Atlanta BEST Magazine #5 Spring 2016

Atlanta

BEST Program

:: Self Awareness :: Empowerment :: Confidence in Next Steps :: Professional and Support Networks ::

Issue 5: May 2016

Contents I Found My Tribe 3 Faculty Retreat Perspective 8 What Have We Been Up To? 9 Getting Involved 14 Leaving to Stay: Taking a Leave of Absence 16 10 Tips For Travelling on a Ph.D. Stipend 20 NAFKI 22 Why Not Knowing What You’re Doing Can Be The BEST Thing For You 26 Achieving My BEST 28 Communication Careers for Ph.D. Scientists 30

Editor-in-Chief: Kylie Ainslie Editors: Darcie Cook, Tami Hutto, Motunrayo Kolawole, Ph.D. Design: Kylie Ainslie, Tami Hutto, Motunrayo Kolawole, Ph.D.

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I Found My Tribe

By Mojedeh Faraji BEST Cohort 3, Ph.D. Student, BioEngineering, Georgia Tech

I am a Georgia Tech fourth year PhD student in BioEngineering. Despite all the information sessions and workshops taking place every week at GT, I had not gained the slightest clue on what would be my future career path after graduation. I had attended a few of these events, but I’m sure there were many of them that could be helpful and I skipped them. The reason was I had no appetite to leave my research in the middle of the day and go to a room where I don’t know the others, and receive a ton of new information with almost zero background. Not a welcoming thing for me! Call it social anxiety or whatever, but when I step in an environment that I’m not sure how many people share my concerns, I don’t feel at ease! For example: In one of these information sessions, there were people who seemed very prepared and were asking questions that made me feel like I’m so behind! This only added to my stress, and was enough to push me away from such events.

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Entangled in my confusion, I was lucky to hear about the Atlanta BEST program. The most appealing thing for me was that it was a long term plan and had a structure. Second, hearing from past cohort members was encouraging. So, I applied and got selected.

maybe academia is not my first thing. Otherwise, why should I feel so attached to other fields? This is a painful state for a fourth year PhD student, isn’t it?! And that was the state I was in when I stepped into the retreat. Et, voila! There is a cohort that shares the same confusion as me?! That’s my tribe!

The program started with a group retreat. Now it would be cliché if I say “first impression matters!”, but the retreat was that good experience that I had missed during my graduate studies. I had no sense of community since I joined the graduate school.

Just taking classes and running back to my office to work on my research. And most of the people around me were determined about their future path. It was either academia or industry.

We spent three days together in the most fun and friendly way that it could happen. The relaxing environment of the campsite was really effective in building a sense of community. We did all these activities that were designed intentionally to get us involved by tickling our sense of competition and kept us cooperating as a team which brought me closer to my teammates. We ate together. We played games at the end of the nights. We had so many conversations during the activities that were happening. We had taken the Birkman Method Assessment (a self-assessment that speaks to interests, strengths, and needs) before for the retreat and going over the results with everyone was relieving.

Here I was with a broad range of interests that I couldn’t let go of or decide between. I felt lonely and although my research was going well, the most annoying thing was that I had the impression that

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To see contradictory interests in others and see that I am not a black sheep was reassuring, and also, understanding myself better was quite eye-opening.

I remember I was not happy to leave the Georgia Mountains that weekend. But when I left after three days, I felt that there is indeed a community that I belong to. And guess what? When I received an email for our first official session in the BEST program, I was happy to drive all the way from GT to Emory to join my cohort. I cannot imagine that I would feel like that without the retreat happening. Discussing my struggles in pajamas, while drinking tea…that kind of relaxed and friendly feeling would not be created in attended even ten information sessions.

Thank you BEST program for this opportunity!

Mojdeh

“Et, voila!

There is a cohort that shares the same confusion as me?!

That’s my tribe!”

Faraji

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On the last weekend in September, the Atlanta BEST Program

welcomed the new trainees in Cohort 3 who started their experience by attending the BEST retreat in the north Georgia mountains. This new tradition, now in its second year, enables our BEST trainees to dig right into the tasks of exploring their career options and enhancing their self-awareness, through a variety of activities. As we learned from last year’s retreat, our trainees recognize the value of spending two days in serious focus. This is hard work, and extremely important; our BEST trainees are committed to making an early effort to help inform their career pathways and, indeed, are often clamoring for the opportunity to engage in these activities and discussions focused on topics that never seem to get enough attention in their busy, experiment-filled lives.

Another great benefit of starting off with the retreat is the impact this has on community-building. Our BEST trainees all enter the program with the same angst, fears, worries, and sense of confusion. As they go through the program, they will learn to rely upon each other to build a community supportive of asking questions for which they may not be able to design an experiment to answer (often a difficult thing to swallow for a scientist). Undertaking the retreat activities, including the great discussions around the campfire, the party games, and the work with our facilitators, helps our trainees to enter the program with the knowledge that it’s okay to express concern and confusion about career choices.

