors feel overwhelmingly well connected to other schools and programs, so I’m often immersed in an environment that’s full of passionate career physicists.

One huge benefit: Traveling to other schools, conferences, and CERN is easier with everything so close and travel costs more reasonable. Seeing different cities and countries while also meeting people from all over Europe makes the PhD experience much more fulfilling. And I’ve found the more focused, narrow research groups of European graduate programs make for a rewarding dayto-day experience. Here, I feel more strongly that my research is contributing significantly to the field of physics.

On the other hand, a benefit in the US was the very open atmosphere—experimentalists, theorists, particle physicists, and
condensed matter physicists all interacted every day. In German PhD programs, each of these groups is an isolated unit. For me, the biggest drawback to an international program has been loneliness. When you’re in a foreign country long term and trying to socialize, it takes time to fully understand that you are the foreigner, the odd one out. It can be challenging to befriend locals, who’ve often never left their region for long periods of time. And there are certain cultural aspects, and even the vibe of my masters physics department, that I miss greatly.

After my PhD, I plan to stay in Europe, either in Germany or Sweden. I hope to continue working in physics, especially with CERN, but otherwise I’ll utilize my experience with large-dataset manipulation and machine learning to get a private industry job in energy technologies or computing.

THINKING ABOUT GOING INTERNATIONAL?
The application process takes some perseverance. The typical European school asks for letters of recommendation, an essay on your interest in the field, an explanation of why you think you’d be useful to them (and a good fit), and finally an interview where they ask standard job interview questions and sometimes test your physics knowledge. Another difference from US programs is that in Europe (and, presumably, other parts of the world) you’re expected to already have a masters degree and some research experience. Schools want to gauge your usefulness, your potential to remain in the program despite the occasional months of pressure, and your personality.

My best overall advice: Start applying early, and don’t get discouraged! International programs have a different semester
schedule. Many have application deadlines in early December and early June. You’ll likely get a lot of rejections, a lot of nonresponses. But keep applying, and keep improving your CV, motivation letters, and interview questions with each application.

On the practical side, be sure to budget for moving costs and passport and visa fees! I had to drive 10 hours for my visa interview—this can’t be done for free. Setting up banking can also be an issue. No bank in Germany would let me open an account without a German address, but I couldn’t get an apartment there without a non-US bank account. These catch-22 situations are common when doing paperwork for an international grad school program, so you’ll have to set aside time to find solutions. Reddit pages can be useful when trying to gauge the foreigner experience in different towns. Also, some knowledge of the town itself—claims to fame, important history—is useful to show supervisors that you consider an interview for that particular program a privilege.

If you happen to be queer, keep in mind the laws, paperwork, and healthcare of the country you’re looking into. Check out
the departments’ student pages for evidence that openly queer people are at least tolerated. The fact that you’re queer shouldn’t come up in interviews, but some countries and some departments will be less accepting than others, even in a field such as physics. And finally, don’t neglect the lesser-spoken-about countries! I found some really good programs in Slovenia and Poland, and I have friends who’ve found nice programs in Norway, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia.