12th Biennial Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Day

Welcome Kick-off and Networking Reception

Friday, October 20, 2023, University Conference Center (UCC)

Serves as the start or “kick-off” event for Career Day! This will be an in-person event headlined by a keynote speaker followed by a networking reception where graduate students, postdocs, and panelists will be able to meet and network. Light refreshments and beverages will be provided.

Schedule:

• 3:30 to 4 p.m.: Registration/Check-In
• 4 to 4:15 p.m.: Welcome Remarks: Leslie Parent, MD, Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies; Carli King and Jesse White, PhD candidates, Biomedical Sciences, Career Day 2023 Co-Chairs
• 4:15 to 5 p.m.: Keynote Speaker: Tish Weigand, PhD, Deputy Director, NINDS Office of Training and Workforce Development, NIH
• 5 to 6 p.m.: Career Networking Reception

12th Biennial Graduate & Postdoctoral Career Day

Saturday, October 21, 2023, Penn State College of Medicine
(various rooms)

Career Day will be an in-person event and consist of four overall topic tracks with 15 different panel sessions. Additionally, there will be staggered networking sessions throughout the day. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Research: Academic research, industrial research, program leadership, project management and research coordination

Education and Communication: Community health and outreach, teaching intensive, science and medical communications, medical science liaison (msl)

Government, Regulation and Policy: Health and science policy, government administration, patents and intellectual property, nonprofits

Business And Industry: business development, consulting, clinical trials and laboratories

Schedule:

The day will begin at 8 a.m. with breakfast and registration and conclude by 4:30 p.m. with closing remarks.

• 8 to 8:45 a.m.: Registration (outside C3621) and breakfast (Lecture Room A – C4618)
• 8:45 to 9 a.m.: Welcome (Lecture Room A – C4618): Daniela Zarnescu, PhD, Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training; Carli King and Jesse White, PhD candidates, Biomedical Sciences, Career Day 2023 Co-Chairs
• 9 a.m. to noon: Morning Panels (various rooms)
• Noon to 1 p.m.: Lunch (C1845)
• 1 to 4 p.m.: Afternoon Panels (various rooms)
• 4 to 4:30 p.m.: Closing Remarks and wrap-up (Lecture Room A – C4618)

Tish Weigand, PhD

Tish Weigand, PhD

(She/her/hers)
Education: PhD, Johns Hopkins University; BS, Millersville University
Job Title: Deputy Director, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Office of Training and Workforce Development, NIH

Job responsibilities: Dr. Weigand spends a lot of time thinking and learning about the rapidly evolving developments in biomedical research and communicating with stakeholders about how NINDS can help to prepare the next generation of neuroscientists for career success and ultimately to continue to drive scientific discovery. She creates and administers grant programs that support research training and career development for graduate students, postdocs, and early career physician scientists. Dr. Weigand uses expert knowledge of all NINDS individual fellowship, training, and career development programs to advise applicants and awardees that range from first-year graduate students to senior faculty who run institutional training programs at universities across the U.S. She wears many hats in this position, some of which include chairing and serving on NINDS and trans-NIH committees, overseeing the NINDS Loan Repayment Program, conceptualizing and organizing workshops, presenting within NINDS and NIH, as well as by invitation within the scientific community, evaluating program impact and outcomes, and overseeing the development of the Office’s communication strategy.

Career path: Dr. Weigand serves as the Deputy Director of the Office of Training and Workforce Development at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Her career in science has hit the trifecta of academia, government, and industry. She began at the lab bench conducting research at the intersection of neuroscience, physiology and immunology, after which she entered government service at NINDS as a program analyst and later program director in the Training Office. There, Dr. Weigand oversaw institutional training programs and many other initiatives for a number of years before moving on to work in the pharmaceutical industry as a Medical Science Liaison for UCB, serving as a regional expert on the science underlying the company’s epilepsy portfolio. This year, she made her return to NINDS to create and lead programs that support research training and career development for graduate students, postdocs, and early career physician scientists.

Dr. Weigand holds a PhD from John Hopkins University and completed postdoctoral training in neuroscience at George Washington University. She is passionate about preparing and equipping the next generation of scientists and professionals for success. Throughout her career, she has served as a speaker and mentor in the biomedical and neuroscience communities.

Registration will open in early fall 2023.

Graduate students and postdocs will receive email notification when registration opens.

Career Day co-chairs

• Jesse White, PhD candidate, Biomedical Sciences, jaw6620@psu.edu
• Carli King, PhD candidate, Biomedical Sciences, cfk5145@psu.edu

Administrative Contacts

• Jessica Kirkwood, MS, Director of Graduate Career Services, jlk296@psu.edu
• Jaci Wildner, Administrative Support Coordinator, juw542@psu.edu
• Carol LaRegina, MS, CPH, Associate Director, MPH Program, claregina@phs.psu.edu

• Anthony Rahawi, PhD candidate, Anatomy
• Jordan Tanner, MS, PhD candidate, Anatomy
• Stephanie Baringer, PhD candidate (successfully defended, FA23 grad), Biomedical Sciences
• Emily Tufano, PhD candidate, Biomedical Sciences
• Madison (Maddie) Martin, PhD candidate, Biomedical Sciences
• Julia Simpson, PhD candidate, Biomedical Sciences
• Cassandra Nyhuis, MHS, CCRC, PhD candidate, Epidemiology
• Yash Kulkarni, MS candidate, Neuroscience
• Corinne Augusto, PhD candidate, Neuroscience
• Candace Bordner, MS, DrPH candidate, Public Health
• Laraib Mazhar, DrPH candidate, Public Health
• Venus Grella, MPH candidate, Public Health
• Tiaosi (Cici) Xing, Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences