Skincare and Youthfulness

Hello Readers,

Yes, I am in my 50s, here is me with no makeup, no filters.

My facial skincare routine is the following (entirely independent and not sponsored.)

Morning

Neutrogena cleanser with cool water followed by Dr. Louis all-in-one Light Essence and La Roche-Posay SPF 50 facial sunscreen.

Night

Neutrogena cleanser, Aveda exfoliant every 2-3 days, followed by Dr. Louis all-in-one Light Essence. Osmia moisturizer when I have my perioral dermatitis breakouts (along with Elidel anti-inflammation prescription cream). Clarins multi-active night cream on my neck. Clarins Total Eye Lift Cream.

Other factors which help: lots of water, good sleep, work-out routine for cardio and strength-training, soul-nourishing activities (for me, it is journaling, music, spending time with loved ones and learning something new every day!) and of course, my Korean genes.

Stay young by feeling young. Imagine yourself 20 years from now and you had a gift of going back in time to 2026. How would you live? ENJOY life and love!!

GPD2: Sample Career Stories

Video Number Two: Impact of Graduate Professional Development with Sample Career Stories. These career stories are highlighted pathways of PhD graduates. Names have been changed or modified to protect their privacy. Emil's story is a blend of a few students who are in the academic path.

GPD Featured as a "Best Practice" by the Conference Board of Canada

http://www.conferenceboard.ca/e-library/abstract.aspx?did=7564

My comments on Dr. Leshner's Science Article on "Rethinking graduate education"

Joined the discussion on this timely topic.
http://comments.sciencemag.org/content/10.1126/science.aac9592#comments

Top Seven Secrets

Here are some secrets (my opinion only) summarized on one page based on a more than a decade of experience with scientific colleagues in and out of academia. You may read more about each in detail on my other posts.

1. To save a few years in the academic track, use your PhD as a base when deciding on the postdoc. Either stay with the same technology and apply it to a different model OR stay in your area of research and learn a new technology to expand it. For example, my PhD was in the genomic mapping of a pediatric illness. A good postdoc geared towards an academic career would have been to expand my genomic mapping skills to another illness OR performed proteomics (next step) for the same illness. Some postdocs do change everything in it entirety - but then be prepared to spend more time as a PDF. Remember however, if you take some part of your PhD with you, find an agreement with your advisor so you are not competing with each other in future work. 

2. Optimize your PhD - try to make it the best in science and collaborations so that you might even start an innovation, patent, or company from it.

3. Find mentors 5-10 years your senior so they can tell you which grants to apply for as a postdoc and a young professor or which biotech companies have good science and good people.

4. Read everything so you know what is going on in this world. Figure out the need, combine your passion and scientific background and CREATE something good. Talk to the right people who can advise you on the marketability. Communications is key. Here is an inspirational example of baby Embrace started by Stanford grad students which I have spoken about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaifO274UQ 

Everyone of you have this potential.

5. If you are pursuing an academic postdoc and you realize you are off to industry, publish more collaborative papers. Industry looks for collaborative, excellent scientists.

6. Maintain research integrity, know the legal issues which revolve around science patents and company partnerships.

7. Creativity again is essential in integrating the rest of life, especially when having children. Create and propose a shift in your career that works for both you and the company/institution. 

Biomedical Career Development Workshop 2013

Here are the sessions for the Career Development Workshop coming in June, 2013. Open to 200 graduate students, PDFs and professionals, it will address the transitions of the life science career path while integrating the rest of life. Proposal was sent to American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and was awarded! Other sponsors include CSMB, Depts of Biochemistry, Immunology, U of Toronto. Thank you to the sponsors and the students who are helping me organize the logistics.

Plenary
9-10 How to Succeed in Academia
10-11 How to Optimize your Scientific Career
11-12 Successful Careers outside of Academia

Networking Lunch
1:30 - 3 Concurrent sessionals
    Intellectual Property and Ethics
    Mentorship
    Global Trends / Innovation
    Choosing the Best PostDoc and Preparing for the Job After

3:15 - 4:30 Afternoon Plenary
Career Transitions Throughout Life

4:30 - 5 Keynote Speaker Matt Buist, Director of Life Science Ontario
Networking

Free Bio Careers Webinars!

