Achievement

Tailored electives empower students to explore career options. In Drug Design, industry leaders lecture about inner workings and challenges facing industry. Through a field trip to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, students tour laboratories, see interdisciplinary teams in action, and gain perspective about industrial careers. Sarah Wilson (IGERT trainee, Chemical Engineering) commented, "Working in industry has always seemed somewhat intimidating, but this made me realize that I am already on my way to gaining the experience that I will need for my future career." The Polymer Science & Engineering and Center for Teaching co-sponsor Intro to Scientific Teaching, which targets effective teaching practices and presents teaching-oriented careers available to PhD graduates. Mike Lis (IGERT trainee, Polymer Science & Engineering) commented, "In the thick of research, it is sometimes easy to lose perspective on future career interests, and this course helped me reestablish that perspective."