EDUCATION
CHOOSING A GRADUATE PROGRAM Undergrads considering advanced degrees can benefit from straightforward, practical counsel LINDA R. RABER, C&EN WASHINGTON
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HE QUESTION OF CONTINUING ACS data also suggest that, for chemists their education with the goal of at least, the higher the degree, the more obtaining a master's or a Ph.D. satisfied they are. ACS, in its report on cadegree is faced by most students reer satisfaction for chemists under age who are completing a chemistry 40, "Early Careers of Chemists," notes program at the bachelor's level. And many that "satisfaction with education varies take the plunge into a Ph.D. program— by degree. Chemists with doctorates are easily the most rigorous educational exthe most satisfied with their education. perience of their lives. Virtually everyone Almost 4 0 % of chemists with doctorates who is graduate school-bound wants inare very satisfied with their educational formation on how to choose a graduate experience, whereas only 2 2 . 6 % of program in chemistry C&EN contacted chemists with master's degrees and 28.3% graduate admissions officers at several schools, and their advice follows. Actually the advice given by graduate school admissions directors is pretty straightforward: Know yourself and what you want, make sure you really want to put Rye or so years of your life into a research-intensive arena, and choose your adviser carefully. It's a process of self-discovery that many chemists take. According to the American Chemical Society 2001 Starting Salary Survey, almost half (47%) of bachelor's graduates say they will continue with full-time studies. Taking away the number of COLLABORATION University of Utah chemistry majors who go to medical graduate students David Fox (left) and Casey school, a very large proportion of chem- Watson in Dale Pointer's laboratory. istry grads head right into a chemistry Ph.D. program. of chemists with bachelor's degrees are For some, the pull of graduate educavery satisfied." Boiling a complex issue tion is an unquenchable desire to learn down to satisfaction and money may not more about some particularly fascinating be graceful, but, nevertheless, it seems to work. aspect of their chosen field. For others, it is a surefire way to enhance their career opportunities and substantially increase GRADUATE SCHOOLS are "looking for their lifetime earning power. students who really love chemistry," says And it works. According to the same Dominic V McGrath of the University of Arizona, Tucson. "I don't think anyone survey for all chemistry master's graduates, would disagree that success and happiness the median starting salary was $48,000. in the profession is strongly related to a For Ph.D. graduates, the median starting genuine love of the discipline. We try to salary was $70,000. The salary offered to provide an environment here in which bachelor's degree graduates was $33,600. people with a love for chemistry can deFurther, the relationship between educavelop into creative, independent scientional attainment levels and salaries carries tists in their own right," he says. throughout a chemist's career. According So how to choose well? Here's some adto the ACS 2002 Salary Survey for those vice C & E N has assembled for underwith a Ph.D, the median annual salary was graduates nearing that decision point. $85,200; for M.S. graduates, $68,500; and Preparation for graduate school should for B.S. graduates, $58,000.
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start well before you get your bachelor's degree. In addition to taking a range of courses spread over all of the many subdivisions in chemistry, it is helpful to take as many mathematics courses as you can. The ACS-approved curriculum, if offered at your undergraduate school, is an excellent start. The admissions committee at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), emphasizes getting involved in research as early as possible—as a sophomore or a junior—although it's never too late. "Beyond enhancingyour application's viability at the top schools, having research experience will help you know whether this lifestyle is what you want for the next several years," U I U C advises. David E. Bergbreiter at Texas A&M University's chemistry department says, "Summer research in a formal program at a different school can also be of benefit, since success in that type of program can guarantee admission to that program I and provide students with a basis for Î comparison when they look at other = programs." I Some bachelor's degree chemists I pursue a master's degree. Typically, this | has not been considered a terminal degree for chemists. At times, it has been regarded as a "consolation prize" for those who couldn't successfully complete the Ph.D. program. But that doesn't seem to be true. In 1998, the ACS Committee on Professional Training (CPT) conducted two brief surveys about master's programs in chemistry and got some interesting information. In its survey, C P T found that 63% of Ph.D. schools admit students specifically for master's degree programs. It reported, Ά rough estimate based on our overall data is that more than three-quarters of the master's degrees awarded in chemistry in the US. go to stu dents who entered graduate school seek ing that degree." Specialized master's degree programs have sprung up to address specific needs of focused students. A master's degree will take one or two years to complete. Jodi Wesemann, who heads the ACS Higher Education Department, notes that "while the numbers are small, master's-specific connections to industry can be attractive to both students and to industry" MOST STUDENTS pursuing graduate stud ies in chemistry, however, head straight for the Ph.D. And graduate recruiters were happy to give advice on how to apply "We prefer not to think of applying to HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois has an exciting graduate program, the onlyone in the country ranked in the top ten in all areas of chemistry. • Analytical
• Materials Chemistry
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• Generous financial support includes full tuition plus a monthly stipend • State-of-the-art instrumentation Contact: Chemistry Graduate Admissions University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 109 Noyes Laboratory Box 57-1 505 S.Mathews.Ave. Urbana,IL61801 Phone: (800) 516-0276 (U.S. only) Web: http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/chem C&EN
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EDUCATION I N T H E S H O P Janice Kyle makes repairs in the glassblowing shop at Utah.
