Biochemistry and Molecular Biology PhD candidate Madeline Jensen joins us on The Next Step to share her path from graduate school to a new postdoc position at UT Southwestern.In this episode, Maddie reflects on the origins of her love of science, the increasing importance of RNA research, and what the postdoctoral search process really entails. She discusses the critical role of mentorship, why PhD trainees should feel confident heading into interviews, and offers top advice for those considerin...
Jun 17, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this special episode for Mental Health Awareness Month, we explore the emotional toll of high-pressure careers in science and medicine, and why acknowledging our limits is essential to thriving.Amber Rivera, Director of Learner Life and Wellness here at SMD, shares how she supports graduate students and postdocs through moments of stress, uncertainty, and overwhelm. Karen Leitner, MD alum and now a leadership and wellness coach for women physicians, reflects on her personal experience with bu...
May 19, 2025•37 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Jessie Hogestyn is 2020 graduate of our Neuroscience Graduate Program, now a senior scientist at Sanofi. She shares how she balanced the demands of neuroscience research with career exploration during grad school, as well as how staying open and adaptable led her to a spot at Sanofi where she's spent the first five years of her career.From networking and internships to navigating the transition from academia to biotech, Jessie offers practical advice for anyone thinking about their next step. 00...
May 01, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Grad school is a marathon, so how do you stay energized and perform at your best?In this episode of The Next Step Podcast, we dive into strategies for staying healthy in academia—from quick, nutritious meals to realistic ways to stay active with a packed schedule.What you’ll learn:🔵 How diet and exercise impact focus and resilience🔵 Easy meal hacks for busy lab schedules🔵 Ways to prevent burnout and maintain balanceSpeakers:Darren Lipomi, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical Engin...
Mar 28, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 3
We're thrilled to have Tom O'Connor, PhD, SMD Genetics/Pharmacology and Physiology alum, join us for the latest episode of The Next Step podcast.Tom shares insights on transitioning from graduate school to being a scientist at @rpcicreative . He also discusses his shift from muscle biology to cancer research, and how a passion for scientific writing shaped his career.Get insights on public speaking, networking, and the importance of taking time to reflect before diving into your next career phas...
Feb 26, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The intersection of stroke rehabilitation & neuroscience research is transforming our understanding of the brain and recovery after a stroke. Catherine Lang, PT, PhD, Barbara J Norton Professor of Physical Therapy, Professor of Neurology and Occupational Therapy, and Associate Director of the Movement Science Program at the University of Washington in St. Louis, shares expert insights into stroke therapy, the challenges of regaining motor function, and how personal and environmental factors ...
Feb 05, 2025•18 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Savannah Moritzky, PhD is a 2022 graduate of our Translational Biomedical Science program, now working as a scientist at HDT Bio in Seattle. She joins The Next Step to talk about getting her first job at a start-up across the country where she had no established network, what it truly means to "wear many hats" at a young company, what qualities they look for in applicants now that she's part of the decision-making process, and much more. --- myHub's vision is to ensure all learners have a positi...
Dec 12, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In celebration of International Education Week in November, we hosted a special conversation with two alumni who began their journeys at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry as international students. Cindi Lewis, who now serves as executive management to the Director General at the World Health Organization, and Vivek Nanda, an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham leading groundbreaking cardiovascular research, joined us to share their stories. ...
Nov 27, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In the latest episode of The Next Step, we sit down with Jeff Wyatt, the University of Rochester's Veterinarian and Professor of Comparative Medicine, to discuss his career journey and the fascinating intersections between human, animal, and ecosystem health. Jeff talks about what led to his decision to pursue a master's in Public Health and ultimately bridge gaps between veterinary and human medicine, taking him all over the world to do so. As the first veterinarian to complete the Public Healt...
Nov 07, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Our latest career discussion features Tara Vrooman Murante, who received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology in July 2024. Tara is fresh into her new role as an Assistant Professor of Biology at Westfield State University in Massachusetts. We talk about how her intentions of going to medical school shifted to focus on a teaching career, how she developed relevant teaching experience to make her a top candidate, and how swing dancing played a role in her going to grad school. This interview wa...
Oct 03, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 8
We’re excited to share a recent episode of NeURoscience Perspectives, the podcast produced by the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience. In this special edition, you'll see a curated, powerful mash-up of the best career and grad school advice from world-renowned neuroscientists who have visited the University of Rochester. If you’re curious about how a career in science might look for you, or if you’re looking for inspiration and practical advice from leading experts, this episode is a must-liste...
Sep 05, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Special episode alert! The myHub crew joins the podcast as we take a look back some of the top pieces of wisdom from our alumni guests so far this year, as well as let our current graduate and postdoc trainees know about all the professional development resources they have at their disposal. myHub is a professional and career development office established for SMD graduate trainees bringing together eight critical areas, including learner life/wellness, writing services, fellowships and grants, ...
Jul 30, 2024•50 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Stefan joins us for our latest episode of The Next Step to talk about his career journey, how he transitioned from a technical role to strategic business development, advice to trainees exploring a career in regulatory affairs, and more. Stefan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sburde/ Pathology PhD Program: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/education/graduate/phd/pathology.aspx TÜV SÜD: https://www.tuvsud.com/en-us If you're interested in career planning, writing services, alumni mentorship...
