This intentionally-designed series blended OACD programming with top-rated virtual content to give advanced doctoral students and postdoctoral trainees at Pitt access to an expanded set of sessions covering a variety of career development skills, career options, and key transitional steps that will help you identify, prepare for, and succeed in landing the next step of your career (see the career-specific stage and the career transition stage of the ADAPT model for more information).
List of acronyms: BtP: Beyond the Professoriate; HSLS: Health Sciences Library System; NPA: National Postdoctoral Association; OACD: Office of Academic Career Development; VPhD: VersatilePhD.
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Aug. 21-25, 2023BtP: Academic Job Market Bootcamp
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Provided by Beyond the Professoriate
Time: 12-12:45pm ET
Location: Virtual
Description: Get ready for the academic job market by attending the Academic Job Market Boot Camp 2023. Designed to help you stand out as a candidate, these workshops will demystify the various documents that make up an application package. You’ll learn strategies you need to clearly and confidently communicate who you are as an educator and scholar to hiring committees.
These virtual workshops are designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all disciplines who want to strengthen their application package. Can’t make it live, not to worry. All workshops will be available as a replay. Register in advance to receive notifications.- Monday, August 21: Cover Letter
- Tuesday, August 22: Research Statement
- Wednesday, August 23: Teaching Statement
- Thursday, August 24: Teaching Portfolio
- Friday, August 25: Diversity Statement
This webinar series is sponsored by the Global Higher Education division of ETS®
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Aug. 30, 2023OACD: Certification in STEM Teaching: Pitt-CIRTL *RECORDING AVAILABLE*
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Time: 3:30-4:30 ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: April Dukes, PhDDescription: This session provided information about the free on-campus and online programming and certification program designed to help develop the skills needed for a professional career in STEM. The University of Pittsburgh is one of over 40 higher education institutions that partner with the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) to provide professional development to STEM graduate students, postdocs, and new faculty.
Presenter Bio: Dr. April Dukes is the Institutional Co-leader for Pitt-CIRTL at the University of Pittsburgh and the Faculty and Future Faculty Program Director for the Engineering Educational Research Center (EERC) in the Swanson School of Engineering. April collaborates on the national educational research initiative, the Aspire Alliance’s National Change, to support systemic changes towards excellence and inclusivity in higher education. April's research and teaching goals are to improve the learning, development, and experiences of undergraduate and graduate students during their academic and professional pursuits.
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Sept. 26 2023NPA: Transitioning Out of Your Postdoc
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Provided via the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
Time: 3-4:15pm ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: Chanelle Case Borden, PhDDescription: How can you best prepare yourself for entering a full-time, permanent position after your postdoc? What professional skills do you need to succeed? How should you approach career exploration to best succeed in finding the right position?
Presenter Bio: Chanelle Case Borden, Ph.D., associate director of training programs, National Cancer Institute
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Sept. 27, 2023BtP: How to Set Yourself Up for Career Success After Your PhD/Postdoc
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Provided by Beyond the Professoriate
Time: 12-12:45pm ET
Location: Virtual
Description: PhDs and postdocs are busy. There’s so much to do NOW that it’s hard to think long term. What will you do after your PhD? But a job search can take months. You need to start thinking about your options today.
This interactive workshop will help you make goals and set priorities so that you can be successful in your program AND prepared for your future. This virtual workshop is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs who are wondering:- How do I find time to add job searching to my already busy to-do list?
- How can I make choices about coursework and research now that will set me up for future success?
- What do non-academic employers want to see in PhDs transitioning out of academia?
This webinar is sponsored by the Global Higher Education division of ETS®. Advanced registration is required.
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Oct. 13, 2023Mentoring Academy Part 1: Introduction to Mentor Training
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Time: 12-2:30pm ET
Location: Zoom
Presenters: Joseph Ayoob, PhD, and April Dukes, PhD
Description: Introduction to Mentor Training. This session will launch the fall sessions for the Mentoring Academy. The first of three, this session will provide an opportunity to discuss the different roles that mentors and mentees play, and covers the first four competencies in the Mentoring Academy (Introduction, Communication, Aligning Expectations, and Assessing Understanding). Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the principles of effective mentoring through interactive case studies. Participants can attend one session or choose to attend all sessions to complete all eight competencies based on the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research curriculum. -
Oct. 24, 2023NPA: Obtaining a Faculty Position
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Provided via the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
Time: 3-4:15pm ET
Location: Virtual
Presenter: Jim O. Vigoreaux, PhDDescription: Progressing from postdoctoral training to a faculty appointment is a daunting transition, and may be especially challenging to those who have followed a less-than-conventional path or whose peers have lost interest in academic careers. How should you prepare for and progress through the application process, which takes approximately 1 year, and what should you expect at each step? Good preparation and careful planning are important, as is managing expectations to avoid becoming discouraged early in the process. We will cover how to go about choosing, applying, interviewing, negotiating, transitioning, and getting started in your faculty position.
