PHD Movie 2 focuses on themes such as competition in research, writer barriers, and finding one's own voice. The unnamed graduate student is now an indispensable part of Professor Smith's laboratory. However, due to the historically low level of research funding, the laboratory is in danger. The organization must attend an important academic conference and engage in a showdown with competitors in terms of competition results and funding. Meanwhile, Cecilia's supervisor is on vacation, which means she must complete her thesis writing or else she will stay in graduate school for another year.