graduate school as a game that requires much strategy," UIUC says. "Your admis sion decision will depend mostly upon your course work, undergraduate research, and letters of recommendation." However, the committee adds, if you are on the "bubble" for admission, "a strong statement of purpose can make a significant difference, so it pays to put ef fort into the statements and gear them specifically to each school. A good expla nation of what type of research you want to do can go a long way to convincing an admissions committee ofyour motivation and desire to complete the Ph.D. Think of this application statement as your last chance to express your convictions and sell yourself, and to present any addition al information that may be relevant."
M I N O R I T Y
Bear in mind, though, that there is no substitute for accomplishment. 'Those with documented research ex perience, good grades, and good GRE scores are most likely to be accepted by the programs of their choice," says David J. Hart of the chemistry de partment at Ohio State University. Morton Z. Hoffman, professor of chemistry at Boston University, is well known at ACS national meetings for his seminars on graduate school. He tells C & E N that "there is a great demand among graduate schools for good, domes tically educated chemistry undergraduates. Those with chemistry grades in the Έ ' range should not have difficulty being ac cepted by some of the schools of their choice." Cornell University's David B. Collum cautions potential graduate students not to underestimate their own worth. "It is a ferociously competitive recruiting mar ket out there," he says. All graduate school recruiters contact ed by C&EN caution against applying to only one program. Bergbreiter at Texas A&M goes further: "I would advise stu dents to look broadly at graduate schools, to look at schools outside their region of
the country I would suggest applying to multiple schools." This is not as econom ically prohibitive as it might seem, since many schools will waive application fees, he adds. BUT THE QUESTIONS of where you should apply and where you should accept admission are intensely personal. And there are a lot of questions. Should you go to a large school, a small one, a famous one, an up-and-coming one? There appears to be no right answer to this question. The di versity of programs is substantial. "Students from small undergraduate schools should not be fearful of graduate programs at large universities," Hart says. "The largest ofgraduate programs is small er than the smallest of undergraduate schools. Classes are small and so are stu dent/teacher ratios," he says. According to a 1997 C P T survey of Ph.D. programs in chemistry: "There is a tremendous range in the size of Ph.D. pro grams —from three to 338 students for the 155 reporting schools. T h e 30 largest schools enroll about half the chemistry Ph.D. students. There are also many small er Ph.D. programs with about 50 institu tions reporting fewer than 50 students. The average size of the program is 84 stu dents, and the average size of the graduate faculty is 22."
S C I E N T I S T S
Mentoring Is What SACNAS Is All About
F
inding a mentor is one of the most crucial and least under stood parts of a successful graduate school career. Stu dents from underrepresented minorities often face a strug gle, particularly in finding a mentor from their own ethnic group. The annual meeting of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) is unique among pro fessional scientific organization conferences because it was de veloped specifically to help minority students focus on higher ed ucation. Held each September, the conference has several mentoring activities in addition to scientific symposia. Informal mentoring and networking occurs at the meeting's many student poster sessions and social events, but there are several formal activities that are integral to the conference's structure. One of these is Conversations with Scientists, which is held after a dinner and keynote address on the opening evening of the meeting. Prominent scientists meet and speak with students and other attendees during roundtable discussions about careers in the sciences, setting the stage for the rest of the conference. Other formal activities include the Mentoring Room, where students can meet one-on-one with graduate students, postdocs, or faculty. Graduate school application advising sessions provide students with a further opportunity to meet and receive guidance from established scientists.
