2022-2023 ASPIRE Annual Report

2022-2023 Annual Report

BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program

Trainee Professional Development

Employer Relations and Workforce Development

Career Exploration and Decision-Making

Alumni Relations, Outcomes, and Development

National Career Development Research and Best Practices

Campus Partnerships and Faculty Outreach

Page 36

About Us

The Biomedical Research Education and Training (BRET) Office of Career Development provides career and professional development enrichment activities for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The office was recognized in 2013 for its commitment to career development for biomedical sciences PhD students and postdocs through a BEST award, a $1.2 million, 5-year grant from the NIH Common Fund. The ASPIRE Program subsequently was awarded three Burroughs Wellcome grants for a business module, a data science module, and a life design module.

Dr. Kathy Gould oversees Biomedical Research Education and Training, Dr. Kim Petrie is Assistant Dean of Biomedical Career Development, Dr. Ashley Brady is Assistant Dean of Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Kate Stuart is Associate Director, and Angela Zito is Assistant Director. Mary Gray Lindstrom lends event and logistical support as Program Manager. Dr. Gould also oversees evaluation efforts and research training, including diversity initiatives. Dr. Abigail Brown conducts outcomes evaluation and research with the project efforts of Lindsay Meyers, Dr. Janani Varadarajan, and Dr. Nick Ward.

Trainees We Serve

The ASPIRE Program serves PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical sciences. Although our events are open to the Vanderbilt community, ASPIRE activities and individual advising are tailored for BRET PhD graduate students and postdocs.

732 Graduate Students

87% US Citizens/ Permanent Residents

1117

Total

385 Postdoctoral Fellows

48% US Citizens/ Permanent Residents

Postdoctoral Departments served

Allergy, Pulmonary, & Critical Care

Anesthesiology

Biochemistry

Biomedical Informatics

Biostatistics

Cardiovascular Medicine

Cell and Developmental Biology

Clinical Pharmacology

Dermatology

Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolism

Epidemiology

Gastroenterology

Genetic Medicine

Health Policy & Health Services Research

Hearing & Speech Sciences

Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Disease

Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Nephrology

Neurological Surgery

Neurology

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Opthalmology & Visual Sciences

Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation

PhD Programs served

Biochemistry

Biological Sciences

Biomedical Informatics

Biostatistics

Cancer Biology

Cell & Developmental Biology

Chemical & Physical Biology

Epidemiology

Otolaryngology

Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology

Pediatric Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, & Nephrology

Pharmacology

Psychiatry

Radiology & Radiological Sciences

Rheumatology & Immunology

Surgery

Surgical Sciences

Health Policy & Health Services Research

Hearing & Speech Sciences

Human Genetics

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program

Microbe-Host Interactions

Molecular Pathology & Immunology

Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Neuroscience

Pharmacology

Quantitative & Chemical Biology Program

Career Exploration and Decision-Making

Alumna and symposium speaker Maria Agostini, PhD, has a career discussion with trainees during afternoon Networking Huddles.

Career Exploration and Decision-Making

Providing opportunities to explore careers is paramount to the ASPIRE program. Many of the foundational activities of the office are aimed at instilling confidence and facilitating career decision-making.

You Never Know Who You Will Meet!

A Graduate Student’s Perspective of the 2023 ASPIRE Career Symposium

By Cherie Scurrah, Graduate Student

Each year, the ASPIRE Program hosts a day-long career exploration event, and this year’s theme was “A Kaleidoscope of Biomedical Science Careers.” I am a third year PhD student (almost 4th year, thank you very much), and I am ready to start exploring career options. I am passionate about science communication, and I want to find careers where I can do just that! I also want to get some advice from Vanderbilt PhD alumni about finding my dream job. Here, I will take you through my day at the 2023 ASPIRE Annual Career Symposium!

At the top of the morning, I grabbed my piping hot, catered coffee and listened to the “Beyond R&D in Industry” panel. Jeff Bylund, PhD, a technology advisor for 10x Genomics, enjoys consulting clients on their imaging and omics projects. In terms of searching for the perfect job, he advises to “Think about your skills and interests and look beyond just those ‘at the bench’ positions.” He kept his mind open and landed a job he never expected!

Stacey Mont, PhD, who works as the Associate Director for Business Development Competitive Intelligence at Bristol Myers Squibb, said that she took a very different path than she originally thought when she was a graduate student working on cancer biology. Mont had an optimistic view about finding a career, “It can happen. Keep that drive, and keep that passion.” Her advice really resonated with me, because sometimes it is hard to envision life beyond my graduate work.

At lunch time, I listened to Keynote speaker Dr. Gauri Nair, who was the Vice President of Innovation at Mass Bio until this past summer. She spoke about her career journey intertwined with her life story. After receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in India, she moved to the US to pursue her PhD. After graduation, she worked at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research Inc., where she drove external innovation by developing research partnerships and strategic collaborations with key partners in the academic innovation ecosystem. She frankly explained that this position was not right for her, which made her change her career trajectory: “When it’s not right, don’t be afraid to make a change.”

As a woman and an immigrant, Gauri is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion in her work. At her role at Mass Bio, she aimed to create a diverse team to connect scientific innovators with industries to serve underrepresented medical populations. After her keynote speech, I sat down with Gauri to talk about how she chose her work environment while satisfying her values. She tells me that it is entirely possible to feel impactful and fulfilled in an industry job and that if I can “be scrappy, be creative, and be open to adventure,” I will find the right place for me.

I wrapped up my time at the symposium in Networking Huddles, which are small group discussions with alumni and employers working in a variety of career fields. I participated in several different huddles, each lasting 15-20 minutes, and talked with science communicators. I learned about career options in consulting, science writing, education programming, and more. Of every event at the career symposium, networking huddles were my favorite. It was a great opportunity to get a personal glimpse into an expert’s day-to-day life at their job, and for potential employers get a chance to know who you are too! As a bonus, I got the inside scoop about some awesome science writing conferences (CommSciCon and National Association of Science Writers Conference), an online science communication slack channel (SciCommers), and even a potential internship opportunity!

The symposium left me optimistic and excited about the future! All the speakers I met were friendly and excited to talk with me about their careers. It was uplifting to see so many Vanderbilt alumni building their careers post-graduation. My advice? No matter what stage of training you are in, plan to attend the ASPIRE Career Symposium next year. I promise you will learn about new opportunities and make professional connections. You never know who you may meet!

