As I prepared to finish my undergraduate degree, I asked myself where I should continue my graduate education. I already had a decent idea about what sort of research I wanted to pursue—in my opinion, it does not get any better than materials for high-temperature engines. So I had the “what”—I just had to figure out the “where.” My homeland of Australia? Europe? The United States?

Each continent has pros and cons when considering a Ph.D. For example, in Australia, because I had already completed my honors thesis, it would take me just three years to complete my studies. This sounded fantastic when compared to the U.S., where it would take more than five years and I would have to enroll in classes.