After panelist introductions, we dove straight into the Q&A portion. Panelists were seated at the front of the room, and the rest of the attendees took seats around the room, which was organized in a U-shape to help facilitate conversation.

Here are some highlights from the Q&A:

Q: Did you choose a nontraditional career from the get-go, or did you end up in one by default (i.e., lost your job, etc.)?

A: Joanne Thomson looked for jobs outside of pharma for more stability, and found the Royal Society of Chemistry graduate development programme that helped her see what day-to-day life in the publishing world is like and that led to her current job as Deputy Editor.

Richard Skubish left the bench because he didn’t love the job anymore, and discovered the world of sales and marketing, where he is happy to still be a part of advancing science without being the one doing the science.

Celia Arnaud said she always thought she’d like to write for C&EN, but still tried the grad school research thing only to find out she didn’t like it. “I knew I was in it for the long haul [as a science writer] because I wasn’t bored out of my mind by the end of the first year,” she explained.

To be competitive for jobs, it helps to demonstrate a unique skill set that sets you apart from the crowd. Photo credit: flickr user TheColorBee.

Q: Any advice for international students who are interested in nontraditional chemistry careers?

A: Joseph Jolson, who owns his own consulting business, Custom Client Solutions, tackled this question. Many international students have circumstances that work against them when it comes to landing a job (i.e. language difficulties, different social expectations, visa problems). To get around these problems his advice is: “Come up with skills sets that will create a demand for you.” In other words, international students will need to make themselves stand out from other job candidates.

Richard added on to Joseph’s answer by saying that many companies have gone global, and having foreign language skills can make job candidates more marketable to these companies.

Q: What kind of work-life balance does your job allow you?

A: Merlin and Joanne, who both work for the Royal Society of Chemistry, said the RSC requirement is 35 hours/week, although occasionally extra hours are required to get everything done.

Celia said she works from 7 am to 4 pm, if all goes well. But her days can go much longer than that especially when she has multiple deadlines for assignments.

Richard, who has three kids, said he has had to force himself to make some non-negotiable rules about the line between his work life and home life to make that he stays involved in his kids’ lives. He said it was easy at first but then got harder as additional responsibilities got added onto his plate. But he says you have to be careful about how you got about doing this because a good work-life balance “is respected in some circles, but not in others.”

Joseph said one of the best and worst things about his job is that he can work anytime and from anywhere in the world. This is fantastic because of the flexibility, but it can also make it difficult to turn off when the work day is over.

When asked, "Do you ever miss working at the bench?" responses from panelists ranged from "Somtimes" to "Never." Photo credit: flickr user Valencia College.

Q: You each got into chemistry because you enjoyed it—has it be hard to adjust to not doing [bench] chemistry anymore?

A: Merlin said he does still miss the lab sometimes. It can get especially hard when he visits an author and gets a tour of their lab facilities.

Joanne said while she was good at bench research, she doesn’t miss it at all.

Celia resonated with Joanne’s statement—she was also good at science, but her deeper interests in college were in English and history. “If I ever thought I could make a living off English and history, I would’ve done that,” she said.

Q: How hard is it to break into your field, and what advice do you have for chemists who want to make that jump?

A: Celia explained that although science writing has been “the poster child of alternative science careers,” it is a crowded field. “As much as I love my job, it’s not exactly a growth industry,” she said. She broke into the field “at a really good time” and landed a staff job, but staff positions are becoming more rare, and while freelancing is always an option, it doesn’t pay nearly as well. Additional advice: consider science writing jobs at universities, or other public relations positions, which are more common than journalism jobs.

Joanne said that many journals and publishers hire science grad students straight out of their degree programs, but it varies from publisher to publisher. To make yourself marketable, get experience in science communication and in social media—i.e., be active on Twitter, become a blogger—and these things will help you stand out as a job candidate.

Merlin added onto Joanne’s comment by saying that it’s not just knowledge and experience, but having a good network that is crucial to landing a job. Also, to help yourself stand out, you need to show that you have both the hard skills that all chemists have, as well as soft skills, such as people skills, leadership and organizational skills, time management, and the ability to see opportunities and pursue them. In the book industry, you also need a thick skin because you have about a one in ten hit rate, books don’t always do as well as you’d like, and sometimes you’ll see a review with bad comments.

Richard said that in sales and marketing, it’s crucial to understand what is the mission of the company. Also, you need to remember that as much as your job is to help scientists find solutions to their problems, which one of the most rewarding aspects of the job, at the end of the day, businesses are about making money.

Joseph explained that although consulting can bring in lots of money, it can be difficult to be successful at it. “Ten consultants fail for every one success… don’t expect to make as much consulting as in a traditional chemistry career,” he said. Some of the challenges include: finding clients and collecting the money. You need an advanced degree and 20 years of accomplishments, and it’s a good idea to start consulting on the side while you still have your regular job.