Retreat 2015

One of the best community-building activities this year was the teambased task of building boats out of cardboard and duct tape (yes, I said “cardboard”). The goal was to build a boat that was structurally sound and water-tight enough to ride across the swimming pool; preferably, without sinking, capsizing, or generally getting soaked. I’m proud to say that our team had the best design, which successfully made it across the pool not just once, but twice. Kudos to Kylie and Yusuf for serving as our intrepid sailors, and to the rest of the team for working together to build a “boat” worthy of the name: The BEST Boat.

Many thanks to Darcie, Babsi, JP, Yusuf, and Kylie (BEST trainees from Cohort 2), and to Tami Hutto (our Program Manager), for all of their hard work to plan this outstanding retreat. We are already looking forward to next year!

Nael McCarty, Ph.D. Director, Atlanta BEST Program

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WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO? YEAR 3 EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMMING The NIH BEST Awards were intended to be an experiment.

Since the start of the Atlanta BEST Program, we have run countless workshops and panels to test out topics, facilitators, and formats. We are in our 3rd year, so the following are several examples of recent programs that we found help trainees better work through their career exploration, stay connected to their BEST community, and build their networks.

Community Building :: Coffee Hours ::

Once a month BEST trainees met to informally update each other on their progress, share stories about recent trips or experiences, pose questions and challenges, make connections, and peer coach each other.

Sometimes we have past cohort members and alumni come back to share their journeys.

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Career Labs This is a new experiment we designed based on BEST trainee feedback. Career Labs are workshops on variety of career paths that leverage a PhD degree, but the workshops are structured in the following ways: >>>Low commitment career exploration. In terms of time commitment, this experience longer and more applied than attending a career panel, but not quite as immersive as an internship. >>> Run by practicing professionals It is important to hear from people actually doing these jobs! >>>Workshops are hands on and based on typical job responsibilities.

This is KEY! >>> The goal is to give participants enough of a feel for the types of things they will typically do in a job.

This is to help them cross a career path off their list, or highlight it as something to further explore.

Public Health

Participants worked on multi-disciplinary teams to solve a real outbreak case that happened at Emory in 2014 led by Dr. Julie Gazmararian (Associate Professor in Epidemiology and former Epidemiologic Intelligence Service Officer). As they investigated a simulation of a campus outbreak, participants learned about how to develop a hypothesis that explains the exposure, as well as used some tools epidemiologists use to organize the evidence and keep the public up to date with the investigation.

Consulting Workshop If we make it, will they come?

Is there a business behind the science?

This career lab focused on using the Scientific Method to vet aspects of business ideas, other than the science. Participants learned to evaluate a science-based business model, then used the techniques taught by consultants Hanz Utz from the Combine and Dr. Doug White from Takeda Pharma (Georgia Tech BME’15 Alumni and BEST Trainee from Cohort 1). In teams, trainees performed a diligence on the value of a real-world business model. The goal was to facilitate an experiential exercise that gives participants a feel for what consultants do and how they do it.

Informal Education

Participants learned about how one local informal education center, Discover Science Center, teaches science to a variety of classrooms, K-12 teachers, homeschoolers, summer campers, and more. Dr. Tonya Sherer showed us the activity she does to get kids to understand how temperature is the driver of ocean circulation using a fish tank and food coloring. “If you can explain your science to a bunch of 5 years olds, you really know your stuff.” Tonya also shared the joys of inspiring young people, as well as the challenges of teaching a variety of audiences and running into different learning styles, curriculum requirements, and behavioral issues. She shared how rewarding it is to be running her center after her time as a faculty member at Georgia Tech, and how she loves to hear the kids tell their parents all the science stuff they learned.

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Local Workforce Development:

One of our broader goals is to celebrate the variety of career paths Ph.D.’s can take, as well as heighten awareness to local companies that pools of talent exist right here in Metro Atlanta.

One event we held in March 2016 was the Georgia BioScience Reception at Emory’s Alumni House. The Atlanta BEST Program worked with the Metro Atlanta Chamber to host a networking reception and workforce panel. The event brought together stakeholders in the bioscience community within Georgia including, Emory and Georgia Tech Ph.D. students, postdocs, university representatives, State of Georgia Representatives, Ph.D. alumni, HR representatives, and local company representatives. The panel spoke about what their companies do, what they look for in Ph.D. candidates, and tips on what students and postdocs can be doing now to increase their competitiveness when they enter the job market. Overall, the panelists spoke to the fact that skills Ph.D.’s gain over the course of their training are highly desired and valued outside of universities.

One fantastic resource is Georgia Bio, a non-profit organization that promotes the interests and growth of the life sciences industry in Georgia. They hold a variety of events through their Emerging Leaders Network that promotes and expose the community to a variety of career paths and local companies.

Most recently they partnered with the Atlanta Clinical & Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) for their 7th annual conference that focused on Georgia’s potential to be a biotechnology capital.