Turning the Kaleidoscope of Careers at the 2023 ASPIRE Symposium

By ASPIRE Staff

The 2023 BRET Annual Career Symposium with this year’s theme, “A Kaleidoscope of Biomedical Science Careers,” was held on June 2nd at Vanderbilt University’s Student Life Center. The symposium, sponsored by the BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program and training grants in biomedical and biological sciences, brought together over 200 biomedical science PhD graduate students and postdoctoral trainees.

The BRET Annual Career Symposium has a rich history, having been held since 2006. Each year, the symposium covers different topics and invites diverse speakers to engage with biomedical science graduate students and postdocs, providing them with valuable insights and guidance for their career paths. This year’s symposium again featured an impressive lineup of 11 speakers who shared their personal and professional experiences.

The keynote speaker, Gauri Nair, PhD, Vice-President of Innovation at MassBio, delivered a keynote titled, “What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been.” Nair took the audience on a journey through her own career trajectory, starting from her upbringing in a small suburb outside Mumbai, India, to her current position as a leader in the biotech industry. Nair emphasized the significance of relationships, networks, and mentors, and how they played a vital role in shaping her career.

Top, alumnus Desmond Campbell, PhD, speaks with students before the Networking Huddles. Above, Stacey Mont, PhD, and left, Jeff Bylund, PhD, present as panelists on the Beyond R&D in Industry panel. Below, alumnus Matthew Varga, PhD, chats with trainees during Networking Huddles.

The symposium provided an excellent platform for attendees to gain valuable insights into various biomedical science career paths. From academia to industry to government, the diverse range of topics covered during the event offered a comprehensive view of the opportunities available post-PhD. Attendees had opportunities to engage with speakers, ask questions, and network with fellow students and postdocs, fostering connections that may prove beneficial down the road.

Another opportunity provided by this year’s symposium was the popular alumni connection session, Networking Huddles. These small-group networking sessions with structured rotations allowed PhD students and postdoctoral fellows to sit down with alumni and employers for 15-20 minutes at a time providing meaningful personal interactions.

The ASPIRE Annual Career Symposium continues to be a significant milestone in the professional development of graduate students and postdocs, contributing to the growth and success of the Vanderbilt biomedical science trainee community.

Top left, attendees participate in a Fireside Chat. Top right, panelists Wyatt McDonnell, PhD, and Kristi Thiel, PhD, share a laugh during the Entrepreneur 101 session. Above right, Amanda Antons, PhD, and Laura Terry, PhD, discuss their roles as a patent attorney and management consultant, respectively. Right, Aaron Wexler, PhD, discusses his first role in science communication. Below, left, TK Feaster, PhD, elaborates on his role at the FDA. Bottom right, moderator and graduate student Sirena Tran leads the Beyond R&D in Industry concurrent session with Jeff Bylund, PhD, Stacey Mont, PhD, and Aaron Wexler, PhD.

Keynote Profile: Always Onward

By Elizabeth Stivison, PhD, postdoctoral fellow

All the unknowns that are part of career decision-making process can be stressful: What if I take this new job, it’s terrible and I can’t go back to my old job? Will this new position be a dead-end job? Will this new job be secure? Should I move for this new job? What if I hate the new city? What if I’m bad at the new job?

Gauri Nair, PhD, the keynote speaker at the 2023 ASPIRE Career Symposium, has a refreshing perspective on all these uncertainties. She has worked in academia and in industry, and she most recently served as vice president of innovation at MassBio, an organization that advocates for the life sciences industry in Massachusetts.

Nair’s career is a lesson in truly evaluating where you are and what you want now, rather than staying trapped on a path you planned before you knew what it truly entailed. She told me frankly that she didn’t always know where she was going in her career, but she took some leaps of faith, and sometimes changed her mind, but always continued onward.

Each step of the way, she’s taken external limitations in stride and grown. When something isn’t right, she said, “don’t be afraid to make a change”.

(Author’s note: After we spoke, Nair took one more step on her path, and accepted a new position in industry.)

The beginning

Nair grew up and began her career in India, where she earned her master’s in biotechnology. After getting her degree, she worked in a few industry sales positions over the next several years. “But the grind got to me,” she said, and she knew she needed to do something different.

At the time, she saw herself as a future product manager in industry, so she made her first big leap: She moved to the

U.S. with her new husband for a PhD in biology that she hoped would help her land a product manager role. While at the time she assumed she’d return to India after, the move was in fact “the beginning of the end of my India chapter, though I did not really know it then,” she said.

The training

While pursuing her PhD in biology at the University of Pennsylvania, she began building a network of friends and mentors. But she and her husband lived in different cities, and she knew she didn’t want to continue having a “weekend marriage.”

After earning her PhD in 2006, she moved to do a postdoc studying HIV reverse transcriptase at the University of Maryland College Park and to be near her husband, who had moved to the area for work. They soon started a family. Once she became a mother, she said, she began to ask herself bigger-picture questions. She was thinking about her legacy.

A year of consulting

After completing her postdoc in 2011, she decided she wanted to combine her skills in business and science. With this new goal, she reasoned that Boston, a biotech hub, was the place she needed to be.

She and her family moved there, and she took a consulting position. However, it was not the dream she’d hoped it would be. The work of a consultant didn’t match her personality or thinking style, she said.

“I think I sucked at that job,” she said. After a year and a half, she left. “I learned a lot,” she said, “but I was so relieved

Unafraid of change and true to herself, Gauri Nair has zig-zagged through academia, industry, and beyond.

Dr. Gauri Nair delivers the keynote address at the 2023 ASPIRE Annual Career Symposium.

when this job ended.”

While the job wasn’t her dream job -- and uprooting her family to move to a new city for a job that didn’t work out how she’d hoped certainly was a frightening experience -- it did allow her to meet all kinds of people in the area, and her new network helped her land her next job.

Opportunity knocks

She landed at Harvard University’s tech transfer office and spent the next two years there. She said that, in that job, she was able to learn, grow and find her real bearings and strengths outside of academia.

When she was working on a deal between Harvard and Novartis, her work caught the eye of someone at the company. When a position at Novartis opened up, they recruited her to work on research partnerships and facilitate collaborations with academia.

