Biophysical Society Newsletter - February 2016

19

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

2016

FEBRUARY

Molly Cule

How do I know if my postdoc is a dead-end? So, you spent 5+ years in graduate school working towards your PhD. You were a successful student. You published. You got along with your commit- tee. You were happy overall. You finally graduated and moved on to what you thought would be an awesome postdoc in a top lab at a prestigious institution. A few months went by, a year, maybe two. Then one day, you woke up overworked, bitter, angry, and depressed. It hasn’t turned out the way you thought it would. So, how do you know it is time to leave? There are a few questions you should ask yourself before deciding to walk away. Does your lab lack the supervision and mentor- ship you need? Are you spending your time in the lab working more like a technician rather than as an actual postdoc? Are you publishing and are your papers in top-tier journals? Are you over- worked and overburdened? Do you find yourself constantly clashing with your PI or other mem- bers of your lab? How long have you been at your postdoc? Are you happy? Think hard about these questions as you contemplate the idea of leaving. In the end, the best thing to do is to always trust your gut. You may spend time wondering if you are imagining things. You may tell yourself that everyone else seems fine, this is a new field of study, or you haven’t read enough; but what you are feeling is valid. It may truly be time to move on. Do not hesitate to look elsewhere. It is easy to fall into complacency within a postdoc, so it never hurts to look.

2016 Summer Research Program in Biophysics

May 10 – July 29, 2016 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Priority Application Deadline: February 15, 2016

Interested in interdisciplinary science? Want to work in the fast growing area of biomedi- cal research? Looking to get some hands-on lab experience this summer? This 11-week scholarship program, hosted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, introduces undergraduate minority students, disadvan- taged students, and students with disabili- ties to the field of biophysics. The program includes lectures, seminars, lab work, team- building activities, and field trips. The Sum- mer Research Program is designed to reflect a graduate-level research program. Students who are US citizens or permanent residents and who have a strong quantitative back- ground in basic or applied sciences are encour- aged to apply. All tuition and fees during the course are covered, and participants receive a stipend for living expenses throughout the summer.

Apply today at www.biophysics.org

BPS Blog

Enjoy the newsletter and learning about what is happening in the Society and in the biophysics community?

Questions? Contact Daniel McNulty, Summer Research Program Administrator, at dmcnul- ty@biophysics.org or call (240) 290-5611. The Biophysical Society Summer Program in Biophysics: Case Studies in the Physics of Life is funded by The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health. [2 T36- GM075791]

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