This project aims to develop a Career Interests and Decisions Assessment (CIDA) in the context of undergraduate physics education. In the United States, over 8000 students earn an undergraduate degree in physics each year. These students pursue a variety of careers in areas such as research, software development, engineering, and teaching. Many physics majors pursue careers in areas of strategic national importance, such as quantum technology, nuclear physics, semiconductor physics, and artificial intelligence. The project will investigate how students develop these specialized subfield interests and use those insights to help educators and administrators improve pathways into these crucial careers. The CIDA is built around a unique graphical format that we call a “causal map assessment.” Visually similar to a concept or mind map, causal maps allow students to tell a rich, coherent, and visual story of their experiences both before and during college. Each map will reveal how various factors, including learning experiences (e.g., courses, research opportunities, student clubs, or interactions with peers), beliefs and attitudes (e.g., confidence in programming or a desire to do hands-on work), awareness of career options, and career interests, unfold over time. This data will help us understand why students initially choose to be physics majors and how their specific career interests take shape throughout their undergraduate studies. The power of causal maps will extend beyond