Announcement: Application Call for the Auditing Section PIPEline – Pathway into PhD Experience
We are excited to announce the continuation of PIPEline (Pathway into PhD Experience), an initiative of the American Accounting Association’s Auditing Section designed to encourage students and professionals interested in pursuing a PhD and academic career.
The program aims to provide selected individuals with the opportunity to attend the 2026 Audit Midyear Meeting in San Antonio, TX on January 15–17, 2026. Our goal is to connect interested individuals to members of the academy, expose them to a wide range of audit research, and provide valuable insights and opportunities for those considering a future in auditing education.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Support and Guidance:
The Auditing Section will cover flight/transportation, baggage fees and ground transportation (after the event with receipts), hotel, and registration costs for attending the Audit Midyear Meeting, ensuring participants can fully engage without financial constraints. We estimate we will be able to support approximately 15 participants this year.
Participants will benefit from dedicated meetings and information sessions focused on academic careers. The program begins with lunch on Thursday (1/15) and continues through that afternoon with sessions specifically curated towards providing insights about the PhD and faculty life followed by the Doctoral Consortium evening social.
Participants will also attend the Midyear Meeting on Friday and Saturday (1/16 and 1/17). Participants should arrive in time for lunch at Noon on Thursday, January 15th, and stay until the end of the meeting on January 17th. Depending on flight availability, that may require travel on Wednesday and/or Sunday.
Each participant will be paired with a faculty mentor to help them navigate the meeting and make the most of their experience. After the Midyear Meeting, additional efforts will be made to help program members eventually transition into a PhD program.
Application Process:
The application process consists of three components:
- A recommendation from a faculty member
- A personal statement of interest from the applicant
- A copy of the applicant’s resumé
Faculty who are members of the Auditing Section are invited to submit letters of recommendation (no longer than one page) for students or professionals who would benefit from the program. The letters of recommendation should explain why the candidate is a strong fit for the PIPEline Program and their potential for a career in academia. The nominator should also indicate whether they would be available to serve as a mentor for the individual during the Midyear meeting. Mentors will be provided where a nominator cannot serve as the mentor. There is no limit to the number of nominees from an accounting program. However, only one nominee per university will be selected for participation in the Program.
Applicants should submit a personal statement (no more than one page) explaining why they would like to attend the PIPEline event and how this experience would inform their career path.
The nominating faculty member should email the letter of recommendation, personal statement, and nominee’s resume to Erin Hawkins at emhawki@clemson.edu.
Eligibility:
Nominees can be current or past students or practicing accountants. Nominees should not have already applied, or been accepted, to a PhD program. Nominees should demonstrate an interest in obtaining information about an academic career. Nominees must agree to participate in the Midyear Meeting program (Thursday – Saturday).
Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 30th
We encourage all accounting programs to take advantage of this unique opportunity to increase the number of individuals pursuing a PhD in accounting.
For more information, please contact Erin Hawkins at emhawki@clemson.edu.