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      • 2014 Fall – Photo File
      • 2014 Fall – Summaries & Docs

SCM: Community Perspectives

Reflections on the Academic Job Market

By Erin Sparks (Guest Contributor to TheCOM) September 8, 2017

Like many others, I went on the job market for two years before landing in my current position. The first year on the job market I thought I was ready, but wow – I was completely unprepared. One major problem (of several) was that my future research plan lacked a clear vision, and I was not doing a great job of distinguishing myself from others in the field. Another mistake that I made was trying to make my research plan fit into the job ad – this led to me proposing research that I had very little interest in doing and was unexcited about. I strongly advise against this approach! How miserable would it be to do research that you are unexcited about just to get a tenure-track job??? So, I chalk year 1 up to a learning experience.

After this, I got a puppy (seriously), I reassessed, I got feedback from senior faculty at other institutions, and I asked myself what I wanted to do. This soul-searching led to a new and different research plan that I was excited to talk about. I wrote up the new plan and I asked anyone and everyone that was willing to read it and provide feedback. I asked the lab, my advisor, newly hired assistant professors, my friends who do not work in science, my family, etc. I wanted this research statement to communicate my plan to a wide audience and convey a clear message. Here is my first bit of advice: Use your community to get feedback on your research plan! Second, do not get upset if they provide critical feedback; they are working to help you become a better scientist and a better communicator. One resource that was extremely helpful for me is a repository of successful research statements curated by Jeff Ross-Ibarra at UC Davis https://github.com/RILAB/statements. After reading through these statements, I realized … (READ MORE)

Do It Anyway!

By Tiffany Lucas (Guest Contributor to TheCOM) August 21, 2017

Your path isn’t going to be a straight one and you’re not going to be handed a map. I had a highly varied path in my research exposing me to many areas of biology, and I’m comfortable taking a deep dive into the primary literature.  I enjoy identifying patterns and connections in science and between people, I am a strong scientific writer, and like presenting ideas to both experts and non-experts.  It’s engaging for me to talk with talented scientists, business people, lawyers and patent agents, large industry, academia, and small biotech.  Into my postdoc, I worked on developing my grant writing, presenting, and interdisciplinary science skills.  I made connections in the biotech community and helped others who needed my expertise in grant writing and due diligence projects.  I was very fortunate to be selected for a 6-month full-time position as a Technology Transfer Trainee at Washington University Office of Technology.  This was an amazing program developed by Nichole Mercier, PhD, as she recognized the need to transition PhDs out of the lab and into exciting careers.  That was a huge turning point for me; I discovered the early-stage biotech community and the passion that the scientists had here.  My position as an Investment Analyst with a not-for-profit company, which is focused on supporting and developing early-stage biotech, is perfect for my interests and I’ll continue to grow in skills and abilities. 

After leaving my 3.5-year postdoc lab for the technology transfer training program, my former PhD adviser asked skeptically, “Are you ok?”  My response was… (READ MORE)

An Inside Scoop on Interviewing to be an Assistant Professor

01/06/17 – Joe uses his community to prepare for his upcoming faculty position interviews.

By Kyaw (Joe) Aung (Guest Contributor to TheCOM) June 13, 2017

Who knew job interviews would be so brutal fun?

If you are a graduate student or post doc, you might dream of becoming a professor at a research university some day. Do you know what it takes to get the job? This year, I was invited to a few research universities for on-site interviews. Although I had some idea about the job interview process, I was pretty much clueless regarding how to prepare. Going into the battlefield on your own is very challenging; so, I started with collecting information on-line and seeking advice from colleagues. Since I found this approach – tapping into my Community of Minds – extremely helpful in preparing, I would like to share my experience applying and interviewing for Assistant Professor positions with the hope that it might help you better prepare for your own interview. (READ MORE)

