We are proud to support three new symposia organized by student and postdoctoral members of the GSA! Check out the descriptions from the Spring 2017 awardees of GSA Career Development Symposia funding. This program empowers early career members to organize local events that enhance the professional development of their peers, including career skills symposia, workshops, and networking events.  

Is there an unmet career development need in your local research community? We need your proposals for unique and valuable events! The next application deadline is January 10, 2018. 

2018 Boston Postdoctoral Association Symposium on Careers and Collaboration in Science   

Sarah Dykstra

Many graduate student and postdoctoral trainees have strong research, teaching, and interpersonal skills; however, concerted training opportunities are greatly needed to prepare them to leverage their skills for careers in either academic tenure-track positions or in industry. Since 2013, Postdocs from seventeen Boston-area academic institutions have joined together with industry postdocs to form the Boston Postdoctoral Association, a consortium to provide additional training and to foster opportunities for collaborative research and training for the region’s more than 8,000 postdocs. In June 2018, we will hold our second annual symposium to help prepare students and postdocs for success in both academic and industry research settings. The goal of are: 1) provide a unique opportunity for early-career scientists to network and share their research; 2) provide professional development resources beyond those currently available at individual institutions. 

As biological research becomes increasingly complex, collaborative research and information-sharing among diverse researchers are often required to answer novel and high-impact scientific questions. This symposium will be a unique platform for early career researchers to establish new relationships and gain new perspectives on the key questions in their respective fields. To foster academic-industry research interactions, exceptional local trainees from academic institutions and local pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will participate in poster sessions and scientific talks. Panels and workshops will focus on discussing ways for academic and industry researchers to collaborate as well as gain skills beneficial to their career development during their traineeships and beyond. Panel discussions will include speakers from across the region who are mentors and leaders in their fields. Workshops will be designed to provide graduate students and postdocs with transferable skills for excellence in both academic and industry positions. Extensive opportunities for networking will be provided.

Ethical and Inspiring Mentorship in STEM 

Blessing Enekwe

Pinar Gurel

Gary McDowell

Juan Pablo Ruiz

The Ethical and Inspiring Mentorship in STEM symposium and workshop will take place at the University of Maryland, College Park campus on Sept 21, 2017. Please join us to discuss ethical, effective, and inspiring mentorship practices.     

This symposium has four goals:  

1. To recognize and discuss the issues surrounding mentoring in STEM fields.  
2. To discuss effective mentorship and advocacy techniques at all levels: PhD, Postdoc, Faculty  
3. To provide a platform to connect like-minded young scientists who wish to effect change at their own institutions at the grassroots level.  
4. To inspire participants to practice effective mentorship practices and promote these skill sets to their peers and colleagues at their own institutions.  

Among the many roles that scientists play, mentoring younger scientists is one that researchers are rarely trained for. In the current STEM research environment—where lack of funding is but one of the systemic issues faced by young scientists—roles, responsibilities, and career trajectories are changing. Organizations such as Future of Research and Rescuing Biomedical Research have been formed in recent years to address systemic issues facing academic research. Others, such as the National Mentoring Research Network, have arisen to address the training needs of those who wish to remain in academia but receive no formal training in how to supervise and mentor students. Still, there are gaps in the cultural awareness and value of being an inspiring leader, promoting a positive work environment, and in having happy, mentally fit employees. Where other industries recognize these benefits, academic culture lags. But all of these issues are intertwined and lead to the pessimism and learned helplessness found in many young researchers regarding their careers. System, training, and culture all intersect to provide a scientist’s well-being and productivity.  

Labmosphere and Future of Research are holding a conference in collaboration with UMD-College Park with support from The American Society for Cell Biology, The Genetics Society of America, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, to discuss current mentorship practices and how they can be improved.   

This one-day conference will take place at the end of National Postdoc Appreciation Week. The day will consist of talks, breakout sessions, a mentorship panel followed by discussion, and a networking reception. To register, sign-up here. For more information, visit our website.   