Concluding Thoughts

If I could change things for next time… I’d try to find panelists from additional nontraditional career paths (perhaps a chemistry entrepreneur, a chemist in science policy, and a chemist from the FBI or other government agency). I’d also include more opportunities for informal discussions, and perhaps an activity that promoted self-reflection for those attendees who are still trying to figure out what they want to do.

This was my first time organizing a networking session, and I was pleasantly surprised with how smoothly it went. Thanks again to each of the panelists for offering their time to participate!

The final defense is the last hoop you have to jump through in grad school! Photo credit: flick user Palma Co Test.

It is finished. My final defense was last Wednesday—and I passed!

This is a milestone, and milestones are to be blogged about, right? The thing is, I don’t know exactly what I have to say about it. Perhaps it just hasn’t been long enough for it to sink in yet.

It’s interesting, this whole final defense thing. For years, you’re going, going, jumping through each hoop that’s presented along the way. From the very start, you’re anticipating the end, which will one day come. You survive classes, give numerous presentations, pass your prelim. Years pass by, then the long-awaited final defense comes… and goes.

And then… you’re done.

Done? Huh… Okay, awesome, I’m done! That’s it, I guess… I have a Ph.D.

Meanwhile, you proceed to announce on facebook that you passed your final defense and everyone can call you doctor now. Friends and family shower you with congratulatory remarks. It’s wonderful.

But somehow it still hasn’t quite hit that I really do have a Ph.D. For real. I guess I thought I would feel a greater sense of relief and finality. Of course, I’m happy. But it’s a bit anti-climactic when all is said and done.

Overall, I’ve had a wonderful time in grad school. Perhaps this is easy to say now that it’s all over. But really… I’ve lucked out. Sure, I’ve worked hard, but anyone who’s gone through grad school knows that there are a number of factors that are just outside of your control. Many of those things fell into place really nicely for me. I’m really thankful for that.

My labmates have become my good friends—we have so much fun together both inside and outside the lab. My adviser is a down-to-earth person who has been supportive of my nontraditional career plans. Not all labs are as friendly, and not all advisers are as encouraging and supportive, to say the least. And perhaps most importantly, my project has cooperated with me. Even after I fell out of love with my research, we were able to maintain a good working relationship.

Ahh, a good old journalism meme. Photo credit: stuffjournalistslike.com

So, what’s next? That’s the question of the hour!

The good news is that I’ve been offered a fellowship for a 12-month Masters in journalism program at the University of Illinois. This is fantastic because I wasn’t really interested in taking out loans to get a degree that I don’t necessarily need to be a science writer. But, what can I say, I’m a sucker for getting paid to go to school!

And I think I’ll have a lot of fun developing my skills as a reporter and writer. There are core classes that every student has to take for the Masters degree, and other classes that I can choose based on my interests. I’m most excited about taking a course on magazine writing, and another course devoted to multimedia.

Some of my friends think I’m crazy for wanting to go back to school after having been in school for so long. But I don’t think of it as school as much as just a chunk of time devoted to having lots of fun exploring different types of journalism, developing my skill set, and thinking about what type of science writer I want to be.

There are several things I still need to figure out for myself: Do I want to write for a technical audience, or a more general audience? Journalism or public relations? Freelance or staff job? I think I know the answers to some of these questions, but they are based on the limited science writing experiences I’ve gleaned throughout the past two years of doing full-time research. I’m really looking forward to taking the next year of my life to focus on growing as a journalist and exploring the different paths that are laid out before me.

Journalism school starts this fall. In the meantime, I’ll be wrapping things up in the lab. Then over the summer I’ll work as a freelance science writer, unless a science writing internship presents itself between now and then.

My time at the bench is nearing an end, and this phase of my life will become a memory.

If I could go back, would I do it all over again? That’s really tough. Of course I don’t need a Ph.D. to write about science. But through grad school, I’ve learned how to seek out information, how to think critically and how to ask questions. I have an understanding about what it takes to do science, which gives me both a greater appreciation for it and an awareness of its limitations. If I were to enter this world straight out of college, I would be lacking in these areas.

It’s not just a degree I’ve earned in these five years. I’ve grown as a scientist, but perhaps more importantly, I’ve learned a lot about myself and what drives me, about what gets me out of bed in the morning and what I’m passionate about.

So, I don’t have any regrets. And I’m just really excited to begin my new post-grad school life.

Further Reading: 

Would I recommend other science writers to go for a PhD first? Among science writers, this is a topic of debate. To learn about how other science writers have broken into the field, check out Ed Yong’s post, “On the Origin of Science Writers.”

And in case you’re wondering, I haven’t forgotten about Part II of the highlights from the Pittcon 2012 Nontraditional Careers Networking Session. My mind has just been a teensy bit distracted by these thoughts about passing my defense that I needed to get them out. Thanks for listening!