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Pages

  • The Hub
    • The News
  • About The COM
  • The Pub Club
    • The Mission
    • TPC Testimonials
    • The People
    • The Mug Club
      • The Coaster Club
    • The Pub “Sub” Clubs
      • The Python Group
    • The Publications
      • Favorite Pubs
      • Papers of Interest…
      • Scoop.it
  • FAQ
  • The Whiteboard
  • Strategic Career Management (SCM)
    • SCM: Identify
    • SCM: Defining The Void
    • SCM: Commit
    • SCM: Community Perspectives
  • The Resources
    • Digital Identity Management
    • Networking & Science Communication (#SciComm)
    • Writing & Peer Review
    • Bioinformatics & Statistics
    • Methods & Technologies
    • Teaching
    • Career Prep
    • Job Hunting
  • The Vault (Archive)
    • The File Cabinet
      • “The Other Bench”
    • The Old Jokes
    • The Pub Club Files:
      • 2017 Summer – Photo File
      • 2017 Summer – Summaries & Docs
      • 2017 Spring – Photo File
      • 2017 Spring – Summaries & Docs
      • 2016 Fall – Photo File
      • 2016 Fall – Summaries & Docs
      • 2016 Summer – Photo File
      • 2016 Summer – Summaries & Docs
      • 2016 Spring – Photo File
      • 2016 Spring – Summaries & Docs
      • 2015 Fall – Photo File
      • 2015 Fall – Summaries & Docs
      • 2015 Summer – Photo File
      • 2015 Summer – Summaries & Docs
      • 2015 Spring – Photo File
      • 2015 Spring – Summaries & Docs
      • 2014 Fall – Photo File
      • 2014 Fall – Summaries & Docs

The Hub: By Extension

Academic Jobs Online / Job Feed

Postdoctoral Research Scholar
25 April 2018 - Physics, University of Oregon

Postdoctoral Research Scholar The Oregon High Energy Physics group at the University of Oregon has t [...]

Physics Post Baccalaureate Fellow
25 April 2018 - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - Physics

Berkeley Lab’s Physics Division has an opening for a Post Baccalaureate Fellow. The ATLAS group has [...]

Post Doctoral Associate
25 April 2018 - Neurology, Duke University Medical Center

The Chiba-Falek lab at Duke University School of Medicine seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral rese [...]

Instructor
25 April 2018 - Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

INSTRUCTOR, Chemistry, to teach inorganic and general chemistry beginning in the 2018-19 academic ye [...]

Research Assoc - ATLAS
25 April 2018 - PPA HEP Group, Stanford University

The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) is seeking one experimental Research Associates to w [...]

Science / Careers Articles

Training grant recipients are more likely to get future funding
25 April 2018

Training grant recipients are more likely to get future fundingDoes this mean that the grants are working, or that they are perpetuating biases? [...]

Mental health in academia is too often a forgotten footnote. That needs to change
19 April 2018

Mental health in academia is too often a forgotten footnote. That needs to changeA grad student's struggle with depression highlights the challenges that many face [...]

Laboratories of democracy
18 April 2018

Laboratories of democracyShould scientists run for political office? Our columnist explores the possibilities and pitfalls [...]

Biomedical workforce report offers both familiar and new recommendations
12 April 2018

Biomedical workforce report offers both familiar and new recommendationsCongressionally mandated council needed to make sure changes happen, group concludes [...]

How I learned to stop caring about prestige
12 April 2018

How I learned to stop caring about prestigeThis postdoc has found contentment in what he has accomplished, regardless of the prominence of his [...]

Benchfly / Career Development

The Trifecta: STEM, 3D Learning, and ART
22 December 2017 - Tricia Shelton

Equal opportunity, preparation for college and career, innovations to improve people’s lives, and a [...]

A Changing Focus in Education
11 December 2017 - Tricia Shelton

We are changemakers. We are learners. We are educators. A changing focus in education American educa [...]

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News Chooses BenchFly
9 December 2014 - Alan Marnett

We’re very excited to announce our new partnership with Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News [...]

New Trend Alert: Using Video to Introduce Data
3 September 2014 - Emily Poulin

Here at BenchFly, we’re always looking for new ways to use video to improve scientific research. Dur [...]

The ART of Video Funded by the Gates Foundation
22 August 2014 - Alan Marnett

When we started BenchFly five years ago, in 2009, our mission was to make research a better career f [...]

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