Save Our Science Panel & Speed Mentoring

The US Presidential administration is making unprecedented, sweeping funding and staff cuts to many government life science institutions such as the NIH and NSF. Academic institutions are already feeling the effects, some have canceled life science graduate admissions for the next year. Thousands of life scientists who have lost their jobs and funding, and these cuts will cause irreparable and incalculable damage to one of the world’s leading research and world health super powers.

Life scientists need to understand the changes and learn how best to stay informed and prepare for what lies ahead. Those directly affected may need to pivot their career paths into the private sector and it’s conceivable that some scientists may need to relocate outside of the US.

Of course, the life science industry as a whole should take actions to prevent this potential brain drain and dissolution of our infrastructure. We’ve assembled a panel of experts which will help us to understand the scope of the changes that are happening as well as how best for us to fight back. The SOS panel:

• Adriana Bankston, PhD, AAAS STPF/ASGCT Congressional Policy Fellow, US House of Representatives
• Colette Delawalla, PhD, Executive Director, Stand Up for Science
• Alyssa Sinclair, PhD, Incoming Assistant Professor, Rice University, SCIMaP Co-Founder
• Ellen Kuwana, MS, Kuwana Consulting, Award-winning Science Communicator (Moderator)

This panel will take place during the first hour of the event, and will be followed by a virtual speed mentoring activity, where job seekers and early stage scientists (mentees) can learn from more experienced life science professionals and those who are hiring (mentors). The Speed Mentoring is a new “flavor” of the Scientific Speed Networking we are introducing to help with the current job situation in the US. The speed mentoring activity is optional, and we ask that if you sign up for it, that you attend the event ONLY to mentor or to be mentored, please no selling/business development activities. If you would like to attend the panel and not the speed mentoring, choose the “general” ticket.