As promised, here’s a blog post with some of the highlights from the Pittcon 2012 networking session I organized! More to come later this week.

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of organizing a networking session at Pittcon titled “Chemistry Careers Beyond the Bench.”

The room filled up with 29 people, including five panel members who came to share about their nontraditional career experiences.

We started off with a short ice breaker activity that helped everyone get a better idea of who else was in the room, and to introduce themselves to each other.

We found out that about half of the attendees were still in school, and the majority of those in school were undergraduates. This made me happy, because I feel like especially as an undergrad I had very little idea what I could do with a chemistry degree besides teach or do bench work. This fact about my past is what motivates me to blog about nontraditional careers today for JAEP today!

The majority of all attendees were primarily interested in pursuing traditional chemistry careers, but said they came out to learn more about what other options are out there. Given the shaky job climate, it never hurts to know what else you can do with a chemistry degree, one attendee said.

I wanted to also get a sense about how people in the room felt about the job market for chemists? Were they optimistic? Or not so much?

Well, it turns out the room was pretty much split three ways: optimistic, not sure, and not optimistic. Those who were not optimistic said it’s because they know too many chemists that have been laid off or are unable to find a job. On the optimistic side, several attendees felt confident they’d receive a job out of school since they’ve seen many of their peers get “plucked out of the lab” to work for companies in the area.

The last question I asked for the ice breaker was: Do you typically enjoy or dread formal networking session? I asked this because I know sometimes networking gets a bad rap, since it’s often described as being so important to landing a job, but people often feel uncertain about how to actually do it.

The room was pretty much split three ways again. Those who said they enjoyed networking sessions said it’s because they like getting to meet new people. One brave person from the “dread networking” side of the fence explained that for her, networking is scary because you never know how someone will receive you when you approach them to make an introduction. I can totally see why networking would be scary for that reason, especially if you are not naturally a social butterfly/extrovert type!

Each of the panelists introduced themselves and talked a little bit about who they are, what they do, and how they got to where they are today. Here’s a bit of information about each of the lovely panelists:

• Joseph Jolson, consultant and owner of Custom Client Solutions.
• Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo.
• B.S. in Chemistry, Brooklyn College.
• Hobbies: baking, gardening, home restoration, financial management.
• “I love the flexibility & portability that my job provides.”

• Merlin Fox, Books Commissioning Editor, Royal Society of Chemistry.
• Biology (B.Sc.), applied environmental science (M.Sc.), and agricultural sciences (Ph.D.).
• Graduate and postdoc research focused on Environmental/Analytical Chemistry and Biogeochemistry.
• Hobbies: conservation, gardening, photography, woodwork, cycling.
• “I love learning about new science everyday, seeing one of ‘my’ books in a store or library.”
• Joanne Thomson, Deputy Editor, Royal Society of Chemistry.
• Masters degree in Chemistry, University of Edinburgh.
• Hobbies: running, karate, cooking.
• “I love that I get to interact with world-leading scientists and keep up-to-date with the latest ‘hot’ science.”
• Celia Arnaud, Senior Editor, Chemical & Engineering News.
• Ph.D. course work in Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh.
• B.S. degree in Chemistry and a B.A. degree in English and Economics, University of Richmond.
• Hobbies: choir, theater, reading.
• “I love that I get to learn new things by talking to scientists about the cool research they do.”
• Richard Skubish, Sales Development Manager, Sigma-Aldrich.
• B.S., Chemistry, Trinity College.
• Hobbies: father of 3, weekend-warrior home remodeler, very bad golfer.
• “I love the fact that, although I do not do science on a daily basis, my science training and experience is still useful every single day… I still feel like I’m assisting advancement by supplying researchers with the tools that they need.”

Keep your eyes peeled in the next few days for Part II of the highlights from the session!

A hot tub is the place to go to relax, unwind, and… network? Photo credit: flick user artesianspas.

But it can start to sound very theoretical when you only hear about tips, techniques and advice on how to network, but don’t get a glimpse at what a real networking interaction looks like.

So, I’m here today to tell you a little story about a neat networking opportunity I had in a place you might least expect— a hot tub!

The story

My labmates and I (six of us total who were attending Pittcon in Orlando, FL) spent the week in a 3-bedroom condo at a resort near the convention center.

After a long day of attending meetings, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with information. My labmates twisted my arm and convinced me to take a walk down to the pool and relax and unwind in the hot tub.

Okay, that’s a slight twist of the truth. In reality, the pool was calling out to me and I had to go.

Ahhhh, I can still recall the wonderful carefree feeling that came over me as I slipped into complete and utter relaxation mode…

But it apparently was difficult for me to turn off my networking impulses that were firing all day long at Pittcon. Yaknow, that feeling that I should introduce myself to the people around me, ask about what they do and tell them a little bit about myself.