All told, she spent about six and a half years at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, first as an operational alliances manager and then as an associate director. She said she loved the work and the team with whom she worked. She particularly appreciated how her mentor there helped her grow. But, she said, she wondered what else might be out there for her.

A different type of connector

Nair described MassBio, which she joined in 2021, as “the voice of the life sciences industry.” From her vantage point as VP for innovation, she got to see the whole biotech ecosystem, she said.

The position drew on her strong networking skills and the broad network she has built. In essence, she was a matchmaker between biotech innovators and companies to move the science forward in the best way.

The organization uses its voice in several ways, all to serve the biotech and pharma industry in Massachusetts, such as:

• advocating for certain policies, including trying to lower the cost of living and improve transportation in the Boston area,

• offering classes, including ones for new entrepreneurs and for people wanting to gain skills to work in biotech,

• accelerating startups,

• connecting people,

• organizing conferences and panels, all to serve the biotech and pharma industry in Massachusetts.

It was a job that really called on skills Nair has honed over

her entire career thus far, and one she said she didn’t even know existed earlier in her career.

Perspectives

Nair is now moving on to a new position in industry, fulfilling her desire to be closer to science and deal-making again. She offered a handful of lessons she has learned.

1. “Networks are important,” she said. “Relationships are important.”

She’s not talking about networking in the sense of walking around handing out business cards, but in the sense of building and maintaining real relationships with those around you. In addition to building support networks for yourself, that’s also how you learn who is in your field and what they are doing and let others know what your skills and strengths are.

2. Let your priorities guide you.

Nair has made time for her husband, their child and her parents, even though they live on the other side of the world. This includes at times making career decisions based on where her spouse was. While her career is important to her, she holds other values in her life as well, and she makes sure to give them the time they deserve.

3. Sometimes wrong turns are right turns, or at least lessons, when you look back.

Nair allowed life, new experiences, and knowledge to change her career plans. While she knows that her time in consulting wasn’t for her, it did bring her to Boston, and it gave her the chance to begin building a network in the city. Importantly, it helped her learn what she did want to do.

Sometimes it’s easy to trick ourselves into thinking we know more than we do about the future. Nair’s path is a great reminder that really we can barely predict tomorrow, let alone next year, or our whole futures, and that should fill us all with hope. There are any number of surprises waiting for all of us. This article was first published by ASBMB Today, the news magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Read the original.

California ASPIRING

By Sam Lisy, Graduate Student

In May 2023, a select group of PhD and postdoctoral trainees packed their bags and headed to the birthplace of biotechnology. The ASPIRE Program’s 4th installment of ASPIRE on the Road took twelve trainees to San Francisco, California, for a jam-packed 48 hours that included six different site visits and an alumni happy hour.

This competitive opportunity started with a dual-purpose visit to scientific advocacy agency, Biocom. Dr. Gregory Theyel, director of the Biomedical Manufacturing Network, led this fruitful session by introducing a career in scientific advocacy while also prepping the trainees with the history and geography of the biotech industry in the Bay Area. Once armed with the lay of the land, the group toured Vir Biotechnology, led by Dr. Chad Garner and his team, through the lab spaces, short talks, and a candid panel in which trainees had the opportunity to ask questions of their own.

The next day started bright and early with a tour of JLABS, a Johnson and Johnson incubator for start-ups. The trainees learned about a space, support network, and community that fosters ideas into products, and eventually self-sustaining companies. In a nice

contrast, the trainees then toured a satellite campus of a bigger company, AstraZeneca. The site visit was led by Vanderbilt alumna, Dr. Renee Iacona. Along with a building tour, the trainees heard from Dr. Nina Shah, the Site Head, and partook in a Q&A panel that included scientists from divisions spanning engineering device development, to translational medicine, to classic R&D, and more. The trainees then visited the first-ever biotech company, Genentech. Led by Vanderbilt alumna, Dr. Katie Hutchinson, the trainees learned the history of Genentech and heard from a panel of scientists, including many Vanderbilt alumni who are currently employed there. The session continued with a tour of the lab space, more talks from scientists, and a walk through of the massive campus along the scenic Oyster Point Bay.

The happy hour assembled former trainees spanning many years and careers. With alumni hailing from start-ups, biotech, pharma, consulting, and more, the current trainees enjoyed learning first-hand about a large variety of careers. This

Attendee and postdoc, Alejandro Madrigal-Carrillo, PhD, reunites with former lab mate, Biochemistry alumnus Tyson Rietz, PhD, at Vir Biotechnology, Inc.

networking “hour” over drinks and appetizers was so lively that it extended long past the allotted time until the restaurant started locking its doors!

On the last morning, the trainees snuck in a final site visit with Calico Life Sciences to learn about the R&D of aging science, as led by the Principal Program Manager, Jake Foley, and once more had the opportunity to speak with a panel of scientists. At last, the trainees left San Francisco with an expanded network and a clearer image of what a career in the Bay Area and beyond may look like.

Participants of the program had a lot to say about the event. “As a postdoctoral researcher in drug discovery by x-ray crystallography, the ASPIRE on the Road to San Francisco was an eye-opening adventure,” current postdoctoral fellow, Alejandro Madrigal-Carrillo, PhD, explained. “This one-of-a-kind trip made me realize the vastness and intricacies of the biotech ecosystem there, how everything relies on high quality team effort and support of one another, how they work, think, and collaborate. I had the opportunity not only to network, but also to have a glimpse into the lives of the scientists working at key industries.”

Previous page, Senior Associate Dean Kathy Gould stands with the ASPIRE on the Road San Francisco attendees while at Vir Biotechnology, Inc. Top, JLabs provided an extensive tour of their California facility.

Above, the trainee group visits the rooftop of BioCom. Left, the group poses at Vir Biotechnology, Inc.

Becoming Citizen Scientists: a Trip to Explore Science Policy and Technology

By Mandy Truelock, graduate student

In October 2022, a group of Vanderbilt PhD graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (all pictured above) had the unique experience to travel to DC to dive headfirst into two intensive days of science policy immersion. With such a wide range of career options available to PhD students, exploring the career landscape of opportunities is essential to understanding one’s interest and potential job fit. The trip – sponsored by the Vanderbilt University Office of Federal Relations, BRET, and the Graduate School – allowed trainees to immerse themselves in the field while hearing firsthand about what a career in this field entails.

