Future Faculty and Academic Careers

Inclusive Teaching Institute for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars
2024-10-25 09:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | ILR Conference Center, King-Shaw Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
This interactive workshop invites participants to reflect and connect with each other to share knowledge, explore how and why social identities come into play in the learning environment, consider how to remove barriers and increase accessibility, and create a plan to support student learning. (Sponsored by the Center for Teaching Innovation and the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers office). More information.
This program is an in-person retreat from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm on Friday, October 25, 2024, with a follow-up 90-minute online (Zoom) workshop the following week required to complete the program. As space in the institute is limited, please register early to save a place. Register for October 2024
If you have any questions please contact Melina Ivanchikova (md734@cornell.edu) at the Center for Teaching Innovation or Colleen McLinn (futurefaculty@cornell.edu) at the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers program.

Should I Do a Postdoc?
2024-11-12 12:30 - 13:30 | Zoom
Are you a graduate student wondering if you might want to seek a postdoctoral position on the way to the next stage of your career? Come hear an interactive presentation and engage in breakout discussion and question and answer by general field of study. Topics discussed will include: reasons to do a postdoctoral position, types of postdocs, how to apply and get funded.
Register to attend.
Presented by Graduate School Career and Professional Development staff and aimed at Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars.
Presenters: Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies and Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development

Interviewing and Negotiating for Academic Positions
2024-11-20 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-02-12 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
An important part of the academic job search is interviewing and then negotiating the offer. Come learn about the art of interviewing for faculty positions from your laptop or mobile device. The format will be interactive presentation followed by question and answer period.
Presenters: Yael Levitte, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity, and Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Register online
Co-sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Studies and the Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, as part of the Graduate School’s Academic Job Search Series.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all Cornell community members. Individuals who have accessibility accommodations to request should contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

Building Mentorship Skills for Academic Careers
2025-01-28 15:00 - 16:30 | ILR Conference Center, King-Shaw Hall, 140 Garden Avenue, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
In this series of interactive workshops designed for current Cornell graduate students and postdocs and open to those in all fields, you will develop essential research mentoring skills, particularly in disciplines where research is conducted collaboratively and in teams. Learn best practices for mentoring research students and technicians and develop planning and communication skills needed to guide individual mentees and research teams.
All sessions will be practical in nature and feature short pre-readings or videos, case study discussions, and self-assessments to help identify your strengths and desired areas for improvement. Receive a certificate of completion for successfully participating in at least 4 of 5 sessions (dates: 1/28, 2/11, 2/25, 3/11, and 4/18). Interested participants should apply prior to the start of the series with the expectation of attending all workshops and actively participating in small and large group discussions.
Sessions are on Tuesdays between 3:00-4:30 pm ET. See full schedule and topics
Questions?

Contact Dr. Colleen McLinn, futurefaculty@cornell.edu or 607-255-2030

Building Mentorship Skills for Academic Careers is sponsored by the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, part of the Office of Career and Professional Development.

Information Session on the Cornell Three Minute Thesis (3MT)
2025-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Learn about the Three-Minute Thesis competition: history, format, judging, prizes, and how Cornell offers the chance to participate. Organizers will field your questions about competing in the Cornell Graduate School competition in Spring 2025.
Register online to attend an information session.

Virtual University-Wide Spring Career Fair
2025-02-05 12:00 - 16:00 | Online
The Virtual University-Wide Spring Career Fair is coming up on Wednesday, February 5, from 12:00 – 4:00pm ET. Student registration opened on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. This virtual fair is open to all students, and students can see the list of employers, register for sessions, and connect with employers through the through the Handshake event.
Prepare and get the most out of the career fair
Review these modules in the Career Development Toolkit from Cornell Career Services, Prepare for and Navigate Career Fairs and Networking. See also their Media Library of recorded workshops.
For more information on using Handshake as a participant in a virtual fair, review these articles and videos for students:

Handshake’s Guide to Attending a Virtual Fair
Participating in a Virtual Fair
View Employers Attending an Upcoming Career Fair

Questions about the virtual career fair can be directed to Kimberlee Swartz and the Employer Relations team. View more information here.

