This newsletter is distributed the last Thursday of the month and contains a variety of resources, links, and reflections on graduate-level career & professional development, higher education, and an occasional detour into neuroscience topics, the area I formally trained in as a graduate student and postdoc.
Missed the inaugural newsletter from January 2021?
Generative artificial intelligence exploded onto the scene in late 2022 and has engendered by awe and anxiety in many. Will the rapid advancement of these technologies free human beings from mundane tasks to lead better, more fulfilled lives? Will they replace millions of jobs and leave many questioning their purpose in the world? Can both things be true? Ultimately, I believe, technology such as this will make us more human. The question is whether this mean more caring and compassion or more division, skepticism, and fear. AI is an amplifier and it is up to us to chose the output we value as a society. AI can make us more more human and humane but only if we commit to that path.
Pedagogical practices must evolve with new generative AI tools, including an increased commit to designing assignments that challenge students to integrate experiential knowledge as a scholarly resource and generate new knowledge versus regurgitate known fact.
Excellent advice and insights from Joseph Barber appearing in the Graduate Career Consortium's Carpe Careers blog on Inside Higher Ed.
Programs Worth Promoting
10th Annual Online Career Conference for PhDs (from BeyondProf)
May 1-6, ONLINE
May 1-5 will consist of how-to-webinars including “How to write a resume”, “How to network when you don’t have a network”, “Using LinkedIn for your job search”, & more! May 6 will be composed of a variety of career panels to learn about the diversity of paths available to PhD-trained researchers. Event is free to attend live and $49 for a “replay ticket” which provides 30 days of access to on-demand replays of all sessions.
16th Annual National Institutes of Health Career Symposium
May 8-10, ONLINE
This online event highlights a diversity of careers available to biomedical and biological science researchers and beyond. Topics covered include: Industry research careers, Applying to and negotiating for academic faculty positions, careers in science policy, science communication, and more.
The NPA's SmartSkills program returns in 2023 featuring webinars on a variety of topics related to postdocs' career and professional development and well-being.
And check out the NPA's Resource Library for more guides and resources including a guide to the postdoc timeline, mentoring, and more.
