Session Descriptions
Eric Skaar, Ph.D., will address how to lay the groundwork for an independent research career and the faculty job search process. Topics will include defining your research niche, identifying mentors and collaborators, having conversations about independence with your mentor(s), and developing a research plan and research statement.
Join our faculty panel as they share their experiences applying for faculty jobs. Panelists will discuss advance preparation for the job search, how search committees work and how applications are reviewed, and provide advice for creating a faculty application package that helps you stand out from the competition. They will also talk about their experience with different aspects of the interview process, including the research presentation and chalk talks. Panelists include Rafael Arrojo e Drigo, Ph.D. , Emily Hodges, Ph.D. and Quynh Anh Nguyen, Ph.D.
In this talk Chris Smith, PhD, Postdoctoral Affairs Program Administrator at Virginia Tech, will speak about resources and insights that could be useful to postdocs planning to apply for faculty positions in Fall 2024. He will share data from a faculty applicant survey ran annually from 2018 to the present and highlight a data dashboard the team created to assist applicants in benchmarking their competitiveness for faculty positions. Explore the dashboard at: https://faculty-job-market-collab.org/dashboard/
Tips and strategies for negotiating your salary and start-up package for your faculty position. Topics will include a discussion of items that can be negotiated, resources for finding salary information, and strategies to navigate the negotiation process and set yourself up for success.
A panel of international faculty will discuss their experiences navigating the US academic faculty job search process and the professional world. Panelists will share tips/ advice for a successful faculty job search based on their experiences. Panelists include Neil Dani, Ph.D. and Vivian Gama, Ph.D.
Chris Smith received his Ph.D. in Neurobiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014 and then went on to a postdoc position at Vanderbilt from August 2014 to January 2019, when he transitioned to a full-time career supporting postdocs. While at Vanderbilt, Chris actively participated in BRET workshops and professional development events, including helping with the annual ASPIRE Career Symposia. Chris was also actively involved in the Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association, serving as Treasurer in 2016-17 and Junior Co-Chair (Vice President) in 2017-18. After Vanderbilt, he spent 3 years managing the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at North Carolina State University before moving into his current role leading the formation of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at Virginia Tech in January 2022. Chris is an active member of the National Postdoctoral Association, including serving on its Board of Directors and most recently as Vice-Chair of the Board in 2024. He is passionate about improving the postdoctoral experience and empowering individuals with the data, insights, resources, and tools they need to help them progress in the career.