CNY Humanities Corridor: Getting Your Book Published - A Roundtable
2025-02-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Figuring out how to navigate the publishing process successfully can be mysterious and challenging. At this online round table for CNY Humanities Corridor faculty, postdocs, and graduate students, area university press editors demystify the process by discussing the questions they most often hear from authors and answering questions from the audience. Among the questions they will address:

How do I find the publishers most likely to be interested in my project?
When’s the best time and what’s the best way to approach an acquisitions editor?
What goes into a book proposal and what makes a proposal most likely to succeed in convincing the press to invite the manuscript?
Can I send proposals to more than one publisher at a time? What about the full manuscript?
How long should I wait to hear back from an acquisitions editor?
How does the peer review process work and how long does it usually take?
What happens after my manuscript is accepted…or rejected?
What about contracts? When should I expect to be offered one and what should I look for in it?
Is it okay if I’ve already published some articles out of my book manuscript?
I published my first book several years ago. What should I be mindful of this time around? What does it mean if my previous publisher won’t publish my newest manuscript?
What happens after I submit my final manuscript? Why does it take so long for the book to be published?

A resource list will be provided to registrants. Register via Zoom

Moderator: Heather Stauffer, Syracuse University Press
Panelists:

Rebecca Colesworthy, SUNY Press
Laura Fish, Syracuse University Press
Sonia Kane, University of Rochester Press
Meagan Levinson, Cornell University Press

See panelist bios

Thesis Therapy: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Graduate Writing
2025-02-26 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-03-26 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-04-23 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-05-14 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Wednesdays: 1/29, 2/26, 3/26, 4/23, 5/14 at 3:30 pm
Register for the Thesis Therapy workshop (any date)
Facilitator: Lex Enrico Santí, LCSW
“Thesis Therapy: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Graduate Writing” is a CAPS workshop designed to support graduate students facing the emotional challenges of thesis and dissertation writing. Through a blend of narrative therapy, creative arts therapy, and mindfulness techniques, participants will address the psychological barriers that impede writing progress. The workshop offers therapeutic writing exercises and group discussions, fostering resilience, self-compassion, and creative freedom. Guided by professionals skilled in both therapy and academia, “Thesis Therapy” provides a supportive environment for overcoming writer’s block and managing academic stress, promoting personal and academic growth.

Lifting as You Climb: Accounting for Power and Privilege in the Mentoring of Early Career Professionals
2025-02-27 12:30 - 13:30 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
2025 MAC Public Keynote on Mentoring within the Academy
Lifting as You Climb: Accounting for Power and Privilege in the Mentoring of Early Career Professionals
February 27, 2025
Time: 12:30 – 1:30 pm (Box Lunch Available at 12:00 pm)
Location: G10 Biotechnology
Register through Qualtrics
Speaker: Terrell Morton, Assistant Professor of Identity and Justice in STEM Education, University of Illinois Chicago
Session Summary

In this presentation, Dr. Morton will identify individual and collective strategies for leveraging one’s power and privilege to be an effective and impactful mentor who uplifts students while also mitigating or preventing trauma and harm. He particularly attends to mentoring practices that support individuals from racially minoritized groups within the current sociopolitical climate.
About Our Speaker
Dr. Terrell R. Morton is an Assistant Professor of Identity and Justice in STEM Education at the University of Illinois Chicago. He is an alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University (B.S. Chemistry), University of Miami (MS Neuroscience), and UNC Chapel Hill (Ph.D. Education – Learning Sciences and Psychological Studies). Dr. Morton identifies as a Scholar-Activist! His work strives to transform the positioning and understanding of Blackness in mainstream education, specifically STEM, seeking justice and joy for Black women, Black students, and other minoritized individuals given the social-cultural-political-historical positioning of their identities. He is an accomplished, emerging scholar, having published in various academic and lay spaces, given over 50 global and national talks and presentations, and obtained over 13 million dollars in external grants. Through every endeavor, he strives to “walk it like he talks it.”
Sponsorship
MAC Peer Mentoring Program, Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement, and the Future Faculty and Academic Careers Program

