Achievement

Evaluation efforts identified a gap in career exploration, and further analysis found this to be a widespread sentiment among the graduate student population. ICE IGERT assembled an inter-program Student Committee (SC), involving students from two IGERTs, the Chemistry-Biology Interface program, and the interdisciplinary Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program. Last summer, the SC coordinated "Careers at the Interfaces of Engineering, Physical, and Life Sciences," which invited six external speakers (including two ACS 2010 National Award Winners and three alumni) for a day of talks, panel sessions, sit-down luncheon, and afternoon reception. The inaugural event attracted more than 100 graduate students and postdocs from 14 degree granting programs. The SC is coordinating a follow-up event entitled "The First Five Years - what to expect?" Students will compare and contrast Industrial and Academic best practices.