When someone talks about doing a PhD, the stories that surface are usually about what went wrong: the overbearing adviser, the chaotic laboratory experiments, the loneliness and the stress. But the experience is rarely only that. Amid challenges such as funding uncertainty, competition for positions, pressure to publish and disruptions caused by global conflicts and crises, many supervisors quietly do things that change a student’s trajectory for the better.
In its 2025 PhD survey, Nature asked more than 3,700 doctoral candidates around the world a simple question: what is the best thing your supervisor has done for you during your studies? Their answers offer a counter-narrative to some of the more alarming stories that people sometimes tell about their PhD experiences. Some respondents describe life-changing acts of support. Others recall smaller but no less meaningful moments of trust, generosity, flexibility and protection.
Here, in the students’ own words, and with a few of the supervisors sharing their approaches in response, we highlight several moments when good supervision made all the difference.
Treated me as a colleague
“The best thing my supervisor has done for me is consistently trust me and treat me as a colleague. From early on, I was encouraged to take ownership of my project, make decisions and contribute intellectually beyond the bench. This autonomy was always balanced with support and thoughtful guidance, which helped me grow in confidence and independence. That trust made a real difference — especially in a challenging research and funding environment like Argentina’s, where resilience and creativity are essential.” — Tomas Peters, a PhD candidate studying cell and molecular biology at the University of Buenos Aires
Peters’s supervisor Graciela Boccaccio says: “As a supervisor, my role is to identify and foster new talents. Each member of my team is unique, and I work to create the conditions that allow them to develop their individual scientific skills. I have always considered them young colleagues — perhaps with less experience, but nevertheless creative and wise in many ways.”
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Pushed me to face my fears
“My supervisor pushes me to challenge myself and my fears. He pushed me to apply for talks at conferences, to apply for grants and to step out of my comfort zone. It was extremely uncomfortable and I was stressed, but I’m definitely more confident in my work, abilities and value now because of it. In hindsight, it gave me great experiences and opportunities that I would have turned down otherwise due to being timid.” — Anonymous PhD candidate in Australia
Supported me through my gender transition
“My supervisor is incredibly supportive and has been wonderful throughout my transition. She’s been an ally and advocate even when I haven’t been in the room and understands that there is a mental-health aspect to transitioning (such as fear of discrimination) that can impact your ability to come into the office. She has been incredibly accommodating of changes in my need to work from home.” — Anonymous non-binary PhD candidate in Australia
Backed my decision to have children
“My supervisor fully supported me when I told her that my husband and I wanted to have a child. She gave me a lot of flexibility for my maternity leave and keeps supporting me every time my child gets sick and I need to stay home. Professionally, she keeps reminding me to believe in myself, to push the imposter syndrome away — and I do.” — Laura Lafuente Gracia, a PhD candidate focusing on computational modelling of bone-fracture healing at the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium
Gracia’s supervisor Liesbet Geris says: “When I started as a principal investigator, my PhD students were the age of my younger siblings. Now, the current students are slowly getting closer in age to my children, and that is probably the way that I feel about them. They are my scientific family and I treat them the way I would want my children to be treated. I love figuring out the right way to supervise a student, helping them to find out what it is that they really want out of their career, and making sure they are prepared for that future.”
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Told me that it was OK to struggle
“My supervisor asked me ‘Do you trust me? If you do, then please tell me when you’re struggling, and I will remind you that you are doing a good job and that I’m proud of you.’ It really made me feel that it was OK to struggle, and that if I was struggling, I didn’t need to deal with those negative feelings alone.” — Emmarie Alexander, a PhD candidate studying genetics and genomics at Texas A&M University in College Station
Built up my professional network
“My supervisor is the best part of my PhD. She loves what she does, and her passion for the subject is contagious. She works to create many interdisciplinary connections, both inside and outside the university, for me. These have been incredibly valuable, and I expect them to continue to be so for many years. The collaborations are built based on wherever the project seems to take us. We connect with experts in adjacent fields that our lab may not be well versed in to better our research. And, vice versa, we lend our lab’s expertise to help where we can. I find having connections outside the lab, especially in different disciplines, incredibly helpful for thoroughly understanding a topic.” — Maria Corkran, a PhD candidate studying cell and molecular biology and focusing on virology and host–pathogen interactions at the University of Maryland in College Park
Corkran’s supervisor Margaret Scull says: “I have been very fortunate over my career to work with many phenomenal scientists, and knowing these individuals has not only influenced and elevated my own work but also created opportunities for me that I would not have had otherwise. I am intentional in my efforts to help my trainees build a broad network and interact with investigators who are either using different approaches or working in different roles or research environments. My hope is that, beyond the technical and communication skills gained, my students will have a better sense of their own interests and what they can do with their PhD.”
Listened when it mattered
“My supervisor has consistently kept an open mind and listened to me throughout my studies, which has been the most important quality to help support me through all of the unpredictable and inevitable challenges. I specifically looked for a supervisor who had this quality and approach, and it took me years to find him, but this true support is what helps me find solutions instead of creating more problems and more stress.” — Anonymous PhD candidate in Canada
Offered support during COVID-19
“I began my PhD when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. The situation around us was terrifying; we students were kept physically isolated for many months. During that period, my PhD adviser made sure that he was available to all of his students and offered us emotional support. His office was not only a place where I could brainstorm my science but also a safe space for discussing personal aspects of my life. That really helped me.” — Bharadwaj Vemparala, a PhD candidate focusing on computational biology at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru
My PI yelled at me and I’m devastated. What do I do?
Vemparala’s adviser Narendra Dixit says: “I have found that viewing PhD candidates as young adults, and not just as young researchers, is important. Often, resolving issues outside research is key to their progress. We knew during the pandemic that students would not have access to their families and friends and were thus likely to be in a difficult mental state. We were trying to be as supportive as possible.”
