BGS Career Development

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New iBioSeminar: Visual Communication in Biology

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“Scientists commonly use visual representation of data to show their results and ideas. In this seminar, Dr. Janet Iwasa provides an introduction to the field of molecular animation, and walks us through the process of using visualization tools to communicate scientific information. In her first video, Iwasa summarizes the common types of visualizations used in biology, explains the steps you should take to create a model figure, and summarizes key elements you should consider when creating your figures and models.

In her second and third videos, Iwasa provides an overview of the animation process. She shows different software that can be used to create molecular models (e.g. UCSF chimera), and illustrates the process of creating an animation and finalizing the video using software like Maya and Adobe After Effects. These videos will familiarize you with the process of creating an animation and show best practice techniques when using visual communication in biology.” (Via iBiology)

Watch Janet Iwasa’s iBioSeminar: Visual Communication in Biology

Graduate Student Center Workshops

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The Graduate Student Center offers a number of career development workshops throughout the semester, as part of their “Navigating the Academy Events,” “Publishing Series,” and “Teaching Workshops.” Two of these workshops are highlighted below; see the full list here.

Introduction to R Markdown.
Mar. 11, 12 – 1 PM (Room 305, Grad Center, 3615 Locust Walk)

Do you use the programming language R to analyze your data? If so, come to this workshop to find out how you can use R Markdown, a document format for writing reproducible, dynamic reports. Katie Rawson, Director of Learning Innovation at Penn Libraries, will run this workshop. Lunch will provided; find more details and register here.

Who Owns Your Scholarship? Understanding Publishing Agreements to Regain Your Author Rights.
Mar. 12, 1:30 – 3 PM (Room 305, Grad Center, 3615 Locust Walk)

This workshop will cover the basics of reading and understanding publishing contracts as well as ways to retain more of your rights through author addenda or negotiation. Find more details and register here.

Upcoming CTL Workshops

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Teaching Students to do Research in STEM
Katerina Placek, CTL Graduate Fellow, Neuroscience
A key part of undergraduate university education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is firsthand experience in experimental research. TAs, teachers, and mentors can guide effective undergraduate experimental research experiences (e.g. for an Honor’s thesis) that convey the value of STEM research and impart students with lifelong skills. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn to connect day-to-day student activity on a research project with student development of broader skills in critical thinking, discipline and professionalism, and creative problem-solving.

March 13, 2019 – 5:00-6:30 PM
CTL/OLI Conference Room – 133 Van Pelt Library

RSVP here.

Contact Katerina Placek for further information.

Balancing Teaching and Research in the Sciences: A Panel Discussion with Drs. Masha Lester, Andrea Liu, and David Raizen

Convened by: Phoebe Askelson (Chemistry) and Katerina Placek (Neuroscience), CTL Graduate Fellows

Faculty positions in academic science challenge individuals to balance time and effort between instructing courses and maintaining active research laboratories. Distinguished Penn faculty members Dr. Marsha Lester of Chemistry, Dr. Andrea Liu of Physics, and Dr. David Raizen of Neurology successfully navigate these challenges, leading ground-breaking programs of research while also teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at Penn. In this panel discussion-based workshop, Drs. Lester, Liu, and Raizen will reflect on their experiences and discuss how to successfully balance teaching and research in the sciences. This workshop will be especially valuable to graduate students and postdocs interested in improving their own balance between the laboratory and classroom, and those who aspire to faculty positions in academic science.

March 14 2019, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
CTL/OLI Seminar Room, Van Pelt Library Room 134

Please RSVP here to participate in this discussion!

Contact askelson@sas.upenn.edu  or placekk@pennmedicine.upenn.edu for more information.

Nature: “From academia to industry: seven tips for scientists making the leap”

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In this Nature article, Dr. Crystal Upperman discusses her own career path and provides tips for diversifying one’s CV as a doctoral candidate. Briefly outlined, the seven steps for making the leap to industry include:

  1. Learn and inventory your soft skills
  2. Learn project management
  3. Less time thinking, more time doing
  4. Network within and outside your discipline
  5. Learn technologies that have cross-applicability
  6. Simplify your science
  7. Advertise and market yourself

Read the specifics on each step here.

Yale Ciencia Academy for Career Development – Congratulations to Kevin Alicea-Torres (CAMB)

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40 young science leaders began their year as fellows of the Yale Ciencia Academy for Career Development by attending the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC (February 14-18, 2019). The University of Pennsylvania and BGS were represented through the participation of Kevin Alicea-Torres (CAMB).

“The Yale Ciencia Academy (YCA) for Career Development provides graduate students with opportunities for mentoring, networking, and skills development, and for making contributions to their communities through science outreach. The program is led by the non-profit organization Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR), in collaboration with Yale University.”

Read the full press release here.