Networking, specifically, wasn’t on my mind when I said hello to a man in the hot tub, as I stepped in and fully immersed myself in the hot, bubbly waters. I was just being cordial.

The next thing I know, we’re in an in-depth discussion about all kinds of neat things—starting off with our careers. It turns out he’s a consultant and was attending Pittcon to teach a short course and also connect with several of his clients at the Exposition.

If you plan on doing a lot of networking in pools and hot tubs, you may want to invest in some plastic business cards like these. Photo credit: flickr user Pinkard Shop.

Then the conversation turned to me and my interests. I told him I’m a graduate student and a science writer, and that I plan on completely switching gears into science writing after I graduate this May.

The cool part

Little did I know that this consultant happened to have a client who was in need of some technical writing assistance. He invited me to come by their booth at the Expo the next morning so that he could introduce me to the owners of the company and talk about the assignment.

I showed up, not knowing much about the company, and about 20 minutes later, I was signed up to write a document that highlights the features and benefits of their software.

I have my first freelance technical writing assignment lined up now—all thanks to a casual hot tub conversation.

Sweet deal!

Still to come—highlights from Pittcon 2012 networking session

If you’re a regular JAEP reader, you may know that I organized a networking session at Pittcon called “Chemistry Careers Beyond the Bench.” As promised, I’ll be writing about some the highlights from that session soon—so stay tuned!

Come one, come all to the networking session titled “Chemistry Careers Beyond the Bench,” featuring a panel of chemists with nontraditional careers.

Once we’ve all gotten to meet each other, we will transition to the Q&A portion of the session. The panelists will introduce themselves and talk about how they got to where they are today. They will also offer advice and will field questions from the audience, such as:

• What is a typical day like for you?
• Why did you decide to leave the bench? Why not academia or industry?
• What do you love about your job? What aspects could you do without?
• What advice do you have for chemists out there aspiring to similar careers?
• How hard is it to break into your field? Is there room for growth?

Today I’d like to introduce you to a Ph.D. chemist who is currently a Science & Technology (S&T) Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)—Stefanie Bumpus.

Stefanie has been working for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as an S&T Fellow since September 2010.

Day to day, Stefanie’s work varies considerably—it all depends on what assignment she has at the time.

Some days she is working on building good working relationships with U.S. Government and international partners and collaborators. “This includes things such as conducting meetings to discuss planned or ongoing projects, or working to develop strategic documents for the program,” Stefanie says.

Stefanie Bumpus: Ph.D. chemist and AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow. Courtesy photo.

There are four different concentration areas of the fellowship:

1. Congressional
2. Health, Education, and Human Services
3. Diplomacy, Security, and Development
4. Energy, Environment, and Agriculture.

As an S&T policy fellow on the Diplomacy, Security, and Development track at the DoD, Stefanie supports the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs (NCB).

Within the NCB, Stefanie is currently doing a rotation in the Office of Threat Reduction and Arms Control (TRAC). As a part of this rotation, she supports a program that “works to ensure international partner governments have the capacity to detect, report, and respond to biological incidents as efficiently and effectively as possible,” Stefanie says.

At the TRAC office, one of Stefanie’s roles is to work with the partner governments to “ensure laboratories and other facilities maintain the highest sustainable levels of biosafety and biosecurity,” she explains.

One of Stefanie’s favorite parts of her job thus far is being able to travel the world.

“Typically, I spend about one week per month traveling to Africa to meet with our partners and collaborators and continue to develop our programs,” Stefanie says. So far, she has traveled to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, and South Africa, as well as the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and numerous locations throughout the U.S.

Before becoming a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow

Stefanie got her Bachelor’s Degree in chemistry from the University of Louisville in Kentucky, and then went on to earn her Ph.D. in chemistry (2010) from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Coming out of high school, her initial plan was to study chemistry or biology and then go to med school. But in college, she met a “wonderful professor in the chemistry department,” and was convinced to major in chemistry and do undergraduate research in biochemistry.

“Three years of undergraduate research helped me learn I didn’t really want to go to medical school, but instead wanted to pursue an advanced degree in chemistry,” Stefanie says. “But I have to admit – at that point I still didn’t know where I wanted to end up after grad school; I just knew that a Ph.D. could help open a lot of doors to a variety of careers.”

Stefanie is having a blast as a science policy fellow, but a job in science policy was not on her radar until towards the end of her graduate studies.

“I was, like most students, considering a ‘traditional’ path through either academia or industry,” Stefanie says. “After a couple of years of graduate school, I was starting to lean more toward a career in industry.  I started to attend many career seminars and began to seriously think more about what other options might be out there.”

Long story short, she met an ACS science policy fellow at a chemistry careers symposium during her third year of grad school.

“After talking with her, as well as some UIUC alumni awarded the AAAS Fellowship, I decided to apply for the program,” Stefanie says. “I also pursued career opportunities in industry as well, at the same time I was applying for the Fellowship – it was definitely wise to try and have all my bases covered.”

