Happenings in Science Careers

As PhDs we are capable of achieving anything we put our minds to; we have years of training and a multitude of transferable skills, and yet somehow we don’t always feel particularly qualified within academia or even beyond it. When it comes down to seeing how valuable we are as PhDs, our fears, insecurities, and not fully knowing the world of opportunities waiting for us, make it hard to realize our potential. It is shocking to hear that 80% of life sciences PhDs are unemployed at the time of graduation, especially when we put a lot of time and hard work in getting a PhD.

By Chris Lowe

Some of our iJOBS participants have been able to complete an industrial internship during their PhD studies. In this post we sit down with Kathryn Drzewiecki, a 5^th year PhD student in biomedical engineering, to learn about her internship experience and see what advice she would offer other students looking to transition into industry.

The INet NYC is an international social group that aims to provide support and professional guidance for all international graduate students and research fellows in STEM fields. On August 18^th, a networking and social event was organized by the INet NYC. Most of the people at this event were PhD students from different universities in NYC who were eagerly networking, especially with those considered to be the “big fish” in the “industry pond”.

For many graduate and post-graduate students in scientific fields, a career at the bench seems to be the only option.  From our earliest exposures to science, we have been taught the scientific method of identifying a problem, developing a hypothesis, designing an experiment to test that hypothesis, and finally examining and interpreting our results.  To many, science is synonymous with experimentation.  This can range from exploratory science in academia to the development of pharmaceuticals in industry and clinical settings.  What we often overlook, however, is that behind the hours and h

Beyond the Tenure Track is a consulting firm that helps in strategic planning of careers for graduate students, post-docs and faculty to facilitate a fruitful career in science. The firm aids scientists at various stages of their careers to utilize their potentials and achieve their transitions into alternate and diverse career paths.

“Those who invest in both their work and relationships will reap the greatest number of opportunities”. -Peter Fiske.

[caption id="attachment_367" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Image Credit: Hal Mayforth[/caption]

Research Opportunities at the FDA

This past spring, my advisor informed me that I would be graduating in the coming year.  Most graduate students would be ecstatic to hear this news, but I was nervous.  After the conversation, I was left wondering whether I have enough data to graduate, if my committee would agree that I am ready, and what on earth I am going to do next.

By Chris Lowe