The first day of the workshop kicked off with an introduction to science policy and technology by Toby Smith, Vice President for Science Policy & Global Affairs, Association of American Universities. The presentation by Dr. Smith highlighted the history of science policy and technology and provided a solid foundation for the rest of the workshop. Sheila Murphy, Vice President of Advocacy Programs and Initiatives, Research!America, joined after lunch to explain the federal budget process and federal R&D budgets. This enlightening session provided the group of early career scientists insight into the ins and outs of how grant funding is determined. This led to a roleplaying case study, “Mock FY 2023 Labor-HHS-Education

Appropriations Conference Committee” which allowed attendees to see the real struggles of an appropriations committee. The case study was a success and most practice groups were able to prevent a government shut down!

Ben Gold, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering, said, “It was a great opportunity to learn a lot about the policymaking and budgeting processes, and to meet Vanderbilt alumni doing science policy work in DC. I enjoyed hearing about different career paths and perspectives on science policy, connecting with others interested in the field, and learning about how and when policy decisions are made.”

From jobs on Capitol Hill to a role as the interim Director of the NIH, the group learned about a wide range of careers in science policy, including those that branch into industry. “I most appreciated the low-risk, high-reward opportunity to learn more about the different facets of science policy within and outside of Washington, D.C,” remarked Jennifer Shuman, a 5th year PhD student in the MicrobeHost Interactions program. “We heard from dozens of professionals with a wide range of job titles and career goals. The networking opportunities were plentiful and fruitful. I couldn’t recommend the trip enough for anyone interested in science policy or adjacent career paths.”

Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Development Kim Petrie, PhD, stands with attendees of the Inside the Beltway Look: Federal STEM Policy in Washington DC trip.

The second day consisted of several panels focused on the variety of science policy fellowships, such as the AAAS Fellowship and science policy careers within the executive branch. A reoccurring theme among the speakers was encouragement to consider careers that used science policy and advocacy to amplify the message of science and the importance of research.

Shalonda Ingram, PhD, a Pharmacology postdoctoral fellow noted, “Before the trip, I understood that I had experiences that would allow me to benefit from this trip and learn if policy would be an ideal career change in the future. While on this trip, I learned about the various careers I could engage in that involve policy that would also allow me to use my scientific experiences. I met many people interested in helping me identify particular jobs and advance toward a career in policy.”

Beyond providing an excellent exploration of science policy careers, this trip was unique because it highlighted the importance of the role of citizen scientists. Even if an attendee left the workshop not wanting to pursue a career in science policy, they did leave with an understanding of what we can do as PhD scientists to influence policy in a positive way, and how science policy affects the everyday researcher.

Top, postdoctoral alumna Dr. Tara Schwetz shares her experience as Acting Principal Deputy Director of the NIH. Above, trainees participate in a roleplaying case study of an appropriations committee. Left, Sheila Murphy with Research!America demystifies the federal budget-making process.

Crafting the Next Step: ASPIRE’s Career Architect Program

By ASPIRE Staff

The BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program aims to equip PhD student and postdoctoral scientists for the next professional step. For this particular initiative, ASPIRE wanted to encourage trainees to adopt the mindset of an architect, designing a career plan (or three!) for their professional journey. Thanks to a generous grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Career Architect ASPIRE module was born.

“Having participated in the Stanford Life Design Studio Training, I knew that I wanted to incorporate life design principles and ‘Designing Your Life’ into our programing,” said the ASPIRE Program Assistant Director Angela Zito, Burroughs Wellcome Fund grant recipient and co-instructor. “Receiving the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Guidance for Trainees award provided the support to help put this initiative in place.”

The Career Architect program leveraged the principles from the book “Designing Your Life” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans and the Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment. Through this individualized combination, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows gained insights into their values, work preferences, and personal strengths, which will serve as a launching pad for shaping their career paths.

The program’s structure combined in-person meetings with self-paced readings and activities that were monitored through Brightspace, Vanderbilt’s e-learning platform. Trainees engaged in a series of once-a-month two-hour sessions for six months with additional mandatory attendance at the 2023 ASPIRE Annual Career Symposium, ensuring continuous support and follow-up throughout the program. Many voiced in post-module feedback that the symposium reinforced the idea that there are many paths post-PhD and that trainees can find success and fulfillment in more than one trajectory. The intentional nature of making choices and pursuing interests was both repeated in the book as well as the symposium which participants noted made the module have a “full circle” moment.

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who participated in the course positively evaluated the sessions, many reiterating the value of the “Designing Your Life” book as well as the collaborative efforts of the instructors.

Other partners in the Career Architect initiative included co-instructor Kate Stuart, Director of Strategic Affairs and Events, BRET, and Associate Director of the Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program. Kate is a certified Gallup StrengthsFinder Coach and presented the life

design material through the StrengthsFinder lens. Further mentorship and support was provided by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, matching Ms. Zito with Dr. Jill S. Huerta, Assistant Dean and Director, The Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning, Graduate Program Director, UNCCharlotte Graduate School. Dr. Huerta’s experience in graduate student programming design helped to build the program from the ground up.

“The BRET Office is proud to provide this type of career planning opportunity for our current trainees because it is both unique and timely to their needs,” said Kathy Gould, PhD, Senior Associate Dean of the BRET Office. “I am proudt that the ASPIRE team members continue to design such innovative programs.”

With the initial offering of Career Architect having wrapped up this past July, the ASPIRE Program is looking forward to recruiting the next cohort of trainees to participate in the fall 2023 program.

Previous page and at left, graduate students and postdocs participate in a group brainstorming activity and participate in a group discussion during the Career Architect module.

Trainee Professional Development

Postdoctoral fellows provide a peer critque on application materials during the Faculty Job Search Workshop.

Trainee Professional Development

Skill-building, networking, negotiating, and managing a professional image are important aspects of a trainee’s professional development. Our workshops, seminars, modules, and informal cafés help equip trainees for the next step in their career path.

Right, faculty member Chris Wright, D.Phil, discusses delivering a great poster presentation.

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Distinct Professional Development Programs

6 ASPIRE Modules

The ASPIRE Team -- Kim Petrie, Ashley Brady, Kate Stuart, and Angela Zito -- meet with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows regularly to discuss career exploration efforts and professional development topics. Each appointment is approximately one hour and is either in person or virtual.

