Utility Page: Restricted Content Notice

Joel Tolson, Graduate Student Career Advisor, University of California, San Diego

This session will provide an overview of the variety of career options available to cell biologists. While PhDs are earned in an academic setting, many scientists will eventually transition outside of academia. However, graduate students and postdocs often are not exposed to the variety of career opportunities available to them. This session will cover the variety of careers available, helping attendees to choose which focused career panels they want to attend later during the meeting.  This session took place at the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Outcomes:

1. Learn about career options available to cell biologists across a variety of sectors.
2. Understand how to begin strategically planning your career path.
3. Develop informed questions for panels during the remainder of the meeting.

Paul Insel, University of California, San Diego

Neil Chi, University of California, San Diego

Mary Lewinski, University of California, San Diego

Andrea Dickey, University of California, San Diego

This session will demystify the physician scientist career and the application process to pursue an MD-PhD degree. It will be presented by members of the MD-PhD GREAT Section of the Association of American Medical Colleges. The presentation focuses on common features of MD-PhD training programs. Topics will include information on the careers of MD-PhDs, how students train to become MD-PhD physician-scientists, how to apply to MD-PhD training programs, and credentials of competitive applicants. The session includes time for Q&A, including advice from MD-PhD students attending the meeting. This session took place at the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Outcomes:

1. Learn how undergraduates and post baccalaureates should prepare for MD-PhD training.
2. Gain an understanding of the application process and interviewing for MD-PhD training programs.
3. Learn about MD-PhD student training programs and what typical MD-PhD training programs and timelines are like.
4. Learn what types of students matriculate into MD-PhD programs, and what careers MD-PhD graduates pursue.

Supported by Nikon Instruments, Inc.

Josh Rappoport, Core Facility Director, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine – Managing a research core

Maddy Parsons, PI and Facility Director, King’s College London – Core facility interactions with academics

Joe Dragavon, University of Colorado – Importance of core facilities in research

Caroline Hookway, Allen Institute – Careers and opportunities in a core facility

Core facilities are centralized technology platforms that maintain and support equipment (such as microscopes, FACS, mass spec and genomics instruments) and provide specialized services and expertise. A core facility career provides an exciting and interesting option for scientists wanting to remain in the lab without embarking on the academic tenure-track route. Careers in core facilities are different from those in a research lab; they are essential service centers for the research community, providing broad access to complex, expensive equipment. This session provides an overview of how core facilities work, roles available within them for scientists at every level, and how to make you competitive for these positions. Four short talks covering different aspects of core facilities will be followed by an interactive Q&A session. This session took place at the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Outcomes:

1. Learn what core facilities do and how they can help researchers.
2. Understand what it means to be part of a core facility operating team.
3. Learn what skills you need/will gain as part of a core facility team.
4. Know how to start a career in core facilities and the pathway for career advancement.

Joe Cribari, Founder and CEO, JC3 Consulting

Recruiters spend an average of just 5-7 seconds assessing a résumé or CV. To stand out among the competition and maximize your chances of success, it is vital to know how to dissect a job ad and tailor your résumé to the position and organization to which you are applying. This session will teach attendees how to analyze a job description and provide them with insight into what recruiters/hiring managers look for when screening applications. Using this information, attendees will be able to tailor their CV, résumé, and personal statement to a specific academic or industrial position.

Outcomes:

1. Learn how to analyze a job description.
2. Know how to tailor your CV or résumé to a job description.
3. Understand how to target your personal statement to a specific position.
4. Distinguish between a CV and résumé, and know the do’s and do not’s of each.

Jim Wilhelm, Assistant Professor, University of California, San Diego

Kassandra Ori-McKenney, Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis

Naiara Akizu, Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania

Many trainees do not receive the proper training required for navigating the faculty job search. This panel will discuss the process behind the faculty job search, specifically at an R1 institution. We will discuss what can be expected during this type of job search and what strategies have proved effective in obtaining the optimal faculty position for one’s research program. This session took place at the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Outcomes:

1. Learn about application components and strategies of successful trainees who have obtained interviews for faculty positions.
2. Learn what is expected for an interview for a faculty position, including a presentation, chalk talk, or skype interview.
3. Learn what faculty search committees primarily look for when evaluating job candidates.

Ryan Taft, Senior Director of Scientific Research, Illumina

Milos Lazic, Scientist, Jecure Therapeutics

Mary Matyskiela, Senior Scientist, Celgene

This session will be a panel discussion focused on careers at the bench in biotech. Pursuing a career outside academia is quickly becoming the norm for students and postdoctoral scientists alike. Bench-based industry positions are desirable positions for transitioning academic scientists who enjoy laboratory work, with the majority of industrial postings offering better pay, career progression, and working conditions compared with academic counterparts. The goal of this session is to expose trainees to different industry career paths and provide them with knowledge on how to successfully pursue an industrial position. This session took place at the 2019 ASCB|EMBO Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Outcomes

1. Learn the daily responsibilities for a variety of scientific research careers in industry.
2. Understand the differences between academic and industrial research.
3. Gain critical insight into how to prepare and apply for a career in industry with an academic background.
4. Network with successful scientists in industry, a number of who have made the transition from academia.