Spring Conference Season Essentials

The Edge for Scholars

The weather is finally warming up, and we’re now into spring conference season. Go prepared with this grab-bag of tips and tricks from across the web.

Early Career Researcher Travel Grants

The Edge for Scholars

Are you less than five years out from your PhD, have you published in eLife, and could you use $1,000 to travel to a conference?

It's National Science Meeting Time! Nine Protips on Meeting, Greeting and Getting It Done Like a Rockstar

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

  Congrats….you are off to that awesome annual meeting you adore where your science friends chat you up, cheer you on and buy you a beer. Here’s some protips on making the most of your time, some fun things to do to pass the time and a stern look over my glasses for those of […]

Awesome stuff at Translational Science 2017

The Edge for Scholars

Translational Science 2017 will happen in Washington, DC, on April 19-21. Why should you care? This meeting includes many sessions specifically geared to early career investigators, such as a mock study section, speed mentoring, networking events, and talks on career development topics like writing successful K grants and developing communication skills. That’s in addition to […]

Networking for People Who Hate Networking: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected

The Edge for Scholars

If you’re like your correspondent, the very word “networking” sends a trickle of terror down your spine.  Even the thought of mingling at a conference fills you with dread.  But take heart!  “Networking” doesn’t have to be a four-letter word.  As Devora Zack admits, while it might never be fun, it can become doable if, […]

The Emerging Scientist Holiday Gift Guide

The Edge for Scholars

Not sure what book to get for the academic in your life this holiday season? With the huge amount of literature available, it’s often hard to decide what material would be the most beneficial to up-and-coming scientists. Fortunately, I’ve done the hard work for you this week at The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Annual Meeting […]

Exercising Your Professional Brand at Conference Interviews

Rebecca Helton, MA

At Vanderbilt, we’ve been doing a lot with professional branding lately.  What you wear, what you do, and how you speak, sit, and walk all say things about you and can all become part of the 3-5 keywords you want to have as your professional brand. Karen Kelsky of The Professor Is In is on our wavelength.  A […]

I'm Not Saying I'm the Best Mentor Ever, But...

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

I’m traveling with two female grad students in my lab and we have 8 pairs of shoes and 1 pair of boots between us and no checked bags. I’m all like..

Do You Have Mysterious Dragons in Your Research?

The Edge for Scholars

If my experience reading some of the world’s best (and worst) literature has taught me anything, it is that all of the best stories have dragons in them. O.K. – many of the best ones have dragons, or mention dragons, or contain some dragon-like concept. Whenever there is a dragon, or something  that could potentially represent […]

Personal or Family Photographs in Professional Presentations

The Edge for Scholars

I think that inclusion of personal or family photographs in professional presentations like grand rounds talks or research seminars points the needle away from goodness.  Such presentations provide an opportunity to showcase your work and sell yourself as an expert and should be done professionally.  Introductions, transitions, and conclusions should reflect the logic of the […]