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The PhD/Postdoc Career Seminar Series
Leading up to the Annual PhD/Postdoc Career Conference, this series of workshops will have a unique blend of instruction, panel discussion, and open forum to address specific questions you may have. Depending on the seminar, the panel will comprise of academic faculty members, industry professionals and/or Caltech Alumni who will provide professional experience and objective advice regarding the development of career materials and skills. |
2007 Ph.D./Postdoc Career Seminar Series - Schedule (pdf)
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10th Annual Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference
Date: Friday, September 19, 2008
Location: Beckman Institute Auditorium
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We encourage you to utilize business cards during the alumni networking luncheon. This is one of the most effective means of marketing and an excellent way to make a lasting impression. We suggest ordering business cards at Caltech Graphic Resources
(call 626-395-3042 for a quote).
Make an appointment with a CDC counselor to review your CV or resume and discuss
your career planning strategy. Give us a call at extension 6361. |
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| Presented by the Career Development Center and the Caltech Alumni Association in collaboration with the Caltech Postdoc Association and Graduate Student Council. |
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 6, 2007 - Agenda (pdf)
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 22, 2006 - Agenda (pdf)
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 16, 2005 - Agenda (pdf)
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 10, 2004 - Agenda (pdf)
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 12, 2003 - Agenda (pdf)
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 5, 2002 - Agenda (pdf)
Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference, September 21, 2001 - Agenda (pdf)
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| Feedback from the Ph.D./Postdoc Career Conference and Career Series |
Feedback from Alumni
"Thanks for inviting me to the Career Conference. I really enjoyed the event, and met some astronomy and remote sensing grad students and post-docs who may make excellent employees. I look forward to next year's event."
David Glackin
B.S./Astronomy/1974
Remote Sensing Scientist
The Aerospace Corporation
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"The alumni luncheon was a wonderful opportunity for me to give back to Caltech. I was able to connect with Caltech PhDs and postdocs and offer my experience and guidance to them. I had always leaned on the experience of others while I was at Caltech, so it was a pleasure to be able to offer it to others now. It was also a joy to see the talent that is coming out of Caltech. It is a community of which I am certainly honored to be a part."
Leslie Fox
M.S./Aeronautics/2002
Product Manager
Portblue
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“At the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference I met a lot of bright students. We had very interesting discussions which I hope were helpful for them in choosing a career. Actually I know for a fact they were helpful since some Caltech graduates I talked to at the conference have already joined Oracle. Being a Caltech alum myself I know what kind of potential students from there have and therefore I look forward to coming to Caltech again.”
Gabriel Stredie, Ph.D.
Ph.D./Applied & Computational Mathematics/2005
Senior Member of Technical Staff
Oracle
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“I look forward to returning to campus each fall for the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference. The conference is an invaluable event for all students no matter how far they are into their PhD studies. I cannot think of a better forum on campus to tap into the insight of alumni representing such a broad range of career tracks out of Caltech. The Alumni luncheon is my favorite part, talking one-on-one with the students and squeezing in a bit of networking myself.”
Philippe Adam, Ph.D., MBA
M.S./Aeronautics/1993 & Ph.D./Aeronautics/1997
Technology Strategy & Business Development Manager
Avery Dennison |
“Leaving Caltech with a degree I'd worked on for years, I had no intention of pursuing a research career. However, I wasn't sure what exactly I had to offer the working world, or what kind of position was suited to my strengths. As I navigated my early career, I came to see that earning a PhD had required so much more than just lab work - one must learn to identify problems, marshal the resources to solve them, and nurse the project from conception to completion. One must know how to write, perform literature research, give presentations, and teach. One learns how to collaborate effectively with other team members. Some may have to convince agencies to fund their projects. Employers of all stripes seek the skills required for these achievements, so it's important to highlight these other aspects of your PhD/postdoc careers and not just focus on the papers you've published or the lab skills you picked up - although those are nice to have on there, too. I know there are others who feel as I did, so it gives me great pleasure to return to Caltech for the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference and spread the word to those now embarking on their careers that employers want you for more than just your technical body of work.”
Kitty Cahalan, Ph.D.