Presenter Bio: Jim O. Vigoreaux, Ph.D., Breazzano Family Green & Gold Professor of Biology, Joint Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, University of Vermont
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Oct. 31, 2023OACD: Writing as a Career: PhDs in Medical and Science Writing
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Time: 4-5pm ET
Location: Virtual
Moderator: Michele Baum
Panelists: Darius Becker-Krail, PhD, Guadalupe Manrique Maldonado, PhD, Susie Sonnenschein, PhDDescription: If you love writing and want to find a way to combine that strength with your scientific background, then this session is for you! We heard from a panel of PhD alumni who work in diverse fields, including medical writing, scientific writing, and regulatory writing, in environments ranging from companies to freelance. What does a "day in the life of" look like, how do they use their PhD background to give them an edge, and what recommendations do they have for those who want to enter these fields? These questions were covered in this interactive session.
Moderator Bio: Michele Baum is Senior Science Communications Manager at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. She is an accomplished communications professional with more than 30 years of experience in presenting the essence of complicated clinical, biomedical and scientific research material in thoughtful, engaging—and, most importantly, accurate—ways. She is principal editor and writer for Pitt Public Health magazine, the inaugural issue of which is slated to publish in Fall 2023. Ms. Baum is a former Senior Writer/Project Manager in Pitt’s Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences, with expertise in strategic communications, internal communications, grant writing, social media and print production. Prior to joining the University of Pittsburgh, Ms. Baum was a longtime health/science journalist for several leading news outlets, including CNN.com in Atlanta. In addition, she served as a media relations manager for UPMC. She is a graduate of Penn State University and holds a certificate in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama studies from The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-on-Avon, England. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
Panelist Bios:
Darius Becker-Krail, PhD, is an Associate Medical Writer at Mozarc Medical, a kidney health technology company under the joint ownership of Medtronic and DaVita. His role involves the creation of clinical regulatory documents in accordance with the EU MDR. Apart from his role at Mozarc Medical, he has extensive experience as a freelance medical writer, authoring clinical evidence analysis reports for emerging health technologies, which ultimately inform payer coverage decisions. Prior to venturing into medical writing, Darius earned a PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. During his time at Pitt, he also held positions as a consultant and board member for Fourth River Solutions (4RS).
Guadalupe Manrique Maldonado, PhD, holds a PhD in neuropharmacology and specializes in science communication. Her expertise includes writing manuscripts and creating abstracts, web content, posters, presentations, graphical abstracts, and scientific illustrations. In 2021, she transitioned her career to become a Science Writer at Teknova, a biotechnology company focused on gene therapy. In this role, she was responsible for developing web content, protocols, brochures, and white papers. Guadalupe's ultimate goal is to communicate science related subjects to the general public using her scientific illustration skills. She firmly believes that visual communication is crucial in delivering a clear message, whether it's spoken or written. Her latest personal project, Misunderstood Bodies, aims to spread accurate information regarding female physiology and its disorders.
Susie Sonnenschein, PhD, is a medical writer at Telos Partners, LLC. She has worked for two years as a consultant for medical device companies, which primarily includes authoring regulatory documents, such as clinical evaluation reports. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh, where she also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Psychiatry. Her academic background focused on preclinical and clinical schizophrenia research that resulted in over 10 peer-reviewed publications.
