Off-Track: Finding your path after leaving academia

Off-Track: Finding your path after leaving academia

Before continuing on the academic track, many of my fellow graduate students and I wanted to at least know what other options we had, so we organized an alternative careers day. We asked professors for the names of former students who went on to careers outside of academia. We searched online for biologists working for local businesses and nonprofits. We invited about a dozen panelists from institutions ranging from the EPA, NIH, and NAS, to the Nature Conservancy and local biotech companies.  Read more

How sociable are scientists in their job search?

How sociable are scientists in their job search?

As a Chinese student, “being a scientist” has always been at the pinnacle of the professional pyramid. Pursing a scientific career is an indicator of one’s intelligence, ability and devotion. There is also the stereotype that scientists are shy, isolated and absorbed into their own world.  When it comes to the playground of job hunting, being unsociable doesn’t sound like a competitive trait. Therefore, I am very interested in knowing more about how sociable scientists are in their job hunt and how it affects where they get their career information from.  Read more