Inaugural Faculty Job Search Workshop

ASPIRE held its first workshop on Preparing for a Faculty Job Search in August 2022 for focused postdocs and late-stage grad students in the biomedical and life sciences who were interested in faculty careers. The workshop featured interactive sessions and panel discussions with current faculty on topics ranging from exploring faculty roles to interviewing for faculty jobs.

Day 1 covered faculty roles at different types of institutions, the academic job search process, planning an independent research career, how search committees work, effective research job talks and chalk talks, and interviewing. The next day included negotiating a job offer and writing a teaching philosophy and a diversity statement.

Top, Kathy Gould, PhD, speaks about salary negotiation. Left, Ransford Pinto, PhD, discusses writing a diversity statement.

Left, Writing a Better Cover Letter kicks off at a Job Search Series session. Below, Ashley Brady, PhD, discusses Negotiation.

National Career Development Research and Best Practices

Kate Stuart and Angela Zito attended the 2023 Annual Graduate Career Consortium National Conference in Indianapolis.

National Career Development Research and Best Practices

Career and professional development best practices and trends are constantly evolving. To continue to provide outstanding services and remain at the forefront of graduate and postdoctoral career development, we cultivate partnerships and participate in professional organizations to share our work.

External Partners

Local and national partners in graduate level career development organizations: The Graduate Career Consortium Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Life Science Tennessee

Above, the 2023 annual Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) conference brought together universities from all over the world to discuss career and professional development in Indianapolis, IN, where Angela Zito presented a poster. Left, Kate Stuart presents a lightning talk at the virtual GCC Southeast Regional conference which was hosted virtually by Vanderbilt University.

National Leadership

• Served on an External Review Board, IUPUI Indianapolis, IN

• GCC Southeast Regional Conference Planning Team

• Invited Reviewer, pd|hub professional development hub

• Conference Planner, Leadership Alliance Annual Career Development Conference, invited talk at University of Chicago

Professional Development Activities for ASPIRE Staff

• Selected to participate in the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Project Development and Evaluation Workshop

• 2023 Graduate Career Consortium Annual Meeting

• 2023 Graduate Career Consortium Regional Meeting

• Mid-South Innovation Summit

• 2023 ORPHEUS Conference

• 2022 AAMC GREAT Group Annual Conference

• RedCap Day 2023

Above, Ashley Brady, PhD, attended the 2023 annual ORPHEUS Conference in Leuven, Belgium.

Right, Madhvi Venkatesh, D.Phil, and Kim Petrie, PhD, present at the 2022 AAMC GREAT Meeting in Chicago, IL, on the IGP Curriculum revamp.

Employer Relations and Workforce Development

Participants of ASPIRE on the Road: San Francisco as well as Vice Dean Chuck Sanders, PhD, and Senior Associate Dean Kathy Gould, PhD, enjoy a stop on Genentech’s campus during their three-day trip.

Employer Relations and Workforce Development

ASPIRE partnerships with companies and organizations lead to exciting exploratory visits, internships, and externships for our trainees. Employer Relations and Workforce Development also include:

• Meetings with potential and current employers

• Hosting employer information sessions

• Speaking at conferences and giving invited talks

• Serving on committees to represent Vanderbilt biomedical trainees

Annika Faucon, PhD, Scientific Project and Program Manager (alum) and Elizabeth Ann Stringer, PhD, Chief Science Officer (alum) are working with intern Justin Critchlow at Nashville Biosciences.

ASPIRE Internship Program

Since the ASPIRE Program began in Fall 2015, 196 trainees (138 graduate students, 58 postdocs) have completed internships with 43 partner companies and non-profit hosts.

Photo provided by Justin Critchlow.

2022-2023 Internship Hosts

6th Floor Insights

Belmont University

BioCentury, Inc.

CSNK2A1 Foundation

DADA2 Foundation

Decode Health

Digital Medicine Society

Health Research Alliance (HRA)

Nashville Biosciences

Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance

VI4, PMI, VUMC

VI4 ArtLab, PMI, VUMC

The Scientist Mentoring and Diversity Program

The Scientist Mentoring and Diversity Program (SMDP) is a national, highly competitive, year-long career development program aimed to increase the diversity within companies in medical technology, biotechnology, and consumer healthcare. Selected scholars are paired with an industry mentor and they attend a career development workshop in conjunction with the BIO International Convention or the MedTech Conference, depending on which SMDP area they apply to in their application.

This year, graduate student, Logan Northcutt, organized an SMDP Informational Session sponsored by the Initiative

2023 Vanderbilt SMDP Scholars: 7

for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) and the ASPIRE Program. Ms. Dustielyn Savage, Program Director, spoke to students about the program ahead of the spring application deadline. In addition, VanderbiltSMDP alumni, Don Davis Jr., PhD, and Bianca Flores, PhD, were hosted virtually to talk about their experience in the program and how they navigated their career paths post training.

The information session was well attended and the newest SMDP class boasts seven Vanderbilt graduate students, the largest number in one cohort to date. These newly selected students attended the BIO Convention over the summer and will continue to receive support and mentorship from industry leaders throughout the year.

Advancing Science & Entrepreneurship:

Catherine Leasure, PhD, Awarded the Second ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Fellowship

By Ashley Brady, PhD

Catherine Leasure, PhD, has been awarded the prestigious ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Fellowship. In her new role, which began on July 1, 2023, she will focus on forming a start-up company based on technology developed at Vanderbilt University by Gregor Neuert, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, that can model the pharmacodynamic profile of drugs.

The ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Fellowship is a collaborative initiative of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, the BRET Office of Career Development’s ASPIRE Program, and Vanderbilt’s Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC) that seeks to bridge the gap between academic excellence and entrepreneurial pursuits. Dr. Leasure will be supported in her efforts for up to two years and receive extensive mentorship, supplemental training, and participate in a variety of networking opportunities. The selection of Leasure makes her the second fellow to receive this prestigious fellowship, following Karrie Dudek, PhD, in 2021.

“We are thrilled to bring Leasure on this summer as our second ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Fellow and are excited to watch her learn what it takes to be a founder while also advancing entrepreneurial activities in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences. We have no doubt that she will be successful and will make great strides towards mapping out a commercialization pathway for Dr. Neuert’s technology,” said Kathy Gould, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training.