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Nov. 3, 2023Mentoring Academy Part 2: Addressing Equity and Inclusion
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Time: 12-2:00pm ET
Location: Zoom
Presenters: Linda De Angelo, PhD, and Charlie Diaz
Description: Addressing Equity and Inclusion. This is the second of three sessions in our spring series of the Mentoring Academy. This session will, through interactive case studies, provide an opportunity to discuss best practices in Addressing Equity and Inclusion (Competency #5). Mentoring Academy members, who are trained faculty recognized for their contributions to mentoring at the University of Pittsburgh, will facilitate the session. Participants can attend one session or attend all three sessions to complete all eight competencies and earn a credential. The Mentoring Academy builds upon the curriculum provided by the Center for Improved Mentoring Experiences in Research (CIMER). -
Nov. 15, 2023BtP: First Round Interviews on the Academic Job Market
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Provided by Beyond the Professoriate
Time: 12-12:45pm ET
Location: VirtualDescription: Congratulations! You’ve landed a first-round interview with a hiring committee. But in a brief interview, how do you convince them that you’re the candidate they need? This interactive workshop will show you the ins and outs of academic job interviews, whether they are conducted virtually or in-person.
This virtual workshop is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs who are wondering:- What questions am I likely to be asked in a first-round academic interview?
- What are the differences between an in-person interview and one conducted over Zoom?
- How can I best prep my interview answers without coming off over-rehearsed?
- What should I wear to my interview?
This webinar is sponsored by the Global Higher Education division of ETS®. Advanced registration is required.
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Dec. 13, 2023BtP: What We Learned About Job Searching in 2023
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Provided by Beyond the Professoriate
Time: 12-12:45pm ET
Location: Virtual
Description: Layoffs, rebounds, AI, a near recession. Everything about today’s job market feels like it’s in flux. So how have the events of 2023 impacted job options for PhDs? Join the entire Beyond the Prof staff as we reflect on what we learned in 2023 and how you should approach your job search in 2024.
This virtual workshop is designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs who are wondering:- What were the big job market trends affecting PhD hiring in 2023?
- What sectors of the economy are growing and which are shrinking?
- Given the year that’s been, what modifications do I need to make in my job search?
- What factors will affect PhD job searching in 2024?
This webinar is sponsored by the Global Higher Education division of ETS®. Advanced registration is required.
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Dec. 14, 2023OACD: SCIENCE Career Symposium
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Time: 3:30-5pm ET
Location: Virtual
Description: This annual symposium is designed to enhance the professional development of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students by providing you with direct access to PhD professionals who have successfully made the transition to exciting careers covering a range of employment settings and job sectors! The virtual format, which uses a series of breakout rooms, provides you the opportunity to meet alumni in a small group setting so you can learn about diverse career paths and ask your own questions.
Careers represented:
Faculty, Undergraduate Education
Scientist, Industry
Faculty, Research Intensive Institution
Technical Applications Specialist, Industry
Grant Writer, University of Pittsburgh
Medical Science Liaison
Staff Research Scientist
Health Science Policy Analyst
Postdoctoral Trainee
Technology Licensing Specialist
Feedback from past symposia:
"It was so valuable being able to engage with post-PhD professionals who spoke candidly about their decisions in choosing their path/career."
"Now I know which topics I need to focus on to improve the development of my science career."
"There was a lot of valuable information, especially how a career in academia is no longer the only or the most succesful career path for PhD holders."
"It was a great opportunity to interact with experts!"
"I didn't know much about other job opportunities outside of academia and industry so I appreciated having other people (like science policy) there."
"It was really valuable hearing how the panel leaders prepared themselves for their given careers."
"This program provides you the opportunity to ask specific questions related to your personal doubts about a science career."
"I think it is a good program for PhD students who are unsure of whether to do a postdoc next or make a leap outside of academia."
"It was valuable learning about the different career options and how to get there." -
Dec. 15, 2023Mentoring Academy Part 3: Fostering Independence, Promoting Professional Development, and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy
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Time: 12-2:00pm ET
Location: Zoom
Presenters: Joseph Ayoob, PhD, and April Dukes, PhD
Description: This is the third and final session of the spring term series of the Mentoring Academy. This session will provide an opportunity to discuss best practices in Fostering Independence (Competency #6), Promoting Professional Development (Competency #7), and Promoting Professional Development and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan (Competency #8). Sessions are conducted through interactive case studies. Mentoring Academy members, who are trained faculty recognized for their contributions to mentoring at the University of Pittsburgh, will facilitate the session. Participants can attend one Mentoring Academy session or choose to attend all sessions to complete and earn a credential for all eight competencies based on the National Research Mentoring Network curriculum.