Southeast Mycology Symposium  

Abigail Courtney

Aileen Ferraro

Nathan Glueck

Earl Kang

Alexander Mela

Jie Zhu

The kingdom Fungi includes a wealth of biologically diverse organisms that are essential to the global ecosystem. Fungi are principal decomposers of organic matter as well as major facilitators of nutrient exchange between other organisms and the environment. Many fungi are medically or agriculturally important pathogens, whereas other fungal species have crucial technological applications, including antibiotic synthesis, the industrial-scale enzymatic breakdown of biomass, and production of food products for human consumption. In addition, the use of fungi as model organisms has uncovered general principles that are applicable to all eukaryotic life. In 2011, Mora et al. conservatively estimated that there are over 600,000 species of fungi on earth, constituting approximately 7% of all eukaryotes and second only to animals. Despite all of this, fungal biology research is underrepresented globally, especially in the southeastern United States. By organizing the Southeastern Mycology Symposium (SEMS) at the University of Georgia, we aim to (a) provide a regional forum in which researchers can exchange ideas and (b) inform a breadth of scientists regarding current questions being explored in fungal biology. This trainee-organized symposium will be oriented towards research that employs genetic approaches and broadly aims to explore the genetics and evolution of fungi. The research presented at our symposium will focus on interactions between fungi and other organisms, which will appeal to a diverse range of research interests. In addition to exposing attendees to the extensive variety of relationships that fungi maintain, this will foster communication between different fields in the scientific community. Furthermore, a centrally located, well-advertised symposium on the UGA campus will be accessible to a vast number of scientists, particularly young scientists, from diverse locations and backgrounds. The University and the surrounding region will benefit from this unique event that we hope to continue in the years to come.

Guest post by Aurora MacRae-Crerar.

Hosted at the University of Pennsylvania, this year’s Evolution in Philadelphia Conference (EPiC) aimed to foster collaboration among early career evolutionary biologists. The conference was sponsored in part by the Genetics Society of America (GSA) through its Career Development Symposia program, which supports events that contribute to the career development of early career members. The intellectual input that comes with sharing and discussing ideas is a vital part of the scientific process, and the conference provided substantial opportunities for early career scientists (ECSs) to showcase their work, practice presenting, and receive constructive feedback from their peers. The Philadelphia Evolution Group organizing committee saw the opportunity to bring together ECSs with similar research interests from all of the universities in the broader Philadelphia area, allowing the participants the opportunity to build lasting research relationships and collaborations with other students and postdocs. The symposium provided great networking opportunities for all involved; undergraduate students interested in research careers learned about graduate school, senior graduate students explored possibilities for postdoctoral research, and postdoctoral researchers learned from assistant professors about their experiences setting up their own research lab.

The organizing committee, who worked tirelessly to bring the ninety-one attendees from over twenty schools together for this event, was led by Emily Behrman (graduate student, University of Pennsylvania) and Katie D’Amelio (graduate student, Drexel University), Jacob Russell (Associate Professor, Drexel University) and Rob Kulathinal (Assistant Professor, Temple University).

In the opening keynote, Mary Caswell Stoddard (Assistant Professor, Princeton University) explored mimicry, mechanics, and macroevolution in avian eggs, while the closing keynote by Sarah Sander Lower (postdoctoral researcher, Cornell University) covered the evolution of firefly bioluminescence. Bird eggs and bioluminescent fireflies weren’t the only subjects explored; speakers presented on a diverse array of organisms, from deep-sea tubeworms to Northern Fur Seals to urban ants to chimpanzee gut microbes—and many more. Such an eclectic and exciting collection of study organisms is fitting for a conference about evolution, the process that has resulted in the biodiversity of all lifeforms.

Student research was front and center at EPiC. Students had the opportunity to highlight their work in talks and posters—and through boisterous conversation over food and drink. Lehigh University swept the competition for best student talk. First place winner Dan Marad of the Lang lab talked about his work on adaptation rates in haploid and diploid yeast. Also from the Lang lab, second place winner Katie Fisher presented her research on intralocus sexual conflict in evolving yeast populations. In third place, Michael McQuillin from the Rice lab talked about the potential for cognitive ability to act as a reproductive isolating barrier.