Here are some helpful webinars you can check out that was passed onto me by BioCareers. Enjoy!

1. Presenter: Samantha Zhang, PhD

Topic: Career Path: "Graduate fast with a Ph.D!"

Wed, 2012-07-11, 1-2PM EST

Register to this webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/935153178

2. Presenter: Bob Kilcullen

Topic: BioAnimator - Scientific Presentation Tool

Wed, 2012-07-18, 1-2PM EST

Register to this webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/514426290

3. Presenter: Jennifer Reineke Pohlhaus, PhD

Topic: Career Path: "Science Policy: Making the Switch"

Wed, 2012-07-25, 1-2PM EST 

Register to this webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/985066226

4. Presenter: Matthew Seavey, MD

Topic: Job Search: "Applying and Interviewing for Industry Science Jobs"

Wed, 2012-08-22, 1-2PM EST 

Register to this webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/699719562

More details about each webinar can be found by clicking on the registration links. 

The webinar recording will be given to anyone who attends.

 

If anyone attend, please comment any feedback - thanks!

 

Recent Articles on Improving Graduate Education

Hi Grad Students and Educators,

Here's a 2011 article about recommendations how to improve bioscience graduate education - things we all knew, but validated with stats. Now, let us implement.

http://www.lifescied.org/content/10/3/239.full.pdf

Also in the Journal of Faculty Development (May 2012, Vol. 26, No. 2) Matt Helm et al write about nine recommendations for graduate school administrators. I will summarize them here:

1. Provide tailored career services through a collaborative effort with the department and career centres.
2. Aid students in exploring potential career options.
3. Encourage internships, job-shadowing for nonacademic careers.
4. Assess PhD program for all types of careers.
5. Expose students to various career paths by internships, alumni speakers, networking.
6. Aid students in helping them understand the roles they will have as faculty and how to best be prepared for employment.
7. Provide professional development workshops.
8. Adapt faculty reward structures so that they are rewarded for whichever career pathway their students choose.
9. Develop a public PhD career destination database to track career destinations of PhDs to provide faculty and students the realistic job market.

His article is a good read, so please log on via your e-journal provided by your institution.

Graduate Professional Development Course

Hello Dear Grad Students:

As some of you know already, I am coordinating a Graduate Professional Development Course at U of Toronto. The pilot is to start September, 2012. A number of people have inquired. Those of you who are interested, you must be a U of Toronto graduate student in the Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine. The course is open to Biochemistry grad students (as that is my department). Any others will be added to a waiting list.

The course will focus on ways to optimize your graduate experience and cultivate skills such as collaboration, leadership, initiative, creatively thinking "outside the box," and communication while maintaining a satisfying family life. Some topics to cover are how to succeed in the highly competitive academic arena and to find the nonacademic career right for each student. There are 12 interactive lectures, each followed by a guest panel of 3-4 PhD or MSc graduates (academic and nonacademics) to discuss their career pathways. Evaluation is based on class participation, oral presentations and written homework.

If any of you qualify and would like to take this course (postdocs can also check it out for a fee), you can find me on linkedin, connect with me with an appropriate message, and I'll send you the details. We may also offer it in the summer as a workshop, condensed version.

Also, if you are at another university and would like to start one at your department, you may contact me as well for more information.

Good luck  - perhaps see you in class!

Intermissions in Life

Break between Undergrad and Graduate School.
Break between PhD and Postdoc.
Break between Postdoc and Job.
Breaks between Jobs.
Breaks between Jobs and Parenthood.

For some reason, most straight A students feel this need to jump into the next step. I have heard stories where students give themselves a week between thesis defense and postdoc, start the postdoc even before the defense, straight from one job to the next. Scientist-types feel a need to keep moving to the next step...in search of that "final" destination.

Which is?

There is never a final destination, especially in this era. Even if you do achieve the tenure-track academic position, some may think this is the "final" career destination. However, many professors are continually supplementing their careers with side businesses, participating in start-ups, task forces, new initiatives, politics. The "career development" never ends.

