The Spring semester is always a complicated time of reflection and renewal. Undergraduate and graduate seniors alike are preparing for the "what's next?" and remembering everything they've accomplished before. This is especially true for our cohort of graduating PhD students in the Political Science department. These accomplished students and researchers have put in innumerable hours in Seigle Hall studying, writing, collaborating, researching, and absorbing every piece of knowledge and experience they could muster. Now they are all moving on to the next long chapter of their lives. 

We asked them all to reflect on their time as WashU students, what they'll miss, their biggest highlights, and where they're headed after graduation. Below are their responses. We wish all of them the most success in their next endeavor, and look forward to seeing them again as colleagues.

Taylor Damann

What is a highlight of your time as a PhD student in the department?

Collaborating with faculty members (Margit Tavits, Carly Wayne, Christopher Lucas) was the highlight of my PhD experience. These collaborations gave me hands-on experience with everything being a researcher entails – brainstorming ideas, conducting surveys and experiments, navigating the publication process, engaging with news outlets, and more. Not only was this indescribably helpful to help me start my career as an academic, but it was also quite fun.

What will you miss about studying here at WashU?

I will miss this wonderful city. St. Louis is my home, and I have been grateful to be near friends and family while earning my PhD.

What are your plans post-graduation?

I am proud to be moving to Houston, Texas and joining the faculty at Rice University.

Dahjin Kim

What is a highlight of your time as a PhD student in the department?

One of the highlights of my time as a PhD student was receiving the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Research Grant from the American Political Science Association. It was the first external recognition of my research and gave me a strong sense of validation, encouragement, and confidence in my dissertation topic.

What will you miss about studying here at WashU?

I will miss the people and the vibrant intellectual community in the department the most.

What are your plans post-graduation?

I will be an assistant professor in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

Gechun Lin

What is a highlight of your time as a PhD student in the department?

One of the highlights of my time as a PhD student has been the unexpected and exciting journey I’ve taken—from law school to a PhD in political science, diving deep into machine learning, AI, and political communication. I started with very little quantitative training and was honestly a bit unsure of myself, but I’ve been incredibly encouraged by the recognition I’ve received along the way. My paper won the Antoinette Dames Prize for Best Graduate Level Paper, I completed a Master’s in Statistics, and in my final year, I was honored with the Provost’s Graduate Student Research Excellence Award. Every step has made me more confident to be part of this field!

What will you miss about studying here at WashU?

I’ll definitely miss the people and the incredibly supportive, welcoming atmosphere in our department. From my amazing advisor to my wonderful cohort and the kind, inspiring faculty—I’ve felt encouraged every step of the way. WashU has truly been a place where I’ve grown, both intellectually and personally, and I’ll always carry that warmth with me.

What are your plans post-graduation?

I’m excited to be starting a new chapter as an assistant professor at Texas A&M after graduation. It still feels a bit surreal, but I am really grateful for all the support that helped me get there.

Annamaria Prati

What is a highlight of your time as a PhD student in the department?

A highlight is my field work trip to Nepal. Thanks to the experiences, generosity, and support of our faculty and alumni I learned so much leading up to, during, and after this experience. My qualitative data collection enriched my dissertation but also has informed my future research agenda.

What will you miss about studying here at WashU?

I will miss the people — we have so many inspiring, smart, yet approachable people in our department!

What are your plans post-graduation?

I will be a Faculty Fellow at the Center for Data Science at New York University.