1. From the Lab to University Administration
Alycia Mosley Austin, PhD
AAAS Webinar
October 9, 2014

2. Who am I? ScB Neuroscience, Brown University
Research Technician, Children’s Hospital Boston
PhD Neuroscience, UC San Diego
Director of Graduate Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives, University of Rhode Island
Executive Coordinator, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island

3. Do I really want to be a professor?
What if I also want:
A family?
Hobbies?
Non-academic friends?
Control over where I live?
Disposable income or retirement savings?

4. What do you mean there is no path?
Panelists speaking about alternative careers for scientist often said things like:
“Well, I was doing my post-doc and one day someone called me up and offered me this job doing something else entirely.”
Demetri Martin, This is a Book

5. Stumbling into the other side of the university
“Hey Alycia, you’re the type of person who has opinions about things...”
Stumbling into the other side of the university
Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women
Neuroscience Program Diversity Recruitment Committee
Graduate Women in Science and Engineering
Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences
Office of Graduate Studies Diversity Outreach Collaboration

6. I like this work. How can I make it into a career?
Organizing mentoring and professional development opportunities
Collaboration with students, faculty, staff and senior administration on policy issues
Facilitating group discussions and meetings
Developing and implementing diversity initiatives
Graduate student recruitment

7. Networking! It’s NOT about asking for a job or opportunity.
What can I learn from this person?
What can I do to help this person?

8. What do I put on my CV/resume/cover letter?
Begin with sections that are most relevant to the position you want
Put Professional Experience or University Service first, not Research or Teaching
GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES of how you have demonstrated the traits or skills that you claim to have
Make sure you have references that can speak about how you have used your skills outside of the lab

9. What do I like most about my job now?
Having a voice in policy decisions that will improve the educational experience for graduate students
Being able to work with and learn from students and faculty across campus, not just in my discipline
Keeping a connection to neuroscience, without having to worry about the pressures of publishing or securing grants

10. Thanks!