Being upfront about goals and creative about gaining experience can launch a career.

Elise Covic, now Deputy Dean of the College at the University of Chicago, entered academic administration even before she completed her PhD in computational neuroscience when she became director of an undergraduate research training program. She describes how she navigated her way from research and into a satisfying career in academic administration.

{credit}avi schwab{/credit}

What was your experience like in graduate school?

Graduate school was just a practical step for me; I was working as a research technician because I thought that was what I thought I should do fresh out of college with a biology degree. As grad students rotated through the labs, I learned their stipend was about the same amount as my salary. Why not get a PhD for work you enjoy doing?  It’s the one point in your life when you can focus on something that you love and can be completely creative and know a microcosm that no one else knows as in depth as you do. Continue reading →