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In addition to the annual meeting, SACNAS has several yearround mentoring activities. One of its premier programs is the Web-based Biography Project, which highlights life stories and professional contributions of Hispanic and Native American sci entists, engineers, and mathematicians (http://www.sacnas.orgi. The project was designed as a resource for K-12 classroom teachers to provide a venue for students to learn more about sci entists who understand the students' culture. However, the stories are also inspirational for undergraduate and graduate students. At the Biography Project's Web page, which was recently redesigned and expanded, staff-written biographies of nearly 50 scientists, including six chemists, can be accessed from a list. The biographies can be sorted by scientific discipline, ethnicity, or gender. The website also includes links to related biography projects of women and different minority groups. For its mentoring efforts to promote diversity in science ca reers, SACNAS was awarded the 2002 National Science Board's Public Service Award earlier this year. Minority professional societies representing other groups include the American Indian Science & Engineering Society (http://www.aises.org) and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists & Chemical Engineers (http://www.nobcche.org).— STEVE RITTER
HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
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South Dakota State University Graduate Program in Chemistry Program emphases in Environmental Chemistry and Cell Biochemistry Research programs in: • Analytical • Environmental • Biochemistry • Inorganic and Materials Science • Organic • Physical Contact: Graduate Program Coordinator Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Box 2202,121 Shepard Hall South Dakota State University Brookings, SD 57007-0896 Phone:
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Applications are invited to students interested in applying the tools and concepts of the physical and mathematical sciences to the solution of significant biological problems. Qualified students admitted to Rutgers and University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) doctoral programs in biochemical engineering, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, mechanics, microbiology, and pharmacology, receive broad exposure to the principles and methods of molecular biophysics along with rigorous training in the relevant physical sciences. Accepted students are eligible for N I H traineeships and other University support. Admission is based on GRE scores, grade point averages, letters of recommendation, and a personal interview. A bachelor's degree or equivalent is required. Students with M.S., M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., and D.V.M. degrees are encouraged to apply. Center for Molecular Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8087 Telephone: (732) 445-6376 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: http://rutchem.rutgers.edu/~mbcenter Rutgers University and UMDNJ are dedicated by law and by purpose to serving allpeople on an equal and nondiscriminatory basis.
C&EN / NOVEMBER 25, 2002
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EDUCATION Because many undergraduate students is especially important if your research some good advice for potential graduate haven't been around long enough to have requires state-of-the-art instrumentation, students. The most important piece of the knowledge base from which to make which is true more often than not." advice from most of the schools had to do qualitative judgments about schools, Collum at Cornell says that "sugges with choosing a graduate adviser. That's UIUC suggests selecting a graduate school tions by peers that it is important to work because, they agree, the most important based on the science. 'Ά11 other factors are factor in your graduate experience will be for politically connected senior investi secondary," it says. UIUC encourages stu the person who will direct your Ph.D. gators should be viewed with great skep dents "to trust reputation and rankings to ticism." He advises that "when choosing thesis research. make your shortlist" of schools to apply to. an adviser, give the assistant professors a In its report "Preparing for Graduate very close look. They offer exceptional op Arizona's McGrath cautions, though: School in Chemistry," the ACS Depart portunities to do superb chemistry in a "Don't rely too much on rankings. They ment of Career Services advises students nurturing environment." He adds, "The are usually based on reputations—and "not to rush into this academic liaison, but first wave of students graduating from reputations die hard. While a department first talk with other students as well as with these young, vibrant groups are often truly may have had its glory years, several facul several professors whose work interests exceptional." ty retirements or departures could devas you and whose personality and research tate a thriving program. It's better to rely group seem to be compatible with your Once you've started your course of study on the facts: Who's active and publishing goals and learning style." Collum adds, "read, think, work on origi now? Who's doing research that nal ideas, and most importantly, really excites you?" ° stay focused. Graduate school is a distinctly exponential learning Boston's Hoffman suggests stu- < curve. This is a rare, if not unique, dents follow these steps for finding = opportunity for growth that should out about graduate schools: be taken very seriously" • Speak to your professors, cur rent and recent graduate students, and visitors to your institution, par