By Steve Grugan, Postbac in the Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research (LMVR)
As part of the NIAID Summer Career Panels series, the NIAID Office of Research Training and Development recently hosted a Postdoc Career Panel where three NIAID postdoctoral fellows shared their experiences and what they have learned while navigating a career in science. Panelists included:
- Sila Ataca, Ph.D., M.S., Molecular Immunoengineering Unit, Vaccine Research Center (VRC)
- Victor Band, Ph.D., Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome (LHIM)
- Johannes Doehl, Ph.D., Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research (LMVR)
From undergraduate education and graduate school training to their roles as NIH scientists, panelists described the challenges and joys of learning how to conduct scientific research.
Here is a bit of advice shared by each of the three panelists
Making a memorable impression on a principal investigator can be a difficult part of the application process. However, Dr. Doehl emphasized the importance of trying to do so. He shared his own experience with the task and explained that the easiest way for him to stand out from the crowd was by always engaging in discussions and asking questions, whether in a class, after a seminar, or while attending a conference. This, Dr. Doehl said, is an opportunity to convey your curiosity and interest in a principal investigator’s research.
Dr. Ataca, who began her postdoctoral training during the COVID-19 pandemic, conveyed the necessity of acquiring the technical skills required for students interested in a research career. She stated a fluency in statistics is one such skill and explained that it should be honed by aspiring scientists as it is necessary to properly analyze data and avoid drawing the wrong conclusions.
Dr. Band compared working in a government institution to the experience of working in academia. He talked about some of the advantages of government employment, including the vast number of resources available to him while working at the NIH. Dr. Band also explained that working at the NIH allows him to dedicate his time to focus solely on research and not on teaching responsibilities, which is uncommon in a university research lab setting.
NIAID summer interns and postbacs interested in exploring different career opportunities can schedule a meeting with the NIAID postbac program coordinator, Jennifer West, Ph.D.