“I chose to apply thinking of the Fellowship as more of a post-doctoral training experience, not as just a job out of graduate school,” Stefanie explains. “The fellowship program offers professional development and training, opportunities for networking, and the chance to interact with a peer group considering similar career options.”

Even though Stefanie isn’t entirely sure what her next steps will be career-wise, she is certain her experiences as fellow with AAAS will have a lasting impact on her career.

“I believe the network I have built and the opportunities I have had through my fellowship are the best way I could have gotten the experience I need to pursue a career in this area,” Stefanie says. Having the experience and connections she made will be invaluable as she seeks out future opportunities.

Advice for chemists interested in policy

Stefanie says that one thing that helped her was to talk to my research advisor and career counselor about her interest in science policy early on.

“I was lucky that my advisor was supportive of my exploring a variety of career options, and even offered to introduce me to some of his contacts in Washington, DC,” Stefanie says. “My career counselor was able to provide assistance in developing my application and putting together a great resume.”

Getting a Ph.D. in science is one of many paths into a career in science policy, as others competing for science policy jobs have degrees in policy. Because of this, it’s crucial to build a network and get help building your resume “to shape your experience in grad school the best way,” Stefanie says.

Stefanie advises students to get as much experience as they can while they are in grad school, in activities that “demonstrate your ability to work with others, lead programs/projects, and show a range of interests.”

Also, talk to as many people as possible in the field and learn as much as you can about opportunities that are available, Stefanie says.

How the chemistry Ph.D. prepared her for the job

For one, having a Ph.D. helped Stefanie because the AAAS policy fellowship requires a Ph.D. or equivalent degree for all S&T fellows. But it’s more than that. I’ll let Stefanie tell you about her grad school experience in her own words:

“Government offices are looking for people with technical expertise that they can apply in a new situation (shifting directions in my research half-way through my time in graduate school).  They are looking for people who are able to analyze and share technical information with a variety of audiences (presenting my research at a variety of conferences; writing papers).   My job requires me to quickly work through large amounts of information and pull out the most critical parts, and then present them in a way that makes sense (data analysis).  Also, because my job has me working with international laboratories and the personnel there, the ability to understand how science is done in the laboratory helps me to relate to the people I interact with, something I wouldn’t be able to do if I only had policy experience.”

What if I’m not sure I want to commit to a 2-year science policy job?

If you’re on the fence about a career in science policy, or are simply curious about the field but are unable to commit a year to working as a science policy fellow, the good news is there are other opportunities that might be more appealing to you.

One example is the Christine Mirzayan S&T Policy Graduate Fellowship Program. Also check out the AAAS website for a list of many more science policy fellowship programs.

“Participating in a program like this could be a good way to get some experience, and figure out if this is really an area of interest,” Stefanie says.

And as I mentioned yesterday in my science policy post, there are several ways scientists can get involved in science policy matters. Volunteering with your local government and contacting policy makers to express your scientific opinion on science policy matters are two great ways to see if you’re passionate about policy work, and start building your network with people in government.

Related Posts

Opportunities for chemists in science policy

Ensuring drug safety: A chemist in regulatory affairs

Website helps scientists learn about careers within Federal agencies

A science policy fellowship might be the first step to making the move from the bench toward Capitol Hill. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons User Elliot P.

Here at JAEP we’ve been on the topic of government jobs for chemists.

Glen wrote a post about a website, INSPIRE, that is full of information about government jobs for scientists. It is being piloted for a short time, so if you haven’t yet, check it out here and take the survey to help them improve the site. And earlier this week, I introduced you to Olen Stephens, a Ph.D. chemist who works for the FDA in regulatory affairs.

Today, we will segue a bit and discuss the field of science policy.

What is science policy?

Science policy is a field that is difficult to define because it encompasses lots of different types of work at the intersection of science and public policy. I’ll use an excerpt from an article I found by Geoffrey Hunt to break the common misconceptions about science policy:

“Most people assume policymakers spend all of their time furtively hammering out laws in back rooms. In reality, those working in science policy have the opposite job: They take what is happening on the bench and bring it to the light of day… Science policy experts …[use] their talents to find ways to translate esoteric, often highly technical scientific issues into something that can be sold as good policy.”

For more information on science policy careers, check out the following Science Careers articles:

Science Policy: Establishing Guidelines, Setting Priorities, by Laura Haak.

Paths to Science Policy, by James Austin.

Bridging the Worlds of Science and Public Policy, by Andrew Fazekas.

There are several organizations that sponsor scientists and engineers to work in science policy—check out this list of policy fellowships compiled at The Intersection, a blog for Discover Magazine.

One of these organizations, which I’ll highlight here, is the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology (S&T) Policy Fellowships. Tomorrow I’ll follow up with a profile post about a Ph.D. chemist who’s currently an S&T Policy Fellow at the United States Department of Defense, so stay tuned for that!

