postdoc Archives - Page 2 of 5

139. Back to School During a Pandemic

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 Daniel Leave a comment

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In March 2020, the world shut down.

International borders were sealed. Businesses shuttered. Schools locked their doors and students were sent home to learn ‘remotely.’

At the same time, many universities and research labs also closed down for the summer of COVID-19. While a few labs remained open as essential research continued, many scientists froze down samples, trashed cell lines, and went home to spend some quality time with PubMed.

But now as summer wanes, the research labs are thawing out.

098: I’m in Grad School and I’m Pregnant! How to Have Kids AND a Career in Science

August 8, 2018August 8, 2018 Daniel 1 Comment

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It’s no secret that graduate school and postdoctoral training are some of the most intellectually and emotionally challenging periods you will face in your career. Experiments fail, grant deadlines loom, and PIs push you to work long hours to publish or perish.

That’s why many trainees wait to start a family. Time is precious, and the idea of staying up all night to record your experimental time-points is daunting enough. Who has time to stay up all night calming a crying baby before rushing back to the lab?

Many students know they want to have kids ‘some day,’ and the six to ten-year grad-school-postdoc training period looms large. They just don’t want to wait that long to start a family.

But is it possible to have kids WHILE you’re in grad school?

We asked an expert!

097: Conference Like the Pros – How to Plan, Network, and Win

July 25, 2018July 25, 2018 Daniel Leave a comment

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Sure, scientific conferences are not a competitive sport, but the sheer volume of information, introductions, and events can leave you feeling like you just lost a round of rugby.

This week, we share some sage advice for making your next conference the best one yet.

091: Cross-Train for the Faculty Track with the Academic Pathways Postdoctoral Fellowship

April 17, 2018April 17, 2018 Daniel Leave a comment

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Think about your training as a grad student and postdoc – you spend countless hours at the bench, running experiments and reading papers to finish your personal research project.

Now think about your PI or faculty advisor.

Does she spend time at the bench? Or are you more likely to find her in her office, writing grants, attending departmental meetings, and managing people, projects, and money?

If you’re noticing a mismatch between academic training and the actual work of a faculty member, you’re not alone. The skills and traits that make us successful students may not translate into making us successful professors and PIs.

That’s where a unique postdoctoral fellowship steps in to bridge the gap: it’s the Academic Pathways program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Their goal is to prepare postdocs for entry-level faculty jobs, with a special focus on increasing diversity at the highest levels of academia.

011: The 8.5 Fixes That Will Save Biomedical Science (R)

April 2, 2018April 2, 2018 Daniel Leave a comment

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Josh and Daniel are on the road this week, so we decided to bring you some goodies from the archive. An 8-ish step plan to save science!

Biomedical science is broken. Funding is unpredictable, training programs drag on indefinitely, and some of our best scientists are drawn to careers outside of the university or drowned in paperwork if they stay. Can anything be done to support research staff and boost lab productivity?