John Boothroyd, Feb., 2006 1 Successfully navigating the stages of a post-doctoral scholar’s career. John Boothroyd, PhD Professor of Microbiology and

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John Boothroyd, Feb., 2006

Successfully navigating the stages of a post-doctoral scholar’s career.

John Boothroyd, PhD

Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

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Outline• Finding a project• Finding a fellowship• Making the most of three (!) years• Anticipating day of departure• Building your network• Making the most of conferences • Being a good mentor• Care and feeding of your mentor• Care and feeding of you

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Finding (a) project(s)

• Read and think• What important and interesting questions are

unanswered?• Look ahead 10 years; where is the field going?• Balance your portfolio in terms of:

– Risk– Reward– Turf

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Finding a Fellowship

• Good for you and your mentor

• The act of writing is useful

• Leave no stone unturned

• Ask who has gotten support from where

• Use OPA’s and RMG’s websites

• Be sure to know your audience when you write (what do THEY want ~ “spin”)

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Making the most of 3 (!) years

• Budget your time in proportion to importance• Organize your time and stick to it• Make/use/keep deadlines• Working at home is OK (if you deliver!)• Make your training holistic• Don’t sacrifice excellent at the feet of perfect

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Anticipate day of departure on day 1!

• Organize your notes (the originals must stay behind so copy what you need, as you go)

• Organize your reagents (keep a running inventory that can be left behind)

• Duplicate key reagents that you might want to take SOME of with you (good idea to store separately)

• Be sure some work can stay and some can go• Keep ear to the ground for jobs

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Building Your Network

• It’s ALL around you!

• Doctorate adviser - don’t be a stranger

• Post-doc adviser(s)

• Other faculty

• Collaborators

• Professional colleagues, etc

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Making the Most of Conferences

• Be selective

• Small is beautiful

• Work the crowd; don’t be shy!

• Present your work

• Invite input

• Dept. retreats are conferences

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Being a Good Mentor

• Compound interest is through those you train• Everyone has strengths and weaknesses; everyone’s

unique• Not getting in the way of stars is nothing to be

proud of• Maximizing the achievements of everyone is• Know what they’re really after…• What fraction of your motivation is training vs.

science?

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Being a Good Mentor (2)

• Give feedback, positive and negative (research, talks, mentoring, teaching, administrative, etc.)

• Find opportunities to observe• No favorites• No friends; private lives are just that unless they are

life-altering• Private is private (disciplining, praising or

motivating)• Never discuss one person with another

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Being a Good Mentor (3)

• Deal with disputes one-on-one to start:– Ask what happened– Listen to explanation– Judge only if necessary– Explain what is acceptable– Move forward– Encourage a “clear the air” meeting without you

• Move to a facilitated discussion if need be:– Don’t “try” the case to reach a judgement– What needs to happen for us all to move forward

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Care and feeding of your mentor

• It’s a relationship:– Be honest– Be proactive– Be direct but not confrontational– Don’t hide and/or sulk– Be appreciative (no gifts)

• But, remember, it’s not an equal-power relationship

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Care and feeding (cont’d)• Agree on expectations• Deliver on time• Don’t be afraid to politely nudge• Make the most of one-on-one meetings:

– Come organized with an agenda

– Keep track of to-dos

– Bring primary data

– Engage the science passionately but non-personally

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Coming soon…

• “Annual Postdoctoral Research and Career Progress/Mentorship Meeting”– Research Progress: Overview of Last Year– Research Growth and Development: Plans for

Next Year– Career Development

• Use it to open a dialogue

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Care and Feeding of You!

• Balance your life

• It’s what you produce not how long you take to do it…

• Relax efficiently

• Know whose time it is (you, partner, family, work, friends)

• Be flexible and make use of gaps

Documents

John Boothroyd, Feb., 2006 1 Successfully navigating the stages of a post-doctoral scholar’s career. John Boothroyd, PhD Professor of Microbiology and