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship

AAAS started up the fellowship program in 1973 to help scientists get the opportunity “to participate in and contribute to the federal policymaking process while learning firsthand about the intersection of science and policy,” according to their website.

To date, more than 2,000 scientists and engineers have gone through the program. Check out their website for a complete overview of the history of the fellowship.

With the click of a button, you can let your voice be heard on science policy matters. Check out http://www.ucsusa.org/ to learn how. Photo credit: flickr user hermannyin.

To apply, you must have a Ph.D. or an equivalent doctoral-level degree, or have a Master’s degree in engineering with several years of professional experience. Click here for more details about eligibility and the application process.

Ways to get involved in science policy without a career change

Fellowships aside, there are other ways you can get involved in science policy matters without having to put aside your day job.

The Union of Concerned Scientists is a “science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world,” according to their website.

Check out the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Action Center for practical advice on how scientists can take action to be the voice of science in policy matters.

And stay tuned for tomorrow’s post about a Ph.D. chemist who’s currently working as an AAAS S&T policy fellow!

Olen Stephens (center), with his two sons, Sean (left) and Coby (right). Courtesy photo.

A few weeks back, Glen wrote a post about a website, INSPIRE, which is chock-full of information about government jobs for scientists. If you haven’t yet, check it out here. There’s still time to take the survey that will help them improve their site.

As promised, here is the first of two profile posts about chemists currently working for the federal government. Today I’d like you to meet Olen Stephens, a Ph.D. chemist who works in regulatory affairs.

From academia into government

Olen Stephens always thought he wanted to be a college professor, but after giving it a try, he realized it wasn’t the job for him.

Now he works in regulatory affairs at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and says he loves his job and the work-life balance it allows him.

I should also mention that Olen and I share a family connection. He’s my mother-in-law’s sister’s son, a.k.a. my husband’s cousin!

Olen was a double major in chemistry and biology at Earlham College and went on to get a Ph.D. in biological chemistry from the University of Utah (2004). After a postdoc in biophysical chemistry at Yale University, he landed a tenure-track professorship position at his alma mater, Earlham College.

As a chemistry professor, Olen taught organic chemistry, biochemistry and general chemistry. But the job was “not a good fit on either side,” he says.

“Teaching wasn’t what I thought it was,” Olen says. The combination of teaching, grant writing, and conducting research left little time to spend with his wife and newborn son.

At the same time, Olen says he wasn’t interested in working in industry either.

In his first year teaching at Earlham, Olen met another Earlham alumnus who worked at the FDA.  Later, when Olen was looking for a career change, she told him about a position they were looking to fill. Five months later, Olen had landed the job and his family moved to the Washington, D.C. area, and the rest is history.

Regulatory affairs– What’s that all about?

Olen has been working as a chemical and manufacturing controls reviewer since 2008 and finds his career both challenging and rewarding.

At the FDA, Olen works as part of a team to review drug applications and identify safety issues that need to be addressed before drugs can be administered to humans.

The job requires a lot of reading and writing, which Olen says he enjoys and was well-equipped for, thanks to the liberal arts education he received at Earlham as an undergrad.

There was a huge learning curve when he first started, but Olen says everyone at the FDA was very willing to help him get up to speed on the pharmaceutical know-how needed for the job.

“You just have to put your pride aside and ask questions,” Olen says.

In contrast to industry, Olen says, there’s no incentive to try to get the product out the door and onto the market to make money. The FDA makes no money off of drugs and is simply there to make sure that drugs used in clinical trials or market are both safe and effective. Olen says he finds this particular aspect of his work uncomplicated and gratifying.

It’s also nice to not have the pressure of “publish or perish” that prevails in academia, he adds.

In regulatory affairs, your primary concern is drug safety and efficacy, not how much money the drug will make on the market. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons user Ragesoss.

“It’s great for family life,” says Olen, who rarely has to take work home and can telecommute from home up to two days a week. On the other days, he bikes 4 miles each way between his house and his office.

While he does miss being in the lab, Olen says he recognizes that if he were to have a research job he wouldn’t be able to keep the hours he wants.

But his job isn’t limited to being an office job. There are opportunities for scientists in regulatory affairs to apply for funding in collaboration with academic research labs.

Getting a Ph.D. in chemistry isn’t the only way to get a job in regulatory affairs—Olen says many of his colleagues come from chemical engineering or pharmacy degrees, and others come into the job with several years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry under their belts.

And there are plenty of other jobs in the FDA for Ph.D. chemists, Olen says, both research and non-research positions. Sounds like blog fodder for future JAEP posts…

Olen says to succeed in regulatory affairs, you need to “work well with people, be willing to listen and communicate effectively,” because your feedback on drug applications is crucial to helping companies and research labs develop safe and effective treatments.