FUNDING FOR graduate study is ticularly in your areas of interest. also an important consideration, though those contacted by C&EN • Get up-to-date information; say that it shouldn't be your first reputations take a long time to get criterion for choosing a graduate established or lost. program. Students in Ph.D. pro • Attend graduate school fairs grams are supported in a variety of at ACS national and regional meet ways. T h e schools surveyed by ings. Check out the websites of the C P T in 1997 were asked what schools in which you are interested. fraction of graduate student sup Request and read the brochures and TEACHING Most graduate students in chemistry port was in the form of teaching catalogs. put in time as teaching assistants, often as part of assistantships, and the average of • Visit, if possible; many schools their Ph.D. tuition support. the reporting schools was 50%. have preadmission travel funds. "The average percent support from fac Don't be afraid to ask. "Talking with faculty about their re ulty-generated research funds was 38%; • Check the chemical literature for ref search often highlights interesting aspects university or departmental fellowships, erences to the research work of professors you don't come across in the brochure," 7%; and government fellowships, 4 % ; U I U C tells students. "Talking with stu with whom you might want to study Be with other sources making up the differ dents will give you a sense ofwhat your life sure to look up the most recent work. ences. The departments reported that an would be like if you choose to go there." While graduate school reputation plays average of 7% of the total graduate stu a role in your future career, a much more And it is important to be flexible and dent support comes from industry" important factor is the reputation of—and have some backups—no matter which educational environment provided D y vour research adviser," McGrath tells C&EN. A GREAT RESOURCE for finding out about the research activity and interests of grad uate programs in chemistry is the "Direc tory of Graduate Research," or the D G R (see page 48). This annual compilation of CPTis invaluable. The DGRlists programs and faculty members individually with ref erences to their most recent publications and other pertinent information. In addi tion to networking and talking to under graduate professors, the DGR can be a gold mine for a student seeking an adviser. Virtually all of the graduate programs contacted by C&EN for this story had 58
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program you choose. Graduate school is a sort of apprenticeship program, and as a graduate student, your primary interac tion is with your adviser, not the school itself Thus, having some choice in advisers is very important. "I generally advise students to try to find a school where there is more than one per son they are interested in working with," Bergbreiter says. "Some years, some groups at some schools fill up and a student might have to choose someone other than the person who was their nominal first choice." And, while people count more than in frastructure, facilities also matter. "Look at the condition of the laboratories, the availability of spectrometers, machine shops, and libraries," UIUC advises. "This
Graduate schools in chemistry are ready to compete for the best students. If a Ph.D. is in your future, you will find it an incredible growing experience that will set you firmly on a satisfying career. UIUC speaks for many graduate schools when it tells C&EN that it "is looking for students who are technically excellent, en thusiastic about science, and anxious to be pioneers into novel areas of research. These students are good communicators, interact with their colleagues, and yearn for new perspectives and ideas. They un derstand that the pursuit of knowledge is life's highest aim. They are giddy about being paid to think, learn, and contribute to the greatest collective achievement in modern history" • HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry The Cutting edge of chemistry and biochemistry in a most exciting city... Ph.D. studies with the world's leaders in nanotech nology, materials chemistry, theoretical chemistry, biochemistry, and structural biology • A diverse, award-winning, and highly cited fa^ltf • A supportive and collégial community of steMil||iiduate students, postdocs, faculty and staff IpV wide range of fellowships and traineeships available to cover all salaries and fees • Involvement in interdisciplinary training and research in: • The California Nanosystems Institute • The Exotic Materials Institute • The Molecular Bi^togy Institute • The Institute for Uèïl Mimetic Space Exploration • The Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics I^^^^^^^^W
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Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS http://www.vanderbilt.edu/vicb The Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology (VICB) announces a graduate fellowship program for students interested in the application of chemical technologies to the solution of important biological problems. Candidates with BS degrees in chemistry or an allied discipline and a strong interest in interdisciplinary research at the interface of chemistry and biology are encouraged to apply. Application materials and a description of the VICB can be found at our website. Electronic applications are encouraged. For additional information applicants may contact: Anne B. Lara, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, 896 Preston Research Building, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232-0146. Toll Free (866) 303-VICB (8422), (615) 936-3881, FAX (615) 936-3884,
[email protected].
