Community, Connections, and Mentorship Lunch

Are you seeking career advice from established scientists who can help guide your journey? Do you want to expand your network and connect with other early- and mid-career scientists? Register for the Community, Connections, and Mentorship Lunch to ask your scientific career questions and connect with fellow researchers in a moderated discussion with established  scientists. Food will be provided.

Registration is now closed.

Participants will:

• Have opportunities to ask questions in a small, informal setting
• Learn useful information
• Connect with established scientists & peers

When

Thursday, March 7
12:45–1:45 p.m. EST

Location

Riverview A

Who should join

Early-career and mid-career researchers are welcome to join this event. Early career researchers include graduate students at all levels, postdocs and postdoc equivalents who have not received an independent research award, and Assistant Professors or equivalents. For this event, mid-career researchers are considered Principal Investigator Researchers and/or Associate Professors who are ready to reorient their career path and enrich their careers.

How to register

If you have already registered for the conference, you can sign up for this event by clicking “Register Here” above and indicating your top three topics. Attendance is limited, so register early!

Session Topics

• Active Learning in the classroom with PALM (Promoting Active Learning & Mentoring Network)
  • Moderators
    • Gaurav Arora, Gallaudet University
    • Jiae Lee, California State University, Long Beach
  • Example Subtopics:
    • How can you bring active learning to your classroom?
    • Syllabus design with active learning in mind
    • Building a resource network
• Applying for postdoc positions
  • Moderators:
    • Amanda Zacharias, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
    • Cecilia Moens, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
    • Kathryn Jewett, Juniata College
    • Małgorzata Gazda, University of Montreal
    • Maria Vibranovski,  University of São Paulo
    • Nathan Clark, University of Pittsburgh
  • Example subtopics:
    • US-based postdocs
    • International postdocs
    • Applying for a postdoc in industry
    • Navigating the job market
• Applying to graduate school
  • Moderators
    • Ajay Srivastava, Western Kentucky University
    • Alondra Diaz-Lameiro, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
    • John Pool, University of Wisconsin – Madison
      • Click here to access video lectures and other materials on applying to graduate school developed by Dr. Pool.
    • Qing Deng, Purdue University
  • Example subtopics:
    • US-based graduate schools
    • International graduate schools
    • Finding a PI
    • Letters of reference: who to ask and how much time to give them
    • What should go into a short research description; what should go into a “personal statement”
    • Do’s and Don’ts of the interview process
• Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) in the classroom
  • Moderators
    • Mary Miller, Rhodes College
    • Takuya Akiyama, Indiana State University
  • Example Subtopics:
    • How can you bring CUREs to your classroom?
    • Incorporating CUREs into syllabus design
    • Building a resource network
• Early-career scientist challenges & opportunities
  • Moderators
    • Imilce Rodriguez-Fernandez, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras
    • Jingyue Ellie Duan, Cornell University
    • Matilde Galli, Hubrecht Institute
    • Randal Westrick, Oakland University
  • Example subtopics:
    • Professional development
    • The road to tenure
    • Navigating committee assignments/requests
• Grants and fellowships
  • Moderators
    • Keisha Roldan Baez, University of Virginia
    • Xiaofei Bai, University of Florida
  • Example subtopics:
    • Lesser-known grant and fellowships
    • How to find the right funding source for your research
    • Research projects and funding needs
• Inclusive science learning with PGED (Personal Genetics EDucation Project)
  • Moderators
    • Marnie Gelbart (she/her), Personal Genetics Education Project (PGED), Harvard Medical School
      Rob O’Malley (he/him), Personal Genetics Education Project (PGED), Harvard Medical School
  • Example subtopics:
    • Making field work inclusive and accessible
    • Mentoring across cultures
    • Advocating for your lab’s needs
    • Accessibility tips at lab meetings, seminars, and other events
    • Building support networks for students
    • Knowing the requirements for accommodations
• Industry Careers: benefits, challenges, and opportunities
  • Moderators
    • Anthony Greenberg, Bayesic Research
    • Dennis Sun, Arcadia Science
    • Gerda Saxer, International Flavors & Fragrances
    • Ruthie Barbas, Spectrum Brands
  • Example subtopics:
    • Resume of CV: what’s the difference, and which to use?
    • Tailoring a job application to the job
    • The power of internships
    • Remote versus in-person: how to decide?
    • Total compensation: What’s in a benefits package?
