A sustained mentoring initiative for the next stage of academic development.
In 2025, ConnectEd organized its first nonprofit PhD Incubator to support people preparing to apply for doctoral study.
From September 2025 through January 2026, more than twenty faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral students worked with prospective applicants through a webinar series, small-group workshops, application-writing feedback, and mentor interviews.
The initiative grew out of ConnectEd’s wider community work. Its aim was to lower the communication and information barriers that often stand between strong applicants and the labs they hope to join.
A monthly series on the core stages of a PhD application, each led by one or two mentors. Sessions ran 60–90 minutes, combining a focused talk with Q&A, and some included breakout rooms, peer review, or practice exercises. Recordings remained available to participants.
Groups of up to five participants, organized by field and target country, met with a mentor during the application season. Participants submitted questions or drafts in advance and received live feedback on statements, strategy, and field-specific questions.
Short recorded conversations with mentors on topics such as interviews, contacting prospective advisors, the value of a PhD, doctoral life in North America, and the skills each research area looks for. Mentors reviewed every interview before it was shared.
Eight sessions followed the application calendar, from early planning to final decisions. Sessions were held on Tencent Meeting with a capped audience so that everyone had time to interact with mentors, and priority went to incubator participants and ConnectEd volunteers. Dates are listed in U.S. Eastern Time where confirmed; other sessions are shown by their planned month.
| Session | Focus | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 01 · Planning & Time Management | Building a realistic application timeline. | September 2025 |
| 02 · The Academic CV | Presenting research experience clearly. | September 2025 |
| 03 · Contacting Faculty & Recommendation Letters | The process of reaching out to prospective advisors and securing recommendations, mentors’ own experiences, and breakout-room Q&A. Led by doctoral students in engineering education at Ohio State and in education at UC Irvine. | September 27, 2025 |
| 04 · The Statement of Purpose | How to approach and structure a statement of purpose, what makes one effective, and live Q&A. Led by a Columbia University doctoral researcher in adult learning and leadership, and a Penn State doctoral candidate in language education. | October 4, 2025 |
| 05 · Writing a Research Proposal | What a research proposal is for, how to write one, common difficulties, and a live exercise in designing research questions and methods. Led by an Illinois State University assistant professor in literacy education, with a doctoral student in educational technology. | October 4, 2025 |
| 06 · A Faculty Perspective | What makes a strong candidate. | November 2025 |
| 07 · Interview Preparation | Common questions and mock interview practice. | December 2025 |
| 08 · Choosing Offers & Fellowships | How to compare doctoral offers, how to apply for scholarships, and breakout-room Q&A. Led by a doctoral student in biomedical sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center. | January 24, 2026 |
Their research spans:
Mentors came from institutions including:
The incubator was designed to fit around the schedules of working researchers. Its format offers a model for how faculty and doctoral students can take part in future editions.
The incubator was designed to give participants time to ask questions, reflect on their goals, and develop their application materials with feedback.
It complemented research training by focusing on the transition toward doctoral study and participation in academic communities.
Participants paid a modest registration fee to keep the incubator sustainable. The fee went only to mentor honoraria and core operating costs, such as technology, event coordination, and administration. Outreach relied on low-cost channels, including our own social media and nonprofit partners.
Please note. The incubator did not guarantee admission outcomes. Mentors’ advice reflected their individual views, not those of ConnectEd, and participants were encouraged to verify information independently. Any reference to a mentor’s institution is descriptive and does not indicate that the institution sponsors or endorses ConnectEd.
The 2025 initiative is presented here as part of our past community work. Future editions, eligibility, and participation arrangements will be announced separately when confirmed.