[email protected] C&EN
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EDUCATION
SEEKING A FACULTY POSITION Hiring committees pay close attention to all parts of the application package VALERIE L. YOUNG
A
N ADVERTISEMENT FOR A FAC-
ulty position in chemistry or chemical engineering in the U.S. results in anywhere from 100 to 300 applications, three to five interviews, and one hire. It stands to reason that to get an interview, your initial application must present you as an individual with great potential to succeed in an academic setting. Practicing professionals trying to move to academia can be at a particular disadvantage because they are unfamiliar with the expectations for an application package and less likely than current Ph.D. candidates or postdoctoral researchers to have a mentor in academia to advise them. Your application should set forth your plan for your future research, state your intended contribution to the teaching mission of the department, and demonstrate your qualifications to conduct research and teach in your chosen field. Tenure-track appointments in the U.S. are rarely pure teaching or pure research these days. While the institution or the department may select certain research fields for concentration, each faculty member is expected to independently identify promising directions for research and obtain funding to pursue them, while simultaneously supporting the department's mission to educate students in the core competencies of the discipline. THE HIRING DEPARTMENT is looking for evidence of a self-starting, independent researcher with good prospects for external funding who can teach any of several core undergraduate courses in the department and develop an elective or two. The applicant whose stated research goal is to "work on whatever the department wants" is not attractive. It is frustrating for members of the search committee to find someone whose experience suggests a great deal to offer the department but whose application conveys no specific plans for the future. The search committee typically consists of current members of the faculty who volunteer to review and rank applications in addition to their regular duties. If the adver60
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tisement solicits applications in specific areas, the search committee may consist of one currently active researcher in each. Often the committee selects the top applications, then the entire department agrees on a handful of interviewees from that pool. This process can take time, so a lapse of several weeks from application deadline to first interview is not unusual. It is hard to underestimate the importance of the committee's first impression— the application package. There are five components to a typical application package for a tenure-track faculty position in chemical engineering or chemistry They are the cover letter, curriculum vitae (CV), statement of teaching interests, statement of research interests, and list of references. A word on the overall appearance: Science and engineering departments tend to be somewhat conservative. Crisp black print in a standard font such as Times New Roman on good-quality white paper is your best bet. Fancy fonts, wild colors, or bizarre formats may draw attention—but not necessarily positive attention—to your qualifications. Unless otherwise specified, a paper application is expected. The cover letter introduces you and your qualifications. Allow one page, perhaps two. Tailor the cover letter to each position you pursue. A sentence or two explaining why this particular position is for you goes over well. If you see a match between your work and that already being done in the department, highlight it, but only if it's real. Anyone can spot the candidate who clicked through the website and pulled off half of the faculty names. The cover letter is the place to explain gaps in your professional experience. Regardless of what happened, you need to present the truth as concisely matter-of-factly and positively as possible. An unexplained gap encourages the search committee to imagine you were up to something too horrible to discuss, and your application will probably slide down in the rankings. Ifyou have changed your career path or your research field, briefly give your reasons. Keep a positive tone; neither whining nor bitterness impresses. It is also ap-
propriate to request confidentiality ifyour current employer is unaware of your application. If you are among the top candidates, however, the search committee may insist on contacting your references before offering an interview Let the committee know if you will be attending an upcoming national professional meeting and how to find you. Set off the session number, time, and title of your presentation at the meeting with plenty of white space so it can be found easily If your formal education is outside the department where the position lies, explain why you are an appropriate match. Research often crosses departmental boundaries, but describe how yours fits, since those who review your application may not be experts in your field. Also, formal education in a discipline is generally equated with qualification to teach it, so the search committee will want to know howyou will share the department's teaching load. THE CURRICULUM YITAE emphasizes your past accomplishments. Both technical capabilities and management experience can be valuable. Particular assets would be study or work at well-respected institutions or with well-known researchers, leadership on a