“When I was an undergraduate, a professor offered this advice when I was looking at graduate schools: “Pay attention to the people when you visit a department. Observe whether they get along and if you like them. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with them for the next five or six years.” I realized the veracity of his statements when starting my PhD at GSU after completing a masters at a different university. What sets this department apart from others is that there is a supportive environment, with collegiality between students and faculty and concern between students for each other’s well being. This helps everyone thrive as researchers, letting students challenge themselves. Without this environment, it’d would be more difficult to take advantage of the world class research opportunities, such as the CHARA Array, which GSU has to offer.” — Ryan Norris, Graduate Student