But not all graduate students can find people who share their goals; nor do all have access to information and counseling to help them consider options. A recent informal survey by the authors of a policy forum in Science asked the administrators of 10 US biology departments if they maintained job placement data regarding their alumni, to help current students build relationships with working scientists.1 No department could publicly produce that data to help students network. In contrast, professional law and business schools regularly compile job placement and salary data for student use.
Often principal investigators recommend where their postdocs and grad students can go, and traditional academic counselors don't always help. "I would have never found anything that fit my career interests and goals through my advisers," says Lisa Schaefer. She wanted to work in regulatory affairs after completing her PhD in neuroscience at Loyola University.
With little official ...
