Graduate Student and Postdoc Professional and Career Development Professionals Meeting

UC Davis Grad Studies Hosts Meeting for Career Development Professionals

Last month Graduate Studies hosted a day-long meeting at the conference center for professionals who provide career and professional development services to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. The event drew 34 career development professionals from a broad range of universities, including members from almost all other University of California campuses, Stanford University, Scripps Research Institute, Claremont Graduate University, and the University of Utah.

Vice Provost - Graduate Education and Dean - Graduate Studies Jeffery C. Gibeling and Director of Internship & Career Center Subhash Risbud opened the meeting with a welcome address in the morning, which evolved into individual introductions and a session designed to share best practices.

The first panel discussion focused on use of the "myIDP" online tool that assists Ph.D. students in career development planning. Bill Lindstaedt (UCSF), Ryan Wheeler and Michael Matrone (both with Scripps Research Institute) shared their successful workshop formats and strategies used to engage students interested in myIDP.

After the panel discussion on myIDP and workshop formats, Christine Kelly of UC Irvine held a workshop titled "P.rolific, h.ardworking and D.edicated" to untangle the preconceived notions and misconceptions employers often have about hiring candidates with doctoral degrees. She explained why hiring a Ph.D. "makes good business sense" and later the discussion led to a brainstorm on better ways to present the skills and hard work that go into achieving a Ph.D., and why these skills are highly conducive to a variety of workplaces, not just academia.

The participants left with additional tools and strategies to assist doctoral students in their career planning and new ideas to overcome both technical and less tangible obstacles in their career development.