2008 AES Student Workshop

Is Graduate School Enough?

Presenters: Dr. Ken Goldman, Dr. Phil Motta, and Dr. Dan Huber

Friday, July 25th from 12 to 1:30pm

Kafka/Lamartine Room

We all enter graduate school hoping that a master’s or doctoral degree will guarantee more quality employment opportunities once we graduate.  While obtaining that degree is no minor task, is it enough to ensure a future in scientific research?  With the scarcity of higher academic and research positions, junior scientists are faced with a daunting situation upon graduating.  It is increasingly important that graduate students prepare themselves to enter the job market not only with their degree, but also with additional skills and experiences that will help them stand out.  For instance, how important is getting a PhD or doing postdoctoral research?  What are some particularly important supplementary skills that employers look for in a job candidate?  This workshop is proposed to inform students of what they need to do to obtain a research position in today’s job market.  Recently hired professors/researchers will provide advice on staying competitive in the current job market, while more experienced professors will provide insight on what they look for when serving on job search committees.  Scientists from outside academia will offer a different perspective based on their experiences.