Regional Career Development Conference at the Chemistry-Biology Interface

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Effective career training is essential for graduate students and postdoctoral associates to be successful in today's changing job market. This is especially true for researchers that work at interfaces between traditional disciplines such as the chemistry-biology interface. Existing career training mechanisms often do not address the career opportunities and the skills required for career opportunities at interfaces. This application proposes to improve career training at the chemistry-biology interface by organizing an annual conference focused on providing students and postdoctoral associates with information as to how to best prepare for certain career paths. In addition, the conference will strive to illustrate different potential careers at the chemistry- biology interface and to providea forum for students at the interface to communicate and network. The conference will be held annually, each year at a different Midwest institution with a strong program at the chemistry-biology interface to reach a broad audience, and the organizers will strive for a diverse make-up of attendees and work-shop leaders on all levels. The format will consist of career development workshops focused on diverse career paths such as careers in academic research institutions, teaching institutions, government laboratories, large biotech firms, start-up biotech firms, large pharmaceutical companies, large chemical companies, science writer/scientific publishing houses, funding agencies, venture capital firms, and patent law firms. Workshops will also provide training into successful grant writing and insights into the grant review process. Workshop leaders with successful careers in these diverse areas will provide specific insights into the actual experience of these career paths and, more importantly, explain to students how they can best prepare for a certain career path. In turn, biomedical research in the United States will benefit from more informed and prepared young scientists entering the workforce.