    • Time management skills
• Mid-career scientist challenges & opportunities
  • Moderators
    • Afshan Ismat, University of St. Thomas
    • Jessica Sullivan, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
    • Savanah Senn, LA Pierce College
    • Thomas Merritt, Laurentian University
  • Example subtopics:
    • Professional development
    • You have tenure; what’s next?
• Moving On Up: transitioning into leadership roles in your department and beyond
  • Moderator
    • Erin Cram, Northeastern University
    • Kim Delaney, University of Southern Indiana
    • Pamela Padilla, University of North Texas
    • Tracy Johnson, University of California Los Angeles
  • Example subtopics:
    • Administrative versus research work: where do I belong?
    • Team building and leading a team to success
    • Department head or dean: where’s my path?
    • Work-life balance: finding time when there’s none
• Navigating scholarly publishing
  • Moderators
    • Daniela Raciti, microPublication Biology
    • Karen Yook, microPublication Biology
    • Lauren McIntyre, G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics
    • Tracey DePellegrin, Genetics Society of America, GENETICS, G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics
  • Example subtopics:
    • Choosing a journal
    • Responding to reviewers and editors
    • Communicating your work
    • The publishing process
• Non-profit, government, and other types of careers
  • Moderators
    • Marilina Raices, University of Pittsburg; Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation
    • Tianyi Zhang, National Institute of Aging
  • Example subtopics:
    • Resume of CV: what’s the difference, and which to use?
    • Tailoring a job application to the job
    • The power of internships
    • Remote versus in-person: how to decide?
    • Total compensation: What’s in a benefits package?
    • Time management skills
• Parenting in science
  • Moderators
    • Katie Billmyre, University of Georgia
    • Priscilla Van Wynsberghe, Colgate University
  • Example Subtopics:
    • Establishing a work-life balance
    • Attending a conference with children
    • Building a support network
• Research and teaching at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI)
  • Moderators
    • Bryce Taylor, Loras College
    • Jyoti Iyer, University of Tulsa
    • Rebecca Spokony, Baruch College, CUNY
    • Troy Shirangi, Villanova University
  • Example subtopics:
    • Work-life balance
    • Recruiting undergraduates: dos and don’t
    • Requirements for faculty – % teaching, % research
    • Teaching-research balance
    • What does a laboratory start-up package look like?
    • How to negotiate the entire job package
    • Grant and fellowship support
• Research and teaching at a research-intensive institution
  • Moderators
    • Louise Cheng, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center
    • Madhav Nepal, South Dakota State University
    • Mia Levine, University of Pennsylvania
    • Quaiser Saquib, King Saud University
  • Example subtopics:
    • Work-life balance
    • Recruiting people to your lab
    • Requirements for faculty – % teaching, % research
    • Teaching-research balance
    • What does a laboratory start-up package look like?
    • How to negotiate the entire job package
    • Securing funding for your research
• Science policy careers
  • Moderators
    • Jamie Lahvic, National Institutes of Health
    • Wen Chen, Alliance of Genome Resources California Institute of Technology
  • Example subtopics:
    • Transitioning from benchwork to policy
    • The role of regulations in the job
    • Keeping up with Congress and state laws
• Sharing experience: queer identity in scientific spaces
  • Moderators
    • Cole Julick, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
    • Michael Hart, University of Pennsylvania
  • Example Subtopics:
    • Coming out in a scientific community
    • Dealing with state laws
    • Building a support network
• Sharing experience: disability in scientific spaces
  • Moderators
    • Erin Osborne Nishimura, Colorado State University
    • Tara Finegan, University of Missouri
  • Example Subtopics:
    • Advocating for yourself
    • Accessibility tips at lab meetings, seminars, and other events
    • Building a support network
    • Knowing the requirements for accommodations
• Technology transfer: from research to business
  • Moderators
    • Dongyu Jia, Kennesaw State University
    • Gerald Tuskan, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Example subtopics:
    • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) – tips and tricks to apply
    • Securing investors
    • Patenting technology
• Women in science
  • Moderators
    • Kalliopi Kostelidou, International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium
    • Selcan Aydin, The Jackson Laboratory
  • Example Subtopics:
    • Coming out in a scientific community
    • Reproductive rights, maternity/paternity leave, and other legal matters
    • Building a support network
    • The impact of childcare