PhD Lab Survey – Neuroscience Academy Denmark

NAD Fellows Survey: Choosing a PhD Lab

Cohorts 2023 – 2026 · Estimated time: 5–7 minutes

Thank you for taking a few minutes to share your experience. We are mapping the factors that actually drove PhD lab selection across NAD cohorts, with the aim of (i) improving how we prepare incoming Fellows for this decision and (ii) understanding how Fellows’ priorities evolve over time. Think back to the moment you committed to your PhD lab — we are interested in what actually drove your choice, not what should have.

Background

Your name (optional)

NAD cohort *

2023 2024 2025 2026

Current host institution *

University of Copenhagen (KU) Aarhus University (AU) University of Southern Denmark (SDU) Aalborg University (AAU)

Department *

Broad research area *

Systems / circuits neuroscience Cellular and molecular neuroscience Computational / theoretical neuroscience Cognitive / behavioural neuroscience Clinical neuroscience Translational neuroscience Other

Are you collaborating with a research group at another institution? *

No Yes

Which institution(s)? (select all that apply)

University of Copenhagen (KU) Aarhus University (AU) University of Southern Denmark (SDU) Aalborg University (AAU) Other

Research group (optional)

The decision itself

Rank the FIVE factors that most influenced your choice of PhD lab *

Choose the most important factor (1), then the second (2), and so on through the fifth.

Rank 1 — Most important

Rank 2 — 2nd

Rank 3 — 3rd

Rank 4 — 4th

Rank 5 — 5th

Please specify the “Other” factor

Each factor can only be picked once.

How confident were you in your decision at the time you committed? *

1 = Very uncertain · 5 = Very confident

1 2 3 4 5

Validating your ranking

In one or two sentences: what was the single most decisive factor for you? *

Was there a factor that almost made you choose a different lab? If so, which one, and why?

In hindsight

Knowing what you know now, would you weight any factor differently? *

Yes No Maybe

If yes or maybe, please briefly explain

What is one thing you wish you had asked or investigated before committing to the lab?

NAD’s role

Did NAD activities (retreats, peer conversations, mentoring, courses) influence your choice of PhD lab? *

Yes, significantly Yes, somewhat No, not really No, not at all

If yes, please briefly describe how

Is there anything NAD could do — now or in future cohorts — to better support Fellows in choosing a PhD lab?

Anything else

Any other comments, reflections, or feedback you would like to share?

Data & Consent

I accept that my responses will be stored.
By submitting this form, you accept that NAD stores and processes the responses you provide for the purpose of evaluating and improving the NAD programme. Responses are stored for 5 years after which they are erased. If you provide your name, it will be kept confidential and only viewed by NAD programme staff.

✓

Thank you!

Your responses have been recorded. They will help NAD better prepare future Fellows for one of the most consequential decisions of their early scientific career.

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