Guilt-Free Social Life, Part 1: Importance of Outside Activities

Part 1:  Importance of Outside Activities
Part 2:  Steps Toward Guaranteed Free Time
Part 3:  Success Stories

It is often difficult to maintain an active social life as a graduate student. However, the benefits of having interests outside of the lab are numerous and should not be overlooked. In this three part series I will go through why it is important to have a social life, some suggestions for staying active outside of the lab, and some real life examples of how you can be successful at both.

As a student, it is much easier to focus on scholarly achievements instead of weeknight mini golf. After all, shouldn't your life be 100% dedicated to pursuing your degree? It's pretty easy to put your life on hold while you pursue your degree. Friends and loved ones tell you they understand and your advisor seems really keen to have you in the lab 24/7. As a result, you feel guilty if you're not in the lab all the time.  However, it is in your best interest to have fun things to do that aren't directly related to graduate school. I'll keep posting about professional and personal life balance in the future but here are some reasons why it is important to take time to take care of yourself.

You need to grow as a person as well as a scientist. Regardless of the stereotypical image of scientists, we are not socially incompetent. Being a scientist requires social skills in order to present your work, find collaborators, get a job, etc. Having a hobby outside of science lets you meet new people who share common interests (not related to your degree) and as an added bonus, hobbies are a way to get away (and hopefully work out) any frustrations you you’re your research. These activities add balance to your life and they make you a better scientist. How? Because you have something to look forward to when your experiments fail, your mentor stresses you out, or you just can’t stand to examine that data set any longer. Doing something outside of your research will help make you a happier graduate student. Being happier helps you work better and all of that adds up to help you finish your project faster.

You are doing really important work as a graduate student and the quicker you get your project wrapped up, the quicker you get to move on to bigger and better things. But don't forget to live during the process. So, think about something you enjoy doing (or enjoyed doing before you started graduate school) and try to find a way to incorporate it into your life that now revolves around experiments and data analysis. Go to the gym, go for a hike, volunteer, take a pottery class, join or start a (non-science) book club. Schedule these activities as appointments if you must but try to spend at least 1 hour a week doing something fun that is not related to your labwork.

Next week: I'll write about how to get away from the lab for these outside activities.

In the News: Science Careers -- Q&A on Reentering Academia

Q&A: Reentering Academia - A Success Story - Science Careers - Biotech, Pharmaceutical, Faculty, Postdoc jobs on Science Careers
This is a great article on an issue that many graduate students worry about:  balancing career and family life. Professor Carol Robinson took an 8-year hiatus from her scientific career 20 years ago to focus on raising her children and then reentered the field as a postdoc. She has been very successful since her return to academia and I hope you find her story inspirational -- I recommend that you click on the link to the full transcript of the interview. Both women and men struggle with decisions like this and as a graduate student, it's normal to question what your your best "next steps" will be.  While there are many options to chose from when it comes to balancing your work life with your personal life, hearing stories from other successful scientists who faced similar decisions can  be helpful. For those of you considering taking a break from the bench after graduate school, it isn't easy to reenter academia (or industry, or whatever field you are interested in) after a long absence but with a lot of hard work including keeping up to date and staying in contact with your colleagues it is possible. The decision to put your career on hold for family or other reasons is not one to be made lightly.  However, we are fortunate to live at a time when whatever you choose to do is acceptable...whether that is taking a break, slowing down, or forging full speed ahead.

Where Does Learning Happen in Graduate School?

Working toward your PhD is a whole new game when it comes to learning.  You'll spend a good chunk of your time taking classes in your specific area of interest and yet this is not where you will do most of your learning.  Classes are designed to bring you up to speed in certain areas.  Really good classes force you to think like a scientist by forcing you to think through problems rather than answer simple questions. You will probably have a textbook (that you should read) but the majority of your lectures won't be taken directly from the book chapters -- they will likely be guest lectures from local experts.  Graduate school is much more self-driven than your undergraduate education so everything you learn becomes your responsibility to learn.

I've met graduate students who didn't understand the self-directed aspect of a PhD program and unfortunately, a few of them did not finish their degree.  "No one told me to" and "Journal articles are boring" are not valid excuses for a failure to seek out learning opportunities in graduate school.  A PhD is not about book smarts but about the ability to use the information you've been given in new ways...to come up with your own ideas, to seek out new information, to test your hypotheses.  You must be motivated to seek out every learning opportunity possible while you are a graduate student and in your professional career (after all...learning doesn't stop after you get your PhD).  Take pride in your ability to seek out new information and use your resources to accomplish your goals.

Immerse yourself in seminars and lab meetings.  Ask questions about techniques, thought processes, potential pitfalls...anything.  Try to have a question for every speaker you hear.  Read journal articles daily.  Read them critically -- don't simply accept them as truth; decide for yourself if the authors' conclusions are accurate.  Join a journal club (or start your own) if you have difficulty doing this.  If you're good at critical reading, help out your fellow students at a journal club -- it's a great way to enhance your skills while also practicing your teaching skills.  Talk over your research ideas informally with your labmates or fellow graduate students.  It really helps to bounce ideas off people and you'll be amazed at some of the great ideas (or potential hurdles) your colleagues will see in your experimental plans.