The prize for best student poster was awarded to Walker Alexander of the Gonder Lab at Drexel University for his presentation on understanding chimpanzee trafficking using population genetics. Alex Berry of the Brisson Lab at the University of Pennsylvania won second place for his work on the migration of the Chagas disease-causing parasite in urban environments. Finally, undergraduate student Joseph Scavetta of the Vojvodic lab at Rowan University won third place for his explorations of disease resistance in the acorn ant.

EPiC also provided undergraduates from Svetlana Vojvodic’s lab at Rowan University with the opportunity to tour the lab of Tim Linksvayer at the University of Pennsylvania, giving them wider exposure to how research is undertaken outside their own institution. Lab tours like this one play an important role in fostering a sense of belonging among budding scientists and strengthen the scientific community as a whole.

From newly minted professors to undergraduates starting their scientific journey, the early career scientist community was well-served, and the conference was nothing short of  EPiC!

The Philadelphia Evolution Group will continue to host events to bring together evolutionary biologists in the region. For more information about the group and upcoming events, please visit: https://philadelphiaevolut.wixsite.com/phillyevolution

If you are interested in organizing your own GSA Career Development Symposium, the next round of proposals are due January 10, 2018. The funding allows student and postdoc members to organize local symposia that provide career and professional development opportunities for other early career scientists. Examples could include career skills symposia and networking events.

We are proud to support three new symposia organized by student and postdoctoral members of the GSA! The goal of the GSA Trainee-Organized Symposia program is to empower our early career members to organize local events that enhance the professional development of their peers, including career skills symposia, networking events, and scientific symposia with substantial opportunities for student and postdoc presenters.  Read more below about the recipients of the Spring 2017 round of funding: the Bay Area Worm Meeting, Cracking the Repetitive DNA Code, and Toronto RNA Enthusiasts Day. Proposed workshops were evaluated by the Society’s Mentoring and Professional Development Committee based on their relevance to the GSA mission, the need for and the uniqueness of the event, the benefit to early career geneticists, and the availability of other relevant support. We encourage other early career members to come up with new and valuable events! The next round of proposals is due July 10, 2017. 

Bay Area Worm Meeting

From left to right: Jacqueline Lo, Mark McCormick, T Harshani Peiris.

The Bay Area Worm Meeting (BAWM) is a trainee-organized event designed to advance research, foster interactions, and maximize career development opportunities for the local C. elegans community in the San Francisco Bay Area. This one-day meeting attracts C. elegans researchers from across the Bay Area, including the campuses of UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCSF, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State, San Francisco State, CSU Sacramento, CSU East Bay, Santa Clara University, Mills College, and the Buck Institute. The focus of the meeting is for trainees who use C. elegans as a model organism to share their research and advancements in new techniques and tool development with the local community. The BAWM also aims to foster interactions between institutions, allowing attendees to communicate face-to-face to share their research, form collaborations, and facilitate reagent sharing. This meeting allows trainees at various stages of their careers to present and discuss their research in a supportive and encouraging environment. At this year’s meeting (held May 6, 2017), we included a new event where trainees had the opportunity to have lunch with faculty members in small groups to talk and ask questions about career paths in science.

Cracking the Repetitive DNA Code

From left to right: Sarah Deng, Stephanie Lauer, Andres Mansisidor, Danni Wang.

The goal of this symposium is to highlight research that advances the structural and functional characterization of the repetitive genome. The event will include talks and a poster session on repetitive DNA topics such as centromeres, rDNA arrays, and telomeres, as well as copy number variation, transposable elements, and major/minor satellites. We aim to showcase conceptual and technical innovations in the repetitive DNA field, while bringing together a diverse group of local researchers, with an emphasis on providing speaking and networking opportunities for early career scientists. Register and/or submit abstracts at https://RepeatDNA.wixsite.com/GSAsymposium or by e-mail to sll405@nyu.edu

Toronto RNA Enthusiast’s Day (TREnD)

From left to right: Christopher Wedeles, Amanda Charlesworth, Monica Wu, Miranda Wang, Ashrut Narula

