On November 18, 2015, Graduate Studies and the Internship and Career Center hosted an exciting new event for graduate students and postdocs: the Ph.D. Connector, which buzzed with the 211 students and 33 career specialists in attendance. Think Jay Gatsby’s extravagant parties, but through the contemporary tinted glass walls of the UC Davis Conference Center—with an attendee list composed of professionals and advanced degree holders rather than the residents of West and East Egg. The sound of lively chatter echoed through the venue as graduate students, postdocs, career specialists and alumni mingled over finger-food and beer. At the sound of a buzzer that rang every several minutes, clusters of individuals arose, shuffled amongst one another, and reorganized themselves into separate designated tables. With each new seating arrangement came a few seconds of introductory greetings, which then descended quickly into flowing conversation, accompanied by hearty chuckles and the occasional sound of clinking glasses.

“We call it ‘speed networking,’” explains Marcie Kirk Holland, Director of the ICC. “The idea is to gain exposure to a number of professions in a short span of time. Graduate students and postdocs juggle so many responsibilities that career exploration is rarely a priority. Given the complex nature of exploration for those with an advanced degree, a starting point is not always obvious, let alone the time to take action on an idea or lead. The ICC and Graduate Studies are committed to supporting graduate students and postdocs in their career and professional development. This event was designed to provide easy access to a networking opportunity on campus—without the burden of a huge time commitment. Helping graduate students and postdocs explore career options within, and beyond academia, while staying on track with their academic goals and research is a service we are proud to provide."

One of the career specialists, Dr. Hye-Youn Park, is just as enthused when she takes a moment to speak about the new event. “I think it’s really beneficial for the students. Sometimes, while doing their degrees, they get lost—they think about classes, dissertations. But at one point, they have to graduate and be in the work force. The (graduate) programs teach you how to think and to do research, but not always how to get a job, an interview, how to negotiate.”

As a student from South Korea who received her Ph.D. at UC Davis before becoming an Air Pollution Specialist with California Air Resources, Park draws from experiences that may be familiar to many. She cites her conversations with international students at the event. “I can feel some people’s pain because they’re anxious about getting a job offer, especially with the language barrier,” she says. “I can see their kind of perspective because I went through that too.”

Park’s experience resonates with a large portion of the student body; 59% of postdoctoral scholars are international, along with 26% of graduate students.  She spoke to some graduate students and postdocs, who voiced their worries about entering the workforce from an international background. “They asked me if you can get a job in the government, because many jobs require US residency. It can be tricky, but I’ve seen cases. Don’t lose your hope.”

“Overall, I think the event is a good experience,” adds Park. I’m glad that they’re doing it, that I came, and that people may experience this.”

Another attendee, Gizem Kalay, postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis' Evolution and Ecology department, says she was looking for job shadowing in science policy and industrial research when she came to the event. “There were people employed in all different areas, including the areas I’m interested in,” she says. “Usually you have to go through a lot of work to meet someone. It was a really nice collection of people—they were right there with me, already available for me to ask questions. It was very time-efficient.”

She recalls a conversation with one of the science policy career specialists, who was “very well connected, very open to helping other people.” “She told us quite a bit about being a government employee, how she navigated her career. She was open and friendly, and said I could contact her,” adds Kalay. She mentions another career specialist, of a potential company she was looking at, and asking for first-hand experience regarding the culture of the company. “I got quite a bit of useful information I wouldn’t receive otherwise,” says Kalay.

Ecstatic with the results and optimistic about the event’s future, Dillinger draws from a specific memorable interaction that took place Wednesday evening. “One student I was speaking with, amazed at all the things she could do with her Ph.D., was unaware to that point of the strength of the degree beyond becoming a faculty member,” Dillinger recalls. “Inspired by the evening, she will apply for the FUTURE program. We’re happy to have this opportunity through the previous CETI program, which is ending this year, but the spirit of which is being continued by the FUTURE program. It will allow graduate students and postdocs to engage in career exploration, to participate in internships and externships, and to be exposed to the variety of career paths available to them.”

Dillinger sees bright prospects for the Ph.D. Connector event after this successful year. “The event allows UC Davis graduate students and postdocs to make these connections, have the experience of networking, do something equivalent to an informational interview, and make general contacts to members in the particular fields they may be interested in.” The event not only appealed to its student attendees, but also to the career specialists. “Career specialists were engaged every minute,” Dillinger adds. “Some of them commented after that it was a wonderful evening, because they had so many opportunities to talk with the graduate students and postdocs—they felt their enthusiasm.”

Kirk Holland, is beaming as she escapes the hustle and bustle of the meeting area for a few moments to reflect on the event. She looks simply entranced by the success of the night, wrapped into the contagious livelihood of the conversations. “This event is valuable because many people still find careers and jobs through conversation and networking,” says Kirk Holland. "My hope is that people will learn about career paths they hadn’t considered, and feel equipped to take action on connections, leads, new interests, or existing interests that they were exposed to during this event.”