Don’t Take No for an Answer

By Amy Hein, PhD, Director of Scientific Workforce at Ripple Effect

As early as grade school, I can remember being fascinated by how the brain works. Mental health disorders ran in my family, and role models like Jane Goodall only drew me further to the field of psychology (and later, a very well-trained border collie named Napper). By high school, I was certain I wanted a career in biomedical research and even did an internship in an addiction lab. My future looked crystal clear. But, as they say, the best laid plans often go awry…

Sharpening your skillsets for a successful career in science policy: How I moved from the bench to impact health and medicine in a different way, and you can too.

By Sarah Beachy, PhD, Roundtable and Forum Director at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (and previous AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow)

I always thought I would be a scientist, an investigator, a researcher, and a mentor. Now I am also a communicator, convener, facilitator, writer, problem-solver, team-builder, project manager, fund-raiser, and negotiator…but how did I get here? And how can you too?

No Matter Where You Go, There You Are

By Alicia Henn, PhD, MBA, Chief Scientific Officer at BioSpherix, Ltd.

I had a friend who described his career path as “blown through life sideways.” While I’d like to think that I’ve been more self-directed than that, opportunity came from unexpected directions.

Unique Combination of Training Leads to a Unique Career Opportunity

By Matt Kennedy, PhD, Associate Director Molecular Virology at Oncorus and UR Alumnus

As I progressed through grad school and my postdoctoral training, I became both engrossed and inspired by my basic research, but there was always a lingering thought that I had diverged from my original intention: production of therapeutics for unmet human disease. This therapeutic direction had always been there, and as I considered the immediacy of the impact of my work, I gave serious consideration to industry scientist jobs in fast moving startups / small biotechs  where I could directly contribute to new medicines. 

How Being Open to Change Can Lead to an Unexpected Place: Teaching at a Community College

By Teresa Sukiennicki, PhD, Associate Professor at Genesee Community College

Had you asked me long ago what I would be doing today, never in a million years would this somewhat introverted nerd have said that I would be living east of the Rockies and teaching at a community college. Life, however, sometimes leads you down unexpected paths, and I am happy that it has brought me to where I am now.