In the keynote address, C. Michael Cassidy, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) did a great job of summarizing Georgia’s history and current “state of affairs” and spoke to possibilities for the future growth in the bioscience and biotechnology space.

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Getting Involved

By Elizabeth Zoeller BEST Cohort 2, PhD Candidate, Cancer Biology, Emory

Almost three years ago, some students in my pro-

gram and I were having a discussion about our new program’s small budget and the recent denial by our administration to have a student invited speaker at our seminar series. I was reminded of the stories my friends had told me about a recent Emory Graduate Student Council (GSC) meeting where there was an excellent free lunch and they were giving money away to any grad student with a good idea for an organization or event. I put two and two together and thought we could have a solution to our problems by creating a student organization in which we could control our own programming. I promptly took action by sidling up to the peers I thought had strong leadership skills and initiative, subtly dropping hints about how great a student club would be for our program. After a few weeks of coming up with ways to persuade others to start the club, I realized I was already halfway to starting it myself and very invested in the idea. I wanted to found this organization and lead it as president.

Following this decision, it was apparent I had a lot of work to do: I had to assemble an amazing executive

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team, write a constitution, obtain a list of founding members, create a budget, file paperwork for a charter, and plead our case to the GSC general assembly (a process that took about six months). We named our organization Student Cancer Researchers (SCR) and dedicated it to enriching our time as researchers. In our first year, we volunteered to cook dinner for cancer patients, held a lunch and learn webinar viewing, organized a networking dinner with oncologists, led a team for the Winship 5K (a major fundraiser for the Winship Cancer Institute), and put on several social events to connect students interested in cancer research. For what felt like the first time in graduate school, my experiment worked—we as students were able to work together to create a better graduate school experience, and I was able to become a leader.

In addition to my personal feelings of success, I now have documentation of my transferrable and social skills. I have substantial experience in team management and the stories to match. This experience connects my Birkman assessment with life experience. My Birkman indicates that my organizational style in-

cludes a balance of structure and flexibility. SCR has given me experience with both brainstorming and tossing around ideas in a group and attending to specific detail-oriented tasks (e.g., creating timelines and assignments for tasks).

Additionally, I have experience delegating responsibilities to other team members. Delegation allowed me to discover where my energy was most valuable because I had confidence in my team. I’m fortunate in that my team is immensely competent and responsible; however, there were times when I was faced with the difficult situation of having to pressure my friends to accomplish a task. I know Ways to I will face similar challenges in the “real world”.

committees dedicated to planning some of our more intense events. Our member-run committees allowed us to invite a speaker, Dr. Steve Baylin, to our seminar series. In addition to gaining skills and stories, my involvement with SCR was a lot of fun and gave me a sense of accomplishment. SCR gave me goals outside of my lab and allowed me to appreciate to my research get involved in student organizations:

Emory GSC: http://emory.orgsync.com/org/graduatestudentcouncil/Laney_Groups Georgia Tech: http://www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu/student-organizations.

I have also learned about communicating to groups. In the beginning when we were recruiting new members and trying to increase interest, I found faceto-face invitations went much further than mass emails in this context. I enjoyed these faceto-face interactions, which, again, matched my Birkman results - I emphasize personal interactions when managing a team.

I have learned some important lessons along the way too. For instance, sometimes teams have blind spots.

There are no pictures or documentation of our first year because our team did not include anyone who had a passion for social media. When some of our executive committee turned over in the second year, we added official duties regarding social media and started a newsletter to highlight club and member accomplishments. We also created other member-run

on a different level. Besides feeling more connected to my fellow researchers, I regained perspective on my work through our dinners at Hope Lodge, a non-profit facility catering to cancer patients who receive treatment far from home. I’d recommend joining a student group and if you can’t find an organization that suits your interest, you can always try founding one!

For more information about SCR (which is not just for member of the Cancer Biology Progam), you can email scremory@gmail.com or check out the Facebook page “Student Cancer Researchers” https://www.facebook. com/groups/433125016825119/.

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Leaving to Stay: Taking a Leave of Absence

By Darcie Cook BEST Cohort 2, Ph.D. Candidate, Immunology, Emory

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“Why are you crying?” my PI asked

me. “Because that’s what I do now”, I responded. The last couple months had been rough and every meeting I had with my boss seemed to end in me losing it.

My personal life was in shambles, I was bored with my work, and I was working up to 15 hours a day on experiments that continuously yielded negative results.

As the old saying goes, something had to give. I was ready to throw in the towel on my doctorate, desperate to get out, to make a change, to not be where I was, doing what I was doing. Every day was a struggle and I was so emotionally strung out, television commercials would move me to tears. I was a walking disaster.

The easiest solution to my problem was to walk away. I had never wanted to be a research track faculty member. Through the exploration with the BEST (Broad-

ening Experiences in Scientific Training) program, I discovered that my passion was in informal education.