Visas After Graduation (for International Students)
2025-03-11 17:30 - 18:30 | Zoom
The Visas After Graduation presentation for international students provides an overview of possible options for working long-term in the U.S. after graduation and eventually becoming a permanent resident (green card holder) if you desire. The law firm of Miller Mayer presents this. This presentation may be recorded by the Office of Global Learning International Services. Time permitting, we will address questions after the presentation.
Register for Visas after Graduation

2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
2025-03-19 15:00 - 16:30 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a competition for graduate students to develop and showcase their research communication skills.
The 2025 final round competition will be held in-person on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in G10 Biotech. We will also offer a virtual attendance option by Zoom for those outside of Ithaca. Attend and vote for your favorite presentation for the People’s Choice Award!
3MT challenges research degree students to present a compelling story on their dissertation or thesis and its significance in just three minutes, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. In addition to the first place and second place winners from among the finalists, audience members on March 20 will be asked to select a People’s Choice Award Winner.
Event registration is open.

Should I Do a Postdoc?
2025-04-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Are you a graduate student wondering if you might want to seek a postdoctoral position on the way to the next stage of your career? Come hear an interactive presentation and engage in discussion about your questions. Topics discussed will include: reasons to do a postdoctoral position, types of postdocs, and how to apply and get funded.
Register to attend.
Presented by Graduate School Career and Professional Development staff and aimed at Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars.
Presenters: Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies and Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development

NPA SmartSkills Webinar: Navigating Uncertainty - Travel Challenges and Visa Revocations for International Postdocs and Scholars
2025-04-22 15:00 - 16:15 | Online
Sponsored by Seattle Children’s Research Institute
In recent months, international postdocs and scholars have faced increasing challenges related to travel restrictions, heightened scrutiny, and visa and SEVIS revocations. This session will provide an overview of the current U.S. immigration landscape as it pertains to J-1, F-1, and other visa categories commonly held by researchers and academic professionals. We will discuss recent policy changes, common triggers for visa revocations, best practices for international travel, and steps to take if problems arise.
Speaker: Brendan Delaney, Esq., partner, Frank & Delaney Immigration Law, LLC
Cornell University is an Organizational Member of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA). You can sign up at no cost to you as a free, affiliate member and gain access to these and other webinars and resources. NPA SmartSkills events are held monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month in 2025. Classes are taught by experts and focus on building skills critical to career and personal success.

Beyond Supervision: Effective Mentorship in Undergraduate Research
2025-04-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Join us for an interactive workshop about best practices for mentoring undergraduate researchers. You will learn evidence-based mentoring techniques and engage with tools that you can use right now to enhance your mentoring practice. This workshop is ideal for the mentors of undergraduate researchers who would like to refine their mentoring practices or who are first time mentors to undergraduate researchers. We are offering two workshop sessions that will include the same content, one on Zoom and one in person (in person includes lunch!).

Sponsored by the Cornell University Graduate School, College of Engineering, and the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), and open to all who will soon be mentoring undergraduate scholars conducting research (in any discipline).

Registration required

Beyond Supervision: Effective Mentorship in Undergraduate Research
2025-05-22 12:00 - 14:30 | 142 Upson Hall, 124 Hoy Road, Ithaca, 14853, United States

Reunion 2025 @ The Graduate School – Cornell Trivia and Networking
2025-06-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Jacob Belding
Calling all doctoral and master’s degree alumni and current Graduate School students! Join us for an exciting afternoon filled with trivia and a sampling of local beverages at the Big Red Barn.
Keith Hannon
Test your knowledge with a fun round of trivia about famous Grad School alums, then relax and mingle with fellow professionals while enjoying a delightful sampling of local beverages. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect, compete, and celebrate!
Advanced registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. See you there!
Featuring trivia hosted by Jacob Belding ’26, current engineering Ph.D. student, and Keith Hannon, a member of the Cornell AAD team!
Hosted by the Graduate School and Cornell Alumni Career Programs.

