Entrepreneurship

Kate
Sleeth

Being Entrepreneurial

I recently had the opportunity to attend a lecture entitled, "Putting Your Science to WORK: Entrepreneurship with a Little 'e.’”  Dr. Peter S. Fiske has authored books on utilizing your science skills and is uniquely placed to give advice on entrepreneurship as he has founded two tech start-up ...


Randall
Ribaudo

Scientific Applications Specialist: A Great Transition Job from Academia to Industry

One of the most unsettling aspects of taking the plunge into industry careers is the fear of having to “give up” your science and everything you worked so hard for.  I had those same fears when I finally decided to leave my position as a Principle Investigator in the NCI for my first job on...


Xiaoli
Du

Leadership Matters

In the past week, I attended the 102nd Americans Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. This meeting is one of the biggest annual meetings for cancer research all over the world. It is an important event for basic scientists, clinical doctors, biotech companies, a...


Randall
Ribaudo

“Cost of Hubble Telescope Replacement is Astronomical”

NASA:  “We're better rocket scientists than accountants” Think you could use that excuse as a scientist working on a project in a biotech or pharmaceutical company?  The above titled AP story that appeared on the web last week discusses the significant cost overruns NASA is experiencing i...


Todd
Pihl

Insanity

  Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. -Albert Einstein   Excuse me, but I feel the need to do a touch of ranting.  Over the last month, I've been spending a fair amount of time with postdocs who are out trying to navigate the...


Randall
Ribaudo

Careers in Industry - It's really NOT the “Dark Side”

I'm struck by some of the postings in the blogosphere in which postdocs rail against peers who choose to pursue non-academic careers.  The reasoning typically goes something like “if you're not going to pursue research, then you shouldn't get a PhD.  You shouldn't take up that slot....


Todd
Pihl

Communications is more than just talk

“The flight will be delayed while several of the seats on the plane are replaced. Believe me, we REALLY want this to happen.” It is highly likely that this is about the last thing you want to hear when you are waiting to board a plane. Of course you also might think this is about the last thi...


Todd
Pihl

The Great Wall of Experience

As a number of the bloggers here have noticed, one of the biggest obstacles that postdocs face in moving into the commercial world is the dreaded “3-5 years of business experience” requirement seen in so many ads.  Many times, it seems as if there are no entry-level positions at all!&nb...


Randall
Ribaudo

Getting a Job and Succeeding in Your Job: Three Layers to the Onion

Given the current state of the economy and current job market, it's predictable that the pressures and stresses on PhDs finishing their postdocs to find jobs are significant.  It's also becoming increasingly clear that opportunities in the traditional academic career path, although availabl...


Randall
Ribaudo

Business for Dummies

There was an article in the December 22, 2009 issue of the Wall Street Journal entitled “Doctors Seek Aid from Business Schools.” It spoke to the emerging realization by some medical doctors of the importance of getting business/management training in order to run a successful medical practi...