I didn’t need an advanced degree; sure, it might help at some point, but it wasn’t absolutely necessary. I’d even managed to convince myself that perhaps a doctorate would make it harder for me to find work because I’d be overqualified. We’ve all heard it happens, as ridiculous as it sounds.

I wasn’t quite ready to give up everything, so I decided I was going to “master out”, meaning I would just graduate with a Masters Degree in Science. By the time I made this decision, it was too far into the semester and I had missed all of the important deadlines.

I was stuck at least through the end of the summer. I marked all the important dates on my calendar and settled in to wrap up my studies as quickly

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as possible. As we all know, there is no such thing as “quickly as possible” in science. My paper ended up taking longer to be submitted than expected and that summer deadline came and went. My PI convinced me to stay through December to at least finish it up. Things were not quite so bleak as they had been a few months before, but I was still ready to get the hell out. I agreed to stay the extra semester, looked up the new deadlines, and promptly added those to my calendar.

they laughed saying I would never come back. I nodded in agreement, but continued to think maybe this could be my best option. Eventually, I floated the idea past my PI and she firmly said, “No way, you’d never come back!” I clearly had not been subtle about my lack of passion for my work.

“I had a fleeting thought over the sumthe fall semester progressed, I mer that maybe I As became more and more enamored the idea of just skipping out for didn’t have to com- with a bit to recover my senses and then back to finish up. About 99% pletely give it all up” come of me was certain that I never want-

I had a fleeting thought over the summer that maybe I didn’t have to completely give it all up and could perhaps take a leave of absence instead. I had, after all, put in 4 years already and done a substantial amount of work. I had broached the subject with friends and

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ed to do research again, but that 1% kept nagging me, saying what if you master out and you miss it? What if you regret not powering through and finishing up?

That voice sounded suspiciously like my mother. She had been very vocal about disapproving of my decision to master out, but maybe that wasn’t the worst thing. It was definitely not something I wanted to hear and I mostly ignored it, but she did have a point. I kept sneaking the idea of a leave of absence into meetings with my PI. Eventually, she came around to the idea and we decided that at the end of the semester, I would take a year off.

I had big plans for 2016. I would be moving to New Zealand to travel around and hopefully, find a job at some point to support my gallivanting. I had been talking about this trip for a few months, but I finally bought a plane ticket in October and everything became real.

I would be flying to Auckland on January 8th to start my adventure.

I’ve been in New Zealand for almost two months now and I have never looked back. I have had the most amazing experiences, met some of the most incredible people, and gained insight into myself and life in general that I would never have gained at the lab bench.

“Do something that is just for you, whether it be chasing kiwis in New Zealand or just eating one in the park.”

The majority of my trip has been a spontaneous decision to go to one city or another. I’ve followed a very vague, meandering route through the North and South islands. I’ve had magical encounters with wildlife (swimming with dolphins and hanging with a kiwi), hitchhiked with some of the kindest people I’ve ever met, trampled through pouring rain, and had entire stretches of pristine beach all to myself. Every day there is something new and amazing waiting for me if I’m bold enough to seek it out.

I’m certainly not ready to come back yet, but already I have a renewed enthusiasm for returning and finishing my degree. I have fleeting thoughts about writing my dissertation and perhaps, in the next few months, I will actually put in some work. I still don’t miss research, but just knowing that I really want to finish is invaluable.

I’m fortunate in that I have a supportive PI who allowed me to take this time and go on this journey. You may not have the time or the funds or the desire to do something quite this dramatic, but it’s important to listen to yourself and your needs. Graduate school is a grind and it definitely takes its toll, but don’t forget to take a step back every now and then. If you’re feeling defeated, take a day or two to regroup. Do something that is just for you, whether it be chasing kiwis in New Zealand or just eating one in the park.

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10 Tips for Travelling on a Ph.D. Stipend

Taking some time off from school, lab, and the rest of your regular commitments is enormously important. Some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs have come when scientists were on vacation or outside of the lab. For example, Lise Meitner, a physicist who revolutionized nuclear physics, had her breakthrough moment on a ski trip with her nephew.

By Kylie Ainslie BEST Cohort 2, Ph.D. Candidate, Biostatistics, Emory

I enjoy travelling as much as I can. A common question I have been asked throughout my time as a graduate student is: “how do you travel so much?” I have been fortunate enough to go on many international and domestic trips as a graduate student at Emory.

In the past, a large part of my ability to travel so frequently was due to my very generous grandfather. Unfortunately, we don’t all have generous, nomadic grandfathers who globetrot as a hobby. I have also managed to travel to a variety of international and domestic destinations on my own dime while living off of a graduate student stipend.

The three biggest expenses when travelling are transportation, lodging, and food. When planning a trip, I attempt to minimize one or two of these large expenses. Even with a tight budget, I’ve developed some tricks for traveling on a graduate student stipend.

1. Go see someone you know.

Traveling to a place where you know someone can save a lot of money on lodging and food. If you’re visiting family or friends, the biggest expense will be transportation, while the other two large expenses (lodging and food) will be minimized.

