That Special Summer Before Grad School

SEP 22, 2026

SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma Program Engagement Associate

Whether you’re getting a head start on research, saving up for a potential move, or giving yourself a mental break, there’s no wrong way to spend the summer before graduate school. Here’s how a few members of Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics and astronomy honor society, spent that special summer.

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

“I was busy with a lot of non-science activities. I hung out with friends at the pool and Lake Erie beaches, scooped ice cream at my food service job, and helped a friend train for a marathon by accompanying them on a lot of long runs. I also remember preparing for my move from Ohio to Texas—scoping out housing online from afar and contacting potential roommates, along with making my Ikea furniture shopping list. . . . I encourage students to make sure to take a break. You’ll have a long 4, 5, 6-plus years to dive into your PhD and may be doing science much longer beyond graduate school! You also may be moving far from friends and family. It’s good to come in fresh. So maybe that marathon training helped me in more than one way that summer, since a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint!”

— Lydia Kisley was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma at Wittenberg University in 2010 and obtained her PhD at Rice University

“I spent my time working at a local grocery store to save up money for my first month’s rent and the general expenses of moving across the country. I also made sure to spend a lot of time with my family before moving away! While I had the opportunity to start research early over the summer, it was important to me to be as financially and emotionally prepared as possible before starting graduate school.”

— Jasmyne Emerson was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma at Seton Hall University in 2021 and is a graduate student at Purdue University

“I resumed my position as a research student under the wing of a therapeutic medical physicist in the Radiation Oncology Department at the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center. . . This early start definitely helped get my graduate school projects off the ground, enriched my understanding of the technical and clinical aspects of the impacts of this work, and has continued to influence my research interests as a practicing board certified clinical medical physicist.”

— Nellie Brovold was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma at St. Olaf College in 2017 and obtained her master’s at the University of Miami

“Luckily, I did not have to find a summer job outside of my field, as I was able to be paid as a pseudo-undergraduate researcher, having matriculated but not having joined officially for graduate school yet. . .It was a really important experience for me; it led to me being able to publish a moderately impactful paper on g-mode oscillations in neutron stars much faster than I would have been able to without having spent that summer developing a deeper understanding of the field. . . If I had taken the summer off, I don’t think I would have been as ready as I was to transition to graduate work. I was, and still am, very grateful for that experience.”

— Alexandra Semposki was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma at Ohio University in 2018 and obtained her PhD at Ohio University

“I spent the summer before graduate school working as a residential teacher at the Cardigan Mountain School in New Hampshire. . . I also made an effort to spend time with family, as moving across the ocean to the UK was a huge step academically and personally! It was a time of reflection, excitement, and growth, and I encourage anyone headed into such a period to take a moment to enjoy it. The pre-grad school summer is a special few months, so make sure you pause to look around and take it all in.”

— Connor Pickett was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott in 2021 and is a graduate student at University of Surrey

“I moved across the country to my grad school and was able to secure a summer research position. It opened up research collaborations before the pressure of classes and qualifiers began. Plus I was able to meet the older grad students and settle in!”

— Amy Simon was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma at Florida Institute of Technology in 1992 and obtained her PhD at New Mexico State University

Sigma Pi Sigma

Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics and astronomy, to encourage interest in physics and astronomy among students at all levels, to promote an attitude of service, and to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics and astronomy. Membership is for life.

The physics and astronomy honor society is closely linked but distinct from SPS. Many SPS activities are supported by donations from Sigma Pi Sigma members and the SPS Council oversees both organizations.

If you’re not sure whether your school has a Sigma Pi Sigma chapter, or if you’re interested in starting or restarting a chapter, reach out to your department chair or the national office at sps@aip.org.