To search for government job openings, visit www.usajobs.gov. And don’t forget to check out the new government website that is now being piloted, INSPIRE, and offer them feedback through their online survey.

Most importantly, Olen recommends you make connections, or dare I say network, with people who work in government labs to learn more about job opportunities you may qualify for.

It would I appear that my own personal lack of knowledge regarding government science positions is shared by many others, and this has not gone unnoticed by the very Federal agencies who are in need of top scientists to fill these roles.

Seeking to bring attention to the variety of science and technology (S&T) opportunities available, a pilot website, INSPIRE^ST (careers.science.gov) has been created.

The website was developed through a collaboration of six Federal agencies—the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of State (DOS), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)—along with the Partnership for Public Service—and they would like your help in directing its mission to provide useful information to prospective employees at all stages of their careers.

Learn about a variety of science and technology positions available within the Federal goverment. You won't be sorry.

INSPIRE^ST was created in response to a perceived lack of general awareness and understanding of the opportunities in the Federal government for scientists and engineers, but this was not the only factor. Other challenges to nurturing a vital S&T workforce include: increased vacancies of key positions due to growing retirements within the “baby boomer” generation, and competition with the private sector for top talent.

The website’s creators also recognized that USAJOBS.gov—the primary avenue for applying to science and engineering positions for most Federal agencies—had a limited ability to communicate what jobs are available and what these jobs are really like.

I, for one, am grateful that a need was recognized to create a site like this. When I was going through my job search last year, government positions were definitely on my radar, and a few emerged from job search engine queries. I found that gathering information on and applying for these position were long, convoluted ordeals. INSPIRE^ST seeks to demystify that process.

The INSPIRE^ST website currently consists of three main sections. The Profiles section contains interviews with scientists, engineers, and technology specialists (actual people—including chemists and chemical engineers! Here, here and, yes, here) who currently have jobs “related to National priorities such as energy, discovery science, space exploration, national security, international diplomacy, and U.S. competitiveness in the 21st century,” according to the website.

The Resources section contains, not unexpectedly, resources. Okay, about what? Well, you can find information extolling the benefits of public service and the Federal employment experience. There is also key information and resources for finding Federal positions and applying for them.

There is also a section highlighting the six participating Federal agencies. Information is provided regarding the agencies’ respective missions, needs for a highly skilled S&T workforce, and direct links to current employment opportunities.

...to fill out a quick survey...and learn about gov't science careers. That is all. Carry on.

I mentioned that the creators of INSPIRE^STwould like your help. To guide the development of the website, they are requesting your feedback through the completion of a brief survey.

This beta site and the opportunity to provide feedback on this pilot will only be available through February 15, 2012. Links to the survey are liberally distributed through all sections of the INSPIRE^ST site, or you can follow this link.

I have taken the survey – it is simple, straightforward and doesn’t take much time to complete. I would urge others to do the same, whether one is considering government S&T positions or not.

This is a chance to influence the creation of what could become a valuable resource for job-seekers. I commend the site’s creators for the transparency of this effort, and hope it continues as the site grows. So, remember, please try to complete the survey by February 15th!

Stay tuned to Just Another Electron Pusher as well over the next few days, as Christine has two upcoming posts, each about individuals with chemistry backgrounds, and who are now in science roles within the Federal government.

Evans Boney plays the role of Mike Slackenerny, at bottom right. Photo credit: The PhD Movie www.phdcomics.com/movie

The new Ph.D. movie, based on the well-known comic strip “Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham has been taking college campuses by storm since its release last Fall.

If you haven’t seen it yet, like me, I know you’re dying to get your chance. I just found out my campus is screening it in February—I’m super psyched about this!

Well, did you know that one of the graduate students starring in the film is a chemist?*

That’s right. Meet Evans Boney. He’s a chemistry grad student at CalTech, where his research efforts focus on astrophysics, surface vibrational transfer, novel photovoltaic designs, evolutionary theory, and statistical econophysics.

But in his spare time, such as on weekends and in the wee hours of the night, Evans enjoys writing, acting and producing.

Film + science = dream job

After graduating from MIT (B.S. Chemistry and Physics, Math Minor, 2006), Evans’s long-term plan was to… well, he didn’t have one. That’s why he came to grad school.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life and it seemed like a conveniently long number of years to delay the decision,” he says.

In the past two years, Evans got into acting and film production with the help of his wife, Susanna Boney, who works in the film and television industry.

“My wife started working her way up the ladder in Hollywood… so I started looking on the other side of the fence at her workplace and the grass seemed a lot greener,” he says.

When he was finally honest with himself about his dream career, he realized he really wanted to be someone like  Bill Nye the Science Guy: a writer, actor and producer of science-related content.

His biggest break has been with The PhD Movie, where he plays the part of Mike Slackenerny, a wizened n^th year graduate student mentor to the Nameless protagonist.