2. Extend your stay at a conference.

Funds are available to graduate students to cover the cost of lodging, transportation, and food at conferences. Additionally, advisors will give you time off to attend a conference. Once at the conference, stay an extra couple of days to explore the area further.

3. Travel with someone.

Traveling in pairs or a small group can cut down on costs because big ticket items like lodging and gas can be split multiple ways.

4. Drive or fly?

Flying is far more convenient than driving in terms of the amount of time spent actually traveling. However, with gas prices down, but airline tickets still high, driving may be much more affordable, especially if you’re traveling with other people. If you do decide to fly, try flying in the middle of the week rather than on weekends for cheaper fares or use miles for your ticket.

5. Avoid hotels.

Lodging is one of the most expensive aspects of traveling. Rather than stay at hotels, which are expensive, consider booking an Airbnb (www.airbnb.com), couch surfing, or staying in a hostel to cut down on lodging costs. If booking an Airbnb, try to book a place with access to a kitchen, so you have the opportunity to cook. Cooking even once or twice can save a lot of money compared to going out to eat.

6. Use public transportation.

7. Travel in the off season.

8. Get off the beaten path.

9. Look for free things to do.

10. Mooch.

Use public transportation whenever possible rather than taking a taxi, getting an Uber, or renting a car. Public transportation, while more time consuming, can save a lot of money.

Airline tickets, accommodations, and attractions are all generally cheaper in the off season (fall and winter). If you can afford to take the time off and are okay with iffy weather, travel during the off season. Things will be cheaper and attractions will be far less crowded.

If you are feeling adventurous, try exploring away from touristy areas.

Not only will you be exposed to the authentic culture of the place you are visiting, prices will be lower in areas frequented by residents rather than tourists. Additionally, if you want to bring home any food items, buy them at the grocery store rather than tourist shops.

Most cities have free events and attractions. Many cities even publish free event guides that will tell you about local museums, events, etc. that have free admission.

If you have a generous grandfather, mom, dad, aunt, or anyone else willing to pay for (or subsidize) your travel, take it! You are a graduate student after all.

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NAFKI

The National Academies Keck Futures Initiatives (NAKFI) conference is an annual think-tank style conference designed to generate cross-disciplinary solutions to real-world problems. At the 2015 conference last fall, artists, sociologists, engineers, choreographers, educators, and scientists were divided into small teams and presented with problems the world will face in the next twenty years.

Seventeen graduate students, including three BEST trainees, attended in a journalistic capacity as Writing Scholars. One Writing Scholar was assigned to each group for the duration of the conference to document that group’s ideas for the National Academies. Below, the BEST trainees reflect on their unique experiences.

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Testimonial, Vanessa Cox

BEST Cohort 2, Ph.D. Candidate, Chemistry, Georgia Tech

At the conference, my group was assigned the task of determining how to create and employ human-centered technologies. Walking into our meeting room, we found Legos, markers, huge rolls of paper, whiteboards, and Play-Doh. To my surprise, we used them! Paper was unrolled, taped to the walls, and people who hadn’t touched a box of washable markers since elementary school brainstormed in purple and orange. Lego trees and Play-Doh spheres joined papers and notes on the conference table. Discussions ranged from art school and grocery shopping to the simple pleasure of walking barefoot on the beach. While the conversation was fascinating, what I ultimately witnessed, was how a truly innovative team operates. Rarely have I been part of a group that discussed, debated, and voted with such respect of each other’s ideas and perspectives. The final proposal reflected the group’s collective intelligence, not a single member’s expertise. Surrounded by people who have conducted researched around the world, I learned the power of patience and listening even under a deadline. I couldn’t help but see myself in contrast. I realized my own goal-oriented and driven work-style (that had served me so well throughout my education) could ultimately work against me.

Watching with admiration as ideas never dreamed of took shape, I saw not how far I had come, but how far I had to go.

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Testimonial, Kevin Morris

BEST Cohort 2, PhD Candidate, Biochemistry, Emory

The NAFKI conference was unlike any other science experience I have had. The idea of bringing together scientists and artists to address targeted problems was fascinating, and I was anxious to see how the process would unfold. Once I got to the conference, I was able to meet the members of my task group. My group consisted of a biochemist, material scientist, marine biologist, ecologist, art teacher, choreographer, and a systems scientist. We were asked to generate a creative, innovative, and action-oriented project that bridges art and science in a substantial way. With such a diverse group and a broad topic, I was curious about how our group would work together and what ideas we would come up with. After our group’s first meeting, I was intrigued by how passionate my group members were about various issues. We discussed addressing problems ranging from food sustainability to social inequality. We spent hours learning about each other’s backgrounds and attempting to convince the rest of the group to choose our particular topic.

