Episode 13_Dr. David Giltner

David M. Giltner, Ph.D. is a physicist by training, and a product manager at Zolo Technologies, a company that develops laser-based combustion monitoring systems for industrial furnaces.  He spent most of his graduate career thinking he would follow the traditional scientist career path into academia. It was during his final year in grad school that he decided the lifestyle and career of a professor was just not for him.  Two months after defending his dissertation, he moved to California with a three month consulting contract from a silicon valley laser company as his only career prospect. In the 17 years since then, he has held a wide range of positions developing laser-based products for optical communications, materials processing, remote sensing, and lab instrumentation applications.  In that time, not once has he regretted his decision to make the leap from the 'traditional' science career path to the world of product development. He remembers the challenge of selling himself as a scientist in an engineer’s world, however, so in 2010 he published “Turning Science into Things People Need.” This book contains interviews with other scientists who successfully made the transition from science research into industry.  It is a very useful career reference for any scientist who is considering a similar move and wants to understand what to expect and how to best position themselves to create a rewarding career. This Spotlight Conversation was conducted and recorded by Dr. Brian Postdoc from ThePostdocWay on October 2013.