Letting Challenges Drive Creativity and Invention some thoughts… Alan Sved, PhD Department of Neuroscience Center for Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh

Careers Communication Collaboration Creativity Costs Change Careers – they have and need choices; any job will require communications; collaborations but this is complicated by the need for independence; creativity at the same time that the advisor needs them to work and be productive on a specific project; costs that are mostly funded by GSR that requires the PI to have them be productive and factoring in that in some places a grad student is just as expensive as a post-doc!, and, whatever they do, it it will probably not be what they continue to do.

Investing in the Future: NIGMS Strategic Plan for Biomedical and Behavioral Research Training “Excellent research training focuses on the development of student abilities through individualized planning and attentive implementation. Successful NIGMS-supported research training achieves the dual goals of equipping students for many kinds of employment opportunities as well as enhancing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce.”

…after training, well-prepared students: are critical, rational thinkers, capable of organizing and analyzing data; (Creativity) have a deep knowledge in a specific field but are conversant in related fields; are able to formulate significant, testable scientific questions and are technically proficient; have the capacity to listen effectively as well as to write and speak cogently; (Communication!) are tolerant of ambiguity and resilient in the face of setbacks; (Change) are able to work effectively with people who have different perspectives, priorities or intellectual approaches (Collaboration); and know and follow the standards, responsibilities and culture of the scientific community.