After a day of discussion, my group decided to “unveil” the power of dance and scientifically validate the cultural, health, and psychological benefits that it has on individuals and communities. This project would integrate mind and body through dance to enhance the capacity for groups of individuals to navigate the path through complex issues. In addition, this project would further highlight the advantages that result from using dance as more than just an art form. As a result, people would begin to employ dance as a scientific method to treat or solve problems. All in all, the NAFKI conference was a great experience. All of the conference attendees were very accomplished in their fields and I truly enjoyed getting to know them.

I learned a lot about issues I had never thought about and also took away fresh perspectives on current world problems.

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Testimonial, MaKendra Umstead

BEST Cohort 2, PhD Candidate, Cancer Biology, Emory

What do the notable cancer researcher, Dr. Mina Bissell, famous artist and designer of the Rain Room exhibit, Hannes Koch, and Drake’s Hotline Bling video have in common? Not only did Mina, Hannes, and Drake’s video all make an appearance at the closing presentations for the 2015 NAKFI Conference, each has also made waves, creating an impact that has rippled through the global society.

I applied to become a NAKFI writing scholar without knowing exactly what to expect. What would happen if scientists and artists were brought together for a 3-day think tank and tasked to solve some of the world’s most compelling problems? Further, what could I, a scientist and budding science writer, capture from this experience? I was assigned to summarize the contributions from Seed Idea Group M, which consisted of an architect, literary scholar, scientific journal editor, scientists, and a designer. From early discussions, the group decided to focus on the theme, “Seeing the Unseen,” providing a mechanism to utilize art to enhance how scientists perceive and solve research problems. From my group, I learned the power of engaging in cross-discipline teamwork and discussion. While I watched the group form and synthesize, working through frustrations and experiencing breakthroughs, I witnessed a literary scholar become excited to learn about plant biology and an architect’s renderings inspired by neuroscience. The group discussions highlighted the commonalities between the artistic and scientific process and how the intersection of both can catalyze innovation.

“I left inspired and excited to make my own contribution to society.”

Many of the culminating presentations from NAKFI echoed a common sentiment: using innovation to shift perceptions and enhance the common good in fields ranging from healthcare to science policy to education. Participating in NAKFI was an amazing experience. Between networking with other science writers to having lunch with entrepreneurs, TED talk speakers, and successful authors, I left inspired and excited to make my own contribution to society.

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Why Not Knowing What You

“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be science,” is one of my favorite sayings. I tell it to the project student who’s taken aback because he has to analyze more than one time point. I say it to my boss when we’re trying to figure out why, against all reason and logic, a tissue-specific conditional deletion is embryonic lethal.

I’m beginning to think the sentiment has broader applications. Maybe something along the lines of “If you’re not entirely sure what you’re doing, congratulations: you’re still alive.”

The chance to get outside your

comfort zone is awesome. Getting outside my comfort zone is exactly what the internship program of University of Chicago’s MyChoice program let me do. The experience has been amazing, eye-opening, transformative, and, very occasionally, terrifying.

I love research.

Nothing looks happier under the microscope than a well-fed hematopoietic progenitor flourishing in the loving arms of its stroma. Nothing is more amazing than what science has the ability to teach us about our world and ourselves. I’ve thought for a while that I’d like to try and

“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be science.”

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communicate that amazement to a broader audience. I floundered a bit. I wrote a blog entry. My mother liked it.

Then the notice of a Science Communications internship at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Translational Medicine (ITM) slid into my inbox. To apply, I wrote my first non-academic cover letter.

I googled the format and gave it a shot. It was grammatically correct, but otherwise terrible. I begged the editor of Trends in Immunology, who happens to work down the hall, to help me. Luckily, she did.

I went to my ultimately successful audition for the internship wearing completely inappropriate shoes and the only pair of slacks I owned.

Horrifyingly, as my assignments began to roll in, it became clear

u’re Doing Can Be The BEST Thing For You

By Renee de Pooter MyChoice, Postdoc, University of Chicago

that to write about science, I would first have to interview people about science.

My first interview came very close to being hilarious. It was in a very authentic part of Chicago.

I got my bottom patted on the bus.

I started asking the interviewee questions about asthma because I’d got my first two info packets mixed up and my expensive education was inadequate to alert me that emailing someone with .lung in their address about diabetes was probably not right. Luckily, I’d done my MSc. thesis work on diabetes, so I winged it. The hapless victim of my first interview was an experienced communicator and professional throughout.

Since then, I’ve talked to a programmer lured from finance to

science, doctors on the cutting edge of tailoring treatment to genotype, and a clinical pharmacist on a mission to equalize health care across economic divide of Chicago South Side. I’ve wrestled with Mailchimp, formatted newsletters, and crawled on the floor to photograph computer programming at an interesting 45 degree angle. I’ve learned that my camera strap will unbutton the cleavage of my blue dress and that University of Chicago physician-scientists have exquisite control over their focal point.

My internship mentor at the ITM, Sara Serritella, was knowledgeable, patient, and implacable. She forced me further out of my comfort zone.

