Business and Management Principles for Scientists

Business principles affect all organizations. In today’s highly competitive and highly complicated working environments, understanding these principles gives leaders and managers a strategic advantage, enabling them to handle situations more effectively and make decisions more effectively.

In spring semester 2016, the BRET Office of Career Development is offering a new pilot module for biomedical PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, Business and Management Principles for Scientists. It is ideal for trainees interested in:

1) independent research careers in industry or academia (running a research lab in academia is often compared to owning a small business).

2) scientific or management careers in academic core facilities or contract research organizations.

3) any career outside the lab which requires business acumen! 

The module will run Wednesdays from 8:00-10:00 a.m., January 13-April 11, 2016. The first few weeks of the module is interactive and didactic. In the second part of the module, participants will break into small teams to consult with the director of a VU Core Facility and develop a solution to a business or management challenge faced by the core. This project-based approach will give participants the opportunity to put course principles into practice.

This pilot course is free for biomedical sciences PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, thanks to a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (PI: Dr. Kathy Gould). The module is limited to 20 participants and applications are being accepted now. The application deadline is October 31. Use the links on the side to learn more about the module and apply.