Getting an “Academic” Job Bilge Birsoy, MD, PhD Post-doctoral Fellow Rothman Lab. UC Santa...
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Transcript of Getting an “Academic” Job Bilge Birsoy, MD, PhD Post-doctoral Fellow Rothman Lab. UC Santa...
Getting an “Academic” Job
Bilge Birsoy, MD, PhDPost-doctoral Fellow
Rothman Lab.UC Santa Barbara
Overview Yes, you can get a job (and keep it, too).
It does not have to be in the academia (consider alternatives such as “the industry”)
Everyone/every department is different.
Decide what YOU want! Publish. Learn how the system works (soft vs hard money,
FTEs, two-body problem etc.). Publish some more. Interact with people. Apply.
Yes, you can do it.
What I did to prepare this talk
Interviewed 6 men, 4 women faculty (UCSB Dept. MCDB, 34 faculty (only 4 women!)
Interviewed 6 post-docs
Participated in the recruitment effort
Read papers on the topic
Recruitment @ UCSB MCDB: 300 applicants (80% men, 20% women), 6 interviewees
They want you to be
productive independent innovative funded/fundable collaborative able/willing to teach good fit
In the Academia
productive able to work in teams
able to network
In the Industry
3 major factors that determine the interview decision
1) Publications
2) Publications
3) Recommendation letters and an exciting research plan
To get the interview
Very good track record Strong and personalized recommendation
letters (from your mentor plus people who know you/your work well)
Does pedigree matter?PhD, South Harmon Institute of Technology Post-doctoral advisor Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde
Concise but clear and personalized cover letter (show you are a good fit to the department, show your strengths)
They want you to be “Productive”
High quality and high quantity publications
High impact work (it helps to have people well-known in the field know about your work and write letters for you)
Publications: Quantity vs Quality
To a lower degree: Presentations at meetings
Good excuse why you took 8 years to finish your post-doc
They want you to be “Independent and Innovative”
These have to come through in your cover letter, your recommendation letters and your research plan
Have a vision: Make a clear plan for the next 3-5-10 years
Compare your vision with the vision of the departments you apply to (find out how long the chair/dean will remain in office).
They want you to be “Fundable”
Make sure you and your mentor have an understanding about your project:
Can you take it with you? Will you be competing with them?
Try to generate preliminary data for your first grant in the final years of post-doc
Get your mentor to help you write your first grant
Write a clear, exciting and novel research proposal
Some Funding Resources
http://fundingopps.cos.com/http://www.library.uiuc.edu/iris/http://www.spo.berkeley.edu/Fund/biopostdoc.htmlhttp://www.spo.berkeley.edu/Fund/newfaculty.htmlhttp://www.postdocjobs.com/jobseekers/search_fellowships.shtml
What can the mentor do for the post-doc?
Allow them the opportunity to develop their independent research
Network
Provide good rec. letters (give specific examples about the candidates strengths and no BS!)
Put out papers in a timely fashion
Help write grants/fellowships and the cover letters
Continue to mentor them even after post-doc has left the lab
What can the institute do for the post-doc/new faculty?
Organize workshops on Career development Funding Time management People management Conflict resolution
On campus affordable, day- care (Guaranteed for all)
Encourage interdisciplinary interactions
Provide supplemental funding
Solve the two-body problem
Provide flexibility for families (need this from funding agencies as well)
Things to consider when interviewing Startup money/ Salary/ Summer support
Space
Teaching/Service responsibilities
Grad student profile
Collaboration among faculty/other departments
Facilities/Library-journal access
Tenure
Formal mentoring system for new faculty
Benefits
Strengths and weaknesses of the department
Highest ranking woman/minority in the department
Where/how do you want to live outside of work?
Why did the faculty choose UCSB?
Location (California) Weather Personal reasons
Nice people/Collegiality/Good fit To be in the academia, to be my own boss To teach Because I got the offer
UC Santa Barbara Dept. MCDBRothman Lab.
Chris Wylie and Janet HeasmanFunding Agency: My husband