Evans has also consulted on a couple TV show pilots and played both actor and producer roles in Penn and Teller Tell a Lie for the Discovery Channel.

“Now I’m marginally famous, signing autographs and working on a bunch of projects, so that’s cool,” Evans says.

If that doesn’t make the rest of us lowly un-famous grad students feel a tinge of jealousy, I don’t know what would.

How Evans got his break

We can all recall a time when our experiments failed and we sat down and googled “What else can I do with my life besides research?” in our frustration. Well, at least I can.

Evans’s decision to audition for The PhD Movie came out of a similar situation.

“I was driven to the idea of acting when the experiment I spent four years building a huge system of equations to explain (I’m a theorist) got retracted,” Evans says. “Yes, that’s why it’s in the movie.”

I’m sure that will make more sense after I watch the movie.

Evans felt the role of Mike Slackenerny was “just too perfect a fit to both my personality and mannerisms to pass up ‘acting,’” so he couldn’t pass it up.

“I was a little overwhelmed when I got the part, having not memorized even one line in a decade,” Evans says. “But I stayed up late nights and early mornings memorizing the scenes and we shot on the weekends, so it fit right in with my schedule.”

And Evans says it wasn’t terribly difficult for him to “act” like a graduate student for the movie.

“I have genuinely felt every joy, pain, and cynical laugh in the PhD Movie, and really in all of the other PhD Comics, too,” Evans says. “Let’s hope they all get made into extremely profitable sequels.”

Evans Boney: chemist, writer, actor, producer, and more. Photo credit: Susanna Boney.

Juggling it all

Besides the acting and producing, Evans also is working on wrapping up his Ph.D. research and he also runs a tutoring company on the side.  In that capacity, he has recently been invited to contribute to the Claremont Graduate School’s STEAM (STEM + Arts) Journal, and has been invited to speak at their conference on the subject this fall.

“I’ve always felt best when I’m most productive,” says Evans, who didn’t take a single day off over the holidays in preparation for a summer 2012 graduation. “Truth be told, I could use a break.”

Sure sounds like it…

Looking ahead

Evans is looking forward to possibly doing a post-doc in solar energy theory in the LA area, and would love it if his tutoring company became wildly successful in improving STEM education nationwide. His goal in film is to be involved in more than five creative productions (TV, film, or print) annually.

He’s currently working on a script, along with his wife, which they hope will make it into the Big Bang Theory. He’s also working on a movie about Caltech Basketball with the team’s coach (“Year of the Beaver”) and a series of science fiction short stories, just to name a few.

“All of them give a realistic view of science, are designed to increase public understanding of science, and/or present sympathetic scientist characters,” Evans says.

Evans describes his adviser’s sentiment toward his nontraditional career plans “ambivalent at best.”

“He has spent the vast majority of his 89 years doing very useful scientific work, and at my age, he was deriving the theory that would wind up winning him the Nobel Prize,” says Evans. “I’d do that too if I could.”

Evans says he has mixed feelings about moving on from research.

“No, I will not miss the sterile, uninviting cubicle where I sit with my back to an open door and turn coffee into mistakes,” he says. “But yes, I will always miss doing original research for a living and will particularly miss the access to reading the scientific journals.  It would be nice to land a post-doc or research staff position so I can keep up with the cutting edge.”

Movie still - Mike Slackenerny (Evans Boney) introduces the Nameless Grad Student (Raj Katti) to "The Machine". Photo credit: The PhD Movie www.phdcomics.com/movie

Words of wisdom

To those who also wish to take their science background into the film industry, Evans advises: “Stay away!  There are so few opportunities out there, and I want them all for myself.”

“But, seriously, don’t expect to get lucky unless your wife is also working long hours in Hollywood like mine did, allowing you unfettered access to their cloistered world,” he explains. “I fully acknowledge that I have had an enormous amount of dumb luck relative to my ‘talent,’ and that it is in general a bad idea to quit science and engineering to pursue creative writing.”

To those who are still trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, Evans says: Follow your inner demons.

This is a mantra that Evans adopted from a professor who spoke at the Lindau conference in 2010.

Evans recalls being “struck by the professor’s candor when he warned not to go against those struggling demons within, since you’re the only person who has to listen to the voices in your head.”

“Our curious larks and unique fits of fury give society the only new ideas that there ever are,” Evans says. “Let yourself be torn apart by new ideas and rebuild society better than you found it.”

Thanks, Evans. Hope to see more of you on the big screen!

*Update, January 18, 2012, 1:45 pm:

It turns out Evans is actually one of TWO chemistry grad students who starred in The PHD Movie.  Crystal Dilworth, who plays Tajel, is also a PhD student in chemistry at Caltech.

To learn more about all the grad students from Caltech that starred in the movie, check out this post at physorg.com from September 2011.

And finally, read more about the cast/crew of The PHD Movie here.