Research Career Development- Introductions, Motivators and Strengths

1. Research Career Development-Introductions, Motivators and Strengths Gail P. Taylor Spring 2007

2. Dr. Gail P. Taylor Asst. Program Director MBRS-RISE Research Training Program Specialist Professional Development Coordinator

3.  Beyond the Beakers: SMART Advice for Entering Graduate Programs in the Sciences and Engineering. Gayle R. Slaughter, Ph.D. Baylor College of Medicine/National Science Foundation. 2005 Survival Skills and Ethics Program: Beth Fischer Michael Zigmond www.pitt.edu/~survival The Leadership Alliance � Graduate School Guidehttp://www.theleadershipalliance.org/pdf/grad_guide.pdf Tips on Preparing for and Applying to Graduate School http://www.theleadershipalliance.org/pdf/tips.pdf Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Grad School and Beyond (1996). Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEPUP) http://books.nap.edu/books/0309053935/html/11.html Acknowledgements:

4. Purpose of Class Learn about personal attributes and strengths Evaluate your personal priorities Learn about career paths/options Evaluate your compatibility with various careers Learn how to plan for a successful career Learn where to find information about careers Understand critical scientific integrity issues

5. Meeting Times and Grades Meets every Monday 2-5 PM Final Exam: Thursday May 10, 1:30 � 4:15 Grades based on: Attendance (20%) Workbooks and Assignments (50%)* Ethics Discussions (10%) and Exam (5%) Final Examination and Notebook (15%) � TIMED, but open notes. On Workbook assignments, if an significant initial effort is observed, they may be turned in a second time, to improve your grade.

6. Final Examination Thursday, May 10. 1:30 � 4:15. In Techlab Take WebCT quiz Show Dr. Taylor your completed Careers notebook Syllabus/schedule Workbooks PowerPoints WebCT quiz printouts Other corrected assignments).

7. Grading Scale 90% or above = A 80% or above = B 70% or above = C 60% or above = D Less than 60% = F * On Workbook assignments, if sufficient effort is observed, they may be turned in repeatedly until a desired grade is reached.

8. Expectations We are adult professionals Please arrive on time Please turn off cell phones (minimal, vibrate) Academic Honesty with all assignments

9. Textbook StrengthsQuest: Discover and Develop Your Strengths in Academics, Career, and Beyond. The Gallup Organization. https://www.strengthsquest.com/Content/?ci=23734 On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research, Second Edition (1995)PDF chapters: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309051967/html/index.htmlhtml chapters: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/obas/index.html

10. Missed Classes Try not to! Heavy Attendance Component to Class May have up to two excused absences Call before class if missing Or�if sick, email!

11. What do I want to do for a Career???

12. Selecting a Career May feel like entering the �unknown� Path often not straight or predictable My have serial careers May be intentional or accidental Planning helps L. Pasteur: �Chance favors the prepared mind�

13. Where to Find out about Careers? Work on laboratory Programs such as RISE/MARC Volunteer Take courses Mentor, friends & acquaintances Shadowing someone Summer programs & internships Internet Placement offices Professional societies Advertisements

14. Career selection and satisfaction influenced by match between: Personal Attributes/Values Life experience Background Education Mentoring Opportunities Strengths Temperament Values/Priorities Life responsibilities Work environment Job Impact Challenge/growth Recognition Hours/stress Human interaction Buy-in on direction Overall job stability Annual income Percent growth/job availability

15. General Motivating Factors for Pursuing Science Love science Benefit world/humanity Disease Hunger Pollution Green Chemistry Curiosity Kids who ask �why� Thrive on intellectual stimulation �Explorers� Space; How works? �Inventors� Next best laser Autonomy You carry your career Set your own hours� Financial Companies Not hugely, but comfortable Educators Only way to be college fac. Want to educate others Want to mentor others Public Policy Want to impact nation�

16. Which is Most Legitimate? ALL!

17. Focus of this Course This course looks at Careers in Science and Engineering Focuses on the Ph.D. Highest Degree that can be earned� Examines �match� between careers and personality/values

18. Why Earn an Advanced Degree? It �fits� your values/strengths/priorities Learn to perform research Further field Love doing it Skills sets Specific Non-specific Critical thinking Administration Planning, etc. Opportunity Teach at College/Univ. Required for running research programs Can be �in charge� Required for advancement Financial Prestige/authority Highest degree

19. Why NOT to enter Grad School Prestige/Impress others Boost weak ego Job guarantee (not) For your parents Personal intelligence test Delay entry to work force Wealth

20. What are Your Values? What is important to you? Value Card Exercise: Choose 20 values Half these Half these Rank the rest How best can these be applied to a particular career path in the sciences?

21. Where are the careers? Colleges, Universities and Medical Centers State and Federal Agencies Industries Now, approximately 50% outside of academia Different paths have different characteristics

22. Ph.D. Career Paths Research Academic Government Industry Teaching All levels Journalism Technical writing Publishing Intellectual property Patent law Public policy Museum curating Investment banking Research admin Educational admin Grants admin Program admin Public Health Bioinformatics Biotechnology Independent consulting � and much more

23. Training� All of these come out of basic training as a research scientist, in an academic institution

24. Standard Ph.D. Training Path

25. Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use. ~Earl Nightengale

26. Attributes of a Successful Scientist Depends on whom you ask�.

27. Characteristics of Scientists Scientists are people of very dissimilar temperaments doing different things in very different ways. Among scientists are collectors, classifiers and compulsive tidiers-up; many are detectives by temperament and many are explorers; some are artists and others artisans. There are poet-scientists and philosopher-scientists and even a few mystics.�PETER MEDAWAR, Pluto's Republic, Oxford University Press, New York, 1982, p. 116.

28. Attributes of a Scientist I Graduate Programs are arduous� Do rewards and compensations outweigh disappointments and toil? Yes, if hooked� Exhilaration of discovery Satisfaction of solved problems �One does not have to be terrifically brainy to be a good scientist�� Virtues: Common sense Application Diligence Sense of purpose Concentration Perseverance in adversity�

29. Scientist Characteristics II S tudy skills (discipline to learn and maintain field) C uriosity and flexibility in adjusting beliefs I ntelligence (knowledge base/critical thinking) E nthusiasm to overcome disappointments N ever-ending attention to detail C ommittment to personal and professional honesty and responsibility E nduring respect and appreciation of foundation work

30. Scientist Characteristics II 1. imagination 2. concentration 3. integrity Peter Faletra Ph.D. Office of Science Department of Energy

31. Scientist Characteristics III 1. A keen sense of curiosity 2. Natural skeptic- strong reliance on "the data� �show me your numbers". 3. Tenacity 4. Analytical skills 5. Critical thinking

32. What are YOUR Strengths and Attributes? Your path will be influenced by your strengths Perform the StrengthsQuest Analysis! http://www.strengthsquest.com