Future Professors Institute Keynote Talk
2025-06-17 12:00 - 14:00 | G10 Biotechnology Building, 526 Campus Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
The Future Professors Institute engages graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in workshops, panel discussions, and talks focused on preparing them for faculty careers across institutional types.
The primary audiences for the institute are Cornell University graduate students and postdocs interested in faculty and academic career pathways who are committed to advancing access to higher education and supporting inclusive learning, mentoring, and research environments. Scholars external to Cornell who are affiliated with specific programs are eligible to register as well.
Additionally, we invite interested Cornell faculty and staff to register for the networking lunch and institute keynote talk by Dr. Wayne Scales on June 17.
There is no cost to attend; however, this is a space-limited event.
2025 Keynote
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 12:30 pm ET (Lunch from 12:00-12:30 pm)

Fostering Strategic University Partnerships for Excellence and Innovation
Developing strategic collaborations and partnerships is a key element of any university faculty member’s success. These partnerships advance both research, educational, and professional development agendas. There is a relatively broad spectrum of organizations and strategic agendas to develop such partnerships, but this discussion will consider one type of partnership that has received continued growing attention over the past decade. Although substantive partnerships between majority institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been occurring at least since the 1970s, in recent years due to the research trajectory of many of these institutions, expanding opportunities exist presently. For example, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has described these institutions as a relatively untapped national resource for talent. The importance and benefits of this type of partnership in higher education and recent examples of strategies used to create equitable and sustainable partnerships with HBCUs will be discussed.
Speaker

Dr. Wayne A. Scales (Cornell PhD ‘88), J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Prof. Wayne Scales received BS and MS degrees in Honors Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Virginia Tech and the PhD from Cornell University in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics with focus in Space Plasma Physics. He was an ASEE Postdoctoral Fellow in the Space Plasma Physics Branch of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Afterwards, he joined the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech and is currently the J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering and was founding Director of the Center for Space Science and Engineering Research (Space@VT) and founding Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program in Remote Sensing. Prof. Scales is also an affiliate Professor in the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering. He has served as Special Assistant to the Dean of Engineering and Senior Consultant to the Vice President of Research and Innovation working on special initiatives in Quantum Information Science, Nanoscale Science, and Postdoctoral Affairs. He currently serves as Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs where his responsibilities include supporting special initiatives involving faculty development as well as research and workforce development partnerships with MSIs and HBCUs. His work in this area has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Sloan Foundation, and the Genentech Foundation Fund.
This keynote will be held on Cornell University central campus, and livestream access will also be available to remotely participating graduate students and postdocs.
Sponsorship
This is a collaborative initiative of the Cornell Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE), the Office of Career and Professional Development Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies,
Questions?
Institute Dates: Tuesday, June 17 (In-Person & Zoom); Wednesday, June 18 (Zoom)
Times: June 17, 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET; June 18, 12:30 pm – 4:45 pm ET
Locations: June 17, G10 Biotech & Zoom; June 18, Zoom
Registration: https://blogs.cornell.edu/futureprofs/registration-2025/
Registration Priority Dates: June 12, 2025 (for In-Person Participation); June 16, 2025 (for Virtual Participation)
Please direct any questions to: futurefaculty@cornell.edu

Future Professors Institute
2025-06-18 12:30 - 17:00 | Zoom
The Future Professors Institute engages graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in workshops, panel discussions, and talks focused on preparing them for faculty careers across institutional types.
The primary audiences for the institute are Cornell University graduate students and postdocs interested in faculty and academic career pathways who are committed to advancing access to higher education and supporting inclusive learning, mentoring, and research environments. Scholars external to Cornell who are affiliated with specific programs are eligible to register as well.
Additionally, we invite interested Cornell faculty and staff to register for the networking lunch and institute keynote talk by Dr. Wayne Scales on June 17.
There is no cost to attend; however, this is a space-limited event.

