Not sure if academia is for you? Wondering what other options are out there? Uncertain about which nonacademic career would be the right fit? In addition to all the awesome science talks lined up at the 2014 ASCB/IFCB Meeting, ASCB’s COMPASS (Committee for Postdocs and Students) has planned many events to inform students and postdocs about the numerous career options for science PhDs. These events offer great opportunities to find out the facts from the professionals in these careers of interest.
A breadth of careers will be discussed during the career panels at the meeting. Specifically these panels cover teaching and university administration, science policy, consulting and entrepreneurship, science writing, industry, and technology transfer and patent law (Sunday-Tuesday, 3:00-4:00 pm). Each panel will include 2-3 people who recently transitioned from graduate school or a postdoc into a nonacademic field. Panels will begin with an introduction by the speakers, questions from student and postdoc moderators, and afterwards the audience is free to ask questions.
More informal group discussions will also take place in the Career Center, within ASCB’s Learning Center (formerly known as the Exhibit Hall), including roundtable Career Chats with professionals ranging from industry to science writing. Be sure to check the schedule posted at the Career Center and on the meeting app. One-on-one discussions with these professionals can take place in the networking happy hour in the Career Center as well (Monday, 5:00 pm). Not sure how to network? Go to Addgene Executive Director Joanne Kamens’ talk on Networking 101 (Monday, 2:00-3:00 pm), in addition to her talks on transitions to industry jobs (Tuesday, 2:00-3:00 pm) and how to choose your next lab (Tuesday, 1:00-2:00 pm)—all in the Career Center. Science Careers will also give a broad overview of careers available to biology PhDs (Sunday, 1:00-2:00 pm).
The ASCB meeting is also a great time to touch up your CV for those sought-after jobs. The Career Center will have CV review by ASCB volunteers and one-on-one advice from career coaches. Be sure to go to the Career Center early in the week to reserve a spot with these coaches. Last year’s spots were booked solid after the first day of the meeting!
ASCB’s Women in Cell Biology (WICB) will also be hosting a number of career development events. The Career Discussion and Mentoring Roundtables, a yearly hit, consists of informal discussions on career issues at all stages of career development (Monday, 10:45 am-Noon). The discussions are moderated by those with experience on the issues, including career options, strategies for developing a career, and work/life balance. Be sure to also stop by WICB’s Mentoring Theater (Tuesday, 10:45 am-Noon); the performance, written and led by students and PIs, will be on the importance of equitable evaluation and will be followed by a discussion of the issue.
With all the career development events going on at the ASCB meeting, there is no excuse not to carve out some time to get the answers to your questions from reliable sources. Use the meeting’s app to plan your time effectively, and come prepared with your CV!
COMPASS Events at the ASCB Annual Meeting
December 6-10, 2014
COMPASS members are organizing a variety of scientific, career development, and social activities at the Annual Meeting. We’ll be highlighting these events in the blog in the weeks leading up to the meeting. Please join us!
COMPASS Open Forum: Following a brief introduction about COMPASS, we will have an interactive brainstorming session about challenges for young scientists. This session will guide the initiatives of COMPASS over the next year. (Monday, 10:00 am-11:00 am, Room 126B)
ePoster Sessions: COMPASS members will moderate these scientific sessions that highlight significant contributions in research in a dynamic, interactive forum. (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, 12:00 pm-4:00 pm, ASCB Learning Center).
Career Panels: Panel discussions featuring representatives from a variety of scientific careers. (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, 3:00 pm-3:50 pm, Room 119 A/B).
Career Chats: Informal, hour-long roundtables for students & postdocs to meet with reps from various nonacademic careers and talk about their career paths, job prospects, industry culture, etc. (Check the meeting app or the Career Center for dates and times.)
Networking Happy Hour: Cash bar happy hour to allow students & postdocs to mingle with industry reps and each other to discuss career options (Career Center on Monday from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm)
One-on-One CV review: 30-minute mentoring sessions for students & postdocs to meet one-on-one with either academics or industry reps and hone their CVs. (Sign-ups are available 9:30 am-5:00 pm, Sunday-Tuesday at the Career Center).
CellDance Premier & Elevator Speech Contest Winners, plus COMPASS Comic Contest Winners (Tuesday, 3:00 pm-4:00 pm, ASCB Learning Center, Theater 1).
CellSlam: The Public Information Committee’s stand-up science slam with a $1,000 prize for the winner (any meeting attendee can perform). For those who want to watch, it will offer a variety of wit, music, and outrageously amusing competition plus free popcorn and a cash bar. (Monday, 6:45 pm, Room 114).
