BGS Career Development

Making It Count!

Career: Policy

Call for Proposals: The Science for Public Good Fund

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“The UCS Science Network is excited to announce another round of the Science for Public Good Fund for science advocates. Science Network members can apply to the Fund for financial support of up to $1000, to be used for advocacy actions or related events to promote the role of science in public policy, with an emphasis on understanding and addressing local impacts.

If you are an early career scientist looking for ways to get involved with advocacy or a faculty member who wants to engage your students in advocating for the role of science in public policy, this fund is for you. We want to support the next generation of science advocacy leaders today.” (Via Union of Concerned Scientists)

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by midnight pacific U.S. time on November 30, 2018.

For more information on eligibility, examples of appropriate proposals, and how to apply, click here.

Science: “Like virtual reality for careers: A new online resource helps scientists explore job options”

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This article in Science describes the career exploration path of Shengpei Wang—a fifth year Ph.D. student at Syracuse University in New York. While considering a move toward a career in data analytics, Shengpei found herself unsure of whether she was capable of the career switch. She visited her university’s career support center, where she learned of a set of online “job simulations.”

The author describes how the simulations helped Shengpei and other scientists at various points in their careers to explore various industries before making a decision. Each simulation takes about 4 to 8 hours, considerably less time than is required to explore potential careers through training, internships, or interviews. Topics include business, clinical trials, science communication, regulatory affairs, and more.

Read more here.

Science: “Explore the skills that can open career doors after your doctoral training”

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This Science article discusses a survey of 3,803 science and engineering Ph.D.s working in various industries. Survey respondents revealed that while many believe they began developing important professional skills while in grad school, there are a number of skills that they have found very important at work that were not a central focus of their Ph.D. training (for example, personnel management.)

The article’s authors developed an interactive graphic based on the survey’s data. It compares the extent a skill is developed in grad school with its importance in 12 career sectors, including research, consulting, teaching, and more. It is intended to give doctoral students an overview of the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of jobs in a variety of sectors and to shed light on which skills should be prioritized, either within their Ph.D. training or through extracurricular activities.

Video Series: Career Exploration Videos

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In this iBiology career exploration series, scientists share their backgrounds and experiences in a variety of fields, including education, industry, and government. If you are thinking of a career in science education, you may enjoy this video featuring Drs. Alvarez, Eckdahl and Fowlks. They have each found opportunities to pass on their passion for biology by teaching at the undergraduate level. In this video, they share stories about the events that sparked their interest in biology and speak about their respective career paths.

Alternatively, those that enjoy engaging with different audiences and find themselves talking non-stop about their scientific passions may relate to Dr. Debra Cooper’s story of her transition to a career in science policy. A policy consultant in the California State Senate Office of Research, Cooper advocates for the application of scientific research in society. In her feature, she shares her own career path and provides an overview of other potential roles in the field. iBiology also features Jon Lorsch, Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) in this video about careers in scientific public service. Lorsch provides an overview of the type of investigator-initiated research funded by NIGM and describes the fulfillment he has found working in administration and leadership. The BGS Career Development blog will be updated regularly as new videos are added to the series.

NASEM: Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program

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Students interested in policy may consider applying for this exciting opportunity to spend 12 weeks at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, DC. Alumni of the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program have gone on to hold positions in Congressional committees, federal agencies, foreign governments, international institutions, universities, and the private sector.

The application deadline is September 7, 2018. For more information on the program and application process, see the following overview.