high-visibility project, wide publication (particularly in top-tier peer-reviewed journals), prior experience in securing external funding, and high productivity (measured in publications and funding) relative to your time in the profession. If the advertisement specified particular areas for teaching or research, your CV must indicate capability in those areas. Ifour CV consists of your résumé and list of publications. Allow two or perhaps three pages for the résumé portion. Sections titled "Education," "Professional Experience," 'Awards and Recognition," and "Professional Service" are common. Within the first two sections, entries are generally organized chronologically Unusual ordering or omission of dates to try to hide your age or a gap in your résumé is usually ineffective and perhaps counterproductive. The search committee's imagination can be worse than reality Under "Education," show degrees and institutions where earned (with years), and give the titles oftheses or dissertations and the name(s) ofyour adviser(s). Under "Professional Experience," describe how at each job you developed skills and expertise that prepared you to achieve your research and teaching goals. Treat your time as graduate researcher and teaching assistant as jobs. HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
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Vanderbilt University Graduate Program in Chemical and Physical Biology The Chemical and Physical Biology (CPB) Program at Vanderbilt University invites applications for entry in the Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2003. This transinstitutional program, which spans 12 participating departments in the College of Arts & Science and the School of Medicine, is designed for applicants having earned undergraduate degrees in the quantitative sciences (chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics) who wish to pursue graduate training at the interface of these disciplines with the biological sciences. No prior coursework in the biological sciences is required for admission to the CPB Program. A wide range of research opportunities in the general areas of Biophotonics, Biotechnology, Cardiac and Neural Electrophysiology, Cellular Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Computational Biology, Molecular Neuroscience, Molecular Biophysics, Proteomics, Statistical Genetics, and Structural Biology are readily accessible to program participants. The CPB Program provides full financial support to all successful applicants and offers a variety of competitive scholarships to highly qualified students. For more information, contact: Michelle Grundy, Ph.D. Director of Recruiting michelle. grundy @vanderbilt. edu (800)810-8993
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/grad-ed/cpb
Tel: (858)784-8469 The application deadline is January 1, 2003. TSRI's graduate programs are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. TSRI is an equal opportunity institution.
K E L L O G G HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
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EDUCATION The second part of your CV is your list es in other departments. An applicant who of publications. If your list exceeds half a offers to teach quantum physics is not atpage, divide it into sections such as "Pattractive to most chemical engineering deents," "Book and Journal Publications," partments. An applicant with a physics ed"Reports," and "Presentations."The search ucation and appropriate experience could committee will categorize your publicabe well-qualified, however, to teach fluid tions similarly when they review your CV dynamics and heat transfer, or physical and anyway Ifyou are in industry now, this list inorganic chemistry can be problematic, since many of your publications are internal reports containTHE STATEMENT of research interests ing confidential company information. In emphasizes your ambitions, not your acthis case, list any publications you have in complishments. Descriptions of your prithe public domain, then include a paraor work should be included only to prograph acknowledging the importance of vide background for your future endeavors. publication in academia and describing how your experience in industry has prepared you to be productive in academia. The common advertisement phrasing "include a statement of teaching and research interests" leads some to the mistaken conclusion that the two topics should be given equal space, and perhaps treated in one document. In fact, the typical successful teaching statement is only one or two pages long. List the two or three undergraduate courses you would most like to teach. Describe one or two elective courses in your research field that you would like to devel- COUNSEL Young encourages chemistry faculty op (about one paragraph per applicants to find a mentor who will give honest, course). Most universities provide constructive criticism. course catalogs on the Web, so use the institution's own course titles and avoid Lengths of five to 15 pages are common. duplicating elective courses that already Crafting a good statement of research inexist. terests is difficult, because some reviewers Set forth your "philosophy of teachmaybe experts in your field who expect to see depth and detail, while others will be ing"—the particular principles and apunfamiliar with what you think of as funproaches that you believe will help studamental principles and issues. Based on dents learn in your classroom. Discuss any your statement of research, reviewers will