BGS Career Development
Making It Count!
This Nature Career Column provides, “Three tips to avoid becoming a ‘conference zombie.’” The author shares her realistic suggestions to gain maximum value from a conference, following these three tips:
She provides examples from her own experience on how to follow each of these tips. Read more here.
Those who struggle with networking may benefit from a more structured approach. This Nature Career Column offers tips for strategically navigating a networking event. The author recommends identifying a “core group” of people you’d like to meet for various reasons (i.e. potential collaborators, employers, funding sources, etc.) ahead of the conference. Once you arrive, you should not leave until you have accomplished three goals with each person you’ve identified: introduced yourself, shared your specialty and industry, and exchanged contact information.
The article also provides a list of anxiety-management strategies and alternative networking options. Read more here.
In a recent post for the Penn Science Policy and Diplomacy Group (PSPDG) blog, Mara Olenick writes about her experience as a finalist for the AAAS Science & Technology Policy fellowship. Olenick shares valuable insight about preparing for interviews, timing and travel logistics, and other best practices for navigating the week-long interview process.
Read more here.
One of the PSOM’s most distinguished faculty members, P. Leslie Dutton, FRS, Eldridge Reeves Johnson Professor of Biophysics and Biochemistry, is retiring. Leslie is a former chair of the B&B department, and a former chair of the Biophysics Graduate Group (before BC and BP merged). There will be a scientific symposium in his honor, Friday, May 31st – Saturday, June 1st.
More than 25 PhD students graduated from Leslie’s lab, from 1978 onwards, and almost ALL of them will be at the symposium! About 10 of them will be speaking. These alumni have gone on to successful careers in academia, industry, gov. research. consulting etc., so this would be a unique opportunity for BGS students to see and meet them. The symposium is open to everyone, and there are also two breakfasts which would provide opportunities for students to meet and talk informally with these alumni.
To see the full itinerary for ‘Les Fest,’ click here.
This Nature article explores the uses of Twitter in professional development. The platform allows for broad-dissemination of information in a tight-packed format, making it a powerful tool for science outreach. As the author explains:
“Many are keen to make research visible and understandable to the wider community. For many, Twitter is one step towards this goal, because it allows non-scientists to find new research instantaneously without having to seek it out on lab or university websites. Twitter also provides a ‘way in’ for members of the public who want to contact scientists directly.”
The article details how scientists use the platform to increase circulation of their own publications, how they use automated paper-searching bots to populate their Twitter-feed with relevant papers in their field, and ways it can facilitate personal connections.
Read more here.
On Monday, June 10th 2019, the Penn SACNAS Chapter will host a day-long event of professional development workshops, as well as talks, poster presentations, and community building open to STEM undergraduate student, graduate student, postdoctoral, and faculty members. Their goal is to celebrate the power of diversity in STEM.
SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT:
Prizes will be given to top three Best Poster winners: 1st place: $250 gift card, 2nd place: $150 gift card, 3rd place: $75 gift card, sponsored by Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences (MINS).
Registration Deadline: April 22nd!
Register at: https://forms.gle/6UgN8mokCX3zZMUA7 and more details at: https://www.med.upenn.edu/sacnas/regionalmeeting.html