Remember you are a graduate student, which by definition means you are in training.  There's a lot of try and fail and try again in graduate school.  You are not expected to be an expert from the get-go so don't be afraid to ask questions.  Try to come up with your own solutions but use your resources and get advice when you need it.  No one but you can learn for you.  From this point forward in your life most of your learning will not take place in the classroom and it's an exciting world out there full of learning opportunities.

Grants for Graduate Students

As a PhD student in the life sciences, you are likely funded through your advisor's grants or a program training grant.  It's never too early to start looking for your own funding, even though there are many more postdoctoral fellowships available than predoctoral fellowships.  While there are not as many grants available for graduate students as there are for postdocs or PIs, you might be surprised by the number of organziations willing to help train the next generation of scientists.  The earlier in your career that you get experience writing real grants (that are successfully funded) the easier it will be to get funded in the future.  If you are a graduate student getting ready to defend soon, start looking for postdoctoral funding opportunities now. Wherever you are in your graduate career, apply for travel awards to attend scientific conferences (find information on the conference website).  Be sure to check with your advisor/program head/university before planning your application -- there are often many steps you must take within your university or college before applying for outside funding.   Here are two of my favorite sites for finding grants.

1. Most students have heard of grants.gov. This is the site for finding government grants.  The government often funds program training grants for graduate students and postdocs but you can get an individual graduate fellowship from the government, such as the NRSA,  too (see their training portal for more details).  This is a great site to get a comprehensive view of all the government funding oppportunities available.
   
   
2. My absolute favorite site for funding searches is Community of Science (www.cos.com).  This site lists thousands of grant opportunities from every type of organization imaginable -- government, private, non-profit, etc.  You can also set up funding alerts so that you get emails anytime a new funding possibility that matches your research interests becomes available. The funding wizard works really well for helping to set up your alerts and for finding funding opportunities in your field.  The type of grants available runs the gamut on this site -- from training grants to dissertation writing grants.  Although free individual memberships are available, your university might even pay for the subscription version to this site, which will offer you a handy CV builder and expertise search in addition to being able to search for funding opportunities.

Don't forget about looking specifically at organizations related to your line of research for training grants.  The American Heart Foundation and the Ford Foundation offer training grants for graduate students.  So, think about any organizations or foundations associated with your line of research and check out their websites.


All recommendations are independent and based on my personal experience. I have received no compensation for these recommendations.

Getting the Most Out of Your Conference Experience

Conference Season is upon us!  Many of you are old pros at riding the conference circuit but for some, conference attendance can be a daunting task. Conference attendance doesn't need to be intimidating and in fact, should be something to look forward to on many levels.  You get to show off the great work you've done over the past few years, you get to meet new people, you get to learn about exciting new research in your field before it is published, and most importantly, you come back to the lab refreshed and invigorated to get back to work.  Here are some tips for getting the most out of your conference attendance.

1. Plan.  Look at the conference schedule before you leave home.  Review the abstract book.  Decide which talks, posters, career development sessions, etc. you want to attend and plan your days around them.  If not many people from your lab are attending, ask your labmates if there is a particular poster or presentation they'd like you to attend and report back on -- you could learn something new that helps everyone in your research group!
   
   
2. Show up.  Go to the events you planned to attend and be ready to ask questions, get details, and network.  If your mentor is at the meeting too, he/she will want to see you there.  You don't have to go to every session your mentor attends but there should naturally be some overlap.  Once, a postdoc in my lab went to a big meeting and no one saw him at any event the entire time (not even his poster session).  Needless to say, my mentor didn't send him to many more meetings after that!  Also -- you want to get the most out of your experience, so go to as many events as you can to learn as much as possible (but also see tip #4, below).
   
   
3. Along the same lines, Do something with your mentor (or other colleague/advisor/collaborator attending the meeting).  Face it, this person is much better connected than you are at this point and his/her colleagues will soon become your colleagues.  You might as well grab a coffee, drink, dinner, or something with your mentor because more likely than not, while you are talking to each other you're going to run into (and meet) someone who knows him/her.  This is also an opportunity for you to get to know your mentor as a real person, not just as your mentor/scientist.  Likewise for his colleagues.  You might even have fun doing this bit of networking!
   
   
4. Take some time to enjoy the city.  This is where your planning really pays off.  You don't want to get burned out at the conference so make sure you plan something to do in the city either after the conference has ended for the day or between interesting sessions.  Small conference planners usually set aside at least one afternoon or morning for recreation (and often have planned outings during these times).  At larger conferences, it's usually up to you to find some personal time to sightsee, hike, shop, or do your activity of choice.  Taking this time allows you to mentally compile of all the great science you've seen so far...and makes you more excited to get back to the conference and learn more.
   