Ph.D./Chemistry/2000
Manager of Market Research
Alfred Mann Foundation (AMF) |
“Since leaving Caltech, I've been involved with companies both with outside ownership and also with 100% employee ownership. Its great to be able to share the pros and cons of these different kinds of companies with folks about to leave Caltech so they can choose a path that's right for them without as much trial and error as I did.”
John Tanner, Ph.D.
M.S./Electrical Engineering/1980 & Ph.D./Computer Science/1986
President and Founder
Tanner Research, Inc.
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“I think the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference is a great event for recruiters around the country to have a chance at hiring some of the brightest minds. It also presents an opportunity for students about to graduate to learn that jobs after a PhD degree is not just about research, post-docs, and academics. The choices for a Cal-Tech graduate are endless. As for me personally, I feel honored to be invited to participate. I am glad that I was able to share my experiences teaching at a state university, a career opportunity often not-recognized or ignored. I hope my talk can open more pathways to encourage more Cal-Tech graduates to consider faculty positions at a state university.”
Angela Shih, Ph.D.
Ph.D./Mechanical Engineering/1994
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona |
“Deciding on a career path after PhD or postdoc can sometimes seem like an impossible task, with so many interesting possibilities to consider and often just as many unknowns associated with each of them. Even though the paths are very unique for every person, I find that the career seminars and networking opportunities at the annual PhD/Postdoc Career Conference can really help take some of the unknowns out of the job search process. As an alumna participating in the conference, I have enjoyed sharing my own career experience after Caltech with students and postdocs in the hopes of adding a few ideas and perhaps clarifying some uncertainties in their career search”.
Joyce Wong, Ph.D.
B.S., M.S., and Ph.D./Electrical Engineering/1995, 1996, and 2000
Principal Research Scientist, Schlumber-Doll Research
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Feedback from Graduate Students and Postdocs |
“I have been attending the PhD/Postdoc Career Fair for a few years now because each time I get something new out of it. Each year there are new people to meet and interesting topics covered. The panels are such a great way to learn about various peoples' experiences and hear their advice even while in a large group (i.e. lecture hall). Each person describes their story and then the audience has a chance to ask direct questions to multiple people in the panel - It's nice and efficient way to get a lot of information! I even was a moderator for an industry panel one year and it was a great way to meet the speakers and have a more personal connection with them. I think the PhD/Postdoc Career Fair is a fantastic networking tool through the opportunity to talk with the speakers as well as attend the alumni lunch. It is so great to have a chance to talk with Alumni throughout various industries, vocations, schools, and with varied academic backgrounds/degrees (and finding out that your degree opens doors and doesn't limit where you can go). Talking with Alumni at the lunch gives so much more life to a company's profile! I look forward to attending the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference every year I'm at Caltech!”
Harmony Gates
Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering |
“My favorite part of the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference was the alumni lunch. It was a great chance for me to interact with the particapants as alumni sharing honest advice rather than recruiting representatives of their respective companies.”
Brandon Quach
Graduate Student, Bioengineering |
"Volunteering with the PhD/Postdoc Career Conference gave me a unique opportunity to interact closely with Caltech alumni and industry representatives, offering a glimpse of 'life after Caltech.' Listening to their experiences helped me focus my career search and prepare for interviews, making me much more comfortable when I actually started doing interviews.”
Heather Wiencko
Graduate Student, Chemistry
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“It has been a real pleasure to attend previous PhD/Postdoc Career Conferences. I have enjoyed the sessions, the opportunity to listen to people that have gone through some of the same struggles, and come out on the other side. The speakers have always been open and honest and as a moderator I really got a chance to just chat with them and ask them a few extra questions specific to me. The Alumni luncheon was a great opportunity to mingle with Alumni working in non-traditional areas, to really educate myself about the many opportunities available to me when I stop looking at academia, national labs and industry.”
Jason Gonzales, Ph.D.
Postdoc, Chemistry |
Feedback from Recruiters |
“The Caltech PhD/Postdoc Career Conference is a very well organized, informative event. The conference has given me the chance to connect with remarkable people at Caltech. The luncheon is a great opportunity for alumni to give back to their alma mater and help students who are at a crossroads in their academic careers. I think the structure of the event really encourages students, post-docs, faculty, and industry representatives to create mutually beneficial relationships which can open up a world of possibilities.”
Amanda Ryan
University Relations Recruiter
Susquehanna International Group |
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