TREnD 2017 is a student-led and trainee-focused event that seeks to create a scientific forum for RNA researchers in the Greater Toronto Area. It addresses the strong desire among our RNA biologists to increase communication, build cross-disciplinary collaborations, and strengthen the scientific community. We aim to bring together diverse scientists focused on classical genetics and high-throughput genomic approaches to spark exciting new collaborations. TREnD2017’s keynote address will be presented by Dr. Phillip Zamore (University of Massachusetts Medical School), followed by talks and posters from postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate trainees whose research lies within the broad field of RNA biology and genetics. We are excited to see what everyone has been working on, and we hope that you will join us! For more information and to register see https://trendrna.com.

]]> https://genestogenomes.org/trainee-organized-symposia-worms-evolution-collaboration/ Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:57:48 +0000 https://genestogenomes.org/?p=8293 We are proud to support three new symposia organized by student and postdoctoral members of the GSA! Read more below about the recipients of the fall 2016 round of funding from the GSA Trainee-Organized Symposia program. Proposed workshops were evaluated by the Society’s Mentoring and Professional Development Committee based on their relevance to the GSA mission, the need for and the uniqueness…]]>

We are proud to support three new symposia organized by student and postdoctoral members of the GSA! Read more below about the recipients of the fall 2016 round of funding from the GSA Trainee-Organized Symposia program. Proposed workshops were evaluated by the Society’s Mentoring and Professional Development Committee based on their relevance to the GSA mission, the need for and the uniqueness of the event, the benefit to early career geneticists, and the availability of other relevant support. These outstanding events will receive up to $2,000 each in funding to cover direct meeting costs.

CUNY C. elegans Symposium

James Clark

Nicholas Palmisano

The main focus of the City University of New York (CUNY) C. elegans Symposium is for faculty and trainees using C. elegans as a model system to discuss their research interests and experimental approaches in a constructive and inclusive manner. CUNY is well known for its high quality of education, cultural diversity amongst both students and faculty, and community outreach. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows will be given the opportunity to present their research, critically evaluate data, gain feedback, network with faculty and other trainees, and expand their knowledge. The symposium provides a way for students and faculty from across different CUNY campuses to come together and communicate science in a comfortable environment suitable for constructive criticism, learning, and growth.

Philadelphia Area Genetics and Evolution Research Symposium

Emily Behrman

Catherine D’Amelio

Craig Stanley

This event will bring together early career researchers from the greater Philadelphia area who share similar interests in understanding the complex biological relationships that inform ecological and evolutionary processes. The topics will include areas such as genome evolution, speciation and adaptation, the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution, microbiomes and symbiosis, and organismal responses to changing environments. The conference will provide graduate students and postdocs the opportunity to present their research to a group of peers with related research interests, fostering useful interactions that may spark ideas. We hope to build lasting research relationships and collaborations among graduate students with similar interests. It will also serve as a means for graduate students to receive useful feedback on presentations from senior-level researchers in their field from other universities. Learn more about the Evolution in Philadelphia Conference here:  https://philadelphiaevolut.wixsite.com/epic

Boston Postdoctoral Association Symposium on Careers and Collaborations in Science (B-SOCCS)

Sarah Dykstra

Jonathan Yen

Recently, postdocs from 15 Boston-area academic institutions and Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) formed the Boston Postdoctoral Association, a consortium to provide additional training and foster opportunities for collaborative research for the region’s 8,000+ postdocs. In June 2017, the Association will hold a one-and-a-half day symposium to help prepare students and postdocs for success in both academic and industry research settings.

This symposium will be a unique platform for young investigators to establish new relationships and gain new perspectives. Plenary sessions will focus on ways for academic and industry researchers to collaborate. Panel discussions will involve speakers from across the region based on their strengths as mentors and leaders in their fields. To foster academic-industry research interactions, exceptional local trainees from academic institutions and local pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will participate in the poster session and scientific talks. Workshops will be designed to prepare graduate students and postdocs in building transferable skills for both academic and industry positions. Lastly, extensive opportunities for academia-industry networking will be provided.