prior experience or preparation you have try to predict your future success in genfor teaching. If you have won teaching erating innovative ideas and approaches, awards or received good student evaluaattracting funding, and getting published. tions, include them. All teaching experience does not come from academic enviAs an academic researcher, you will be ronments. Conducting training within expected to set your own research direction, obtain your own funding, manage your company (group-based or one-onyour own research group, and develop a one) or coaching youth athletics, for expositive reputation for yourself and your ample, can help you develop teaching skills. institution. % u r statement of research inAn earned degree in a particular disciterests should be a specific, forward-lookpline is generally taken as evidence of qualing document that demonstrates your poification to teach in that discipline. Ifyour tential to succeed in all of these areas. The formal education is in a discipline outside two most common mistakes are describing the department to which you are applying, it is particularly important to identify general areas of interest without proposing specific work, and describing mainly pricourses within the department that you or work with the assumption that it alone believe you are qualified to teach and perwill indicate future success. haps explain how you are qualified. DeOpen with an introduction that departments must provide instruction for all scribes the importance of your research of their courses and seldom see any adfield and explains the contributions to be vantage to providing instruction for cours62
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made in your particular area of emphasis. Then get specific. One successful strategy is to discuss in depth two to four student research projects in your area of emphasis. Whether these projects are geared toward Ph.D. or M.S. students will depend on the institution to which you apply Increasingly purely undergraduate institutions are expecting significant research efforts from their faculty in which case descriptions of undergraduate research projects will be expected. For institutions with graduate programs, focusing on graduate student projects, but mentioning how undergraduates could also contribute, 1 will probably be viewed favorably FiS nally, name the organizations to 2j whichyou will apply for funding and > the journals in which you expect to t publish. This is particularly impor£ tant for applicants who have been S away from academia for some time, because it shows awareness of "the way the system works." The final application component is your list of references. Some departments request letters of recommendation with the initial application, while others expect only the names and contact information for people who will act as your references if you make it to the next round. As references, choose people who can speak to your ability to be creative and innovative, to manage people and projects, and to teach. Include at least one research-active faculty member on your list. Normally, supervisors for your Ph.D. and postdoctoral research are expected to be listed. THREE ADDITIONAL STEPS may increase the chances that your application will lead to an interview: First, read the ad. Be sure your application includes all of the requested components and is responsive to the ad. If the ad requests something you can't provide (for example, transcripts are requested, and your alma mater doesn't provide them), explain the omission in your cover letter and hope for the best. If applications are requested in specific research areas, realize that even a high-quality application in another area is a long shot. Frequently, funding for the position is conditional on the research area. Second, research the position. Determine what makes this the right position for you, and highlight it in your cover letter. Look at the department and institution Web pages, as well as published guides for selecting colleges, universities, and HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
Stony Brook University offers Graduate Chemistry Research opportunities in the following areas: • Biological • Inorganic • Nuclear • Organic • Physical • Polymers • Materials
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Graduate Research in Chemistry at swmurt wmm mwmmν Southern Illinois University Carbondale Ph.D. and M.S. Research Opportunities in Core Areas of Analytical Inorganic, Materials, Organic, and Physical Chemistry Interfacing with Nanoscience/' Nanotechnology and Biological specialties
Our students also study at nationally recognized research centers, including: • The Centers for Molecular Medicine at Stony Brook • The Center for Environmental and Molecular Science at Stony Brook • Brookhaven National Laboratory • Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory For more information, visit our Web site: wwwxhem.sunysb.edu AA/EOE
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(MÉLfàmTech The Department of Chemistry at Michigan Technological University offers graduate programs leading to MS and PhD degrees in Biochemistry, Chem. Education, Environmental, Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical and Polymer Chemistry. Many of our research projects are in interdisciplinary areas (environmental science, molecular biology, materials science). The Department is very well equipped with modern research instrumentation; adequate financial aid (tuition & stipend) is available for qualified applicants.