Jun 13, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Jamie Butler, PhD is a 2002 graduate of our Biophysics graduate program and now works as the Vice President of Marketing at Hamamatsu, a leading company of light and technology products. We talk about how he became interested in tech, what it was like starting his career in sales, taking a year off from his career for personal reasons, and ultimately how he worked his way up to his current role. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, research...
May 07, 2024•46 min•Season 2Ep. 4
We're thrilled to welcome Brenda Santiago Narvaez, PhD to our next career discussion on The Next Step! Hear about Brendaliz's journey from Puerto Rico to Rochester, why she decided to pursue teaching, how mentors had an impact on her journey, and more. Brenda is a 2012 graduate of our Microbiology and Immunology program. She also completed the PREP and Summer Scholars programs before pursuing graduate studies. She's currently an associate professor of Biology at Rollins College in Winter Park, F...
Apr 09, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 3
We're excited to welcome 2021 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology graduate Nazish Jeffery, PhD to the podcast! Nazish is currently a Bioeconomy Policy Manager with the Federation of American Scientists. She talks about what a career in science policy looks like and how she broke into the space. Nazish on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazish-jeffery/ Federation of American Scientists: https://fas.org/ If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and gran...
Mar 04, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Kicking off season two of The Next Step is 2022 Toxicology grad Ian Krout, PhD! Ian joins us to talk life as a postdoc at Emory University School of Medicine, why he chose to pursue a postdoc, what were some of the key steps he took before identifying the right opportunity, and more. Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ikrout/ Ian on X: https://twitter.com/ADME_Ian If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, research ethics, graduate stud...
Feb 06, 2024•23 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Kaisha Gonzalez, Ph.D., a 2012 graduate of our Microbiology and Immunology program, joins us to discuss the world of scientific affairs. What does a typical day look like for a senior principal scientist at DiaSorin Molecular LLC? What skills are needed to break into the field? How much communication is involved? She also encourages graduate trainees to be multidisciplinary thinkers and constantly be learning. This conversation was recorded live on LinkedIn on Oct. 24, 2023. Kaisha on LinkedIn: ...
Nov 28, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 10
David Simon, PhD joins us for this episode The Next Step podcast. He received his doctorate in 2007 from our Microbiology and Immunology program. He went on to work in infectious diseases, eventually receiving a Presidential Commendation in 2021 for his work on Operation Warp Speed, leading a team in charge of shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine all around the world. He talks to us about the importance of learning to present your work, how a PhD prepares you for much more than what you're research...
Nov 16, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Monique Mendes, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University and 2020 neuroscience program graduate joins us for the latest episode of The Next Step. She talks about her journey from Jamaica to Rochester, the rewards and challenges that come with being the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. from the Neuroscience Graduate Program here at UofR, the importance of advocating for yourself, her current work at Stanford, and more. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events...
Nov 07, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Carissa Childs, PhD, JD is an '05 alum of our Toxicology program. She currently works as senior IP counsel at Amgen, a biotechnology research company. She joins us on the latest episode of The Next Step to discuss her work at Amgen, how her Toxicology Ph.D. prepared her for a career in legal, what resources she took advantage of in graduate school that made her want to pursue law, why it's so important to reach out to alumni, and more. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship,...
Oct 31, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Cassandra Houser, Ph.D., 2022 graduate of our Microbiology and Immunology program, joins us to chat the importance of informational interviews and how they helped her find the right fit, salary negotiation, what she might do differently if she could go back to grad school, and more. Cassandra brings a fresh perspective on the current job market for someone with a specialty in immunotoxicology. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, research e...
Oct 25, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 6
On this special episode of The Next Step, several members of the University of Rochester Postdoctoral Association join the podcast to discuss why each of them decided to pursue postdoc opportunities, what exactly the PDA is and how they create a better experience for postdocs at the institution. For more on our trainee groups, writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, and research ethics, check out myHub, your resource for all things professional development. https://m...
Oct 19, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Yin-Yin Wang, a 2015 alum of our microbiology and immunology graduate program, joins us to chat about her journey from grad student to now chief of staff at Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. We also discuss some atypical lessons she learned during the job hunt, as well as some things she might do differently if she could go back to grad school. She talks about the importance of being clear about what you want when trying to network or get informational interviews. She also encourages trainees to be up...
Oct 11, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Louben Dorval, Ph.D., a 2021 graduate of our Cellular Molecular and Pharmacology program, joins us to discuss how he built a LinkedIn profile that got recruiters' attention when he was looking for a job. Hear about how he used private messaging and informational interviewing to land his first job out of grad school. He's currently a preclinical scientist at Akero Therapeutics. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, research ethics, graduate s...
Oct 09, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Eric Schott, Ph.D., a 2017 graduate of SMD's Cell Biology of Disease program, joins the podcast to discuss his experience starting a company while finishing up grad school. He also shares some things he would do differently if he could be a grad student again, as well as some of the resources he utilized along the way to help him network and learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, research ethics, gr...
Oct 06, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2
E'Lissa Flores, Ph.D., a 2018 graduate of SMD's Translational Biomedical Science program, talks about her career journey to working in the non-profit sector, her transition out of graduate school, imposter syndrome, the importance of being your authentic self, and much more. If you're interested in writing services, alumni mentorship, events, fellowships and grants, research ethics, graduate student and postdoctoral groups, check out myHub, your resource for all things professional development: ...
Sep 29, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1