Like any novice, I generated errors that should not have been physically possible. I missed the point. I

made the same mistake four times, in succession, in the same newsletter. She has a good sense of humor and I like to think that at least she got a good laugh and some content out of my shenanigans.

And I’ve done it as much under the radar as possible. After all, I’m still being paid as a full-time post-doc and my responsibilities to the lab and my supervisor never changed.

“Did you ever end up doing that internship?” my boss asked me, eight weeks into the ten week term.

Yes. Yes I did. And I’m glad I did.

I’m a better communicator, and I learned concrete skills that I can highlight for a prospective employer in Science Communications. It was a fantastic opportunity and I’m so lucky I got to have it.

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Achieving my BEST In 2014, for the first edition of this Magazine, I wrote about my incoming expectations for the program. Coming into the BEST program’s 2nd cohort, I was really excited about finally being able to engage with a group of fellow postdocs and graduate students who were considering careers outside of academia.

The big drivers for me to join BEST were: a) the need to fill critical gaps in knowledge about what paths were out there for PhD’s, b) to work on skills we needed to develop in order to better prepare for non-academic jobs, and most importantly, c) to possess the right tools for making informed individual decisions about what trajectories to pursue. The Atlanta BEST program’s training modules have helped me tremendously in each of these three areas.

Some of the key sessions that I derived the most from were:

1) The Birkman Assessment: An insightful self-as-

sessment that talks about career fit, interests, strengths, needs, and stress related to career and professional development

2) Strong Interest Inventory: A career assessment focused on broad career interests

3) Lectures on Individual Development Plans: Having a plan is KEY!

4) Leadership Series: Sessions headed by faculty from the Goizueta Business school, such as Conflict Management, Negotiation Skills, and other Leadership topics

5) Career-specific Lectures: From people within my

fields of interest, hearing about how they landed their current positions, and what a day in their work schedule is like As a bench scientist I am naturally drawn to R&Dtype positions in the biopharma/medical device industries, with strong a discovery and experimental component, as this is where my comfort zone lies. At the outset of this program, I was specifically seeking to steer beyond such positions and the idea was to “try something different” from what I’d been engaged in, in the last 12 years or so.

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The Birkman Method and Strong Interest Inventory Self-Assessments confirmed some things I knew about myself, but also illuminated a few things that could point to what career tracks we would most likely find satisfaction in. I found that in the near-term Product Management, Product Development, Field Applications and Support, were roles I was interested in, and turns out, imaging instrumentation happens to be what I really enjoy working with, have experience in, and can leverage. After this insight, I spent months tweaking my resume and LinkedIn profile, and had informational interviews with 6-7 Scientists who were in positions that involved working with instruments and assisting with experimental design, but also whose jobs had a strong focus on the business and sales aspects of the industry. After many conversations, I was finally convinced that this was a career track I wanted to maneuver toward.

In the long-term (3-5yrs+), after (hopefully) successfully making a transition to the industry in such roles, I am keen on considering further training in business tools such as Marketing, Management or Consulting, if necessary, to enable my career advancement to roles where the “big-picture� is taken into account, and decisions made thereof, in the biotech/medical-device industries.

Tanay M. Desai, PhD BEST Cohort 2, Post-doc, Cellular Biophysics and Imaging, Emory Tanay is a postdoctoral fellow in Cellular Biophysics and Imaging at the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland in protein folding dynamics. He recently accepted a position as a 3D Imaging Specialist with Carl Zeiss AG, a German manufacturer of optical systems, industrial measurements and medical devices, and he starts in April. We are so proud of him!

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Communications Careers for Ph.D. Scientists: Output from the 2016 BEST Program Panel Discussion

By Karen Ventii, Ph.D. In April 2016, a multi-disciplinary panel of experts convened at Emory University to discuss communications careers for PhD scientists.

The panel discussion was part of the NIH-supported BEST program (Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training), a collaboration between the Laney Graduate School, Emory’s Office of Postdoctoral Education, and Georgia Tech. The BEST program was established to ensure that graduate students at Emory and Georgia Tech were not just preparing for careers in academia, but also considering opportunities and options in science communications, journalism, business, patent law, General Career Insights and science policy. Here, we summarize the discussions from that panel with the hope that it may • What is the difference between medical inspire other individuals who are considering a writer, science writer, and journalist? career in science communication or journalism.

– The panelists agreed that the terms differ, primarily based on who the target audience is • Medical writer: typically writes for a medical audience • Science writer: typically writes about scientific advances • Journalist: writes feature articles – The term “medical communicator” is becoming a popular option amongst some writers due to it’s more general nature.

– The terms may also differ based on who the client is or who commissioned the work.

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Getting the Job

• What types of writing samples do I need to submit with my job application?

– Tailor your writing samples based on your target audience. E.g., if you are interviewing for a job as a feature article writer, showcase writing samples that are related to that genre, as opposed to showcasing academic manuscripts.

– Some employers may specifically request multiple writing samples to assess your ability to communicate to different audiences (e.g. physician audience vs. patient audience).