This past spring, Leasure completed her PhD training in Microbe Host Interactions at Vanderbilt University studying

heme homeostasis in Staphylococcus aureus and host stress sensing in Bacillus anthracis. While gaining experience in research and scientific methodology, she has remained passionate about applying these skills to projects at the intersection of science and business and is excited about the opportunity to grow her business acumen and strategize how to turn an idea into a company.

“It’s an honor to have been selected for this fellowship and to have the opportunity to translate basic science into real-world solutions. I am excited to have been given this protected time as a postdoc to develop myself as a businesswoman while working to build a viable company,” shared Leasure.

During her time as a graduate student at Vanderbilt, Leasure took advantage of opportunities to expand her understanding of business and entrepreneurship, such as the ASPIRE Program’s module, Management and Business Principles for Scientists where she worked in a team to consult with a Vanderbilt core facility to solve a real business challenge. She acquired hands-on experience in the pharmaceutical industry through completing a three-month internship in the Microbial Sciences division at AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Leasure also served in multiple leadership roles, including President of the Graduate Student Association in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.

Leasure has already hit the ground running, working alongside staff at Vanderbilt’s CTTC to learn about intellectual property rights, licensing and market research. She also is spending time with Neuert and his research team gaining familiarity with the technology. This fall Leasure will participate in the Wond’ry’s Ideator program where she

will take the technology through an initial evaluation process, performing customer discovery and market evaluation. Upon completion of the Ideator curriculum, she will have the opportunity to pitch the idea to a panel of judges for potential microgrant funding, which would then qualify her for application to the National Science Foundation’s I-CORPS program. Leasure hopes to follow in Dudek’s footsteps and gain acceptance into this prestigious program, which provides additional entrepreneurial training and a $50K non-dilutive grant to help support further commercialization of the technology.

Final deliverables for ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Fellows include creating a market research and customer discovery presentation, developing a business plan and financial model, building a pitch deck for speaking to investors and delivering it at various business pitch competitions, and submitting applications for a Launch Tennessee microgrant and a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the NIH to secure future funding.

Dudek and Ethan Lippmann, PhD, Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, recently co-founded Eupalinos, a medical device company whose novel hydrogel technology promotes the rapid growth of large blood vessels that form robust vascular networks capable of restoring blood flow to ischemic tissues.

According to Dudek, “the ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Fellowship has been an incredible experience and opened more doors than I could have ever thought possible, changing my career trajectory overall. Through this program, I have been given the support and resources to start with a technology that was little more than a concept at the time and begin to build a company around it. Becoming integrated into the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, and developing the Vanderbilt connections within it, has also helped us gain the necessary traction to propel us forward. I am excited for Catherine to have a similar opportunity and can’t wait to see her be successful.”

Dudek and Lippmann are currently in the process of applying for an SBIR grant and hope to be able to continue advancing the company beyond the fellowship period after having benefitted from a two-year runway to get the company off the ground.

“We all know that starting a company is a high-risk endeavor. We are incredibly excited to be able to facilitate taking a harder look at some of the great ideas and technologies being generated at Vanderbilt University. Regardless of whether a viable company is ultimately formed, this is a win-win situation, both for the biomedical postdoctoral fellow who gets superb entrepreneurial training and the Vanderbilt research community who benefit from dedicated effort evaluating a potentially commercially-viable new technology,” said Gould. “We are grateful to Dean John Kuriyan, PhD, of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences for his support in continuing this exciting initiative, as well as the CTTC, the Wond’ry and Drs. Neuert and Lippmann for their contributions to training and mentoring of the fellows in the program.”

Karrie Dudek, PhD 2021 ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Scholar

Catherine Leasure, PhD 2023 ASPIRE to Innovate Postdoctoral Scholar

Faculty members Eric Skaar, PhD, and David Cortez, PhD, discuss planning an independent research career at the Faculty Job Search Workshop.

Campus Partnerships and Faculty Outreach

Campus Partnerships and Faculty Outreach

The BRET Office of Career Development strives to maintain partnerships with departments and programs across campus. We partner by providing presentations on a variety of professional and academic development topics and serving on university committees.

Storing Funding Success: ASPIRE Grant Repository

The ASPIRE team maintains a repository of funded grant applications written by Vanderbilt graduate students. Access is restricted to Vanderbilt graduate students who are currently writing a grant application. Currently the repository contains example F31 NIH NRSA, AHA, and NSF GRFP grant applications.

The ASPIRE Grant Repository is expanding to assist faculty who are writing NIH Diversity Supplement applications. Faculty members with a funded NIH diversity supplement are encouraged to share their applications as an example for future Vanderbilt faculty applicants.

82 Trainees accessed repository since Fall 2021

65 NSF GRFP examples

24 F31s 2 Diversity Supplements

2 American Heart Assoc

Ashley Brady, PhD, serves at the VPA Symposium Resource Fair in Fall 2022.

ASPIRE Campus Advisory Roles

The ASPIRE Team serve in a variety of capacities to advise and partner with campus organizations, committees, and initiatives:

• Dean’s Advisory Council for Mental Health and Wellness

• Graduate Development Network

• Basic Sciences Board of Visitors Workforce Development Working Group

• Vestigo Editorial Board

• VU Science Policy Student Group Faculty Advisor

• Vanderbilt University Advanced Degree Consulting Club Staff Advisor

• Professional Development Course, “Becoming a Scientist,” IGP Curriculum Review Committee

• IMSD Training Program Planning Committee for Grant Pacing Workshop Series

• Life Science Tennessee Academic Alliance

Campus Partners

Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences Dean’s Office

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt Graduate School

Vanderbilt Career Center

Vanderbilt Center for Teaching

Vanderbilt Center for Tech Transfer & Commercialization

Training Grants in the Biomedical & Biological Sciences

Vanderbilt Development & Alumni Relations

Vanderbilt Graduate Development Network

Vanderbilt Graduate Leadership Institute

Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, & Inflammation (VI4)

Vanderbilt International Student & Scholar Services

Vanderbilt Graduate Program in Chemistry

Vanderbilt Managerial Studies Program

Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program

Vanderbilt Office of Federal Relations

Vanderbilt Office of Public Affairs

Vanderbilt Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association

Vanderbilt Process & Solution Implementations

Vanderbilt Research Cores & Shared Resources

Vanderbilt School of Engineering

Vanderbilt University Advanced Degree Consulting Club

Vanderbilt Science Policy Group

Vanderbilt University Counseling Center

The Vanderbilt Collaborative for STEM Education & Outreach (CSEO)

Vanderbilt Writing Studio

The Wond’ry

Tom Utley, PhD, and Mike Villalobos, PhD, both from the Vanderbilt CTTC, facilitate a Technology Commercialization Job Simulation with trainees.