So why do we feel this burning desire to just keep on moving?

Take a vacation!
Travel the world!
Take a break.
Become a musician at a local cafe.
Dabble in the arts. Photography.
Learn a new language.
Try something you have never done before. Scuba? Sailing? Grab a hammer and help Habitat for Humanity. Volunteer.

Nobody will grant you these extra times during a job...so take them during your intermissions in life. Pat yourself on the back and take a break! It's all about the process, not the end result. And the end result? You may never know you are already there.

The job title does not define you.
Try to think of a word that describes yourself. Not an occupation, just a word. That, is real life. That is your legacy you will leave behind. It's not just the science, the publications, the long hours in the lab. Those are given.

What is the extra something you bring to life? Remember, just one word. That description should explain you wherever you are, during all the times you are at a "job" and when you are on an intermission.

Some examples:
Adventure
Air
Serenity
Balance
Spunky
Dance

Try it. And the next time you have a rare intermission in life, take an extra week or two or three or four (depending on other circumstances) and enjoy just being here.

Passion II

Students of Science!

Where did the passion go?
Where is the creativity and innovation?
Wake up!

During your training is the best time to explore what gets you fired up. You are the next generation of leaders - explore the world!

I have met some individuals that took it upon themselves to find volunteer positions in the business or non-profit sector while working on their MSc or PhD degrees. These are the leaders. They know what they want or need to do to obtain their goals, They do not only meet the rigors of the graduate student curriculum, but they form their own internships and reach out to people on their own. They find a passion on how to change the world, and they talk to the right people. This passion alone is very attractive and somehow along the way, this very passion will land them the project and/or job.

Leaders that change the world did not look for the boxed job just to pay the bills, they followed their heart...the money will most likely follow. And if you are in the boxed job, try to change things from within! Perseverance, believing in yourself and establishing a support network are the key ingredients.

You are intelligent - invent, innovate and change something for the better! Take a risk - you only live once.

Higher Education Conference Paper Accepted!

My alma mater's data shows that with graduate students from the past 7 years, only 15% of the them were currently in academic appointments. Academic mentors supervise them. What about the other 85%? We need non-academic leaders back in the ivory tower to advise and mentor.

In the spirit of academia, I wrote a paper submission to a Higher Education Conference about implementing a shift in graduate education with mandatory career development courses and my overall vision for the future. After peer review, it was accepted! I am presenting it in June, 2012.

When it becomes officially published, I will link it in.
It's an exciting time when a passion grows and becomes a career!

Life's Career Transitions

Here are life's transition moments:

1. Undergraduate to Graduate school
2. Graduate school to Postdoc(s)
3. Postdoc(s) to a "Real" Job
4. Early Scientist to Mid-Career Scientist
5. Mid to Late
6. Official "Retirement"

Somewhere in there, there is also a side-step transition into motherhood or fatherhood, and then back. Some may have more than one postdoc. Some may have many mid-career transitions. Some may have multiple careers such as an academic administrator, CEO, author, mentor.

One of my advisors retired recently, and I found that he was faced with a similiar career transition. He still wants to give back, but was always the professor and researcher. It may take him a while to find his niche after the "official" retirement. Having said that, he faces the same issues as we do, transitioning from postdoc to industry, motherhood back to career.

Career transition skills continue throughout life. It only really hits grad students and postdocs, as they are no longer told which class to take, which papers to write. Students and postdocs have to use their own career transition skills, combined with their science to come up with their career niche. That's challenging for some, as these skills have never really been fostered for them.

Going from school to postdocs and perhaps even the first job is the easy part. When the expected job progression is "modified" with children, aging parents, downsizing companies, outside interests, then life becomes interesting. Life brings forth an "intermission" time which you can reflect and self assess. These are the rare moments in life when you can see what you are really made out of.

Virtual Job Fair for BioCareers

Bio Careers is organizing a Virtual Job Summit, the only online event for life science PhD's and MD's. Sounds like a great opportunity for everyone! Check it out at:

http://www.biocareers.com/virtual-job-summit

http://biocareers.com/news/virtual-job-summit-postgraduate-life-scientists-opens-february-1st

http://biocareers.com/news/covance-promega-and-others-join-online-job-fair-postgraduate-life-scientists

Seeking Career Advice

I am not quite sure why people prefer to remain anonymous or hesitant when searching for answers for a job, career, or self-assessment.