Day 2 Agenda:
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 12:30 – 4:45pm ET
Location: Zoom
12:30-1:45pm ET
Panel Discussion: Exploring Your Institutional Fit

Exploring Careers at Community Colleges, Liberal Arts Colleges and Master’s Granting Institutions, and Public and Private Research Universities

~ Short Break ~
2:00pm – 3:15pm ET
Fireside Chat: Navigating a Rapidly Changing Academy as an Early Career Faculty Member

Panelists:

Dr. Avery August, Deputy Provost and Professor of Immunology, Cornell University
Dr. Sherilynn Black, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medical Education, Duke University
Dr. Dean Lacey, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Government, Dartmouth University

~ Short Break ~
3:30pm – 4:45pm ET
Concurrent Panels by Discipline: Establishing Your Scholarship and Research Agenda as a New Faculty Member

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Panel
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Panel

Sponsorship
This is a collaborative initiative of the Cornell Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement (OISE), the Office of Career and Professional Development Future Faculty and Academic Careers program, and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies,
Questions?
Institute Dates: Tuesday, June 17 (In-Person & Zoom); Wednesday, June 18 (Zoom)
Times: June 17, 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET; June 18, 12:30 pm – 4:45 pm ET
Locations: June 17, G10 Biotech & Zoom; June 18, Zoom
Registration: https://blogs.cornell.edu/futureprofs/registration-2025/
Registration Priority Dates: June 12, 2025 (for In-Person Participation); June 16, 2025 (for Virtual Participation)
Please direct any questions to: futurefaculty@cornell.edu

The Application Process for an Academic Job
2025-06-25 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
To kick off the 2025-2026 Academic Job Search Series for Cornell graduate students and postdocs, come learn about the process of searching for a U.S. faculty job from start to finish: when to apply for faculty and other academic positions, what documents are required (CV, cover letter, etc.), and how long the process takes. Bring your questions for an interactive online discussion.
Presented by Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies and Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development.
Register to attend and you will receive the Zoom meeting link via email.
Sponsored by the Graduate School’s Office of Career and Professional Development and Office of Postdoctoral Studies as part of the Academic Job Search Series. We encourage you to learn more about the support resources available to you through the Office of Postdoctoral Studies and Future Faculty and Academic Careers, including individual career advising, feedback on job application materials, and interview practice.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all Cornell community members. Individuals who have accessibility accommodations to request should contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

Writing a Research Statement for a Primarily Undergraduate Institution
2025-07-09 12:00 - 13:15 | Zoom
Through an interactive online discussion, guest presenter Dr. Jeffrey Werner (Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Cortland) will help job-seekers interested in faculty positions at four-year colleges and universities (e.g., primarily undergraduate institutions, or PUIs) outline a research statement that highlights plans to mentor undergraduate students in research.
Register to attend.
Sponsored by the Graduate School’s Office of Career and Professional Development as part of the Academic Job Search Series. We encourage you to learn more about the other support resources available to you through the Office of Postdoctoral Studies and Future Faculty and Academic Careers.
Accommodations: We strive to make our events accessible to all Cornell community members. Individuals who have accessibility accommodations to request should contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We ask that requests be made at least one week in advance to help ensure they can be met.

