BGS Career Development
Making It Count!
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) recently sought input from the scientific community about strategies to enhance successful postdoctoral career transitions, in order to promote faculty diversity. 89 responses were recorded, from stakeholders including postdoctoral scientists, faculty members, and professional societies.
Read about the most frequently mentioned barriers as well as potential solutions here.
In this Careers Blog post, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) sheds light on a typically overlooked topic related to academic hiring – faculty and support positions at community colleges. With free tuition programs on the rise, enrollment at community colleges is increasing. The author then describes the similarities in structure between community colleges and other higher education institutions. The former is a subset of primarily undergraduate institutions. Finally, the author provides a sample of job postings as well as other job seeker resources.
Read more here.
This ASCB article provides clarity on the often obscure role of staff scientists. The author asserts that although many students and postdocs are interested in these positions, openings and job descriptions can be difficult to find. The article then explores academic staff scientist positions, including a number of possible titles and responsibilities. When searching for these positions, word of mouth can play a critical role.
Overall, the author explains, “If you like the ‘doing’ part of science and not the writing /funding part of it, a staff scientist position may be a great fit for you. Furthermore, staff positions can be a great example of transitional careers—a place to learn new things and make you a better scientist for future endeavors.”
Read more here.
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) provides an overview of the importance of research compliance. The author asserts that the entire science community is responsible for holding one another to high standards of research integrity. They then delve into descriptions of key institutions (such as university research compliance departments) and core areas (animal welfare, conflicts of interest, and more.) Finally, they list a sample of job postings as well as relevant certifications and trainings.
Read more here.
The Society for Neuroscience provides this career advice article written by Dr. Donna Korol, Associate Professor at Syracuse University. Although she acknowledges that there are no concrete answers when it comes to finding and securing a postdoc, she provides her insights on a number of commonly asked questions, such as, “Is it okay to do more than one postdoc?” or, “If I want to go into academia, can I still do an industry postdoc?” Read her perspectives here.
Learning how to write stellar grant proposals is a part of our craft and certainly important to a number of career paths. Join UPenn’s SACNAS Chapter to hear about the application process for two particular grants – the NSF GRFP and NIH’s NRSA F31 Fellowships.
When: Wednesday, September 26, 2018, at 12PM
Where: JMEC 505 EW (Smilow 5th floor)
