Pathway into PhD Experience

What is PIPEline?

PIPEline (Pathway into PhD Experience) is an initiative of the American Accounting Association's Auditing Section designed to encourage and inform students and professionals interested in pursuing a PhD and academic career. Selected participants attend the Auditing Section's Midyear Meeting, where they connect with faculty from across the academy, get exposure to a wide range of audit research, and gain insight into whether a future in auditing education is right for them.

For 2027, the program runs alongside the Audit Midyear Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, January 14–16. The Auditing Section expects to support approximately 15 participants.

What's included

• Costs covered. Flight and ground transportation, baggage fees, hotel, and meeting registration are covered by the Auditing Section, so participants can attend without financial constraints.
• A dedicated program. Participants arrive by lunch on Thursday, January 14th, for sessions curated specifically to explain PhD and faculty life, followed by the Doctoral Consortium evening social. Participants then attend the full Midyear Meeting on Friday and Saturday.
• A faculty mentor. Each participant is paired with a faculty mentor to help them navigate the meeting, and the Auditing Section follows up afterward to help participants move toward an eventual PhD application.

Who can apply

Nominees can be current or past students, or practicing accountants. They should not have already applied to, or been accepted into, a PhD program, and should demonstrate genuine interest in learning more about an academic career. Participants must be able to attend the full Thursday–Saturday program. Only one nominee per university is selected each year.

How to apply

The application has three parts, submitted together by a nominating faculty member:

1. A recommendation letter (one page or less) from a faculty member who is a member of the Auditing Section, explaining why the candidate is a strong fit and noting whether the faculty member can serve as the candidate's mentor.
2. A personal statement (one page or less) from the applicant explaining their interest in the program and how it fits their career path.
3. A copy of the applicant's resume.

Materials should be emailed by the nominating faculty member to Marcus Doxey at mmdoxey@ua.edu (subject line: PIPELine). The application deadline is Wednesday, September 30th.