Perhaps, there may be some instances if you are applying for another job and you don't want your current employer to know. Having said that, that in itself means there is a lack of communication somewhere. If you are not happy with your job, try to address why and try changing the job within the organization.

Or perhaps you feel "embarrassed" to be asking questions about career and life. Perhaps there is a voice saying "How could I not know? I am a PhD!" Please do not feel that way. Everyone has career development and transition issues more than once in their life. Life is never a straight path. No need to feel inadequate about asking for some directions. I still do! And so do many mid and late career scientists.

If you have questions about career directions and would like some help, coming out of the shell with good questions is more than likely going to help you more. Because more than likely, somebody else is in the same shoes and wanting to ask the exact same question. To those who ask, the answers will come. And if there is a name and face behind the inquiry, key people will remember you and that extends your network.

Think Outside the Box..to Find Your Career

As mentioned in a previous entry, some of our education systems zap the creativity right out of us. All through school, university, even graduate school, jobs we are given a task to complete. We are told this is it, and thus, it is so. Some of us are not given the chance to create our own curriculum, our own collaborations, our own "Fedex" days. "Fedex" days are those in which everyone in the lab, company or organization takes 24 hours to work on anything they want. At the end of the day, presentations are given over a social meeting with food and drinks. Some of the most innovative ideas to improve efficiency, save money and resources have been invented during these "free" to create days.

I remember a colleague of mine who took the initiative to create her own major in university, something she had a passion for. She took an assortment of classes and proposed a major to the administration, and she was awarded that degree. Wow - how many of us had that creativity way back at age 19?

Creativity and thinking outside the box are critical when finding the passion for a career, not just a job, but a career you love and jump out of bed for. There are no set rules, just the scope of your imagination and self-assessment. Career objectives change throughout graduate school, and one must be flexible with that as well.

I will illustrate with an example. Student A is tired of the academic pursuit and wants to try something else. But has no idea what. Her goal of the ivory tower has changed since starting her fourth year of a PhD. During her last year, she reads up on nonacademic career options from various organizations and blogs. She fills out her LinkedIn profile, attends networking events, and realizes she has always been interested in scientific policy. There are no internships in her area. She begins talking to people about her ideas, and a colleague says she knows somebody in Washington she can talk to. Moving to DC is not an option, but she speaks to her colleague's friend and learns all about the policy world. She is given the name of another connection in her own city. She volunteers once a week in their office during her thesis write-up, and loves it. After graduation, she is given a paid position. She has entered the first year of her career.
(More on Career Transitions entry.
http://sciencemamaphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/career-transitions.html)

This pathway is not set in a box, not outlined for anyone to follow. There is no manual. Creativity, people skills, networking, communications, self-assessment, and thinking outside the box will get you there.

"The Future of the PhD"

Are there too many PhD's in the world?

My thoughts? No, not too many PhD's, I think it is marvelous we have so many educated individuals. However, it is long overdue to rethink the system that was built to train professors. Some institutions are creating graduate student career development and leadership programs, but much work remains to be done. There are not too many PhD's, but too few of these programs alongside the PhD. All higher educated individuals need some sort of guidance and options made available to mold the PhD experience into their own business tool.

Most schools have student-run career and volunteer mentorship groups. Some programs funded by university administration are scattered across North America, but some of the funding sources are up to the creativity and leadership of the program directors. Some of these are at NCSU, UC Davis, UCSF, Michigan State University. Graduate career and leadership programs need to be part of the curriculum and not "extracurricular" as they are just as important as the publications.

If your university does not have a graduate student career development office, you need to find these workshops and explore your options on your own. And find a mentor! I cannot stress this enough.

See "How do I find a Mentor?"
http://sciencemamaphd.blogspot.ca/2012/02/how-do-i-find-mentor.html

Relevant articles are found at:
http://www.nature.com/news/specials/phdfuture/index.html

Nonacademic Careers for BioScientists

According to the National Postdoctoral Association and NSF, more PhDs will eventually pursue nonacademic careers.