   
5. Attend the networking events.  These could be "Meet the Expert" sessions, a reception hosted by a scientific organization or your university, or even the hotel lobby/bar.  I'm not talking about the "Grad Student Bar Crawl Night" you planned with your buddies (although, you can attend that one too), I mean the sessions where the big names in your field will be in attendance.  At smaller conferences, the poster sessions themselves are huge networking events so be sure to network and visit posters.  Set a goal of introducing yourself to one new person at each event.  Make a list of people you'd love to meet at the conference and look for them at these events.  When you see them, introduce yourself.  This gets easier and easier the more you do it.
   
   
6. Go to the Product Show.  Yes, this is where you can get that cool, free t-shirt you saw someone else wearing and where you can get your yearly supply of pens.  It's also where you get to learn about products that might really help your research.  And if you talk to the reps at the booth, you're likely to get a discount or free sample on a new product you've been dying to try.  Also, many professional organizations have booths so this is your chance to learn more about them, what they do, and how to become a member.  The product show is a great place to stop by government or private organization booths (such as the NIH or the Bill & Melinda Gate's Foundation) to learn about possible postdoc positions and/or grant opportunities.
   
   
7. Use the conference Job Board or Career Center.  If you're at the point in your grad school career where you're thinking about the next step, login to the conference job board/career center to post your information before the conference.  It's usually free for job-seekers.  You could get interviewed during the conference and have some great postdoc or other job leads by the time you head home.  

In short, don't run back to your hotel room after your poster session or oral presentation.  And don't be a fly on the wall at the events you attend.  Take the time to learn from others and meet new people.  With everything you will have learned at the conference, you'll be ready and excited to hit the ground running when you get back to the lab.  

Scientific Poster Presentation Tips

You've planned, you've designed, you've printed.  All that's left is the poster presentation, which is as important as the poster itself.  Don't be one of the many presenters who forgot to prepare...here are some tips for acing your poster presentation.

Preparing to Present

• Arrive Early 
• Dress smartly 
• Bring handouts (with your contact information) 
• Bring business cards 
• Bring a pen and note paper/conference program (for writing down great thoughts and experimental ideas)...or use your smart phone to do this
• Wear your name tag (make sure it matches your poster) 

Presenting the Poster

• Be prepared to give an overview of your work in 3-5 minutes 
• Practice a 1-sentence overview of why your work is interesting and relevant to begin 
• Practice your presentation in advance – use your colleagues! 
• Give people time to look at the poster; stand to one side but stay in the picture 
• Ask if they would like you to go through the poster with them 
• Make eye contact 
• Avoid jargon and acronyms 
• Speak clearly and slowly; don’t go into detail unless asked 
• Do not refer to notes while presenting 
• Be excited about your research and present it enthusiastically
• Thank people for stopping by when you have finished answering their questions 

Handling the Questions

• Anticipate questions and rehearse your answers (again, use your colleagues)
• Listen carefully and wait for the person to finish asking their question 
• Rephrase their question, answer it and then ask to see if you’ve answered their question 
• Remember – you know your work better than anyone else so there's no reason to be intimidated

Why Do Poster Presentations Matter?

Along the theme of scientific posters for my upcoming talk, I'd like to share some reasons that poster sessions are so important for your career.  Sure, everyone strives to give an oral presentation at a big meeting (and yes, oral presentations are great for your research and for your CV), but don't discount how helpful an effective poster presentation can be for your career, either.  Here are my top four reasons you should be excited about presenting your poster.

First, at a poster presentation, you interact with and receive feedback from lots of people.  You are not simply presenting your work to a large audience, who is listening; you are answering questions as you go and getting new experimental feedback and suggestions each time you present to a new person.  Be sure to bring something to jot down notes on great experimental ideas you receive.

Second, a poster session is great practice for honing your communication and presentation skills.  Over the hour or so that you stand in front of your poster, presenting it, you get immediate feedback on your presentation style, allowing you to tweak your presentation each time, making it better and better.  With that in mind, make sure you read the body language of the people who stop by your poster.  Do they look confused?  Bored?  Use their cues to think of a better way to explain your data.  If you do, when you finally stand up in front of a large audience to present your work (at a scientific meeting, seminar at your university, lab meeting, or job interview), you are going to be pretty confident that you can get your point across clearly and succinctly.

Third, this is a great opportunity to build your network.  Instead of everyone knowing who you are and how to contact you, you have the opportunity to meet people, collect business cards, set up potential collaborations, and perhaps, get a job.  Don't go to your session without business cards to exchange with others -- offering yours is a great way to get one from someone else, making that person a contact for you.  (Hint...if you don't have business cards, get some!  If you absolutely aren't allowed to have them, take your mentor's business cards and add your contact details to the back of the card -- just do this before your session starts.)

Of course, the main reason to present your work is to disseminate your ideas and your data...contributing to the scientific community and advancing scientific discoveries.  A poster presentation is one of the many ways for you to present your research that benefits you and the scientific community as a whole.  This is an exciting chance to show off what you have discovered!

Good luck with your presentations!