• Growing, vibrant department • Fully supported graduate fellowships
• Stimulating, supportive environment • Close contact with young, energetic faculty • Distinguished alumni in academia and industry • Near Shawnee Natl. Forest; Countless outdoor activities For more info, visit: www.science.siu.edu/chemistry/ or E-mail:
[email protected] The University of Texas at Dallas Department of Chemistry Ph.D. with an Industrial Internship Option NanoTech Institute
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Contact us for more information: Department of Chemistry Michigan Technological University Houghton, Ml 49931 Tel. (906)487-2048 Fax. (906) 487-2061 http://www.chemistry.mtu.edu/ HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
[email protected] (800) 324-3614 chemistry.utdallas.edu C&EN / NOVEMBER 25, 2002
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EDUCATION graduate schools. Look at the number of faculty compared with the number of stu dents at the undergraduate, M.S., and Ph.D. levels. Look at the publications and funding secured by current faculty at your anticipated level (typically assistant pro fessor for those new to academia). Which are the most active fields for research? Look at the location and the other pro grams offered by the institution. Are there opportunities for collaboration within the department, across departments, or with nearby industry? Third, get a mentor. Get someone cur rently in academia in North America to read your application package. Ask your Ph.D. or postdoctoral supervisor, a favorite professor from your undergraduate days, or just anyone on the faculty at one ofyour old schools. Get over feeling funny about call ing them because you haven't been in con tact in years. People are surprisingly will ing to give help if you ask for it, and most programs consider that it enhances their reputation when their graduates secure faculty positions elsewhere. Ideally, you want someone who has served on a search committee in the past five years, so you might ask your initial contact to recom mend someone. Ifyou earned much ofyour education or experience abroad, seek a mentor well steeped in U.S. or Canadian culture to read your cover letter, in particular, for appro priate tone. W h a t seems polite in one cul ture can come across as obsequious in an other; what seems businesslike in one culture can come across as rude or abrupt in another. Ifou need honest, constructive criticism, so remind your mentor that sparing your feelings will not help you get the job you want. Then when the criticism comes, ac cept it graciously, not defensively. Re member that your application must speak for itself; you cannot expect a chance to explain to the search committee what you really meant. Now slide your application into a big en velope, mail it away and wait. Keep a list of contact information for all of your applica tions. In four to six weeks, follow up with a note to remind the search committee chair man you are still available and interested. Hopefully you are on your way to a deman ding and rewarding career in academia·
CRASH COURSE IN LAB MANAGEMENT Two foundations take the lead in teaching the skills that young faculty will need to succeed AMANDA YARNELL, C&EN WASHINGTON
I
T'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN: A NEW
crop of seasoned postdocs is on the hunt for faculty jobs. But although these aspiring assistant professors have been highly trained to do research, they have had little or no formal training in manag ing a lab of their own. A course offered this past summer by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) aimed to fill this training gap. "Faculty are hired largely on the basis of their own research accomplishments and their ability to articulate their ideas," ex plains biochemist Thomas R. Cech, presi dent of H H M I . "But their ultimate success depends to a large extent on a very different set of skills: their ability to hire the right technicians, students, and postdocs and em power them to do their best work."
THAT'S A TALL, almost daunting, order for most young faculty The more obvious skills that green assistant professors are ex pected to have mastered—almost entire ly by osmosis—include hiring the right people (and firing them, if need be) and mentoring students effectively But they're also expected to have absorbed a whole host of other skills, such as how to effec tively manage their time, write grants and papers, and handle big budgets. "The things I know about running a lab have come from watching others," admits Janice D. Pata, a former H H M I fellow and postdoc at Yde University who is looking for her first faculty position. T.Joseph Kappock, an ex-HHMI fellow starting his third year as an assistant professor of biochem istry at Washington University, St. Louis, agrees: " % u learn by example and coun terexample —there's a complete lack of for mal management training in the sciences." BWF and H H M I , both private philan thropic organizations that support research and education in biomedical science, part Valerie L. Young is an assistant professor in nered last summer to offer a three-day the department of chemical engineering at Ohio course in lab management to their current University. She has served on three faculty and past fellowship recipients. search committees. This article represents her The course was developed by BWF's personal opinion and not the official policy of Martin Ionescu-Pioggia and H H M I ' s any particular institution. Maryrose E. Franko, who manage the foun 64
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dations' respective fellowship programs. Designed with input from an all-star group ofprofessors running highly successful labs, the course was not meant to be a pre scription, but rather to give young and fu ture faculty a window on different profes sors' perspectives. Topics included obtaining and negoti ating a faculty position, project manage ment, collaborations, getting funded, get ting published, data management and maintaining laboratory notebooks, budg eting, and technology transfer. But some of the most well-received—and perhaps most acutely needed—sessions dealt with lab
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ROLE MODEL HHMI President Cech discusses his experiences as a faculty member with postdocs and young faculty at lab management course in July.
NETWORKING BWF's IonescuPioggia discusses lab management with BWF fellow KatyBaty. HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
university
of
massachusetts
amherst
chemistry
The University of Oklahoma Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
GRADUATE STUDIES
