ICAR 2024 Career Panel
Charting the Course and Weathering Storms: Organizational Practices and Individual Actions that Support Scientists as they Navigate Career Transitions
Discussion Summary by Mary Williams, ASPB (Session co-organizer)
Career transitions are key points at which scientists, particularly those with marginalized racial, ethnic, gender or other identities, can stumble. A career in science can and should have many intersecting paths, rather than a single hegemonistic pipeline. In a workshop held at ICAR 2024, we invited a panel of scientists at various career stages to share their experiences. We discussed practices that can effectively help people bridge career transitions and persist in science, highlighting organizational practices and individual actions. Topics discussed included: securing independent funding and getting grants, exploring academic and industry jobs, personal advocacy and finding a community, assessing candidates and faculty progress towards tenure, fostering a culture of belonging, and the role of professional societies. Hosted and organized by Mentewab Ayalew, Spelman College and the North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee (NAASC), and Mary Williams, ASPB
Panelists
Kevin Cox, Washington University in St. Louis and Danforth Plant Science Center
Jose Dinneny, Stanford University
Dior Kelley, Iowa State University, and NAASC
Roger Innes, Indiana University
Dawn Nagel, UC Riverside
Imani Madison, North Carolina State University
Devang Mehata, KU Leuven, Belgium
Román Ramos Baez, University of Chicago
Jenn To, Bayer Crop Science
Bernice Waweru, John Innes Centre, UK
Mary Williams, ASPB
Panelist Highlights
What helped in important career transitions?
Having a big network and being very intentional networking. For example, when transitioning from a PhD student to a postdoc, a network can you help identify labs that will be a good fit for you. Having people you can ask about their postdoc experiences can really help.
Similarly, looking for faculty positions, asking about the culture of departments is important. People in your network can also give you advice about your application and how to proceed.
A group of mentors who you trust who can give you open, confidential information and advice is really critical. Exchanging experiences with people who are also on the job market, even applying for the same jobs, can be helpful, to share notes with.
What environments and practices provide a stimulating and productive environment? What makes the best mentor mentee relationships?
You want a relationship of trust, someone you can go to when things go wrong, who can help you plan to find the answer, or direct you to someone else who can help.
Your mentor should not expect you to be just like them, you are your own person.
They also should give good feedback that is constructive and not tearing down, but enough feedback that the mentee knows what they are doing wrong and how to fix their mistakes.
A mentor should create a space where diversity is welcomed, where people recognize that it brings strength to the team, and where people can learn from other people’s experiences and grow together.
What is the importance of mentoring and allyship in creating a vibrant and inclusive community of researchers?
The soft landing is important for new faculty in a department too, they need support to get their research program running quickly.
People who have power, including department chairs, should check in frequently with new faculty to make see how they are doing and help them understand how to navigate the system. Whether it’s faculty or postdocs or students, it’s all about building trust so that people can come to you with their problems, and you can help solve them before they become bigger.
A good philosophy when dealing with people at all levels is to appreciate that they’re trying their best, and we often run into problems when we assume the opposite.
Q&A with the Audience….. Download the Report for the Answers!
Transitioning from postdoc to faculty. Advice? How to do a good job application and good interview?
How did you come up with a vision for what you want to have as a research focus?
I’m in my last year of my PhD, how did you choose what path you want to follow? I’m from a country that doesn’t have much money, so a job at a university there would be mostly teaching, there’s no money for research. I have an opportunity to do a postdoc in my lab, but I think going elsewhere would be good. But immigration is hard, and I have a family. My next step might be permanent if I move. What advice would you have about moving into the research environment in the US?
In terms of looking for a postdoc position, what approach helped you land it and what skillset is it important to develop as a postdoc?
I have a question about whether there’s a preference to hire people who already have biological materials like mutants ready for students to characterize, or is it enough to have a great research idea?
To follow up, how do you weigh big ideas versus track record and previous publications when you’re sitting on a search committee?
How do you personally deal with your anxiety and keep your motivation up throughout your career, particularly at transition stages?