– With jobs aimed at writing for the general public, it is important to showcase your ability to communicate at an appropriate level for the public (6th grade).

• Are there any opportunities for internships in medical writing?

– Medical communication companies may offer internships but rarely advertise them publicly. Be prepared to cold call or email companies of interest to ask about internship opportunities.

• What advice do you have for securing an internship?

– It is important to be aggressive when seeking out an internship. If you are in school, try and do an internship every semester.

During your internship, start thinking about the next internship you want to do and make inquiries about it.

• Are there any certificate programs that would set someone apart from other job candidates?

– Most panelists agreed that special certificates are rarely needed to set someone apart from other job candidates in the communications field. However, a few options to consider are: • Participate in a science communications program where available. E.g., there is one at UC Santa Cruz (http://scicom.ucsc.edu/).

• Adobe InDesign may be helpful for feature writers so consider highlighting your expertise with this software if you are applying for a feature writer position.

• Regulatory writers may benefit from getting a certificate from the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS).

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Working in the Industry • What does a day-in-the-life look like?

– For writers in the medical communications industry, a typical day is divided into 3 chunks: 1) creating content, 2) revising content based on client feedback, and 3) getting client feedback.

• Challenges may arise if there are multiple stakeholders providing feedback on the deliverable.

– For journalists, a typical day is also segmented into 3 chunks: 1) writing, 2) following up on new leads/setting up interviews for new projects, 3) sending emails and making phone calls to get new work.

• However, not every day is the same. Often times, interviews and other activities are scheduled based on the source’s availability.

• What does the career ladder look like? Is it a well-established, step-wise process like in academia?

– The typical process of career advancement within a medical communication agency is as follows (note: the terminology used to describe each position may differ at each company): • Title: (junior) medical/scientific writer (role: developing content under supervision) • Title: senior medical/scientific writer; content manager (role: developing content independently) • Title: associate medical/scientific director (role: overseeing a team of writers) • Title: medical/scientific director; VP scientific services (role: being involved in strategy and providing recommendations to clients) • What are the salary expectations?

– Journalists can expect to earn $0.70 - $2.00 per word ($1.10 Networking per word is standard).

– Based on the American Medi• What are effective ways to network? cal Writers Association salary – Focus on forming personal relationships, rather survey (Bairnsfather S. AMWA than asking for a job.

Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2, 2012), – Follow up aggressively (e.g., even if there is no ofseasoned medical writers in the ficial interview available, request an informational southeastern United States can conversation with the hiring manager). expect to earn ~$83,000/year – After a job interview or informational session, (however, panelists commented get everyone’s business card and send follow up/ that a more typical starting salthank you emails within 24-48 hours (in the email, ary for a junior medical writer reference a topic that you talked about during the may be ~ $50,000/year). interview to reinforce that you were actively listen– Freelance medical writers are ing and engaged during the conversation). typically paid per project or at – Leverage the people in your current network. E.g., an hourly rate. someone in your network may know the person – Do not be afraid to negotiate you are trying to connect with. It always helps to on pay. If possible, leverage identify some common ground when connecting your past years of writing expewith a new person. rience during graduate school – Utilize LinkedIn as a networking tool. to negotiate a higher pay grade.

• How has your network helped you get where you are?

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– Networking is very important, whether for securing new clients, seeking advice about your current job, or when looking to transition into a new job.

s t s le i

aP n

Natalie Duggan: Natalie Duggan (@TalieTalks) joined the CDC Foundation as a communications specialist in June 2014.

She provides a wide variety of communications services for the Foundation and CDC including blogs, speechwriting, press releases, project management, graphic design, and photography support.

Karen Ventii, Ph.D. (moderator): Dr Karen Ventii, is a medical communication specialist who is passionate about empowering the next generation of medical writers. Beyond her efforts to train and support the development of medical writers, she also runs Gold Star Communications, a medical communication agency specializing in oncology.

Sonya Collins: Sonya Collins (@ SonyaCollins) is an independent journalist covering health care, medicine, and biomedical research. She is a regular contributor to WebMD Magazine, WebMD.com, CURE, Genome, Pharmacy Today, and Yale Medicine. Her stories have also appeared in Scientific American, Georgia Health News, and publications served by the Georgia Public Health News Bureau.

JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM: JoAnna Pendergrass is a veterinarian and medical writer.

JoAnna has worked as a medical writer in hematology/oncology and has recently expanded her writing experience by writing veterinary-focused articles for wikiHow.com.

Sheila Tefft: Sheila Tefft (@TefftSheila), a senior lecturer in the Emory Writing Program, was a reporter, editor, and foreign correspondent for almost 25 years. She served as journalism director from 2000-2009. Prior to joining Emory, she taught journalism and writing courses at Louisiana State University.

She spent 12 years in Asia where she was a correspondent and bureau chief for The Christian Science Monitor.

For more information, questions or comments, contact karen@thegoldstargrp.com.

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