Here is a list I have thought of and compiled of non-academic careers/areas pursued by bioscience graduate students and PDFs.

1. Management Consulting
2. Science Writing/Editing
3. Pharma Field or R & D Scientist / Sales
4. Biotech Field or Application Scientist / Sales
5. Patent Agent / Tech Transfer Officer / Patent Attorney
6. Science Communications
7. Government Research and Development
8. Research Administration (Federal, Provincial)
9. High School Teacher / Head of Science
10. Science Outreach Programs
11. Science / Medical Liaison
12. Science Policy (see first resource below)
13. Market Analyst (Consult biotech for Finance)
14. Intelligence Analyst (for the Government)
15. Grad Student/PDF Career Advisor (after some experience)
16. Science Translator (for foreign labs wanting to publish in English, recently saw an ad in LinkedIn)
17. Non-profit, Independent Science Research Foundations
18. Applications for Social Programs, Public Health Organizations
19. Environmental Policy and Research
20. Forensic Science
21. Research Projects for Biodefence
22. Think Tanks
23. Science Consultant for Entertainment Industry
24. Venture Capitalist (after years of experience in biotech)
25. Cosmetic Industry Scientist
26. Global Health Scientist
27. Medicinal Plant Research and Development

And more, suggested by other colleagues:
28. Market Research Consultant
29. Regulatory Affairs
30. Clinical Trial Management
31. Science Recruiter
32. Food Science
33. Nutrition and Food Supplement Industry

Read my "Career Transitions" and "Serving the World with Science" to help you achieve any one of these dream careers.

Also, you are an intelligent, problem-solving leader! You can make your own career that is not even a list. Add some creativity, your expertise and some passion - read "Living your Dream."

For those with children, join a new linkedin group "Parents with PhDs" to form peer mentor groups and keep focused on career development even during the hardest times of integrating family.

Here is my Science Careers Article
Here is the updated 2013 list.

Other resources:
http://www.postdocsforum.com/2012/04/09/alternative-careers-for-science-phds-part-iii-science-policy/#more-4143
http://www.phds.org/jobs/nonacademic-careers/newest_here
http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/welcome

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/tools_tips/outreach

Good luck!

Serving the World with Science

For some of those in graduate school, you may not know how you are going to apply your research and leadership skills in your future career. Here is a suggestion. While you are inventing in the lab, keep up to date on the social implications of medical and life science research. It is not just big Pharma out there; other options do exist.

Listen to TED talks http://www.ted.com/ which showcase worldly "ideas worth spreading." Keep up to date on the social impact of science, such as organizations like Union of Concerned Scientists. http://www.ucsusa.org

Check out the Martha and Bill Gates Foundation. http://www.gatesfoundation.org

Learn about research agencies like the International Development Research Centre  http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx and CIDA with programs such as the maternal and child health program. http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/FRA-127113657-MH7

One inspiring story is when a group of graduate students got together to design a baby warmer, to save premature babies in developing countries. http://embraceglobal.org/
Foundations like Edesia produce Plumpy'nut for famine relief. http://www.edesiaglobal.org

Read up on environmental issues. http://environmentaldefence.ca/
Find independent research and think tanks that you might want to intern or work for. www.aidsresearch.org, http://www.fraserinstitute.org/

Check out the founder of Genetic Alliance. She is inspirational. www.geneticalliance.org

Think outside the box, and develop a passion.
Follow-through with networking and internships, and you may end up working for your cause after graduate school or postdoc.

Good luck exploring the world!

Effective Teaching Tips

I recently found some teaching articles by Dr. Barbi Honeycutt, PhD (NC State) which promote a more exciting, interactive classroom experience as opposed to a "one speaker show." Perhaps you can try them next time... I think I already have. In brief, 1) it's not about you but providing the space for group learning, 2) it is about your energy, 3) stop talking too much.

http://flipitconsulting.com/blog/2012/01/the-so-what-now-what-question/
http://www.flipitconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3-Quick-Tips-to-Help-You-Flip1.pdf