What you are taught in graduate school does not prepare you for working in the private sector. You are taught how to think critically and to do research in an academic setting. However to be successful in the private sector, it requires additional skills that are not taught while receiving your degree. Practical concepts such as managing timelines, learning what is just enough to solve a problem, and learning to fail often are all important concepts for the industrial chemist, which all build off of the critical thinking and scientific fundamentals taught in graduate school.The grass isn't always greener, however. There is a surprising lack of talented managers in the private sector that have the scientific background, the practical know-how, AND the skills to be an effective manager. These skills are soft skills such as coaching and feedback, reaching consensus, delegation, strategic planning, and require training just like any other important skill. However, few in management have these skills and those that do aren't often considered for promotion because of a bias toward the seasoned technophile.This talk will give you a glimpse into my career as I have traveled through the private sector from pharmaceutics to the non-profit world and back again in the search of a role in which I can balance my passion for doing science and my knack for business.

There and back again: What if I like science AND business?

248th National Meeting (2014)

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