Tracking down the holy grail of academia

Connections and research proposal that complements a department are essential in obtaining a tenure-track faculty position, Louisa Cockbill learns from Kate Smith.

Having been awarded a faculty position at the University of Colorado, newly minted assistant professor Kate Smith is preparing to move from to the US from the UK. Here, she describes her experience of tenure interviews, how to maintain a passion for research and, crucially, how to find the elusive off-switch from science.

running a Growth

Having done a PhD, I know the pressures of academic research and how crucial it is for early career researchers to gain advice and encouragement from the success stories of others, like Kate. I caught up with her to see what advice she would give to others curious about the tenure track.

Continue reading

The competition that likes to say YES!

Enterprising early career researchers get some high-level mentoring to handle the rough and tumble of the boardroom. David Payne meets finalists in the 21st annual Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (YES)

Epitome is a Singapore biotech start-up whose product pipeline is based on engineered tail proteins to tackle bacterial diseases. It wants a slice of the US’s $6bn acne market. Epitome’s founders are seeking raise $10m to build a factory where its cosmetic products can be manufactured. Investors will be rewarded with a seat on its board.

The launch team describe the company at a presentation attended by other young entrepreneurs. They brace themselves for some tough questions from a judging panel. One judge asks how a factory can be built for $10m Another challenges the team’s plan to launch an acne treatment as a cosmetic product, which means they won’t mention acne on the label (the team adopted this approach to make the US regulatory process more straightforward).

15390900_1695305427446706_286911818743892859_n

‎Elena Lurieluke, Head of Global Life Sciences Open Innovation, Corporate R&D at P&G, addresses fellow YES judges and finalists.

Continue reading

Away from home: Where animals and reagents abound

We’re bringing you the best stories in lab mobility from Nature India

Every Wednesday, our ‘Away from home’ blog series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab recounting his/her experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the culture factor, tips for Indian postdocs headed abroad and what he/she misses most about India.

This week’s blog features Mainpal Rana, a PhD from the Biological Sciences and Bioengineering Department of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and currently a postdoctoral associate at the Magee-Womens Research Institute Pittsburgh affiliated to University of Pittsburgh, USA. He tells us the joys of not having to wait for reagents for experiments and the woes of not having Indian utensils in an American kitchen.

Mainpal Rana (far left) with his group members from the Magee-Womens Research Institute Pittsburgh.

Continue reading

Away from home: An eye for funds

We’re bringing you the best stories in lab mobility from Nature India

Every Tuesday, our ‘Away from home’ blog series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab recounting his/her experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the culture factor, tips for Indian postdocs headed abroad and what he/she misses most about India.

This week we have Moumita Chaki, a PhD from Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB-CSIR), Kolkata, currently working as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan Medical School, USA. She talks, among other things, about the problems of funding for independent postdoctoral research that visa-holders like her might face in the US.

Moumita Chaki (inset) with her lab

Continue reading

Away from home: Modeling biology

We’re bringing you the best stories in lab mobility from Nature India

Every Tuesday, our ‘Away from home’ blog series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab recounting his/her experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the culture factor, tips for Indian postdocs headed abroad and what he/she misses most about India.

This week we feature synthetic and systems biologist Kayzad Nilgiriwala working as a postdoc at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA. Kayzad completed his Ph.D. (Microbiology) at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, India and wants to import some strong points from the US research scene when he comes back home.

Kayzad Nilgiriwala with his new lab

Continue reading

Bonding in Boston: The importance of networking in science

Naturejobs journalism competition winner Ashish Nair finds new hope at our Boston career expo.

A long time ago in a land galaxy far far away, there was a great gathering where those weary of the well-trodden trail of tenureships and grants repaired themselves. The gathering in question was the Naturejobs career expo, a free one-day event organized for students and scientists alike. Featuring some truly inspiring speakers, it gave a much-needed boost to my hope for a career in science that can be both emotionally and financially (yes, $$$) satisfying.

Continue reading

More US graduate students win right to unionize

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overturns existing ruling in 3-1 decision

Graduate students who work as teaching or research assistants at private universities won the right on Tuesday to join unions, overturning an opposing decision by the NLRB in 2004.

istockphoto/Thinkstock

{credit}istockphoto/Thinkstock{/credit}

Continue reading

Have you ever had to compromise your personal life?

We ask speakers at the Naturejobs career expo, San Francisco, if they’ve had to compromise on their personal life to make it in academia.

https://youtu.be/3oRQWv30XN0

A positive step for postdocs?

It’s been a long time coming, but US postdocs had reason to celebrate last week: an 18 May ruling from the US Department of Labor renders postdocs eligible for overtime pay.

The potential downside? It could mean fewer postdoc positions – but even that may be a positive. The academic pipeline worldwide, especially in the biomedical sciences, has a postdoc glut.

istockphoto/Thinkstock

{credit}istockphoto/Thinkstock{/credit}

Continue reading

Highlights from the Naturejobs Career Expo

We run a quick summary of yesterday’s #NJCE16

What are the best ways to make yourself into the most appealing job candidate? How do you perfect your CV – or resume? And what should you do before, during and after a job interview?

These questions and many more were answered Wednesday at our Naturejobs Career Expo in Boston, Massachusetts. We had speakers from academia, industry, government and non-profits, who presented crucial information on navigating your career during a day of conference sessions and workshops. We’ll post lots more about these secrets in days and weeks to come, but here’s a sneak preview.

Continue reading