BGS Career Development

Making It Count!

Career: Research (academic)

Deciding Where to Publish: Finding Publication Venues that Align with Your Goals

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“Whether it’s your first-time publishing or you are a publishing veteran, deciding where to publish can be a daunting task that will impact you for years to come.  Not only is finding the right “fit” for your scholarship extremely important, but your publication venue also determines other important factors, like where and how you can share your scholarship after it’s published (your personal website, academia.edu or ResearchGate, etc.) or whether or not you can reuse your work elsewhere (conferences, subsequent publications, etc.).

This presentation will help get you started in establishing your publishing criteria, developing a list of journals/publishers, and evaluating those publication venues based on the criteria you develop. The session will also briefly cover some best practices for submitting, reading/negotiating publishing contracts, and sharing your work after it’s published.” (Via the Graduate Student Center)

When: Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Where: Room 305 (3rd Fl), Grad Center, 3615 Locust Walk

Register here.

Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation in Biomedical Science – Call for Applications

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The University of Pennsylvania may nominate two graduate students for the Regeneron Prize in biomedicine, broadly defined.  See here for details. 

 Penn coordinates an internal competition.  The deadline for the internal competition is 10 AM, February 5th, 2019. 

 To be considered for Penn nomination, applicants must submit:

  • The Regeneron Application Form, which includes upload of a single pdf containing:
  • Curriculum Vitae, which must include current phone number and mailing address
  • PDF of 2-3 publications
  • 2-page single-spaced description of the applicant’s “dream research idea” in the field of Biomedical Science
  • A Recommendation Request Form that will, upon completion and submission by the applicant, send a recommendation request to your Penn faculty advisor

 Applicants should not submit the application directly to Regeneron. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Aaron Olson at CURF, aolson@upenn.edu

Let’s Experiment: A Guide for Scientists Working at the Bench

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iBiology is offering a new online course: “Let’s Experiment: A Guide for Scientists Working at the Bench.”

“This free 6-week course features scientists from a variety of backgrounds, who provide concrete advice on how to design and carry out experiments in biological research. We use case studies to make the abstract more tangible. In science, there is often no simple right answer. However, with this course, you can develop a general approach to experimental design and understand what you are getting into before you begin.

By the end of this course, you will have:

  • A detailed plan for your experiment(s) that you can discuss with a mentor.
  • A flowchart for how to prioritize experiments.
  • Tips and best practices for how to get started with an experiment.
  • A lab notebook template that is so impressively organized, it will make your colleagues envious.

The course is designed for students and practitioners of experimental biology with busy schedules. If you are interested in learning more, please watch the trailer, visit the course page, or take a peek at the syllabus. The course starts February 19th, 2019.” (Via iBiology)

Science: “What I learned by leaving my comfort zone”

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Science features a career story from Jet-Sing M. Lee, an assistant professor of chemistry at Kyoto University in Japan. Lee describes how he made the decision to pursue a fellowship in Japan rather than a postdoc within his PhD lab. Despite natural misgivings, Lee sought the additional perspective that observing a different approach to science could contribute to his career development. In the article, Lee shares the challenges and rewards of gaining this perspective, both within and outside of the lab.

Read more here.

Science: “When it comes to having a family and an academic career, find what works for you”

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This article in Science features insights from various scientist parents about beginning a family, with a focus on academic careers. They discuss planning a successful parental leave and return, as well as the challenges of maintaining work-life balance after settling back in at work.

The work-life balance of any given career path warrants consideration, and doctoral students considering a career in academia may find the insights shared in this article helpful as they navigate career choices. 

Read more here.

SfN: Career Skills Toolkit: From PhD to Postdoc

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For doctoral students considering a postdoc position, SfN has created a toolkit for exploring career options. Its contents include advice on how to:

  • Explore career options and decide on your next steps.
  • Build the skills and network you need for career advancement.
  • Highlight your value on a CV or resume.
  • Identify and secure a postdoc position.
  • Plan your postdoc to help you achieve future career advancement. (Via SfN Neuronline).

Read more and download the toolkit presentation here.