Alumni Relations, Outcomes, and Development

Vanderbilt Basic Sciences Board of Visitors members partnered with ASPIRE to mentor select trainees for career and professional development.

Alumni Relations, Outcomes, and Development

The Office of Career Development continues to engage with biomedical PhD and postdoctoral trainees even after they complete their training. Alumni volunteer their time at career exploration and professional development events, host interns, facilitate site visits at their workplace, and provide mentorship to current trainees. Our alumni network helps us better understand career outcomes, informs our career programming, and shapes our advice to current trainees.

1,842 Alumni Tracked in Outcomes Database (graduates from 1995-2023

1,998

LinkedIn Group Members

Vanderbilt University Biomedical Research Graduate and Postdoctoral Trainees & Alumni

1,113 PhD Student Exit Surveys

Administered to Date (2007 start)

2023 Outcomes Outlook Where Our Biomedical PhD Graduates Worked

July 2022-June 2023 Defense Dates

Location of first position of biomedical PhD alumni who defended between July 2022 and June 2023. Alumni of our programs accepted postdoctoral fellowships and employment opportunities throughout the country and around the world. Size of the circle represents the number of graduates employed in that location (n=61)

Employment Sector

Employment Type

AMO: Administrative or Managerial or Operational Biomedical PhD Graduates (July 2022 – June 2023 defense dates)

Employment

55 students

**Other roles include:

• Administration (1)

• Business development, consulting & strategic alliances (1)

• Clinical research management or Clinical development (2)

• Sales & marketing (1)

• Science or medical writing & communication (2)

• Teaching faculty or staff (2)

Data about first position after graduation is collected from our predoctoral exit survey.

Alumni and current trainees mix and mingle at the D.C. Happy Hour during the Inside the Beltway Look: Federal STEM Policy in Washington D.C.

Coast-to-Coast Alumni Networking: D.C. and San Francisco Happy Hours

Now a tradition for ASPIRE on the Road trips, alumni gather to meet and greet the trainees visiting their city! This year’s Fall 2022 trip to Washington D.C. and the Spring 2023 visit to San Francisco created not one, but two, memorable Alumni Networking Happy Hours. Many alumni in attendance were graduates of the last decade with many participating in previous ASPIRE on the Road trips when they were trainees! Current trainees enjoyed the laid back opportunity to mingle in person with alumni, while alumni, administrators, and staff in attendance spent time recalling memories and exchanging stories.

Left and above, alumni and current trainees enjoy time together while at the Alumni Happy Hour in Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C. Happy Hour

Above, the San Francisco BRET Alumni Happy Hour is in full swing! Right, alumnus John Donaldson, PhD, catches up with Senior Associate Dean Kathy Gould, PhD. Below, alumni Eric Johnson, PhD, Renee Iacona, PhD, and guest visit with Vice Dean of Basic Sciences Chuck Sanders, PhD.

San Francisco Happy Hour May 2023

Left and above, current trainees visiting for the ASPIRE on the Road trip mingle with local alumni at the San Francisco BRET Happy Hour.

Trainees and their BOV mentors dine together during the Fall 2022 Board of Visitors meeting.

Board of Visitors Members Partner with Current Trainees for Mentorship and Engagement

This fall, eleven current PhD graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical sciences were selected through a competitive application process to be part of the newly launched Vanderbilt ASPIRE-Basic Sciences Board of Visitors Mentoring Program. Trainees were matched with a mentor from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences Board of Visitors (BOV) based upon common academic and professional interests and experiences. On November 11, the mentees had the opportunity to meet their mentors in person for the first time over lunch on campus during the fall BOV meeting.

The goal of the ASPIRE-Basic Sciences Board of Visitors Mentoring Program is twofold:

• Trainee-centered: to broaden access of our biomedical sciences graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to mentors beyond those of faculty and peers to expand their knowledge of potential career paths and to help build their professional network.

• Alumni/Advisor-centered: to increase engagement of our alumni and advisors with our trainee population and give them the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences to support the next generation of scientists.

The BOV members serve as advisors to the Dean’s office to support and foster the achievement of excellence in all aspects of research, teaching and career development for the students, postdocs and faculty members of Basics Sciences. Selected trainees met with their mentors at least twice this past year to seek advice and support on a variety of topics which may include exploring careers paths of interest and pathways to get there, discussing networking strategies, setting professional goals, and connecting with others to establish a broad professional network. This year’s program ran from September 2022 -May 2023, but many mentor-mentee pairs have indicated that they intend to stay in touch beyond the formal conclusion of the 2022-23 program.

Mentor: “This was a delightful opportunity.”

Mentee:“I think the program is excellent. This is such a unique and special opportunity, and I am so grateful that ASPIRE facilitated this interaction for us.”

the ASPIRE Team

Kathy Gould, PhD

Senior Associate Dean, Biomedical Research Education and Training Louise B. McGavock Chair Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology kathy.gould@vanderbilt.edu

Ashley Brady, PhD

Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

Associate Professor of Medical Education and Administration ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu

Angela Zito, M.Ed.

Assistant Director BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program angela.zito@vanderbilt.edu

Assistant Dean for Biomedical Career Development Associate Professor of Medical Education and Administration kim.petrie@vanderbilt.edu

Kate Stuart

Associate Director BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program Director, Strategic Affairs and Events kate.stuart@vanderbilt.edu

Mary Gray Lindstrom

Program Manager BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program mary.g.lindstrom@vanderbilt.edu

Kim Petrie, PhD

Appendix

A1

PhD Career Stories

Additional Career Events A2

2023 Annual Career Symposium

9:00am Welcome

Beyond R&D in Industry

Academic Faculty Panel

9:10am

Jeffrey Bylund, PhD Stacey Mont, PhD

Aaron Wexler, PhD

Research Roles: Industry v. Government

10:10am

Maria Agostini, PhD TK Feaster, PhD

11:10am

Entrepreneurship Wyatt McDonnell, PhD Kristi Thiel, PhD

12:15pm

Lunctime Keynote: Dr. Gauri Nair

1:30pm Networking Huddles

3:15pm

Yi Ren, PhD Kristi Thiel, PhD

Industry Support Roles: Management Consulting and Patent Law

Amanda Antons, JD, PhD Laura Terry, PhD

Fireside Chat: SciComm featuring Aaron Wexler, PhD (10:10-10:40)

