Academia

Kate
Sleeth

Reaching out to the Next Generation

How to interest children in science, and keep them interested, is a commonly discussed topic.  Over the past decade I have been fortunate enough to participate in many different outreach programs specifically designed to do just that.  Recently, I represented the Association for Women in S...


Kate
Sleeth

Is Lab Bonding a Waste of Time?

Recently, a Lady Gaga parody called Bad Project, performed by the Zheng lab and posted on YouTube, caused quite a reaction.  If you haven’t seen the video, or want to revisit it, here is the link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl4L4M8m4d0&feature=player_embedded


Sarah
Pick

Applying for Positions at Academic Institutions (Part 2)

In Part 1, David Rasko, PhD, shared his tips for post-docs who are looking for a research position at an academic institution.  David is an Assistant Professor, Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and a scientist at the Institute for Genome Sciences, ...


Kate
Sleeth

The Generosity of Donors

We all know that you can’t do much without money.  As the saying goes, “money makes the world go round.”  Many of you will never have worked for, or been associated with, a non-profit organisation so you have probably never considered the amount of work necessary to keep them financi...


Sarah
Pick

The Fine Art of Being Mentored (Part 2)

Finding good mentoring relationships is such an important part of career success, I’m continuing to examine this topic by interviewing another of our faculty at the Institute for Genome Sciences. Julie Dunning Hotopp, PhD, is an Assistant Professor, Microbiology & Immunology at the Universi...


Ping
Xiao

Reality and Actuality

Has anybody thought that reality and actuality is not always the same? There may not be many people like those in Reality TV shows, but has anybody thought about its actuality? I will use GAMBLING as an example to discuss reality and actuality.Do scientists gamble? Many scientists would say: “No, ...


Sarah
Pick

Applying for Positions at Academic Institutions (Part 1)

You’re completing your doctorate and planning to apply to an academic institution to continue your research. What steps can you take with your application to improve your chances of being accepted? I interviewed one of our busiest young faculty for his suggestions on this topic.  David Rasko, ...


Xiaoli
Du

To be in the field of academy

The academy is one of the most powerful paths in the science field. To understand the unknown world, scientists need the willingness to put in a lot of hard work and stay positive and patient in the search.  Answers to questions in academia are so important and powerful that they may challenge ...


Ray
Wang

How Many Miles Do You Have on Your Airline Account?

Do you remember the character played by George Clooney who has 10 million flight miles in the movie “Up In the Air?” That might be a little extreme for normal people. Check out your account. How many do you have? 20,000? Well, last week I had a meeting with a guy from Texas. He has over 4 millio...


Sarah
Pick

The Fine Art of Being Mentored (Part 1)

No doubt about it, there’s an art to building an effective mentor-mentee relationship.  Seeking out a good mentor for your career growth and actively engaging as a “mentee” are integral to initiating a connection.Since this process is so important to the development of life scientists’ ...