Academia

Christine
Crumbley

The PostDoc Search

After gathering pieces of advice from various people over the last several weeks, I’ve finally started emailing faculty members. I updated my CV, and then wrote a two-page summary of my research experience that explains my contributions to the publications listed on my CV. I also checked with seve...


Kate
Sleeth

The PhD Comics Movie

I was excited to receive a personal invitation to attend the premiere screening of the first live action film based on PhD Comics!  They had spotted this very blog and thought I would be interested in the film and also letting everyone know about it.  


Kate
Sleeth

The Deaths of Two Important Pioneers: Lessons to Learn

The week beginning from the 30th September 2011 has been a sad one in the worlds of science and technology.  The passing of Ralph Steinman and Steve Jobs, both pioneers in their own fields, have brought a few things into perspective.  Strangely both men succumbed to the same disease – pa...


Xiaoli
Du

Pursuing a career in Consulting

In the traditional perspective of postdoctoral training, fellows are expected to apply for faculty positions after several successful postdocs in institutes or universities. However, this classic career pathway meets a lot of challenges today in terms of the limited position openings and tight econo...


Wenny
Lin

It’s worth it to have it all

Last week in Boston, I attended a professional advancement session at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research conference. Judy Garber, M.D., M.P.H., current president of the AACR, addressed the young research investigators and trainees in attendanc...


Kate
Sleeth

The 2 Body problem: Do you follow your heart or your head?

It isn’t unusual for two scientists to become a couple.  It is obvious really; we spend most of our time at work, so the majority of people we meet are also scientists.  Plus, our partner then understands our focus on our research and the long hours we work towards our ultimate goals; te...


Christine
Crumbley

Life at Scripps Florida

A comment on my first post asked about what it’s like to be a student at TSRI Florida. The Florida campus houses the Translational Research Institute, which integrates the high-throughput screening robot, the cell-based screening core, and the medicinal chemistry group. Other departments include i...


Fatos
Kopliku

New country, but (almost) same campus

I saw there were a couple of questions in my last blog related to my short story starting in Albania, continuing in Turkey and UK, and ending up in USA. I admit, only when I look back it seems a handful. Otherwise, I have the impression it is the most normal life occurrence. I think this is partiall...


Maida
Taylor

Mentoring: The art of engaging students early and often in their careers

Does mentoring do anything?  What inspires students?  How do we engage and encourage young colleagues?  I have been asking these questions while organizing an obstetrics and gynecology “career” dinner for medical students at the University of California San Francisco. 


Kate
Sleeth

Breaking Through the Spiral Ceiling

Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend a talk given by Dr. Laura Hoopes.  She has recently published a book called “Breaking through the spiral ceiling” and gave both readings from it and a brief history of just how far female scientists have come in the last 50 years.  It was inte...