Fireside Chat: Competitive Intelligence featuring Stacey Mont, PhD (10:45-11:15)

Fireside Chat: Regulatory featuring TK Feaster, PhD (11:30-noon)

Fireside Chat: Patent Law featuring Amanda Antons, PhD (1:15-1:45)

Networking Reception

Beyond the Lab Podcast

Season 6

November 15, 2022

November 22, 2022

November 29, 2022

December 7, 2022

December 13, 2022

January 3, 2023

January 10, 2023

January 17, 2023

January 24, 2023

January 31, 2023

February 7, 2023

February 14, 2023

February 21, 2023

Forensic Science

Faculty at a Private University

Industry Research Leadership

Management Consulting

Medical Science Liaison

Industry Medical Communication

Academic Administration

Faculty at a State University

Medical Lab Faculty

Industry R&D Scientist

Big Pharma Science

Market Analysis

Competitive Intelligence

Eric Warren, PhD

Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, PhD

JP Johnson, Jr., PhD

Cheryl Marr, PhD

Jeff Pawlikowski, PhD

Kate Venmar Bankaitis, PhD

Lauren Griggs, PhD

Melissa Maginnis, PhD

Allison Eberly, PhD

Katie Hutchinson, PhD

Keenan Taylor, PhD

Cara Lang, PhD

Kristin Driscoll, PhD

Enhanced Career Exploration

Essential Skill Building

Becoming a Scientist: 1st Year Presentations

Trainee Professional Development Additional Events

ASPIRE Job Search Series

ASPIRE Biomedical Scientist’s Toolkit

A10 ASPIRE Café for Postdoctoral Fellows

ASPIRE on the Road Trips A11

Internships A12

Employer Information Sessions A13

Data

Science Essentials Employer Case Sessions A14

July 20, 2022

“Where Am I Going Next?”

Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy

Ashley Brady, PhD

August 12, 2022

“Overview of BRET and its Resources”

VU Basic Sciences New Faculty Orientation

Kim Petrie, PhD

September 2, 2022

“BRET Office of Career Development & ASPIRE”

Simple Beginnings PhD Ceremony

Ashley Brady, PhD

September 8, 2022

“Overview of NRSAs and the Peer Review Process” Pharmacology Department

Kim Petrie, PhD

September 16, 2021

“BRET Career Development ASPIRE Program

Resources for International Postdocs”

BRET International Scholar Orientation

Ashley Brady, PhD

September 21, 2021

“BRET Career Development ASPIRE Program

Resources for Postdocs and Fellows”

Clinical Pharmacology Fellowship Program

Ashley Brady, PhD

September 23, 2022

“Overview of NRSAs and the Peer Review Process”

IMSD Training Program

Kim Petrie, PhD

October 27, 2022

“Taking Flight:Assessing the Timeline for Beginning the Job Search and Exiting your Postdoc”

Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association Symposium

Ashley Brady, PhD

October 27, 2022

Moderator: “Academic Alumni Panel”

Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association Symposium

Ashley Brady, PhD

December 8, 2022

“Keeping the Team Motivated”

VI4 Junior Faculty MiniSession

Kate Stuart, PhD

January 12, 2023

“NRSAs and Fellowships to Fund Your Research Training”

Neuroscience Department

Kim Petrie, PhD

February 22, 2023

“NRSAs and Fellowships to Fund Your Research Training”

Biological Sciences Department

Kim Petrie, PhD

March 23, 2023

Panelist: “CVs: Be the Best that You Can Be”

Biomedical Informatics Research Colloquium

Ashley Brady, PhD

March 31, 2023

“Introduction to BRET ASPIRE Resources for Postdocs”

VITA Scholar Symposium

Ashley Brady, PhD

June 20, 2023

“NRSAs and Fellowships to Fund Your Research Training”

Cancer Biology Department

Kim Petrie, PhD

In the Press A16

“In Support of the Junk Drawer CV,” Inside Higher Ed Carpe Careers Blog, Kate Stuart, November 28, 2022

“Jobs You Can Do with a Science PhD, Beyond Academia,” US News, featuring interview with Kim Petrie, PhD, March 23, 2023

A17

09 2022

Invited National and Regional Talks and Posters

September 30, 2022

“Competency Based Curriculum for First year Biomedical Science Graduate Students”

National Talk

AAMC GREAT Group Annual Meeting

Kim Petrie, PhD, and Madhvi Venkatesh, D.Phil

02 2023

February 1, 2023

Professional Skills Course: “Navigating Your Own Path”

Regional Talk

Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program

Ashley Brady, PhD, and Christina Keeton, PhD

February 16, 2023

“Finding the Right Fit: Understanding Faculty Roles and the Job Search Process at US Institutions”

National Talk

Future of Science Seminar Series

University of Illinois at Chicago

Kim Petrie, PhD

A18

February 27, 2023

“The Junk Drawer CV”

Lightning Talk

Southeast Regional Graduate Career Consortium Meeting (virtual)

Kate Stuart

05 2023 06 2023

May 18, 2023

“Making a ‘Junk Drawer CV’”

Podcast Guest

Academic Life podcast, New Book Network

Kate Stuart

June 28, 2023

“Rock the Mock: Implementing a Mock Interview Day Program for Biomedical PhD Students and Postdocs with Alumni and Employers”

Poster Presentation

Angela Zito

Professional Development Activities for ASPIRE Staff

Date Topic Speaker

August 3-5, 2022

September 30, 2022

February 9, 2023

February 27, 2023

April 13-15, 2023

June 27-30, 2023

Project Development and Evaluation Workshop, Burroughs Wellcome Fund

AAMC GREAT Group Annual Conference

Mid-South Innovation Summit

Graduate Career Consortium Southeast Regional Meeting

2023 ORPHEUS Conference in Leuven, Belgium

Graduate Career Consortium National Meeting

Angela Zito

Kim Petrie, PhD, Madhvi Venkatesh, D.Phil

Ashley Brady, PhD

Ashley Brady, PhD; Kim Petrie, PhD; Kate Stuart; Angela Zito

Ashley Brady, PhD

Kate Stuart, Angela Zito