Alumni Conversation about the Academic Writing Process
2025-07-15 15:30 - 16:30 | 172 Goldwin Smith Hall, 232 Feeney Way, Ithaca, NY, 14850, United States
The College of Arts and Sciences is hosting alumna Dr. Alison Miller on Tuesday, July 15. Dr. Miller authored the book Finish Your Dissertation: Once and for All! and co-founded a virtual co-working community for graduate students and other academic professionals called The Academic Writers’ Space. She is focused on helping people shift from hustle and overwhelm to Relaxed Productivity, a way of working that honors productivity, purpose, and well-being. Her approach is rooted in both science and lived experience. She holds a BA from Cornell and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from University of Illinois Chicago, and has 25 years of entrepreneurial leadership, including founding and leading The Dissertation Coach, which helped over 15,000 people earn their doctoral degrees before she sold the company after 24 years of impact.
In addition to presenting to undergraduate Nexus Scholars in their professional development class, the Graduate School and Arts and Sciences Career Development are delighted to offer 1:1 meetings and an Academic Writing Process small group conversation hosted by Dr. Miller in the afternoon. Individual meetings are available for both undergraduates and graduate students, while the Academic Writing Process event is open to students, postdocs, and interested faculty/staff. If you are interested in either of these opportunities, please sign up via this SignUpGenius link as soon as possible.
Please send any questions about Dr. Miller’s events for graduate students on July 15 to Dr. Colleen McLinn (cmm252) or Jess Shapiro (js3845).
See also:
More resources for Graduate Student Writing Support

Developing a Narrative For Your Teaching Statement
2025-07-16 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
Explore essential elements of a teaching statement for an academic job application. Come prepared to brainstorm key ideas of your statement. Leave with peer feedback on a first draft of your teaching statement, or ideas on how you might revise an existing draft to ensure it accurately reflects your approach to creating inclusive classrooms.
Presenters: Derina Samuel, Associate Director for Graduate Student Development, Center for Teaching Innovation; Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Cornell Graduate School; and Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Register to attend.
Co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Career and Professional Development and the Center for Teaching Innovation as part of the Graduate School’s Academic Job Search Series.

Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, The Messy, and The Pivot
2025-07-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Join us for Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, the Messy, and the Pivot—a virtual conversation series featuring guests who hold doctoral degrees and have pursued diverse careers beyond academia.
In this session, you’ll hear from Dr. Yvonne Masters, Ph.D. (Food Science, Cornell), a food safety & quality leader with nearly two decades of global CPG experience and technical expertise in compliance, auditing, and supplier risk mitigation. Dr. Jenny Valentine, Ph.D. (Chemistry, Yale) is a Senior Principal Scientist at Regeneron, where she leads bioanalytical strategy for oncology programs using both traditional and emerging drug modalities.
What to expect:

Candid, informal conversation—no slides, just real stories
Insights on working in industry, biotech, and food safety
Q&A and advice from experienced Ph.D. professionals

Whether you’re actively exploring careers beyond academia or simply curious about what’s possible, this session offers a unique opportunity to hear from those who’ve charted new paths—with all the complexity, creativity, and learning that comes with it.
Register to attend.

Dr. Yvonne Masters, Director of Food Safety and Quality Policy at John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., brings nearly two decades of leadership in food safety across the nut, dairy, and snack food sectors. A Cornell alumna, she has also served as a Senior Microbiologist and Quality Leader, earning recognition through the 2022 IAFP Harold Barnum Industry Award and her company’s 2024 Vision Award. Her academic foundation from the University of Illinois and Cornell continues to inform her impactful work in advancing industry standards.

Dr. Jenny Valentine currently works in the Bioanalytical Sciences Department at Regeneron. In her role, she leads bioanalytical strategy for multiple programs in oncology that utilize both traditional and emerging drug modalities. She has eight years of experience in large molecule bioanalysis, with previous roles focusing on immunogenicity assay development, validation, and sample testing. Jenny earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell University in the Matthew DeLisa Laboratory from 2012–2015. She is an active participant in several AAPS working groups.

Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, The Messy, and The Pivot
2025-07-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join us for Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, the Messy, and the Pivot—a virtual conversation series featuring Cornell alumni who hold doctoral degrees and have built dynamic careers beyond academia.
In this session, you’ll hear from Susan Korbel, Ph.D. (Owner, Core Research Inc.) and Michael Vernick, Ph.D. (Customer Solutions Architect, Vonage), two seasoned professionals whose paths span social science research, strategic consulting, product development, and tech innovation.
With decades of experience across sectors, Susan and Michael will reflect on how their graduate training shaped their work, how they’ve navigated career shifts, and what they’ve learned along the way.
What to expect:

Informal, real talk—no slides, just stories
Candid insights from two Ph.D.-trained professionals
Q&A and advice for students exploring diverse pathways

Whether you’re actively exploring careers beyond academia or simply curious about what’s possible, this session offers a unique opportunity to hear from those who’ve charted new paths—with all the complexity, creativity, and learning that comes with it.
Register to attend.

Since receiving her Ph.D. in Public Administration from University of Michigan and her bachelor’s from Cornell, Dr. Korbel has been conducting market research and consulting with hundreds of public and private organizations. After many years working in broadcast and public media, Susan Korbel founded Core Research in 1989 when she had her first child. Core Research conducts consumer, voter, and business-to-business research. Dr. Korbel has been behind the scenes helping some of the premiere South Texas businesses and charitable organizations chart successful courses with strategic and tactical planning.

Michael Vernick is a seasoned product strategist, inventor, and solutions architect with over 30 years of experience spanning startups, enterprise tech, and research labs. He specializes in building scalable systems for real-time communication, live video, and streaming technologies, and currently works as a Customer Solutions Architect at Vonage. Michael earned his doctorate in Computer Science from Stony Brook and his bachelor’s and M.Eng. from Cornell and holds 9 U.S. patents.

Approaches to Designing Your Academic Job Talk
2025-07-24 12:00 - 13:15 | Zoom
Start planning what types of job talks to be ready for after the written application material and Zoom/preliminary interview stage. These might include chalk talks, one hour research seminars with an emphasis on future plans, or other formats such as a disciplinary research presentation that also speaks to your teaching, mentoring, and/or advising philosophy.
Presenters: Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Cornell Graduate School; and Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Register to attend.
Co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Career and Professional Development and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies as part of the Academic Job Search Series.

Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, The Messy, and The Pivot
2025-07-30 16:30 - 17:30 | Online
Join us for Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, the Messy, and the Pivot—a virtual conversation series featuring Cornell alumni who hold doctoral degrees and have built dynamic careers beyond academia.
In this session, you’ll hear from Yingyu Liu, Ph.D. (Scientific Editor, Cell Press) and Wing (Yingyi) Zhong, Ph.D. (Clinical Dietitian, Mass General Hospital), two Ph.D.-trained professionals who have translated their academic training into impactful careers in science publishing and clinical nutrition.
They’ll reflect on how they navigated their transitions, applied their research skills in new contexts, and built meaningful work at the intersection of science, communication, and patient care.
What to expect:

Candid, informal conversation—no slides, just real stories
Insight into non-academic career paths in STEM and health
Q&A and reflections on navigating career transitions as international students

Whether you’re actively exploring careers beyond academia or simply curious about what’s possible, this session offers a unique opportunity to hear from those who’ve charted new paths—with all the complexity, creativity, and learning that comes with it.
Register to attend.

As a clinical pediatric dietitian at Mass General Hospital, Wing (Yingyi) Zhong specializes in medical nutrition therapy for children with epilepsy, with a focus on the ketogenic diet and the low glycemic index treatment (LGIT). She works closely with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams to provide compassionate, evidence-based care that supports seizure management and overall well-being. Wing earned her Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences from Cornell in 2022.

Yingyu Liu joined Cell Press in 2021, now working as an editor for the journal Cell Host & Microbe and supporting researchers across various journals. She received her doctoral degree from Cornell University in 2020, studying the relationship between plants and pathogens. Yingyu is passionate about scientific communication, collaborative problem-solving, and supporting diverse voices in STEM.
