Upcoming ASBMB events for future industry scientists — and others

Back-to-school season has begun. Many members of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are starting or continuing their graduate or postgraduate positions. If you are one of them, have you thought about your plans after graduation? Are you aware of the skills and abilities you should be developing alongside your technical training?

ASBMB offers webinars aimed at a variety of member groups, including scientists who have taken time off for caregiving or members who want to start their own labs. In this article, I’ve picked out three webinars that will be useful to postdocs and graduate students.

First step: The graduate degree

In Success in graduate school: Building your skills for future careers on Sept. 25, Reinhart Reithmeier, a professor at the University of Toronto, and Bruno da Costa Rodrigues, a graduate student at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, will guide graduate students to focus on professional development during graduate school, emphasizing the five key areas of self-reflection, skills development, mentorship and networking, career exploration and wellness. These skills do not apply only to those interested in industry positions! All grad students who will be entering the workforce upon completion of their degree will benefit from attending this webinar.

Transitioning from grad student to postdoc

As part of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, ASBMB has organized a webinar on Sept. 17 to connect early-career members with funding opportunities. In Finding the funds: Postdoc funding and training opportunities, attendees will hear from program officers from the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and more. Award opportunities are available for postdocs to ensure well-funded training for their future career.

Networking with ASBMB public affairs

ASBMB continues the conversation on postdoc programs and resources with a LinkedIn chat: Postdoc resources, on September 19. Directors from the National Postdoctoral Association, the International Center for Professional Development, and the Society for Advancing Chicanos Hispanics & Native Americans in Science will discuss means of support available for postdocs. ASBMB will also showcase some internal programs for members. Because the discussion will be held on LinkedIn, you’ll have the opportunity to directly network with the panelists and other postdocs by following along with #ASBMBLovesPostdocs.

On-demand meetings

No time for live webinars this month? Many ASBMB events are recorded and archived. In my previous article Career development when you need it, I listed several recordings of ASBMB-led panels and webinars about career paths in industry. These webinars can help graduate students and postdocs decide if an industry career is right for them on their own schedule.