Want to find investors for your research idea? Change the way you pitch

A fundraising pitch involves vastly different style and substance than a scientific talk. Entrepreneurial scientists and engineers need to understand and manage the differences.

In a funding pitch, complexity is your enemy — no matter how significant the science

By David Rubenson, Wendie Johnston and Ned Perkins.

Many scientists hope to translate their discoveries into something useful and financially profitable. A biologist, for example, might hope to create a new line of health care products. Many use special grants or family resources to establish small companies. However, given the enormous challenges in the healthcare market, virtually every nascent enterprise needs outside funding; whether from wealthy “angel investors,” venture capital, or investment from large pharmaceutical and device developers. Continue reading

How product management could be a route out of academia for PhDs and postdocs

This job makes great use of a scientific skill set and is criminally underrated, says Issa Moody.

Let’s face it. Job prospects for PhD candidates and postdoctoral scientists are dismal. In 2012, a study on the biomedical research workforce, conducted by the National Institutes of Health and pictorialized by the American Society for Cell Biology, showed that there is a significant number of biology PhDs in the US who have resorted to doing non-science jobs. Those who stay in science face financial penalties: one 2017 Nature Biotechnology study  demonstrated postdocs, on average, forfeit 20% of their earning potential within the first 15 years of completing their PhD program. Continue reading

Isolation and alienation force female researchers out of US tech jobs

US corporate training programmes aimed at retaining female researchers in technology may be focussing on the wrong targets.

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A report, out on 7 February in Information Systems Journal, examines the results of in-depth interviews with 23 women in information-technology jobs across nine US firms, including consultancies, a bank and an insurance company. Study authors sought to identify the challenges faced by female researchers in industrial technology positions. Continue reading

Building skills through a gig

Some researchers are providing short-term services such as writing science news articles and consulting on industry products to bolster their skills outside the lab. These side gigs can be valuable for career development, says Josh Henkin. (See related story here.)

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{credit}Noel Hendrickson/Getty{/credit}

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A non-traditional path to a PhD

Darrick Hansen explored the world in pursuit of adventure and an undergraduate degree. Now, he sees his PhD program as a chance to explore biomedical mysteries alongside an international community of scientists.

 This post was sponsored by the Stowers Institute

Darrick Hansen has a low threshold for the mundane. On his way to earning his undergraduate degree, he took time off to work in far flung places in between his studies in the US, Singapore, and Scotland.

Derrick Hansen

Derrick Hansen{credit}STOWERS INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH{/credit}

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Adios to academia

By Virginia Gewin

US science and engineering PhD students are losing interest in academic careers because their career preferences change throughout their training, finds a study – not because of limited faculty-job availability.

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{credit} Getty Images Ryan Mcvay{/credit}

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Diving into graduate programmes

Karla Terrazas shares her thoughts about working at the cutting edge of science and technology, and finding a graduate programme.

This post was sponsored by the Stowers Institute

Karla Terrazas

Karla Terrazas{credit}Stowers Institute for Medical Research{/credit}

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Five rules for starting up in synthetic biology

Building a synthetic biology startup is tough – but stay the course and it’ll be the most rewarding struggle of your life, says James Field.

Since the advent of life 3.6 billion years ago, the survival of all species has depended on rapid innovation at the genetic level. As a consequence, our planet has grown rich with evolved technologies.

Traditionally, the dream of harnessing these evolved technologies has been confined to thought experiments and science fiction. Now, the emerging field of synthetic biology is giving engineers the tools required to tap into evolution’s code-base.

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