Followtheyellowbrickmaze:PlanningyourcareerpathinResearch

Development

NORDP2016

PanelistsJoannaDownerAssociateDeanforResearchDevelopmentatDukeUniversitySchoolofMedicine

DawnMcArthurDirector,ResearchandTechnologyDevelopmentOffice,ChildandFamilyResearchInstituteBCChildren’sHospitalandUniversityofBritishColumbia

DavidStoneAssociateVicePresident forStrategicInnovationandPlanningatNorthernIllinoisUniversity

JoannSullivanDirector,OfficeofResearchDevelopmentatMedicalUniversityofSouthCarolina

TokeshaWarner

Goals

• WhatisavailableinRDcareerpaths?• Whatistheskillset?• Whatarethetrends?

FollowtheYellowBrickRoadNORDP2016

JoannaDowner,PhDAssociateDeanforResearchDevelopment

DukeUniversitySchoolofMedicine

MypathBS–Chem.1993

MA&PhD–Chemistry– 1995&

1998

~10yearsScienceWriting–1995-2005(freelance,Duke,

Hopkins)

ResearchDevelopment– launchedoffice2009;hiredfirstFTE2011&expanded2013,2014,2016;namedAssociateDean2015

Personaltools

• Ineachposition,looktouseyourexistingskillsandtobuildnewonesbylookingforandacceptingnewchallenges.• Ifyouwantapathforward,youcan’trestonyourlaurelsorstayinarut.

• Doexcellent,highqualityworkallofthetime.• Takeresponsibilityforyouractions.• Treateveryonewithrespect.• Buildexcellentrelationships

StrategicSkillsDevelopedandDeployed

• Beingabletoquicklygetuptospeedinnewareasofscience,• Beingabletosift througheverythingIknowtoidentifywhatthereaderneedstoknow,• Usingmyknowledgeofthetopic&understandingoftheaudiencetocraftacompellingstoryand/orargumentforthataudience.• Beingresponsible&trustedwith“hot”information.• Havingdiplomacy,tact,firmness,andfairnessincommunicationstyle.• Identifyingbothproblemsand solutions.

Externaltools

• “WhatColorIsYourParachute”bookandworkbook• Enneagrampersonalitytypingsystem(https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/),mentionedwithin“Parachute”.• Thesetools(andothers,nodoubt)canbothhelpyoudefinewhatyouwanttodoandhelpyoushapeyourjobtobetteralignwiththesepreferences.

WheremightIgofromhere?

• Definite:continuefindingandmeetingnewchallenges– atwork&outsideofwork• Possible:• ContinuedoingwhatI’mdoing• Continuemovingupwithinmyinstitution(narrowlyorbroadlydefined)• Movetoanarrowerroleatmyinstitution(i.e.,somethingsmallerthantheSchoolofMedicine)• Movetoadifferentinstitution• Switchtocontractworkorconsulting

Dawn McArthur, PhDDirector, Research & Technology Development

Findingapathand‘home’inresearchdevelopment

MypathEarlyadventures

innature

Research Development

ResearchDevelopmentCFRI/UniversityofBC

(2003– present)

ResearchGrantsFacilitationSimonFraserUniversity

(1999– 2003)

Researchincomparativephysiology&metabolism

BSc(Hons)Zoology(coldtolerance)MScZoology(controlofbreathing)PhDZoology(controlofmetabolism)

[plusEnglish/Frenchlit/languageinundergradandgradschool]

PDFinBiochemistry(obesity/stress)PDFinPhysiology(obesity/diabetes)

Propelledby• curiosity,creativity,exploration,andwantingtofigureouthowthingswork• loveoflearning,literature,architecture,nature,andthe‘doing’ofscience

Perspectivesontheroadtaken

Why/howIdecidedtodoRDfull-time• Ihadhonedrelatedskills,fromundergraduatethroughPDF• Ihadanexceptionalopportunity,inauniqueplaceandtime,tobuildacareerfocusedonusingthesekeyaspectsofknowledgeandtraining

• Igettointegrate3ofmyfavouritethings– scholarship,language,architecture– andtolearnnewthingsabouttheworld,thinkinnewways,andbuildwithideasandwords,everysingleday

• Overthepast17years,I’vedonemuchofwhatfacultydo,butfor‘fun’

Aptitudes,skills,and“whatIlikebest”• curiouslearnerinterestedinnearlyeverything• integrative,lateral,pattern-seeingthinker• highlytrainedandexperiencedresearcher• loveexperimentingandsolvingdifficultproblems• reasonablyhightoleranceforchaosandthe‘notknowing’• somewhatorganizedandsomewhatrenegade• preferhighlevelofautonomy

Findingyourpathand‘home’

WhatdoIlikebesttodo?eg,planning,doing,leading,integrating,collaborating,competing,reading,writing,drawing,workingwithnumbers/money,organizing,teaching,providingservice,helpingpeople,workingalone,…

Whataremybestaptitudesandskills?eg,people,data,numbers,words,pictures,ideas,thinking,synthesizing,planning,organizing,doing,leadership,teamwork,altruism,ambition,…

HowdoIthink,andwhendoIthinkbest?eg,concepts/details,slowly/quickly,quietly/loudly,linearly/laterally,abstractly/creatively/concretely,insilence/chaos,…

Whichaspectsofresearchdevelopmentaremostappealing?eg,service,researchdesign,buildingteams,projectmanagement,budgets,texts,graphics,communication,training,policy,partnerships,strategicplanning,…

TokeshaL.Warner,M.H.A.

MOM• B.A,M.A.- English:rhetoricandComposition

• AdjunctProfessor,DevelopmentalStudies

• Observationalwallflower

DAD• B.S.– BusinessAdministration

• Manager,GeneralServicesAdministration(federal)

• Centerofattention,socialbutterfly

You'vegottoknowwhentohold'emKnowwhentofold'emKnowwhentowalkaway

Knowwhentorun

TheGambler(1978)KennyRogers

16yearsatVanderbiltUniversityTitle Dept/School Length Funding agency

ProgramManager,AlumniRelations

InstituteforGlobalHealth

3.6yrs NIHFogartyInternationalCenter

ResearchCoordinator GeneralPediatrics 1yr StateofTennessee

ResearchAssistantIII,AssistantProjectCoordinator

SchoolofNursing 1yr BlueCrossBlueShieldofTennesseeFoundation

ProgramCoordinator,MINDTrainingProject(LENDgrant)

Developmental&BehavioralPediatrics

7.5yrs NIHMaternalandChildHealthBureau

ProgramCoordinator, ABetterNashville

PediatricCriticalCare&Anesthesia

1.5yrs MemorialFoundation

Alumni&DevelopmentAssistant

PeabodyCollegeofEducation

1.4yrs

StrengthsIbring• Strongwrittenandoralcommunicationskills• Compellingwriter(concise)• Networking• Stronginterpersonalskills• Attentiontodetail• Worksmarter,notharder• Strategic,processorientedthinker• Highrisk,highreward

The(YellowBrick)RoadLessTraveled

Joann Sullivan, PhD

Director,OfficeofResearchDevelopmentAsst Dean,CollegeofGraduateStudies

May25,2016

Mypath

BS–Chem.1975

PhD– PhysicalChemistry- 1979

~15yearsResearch&ResearchAdministration– 1980-1994

MUSCResearchDevelopment– launchedoffice1994;staffof4;appointedAssistant

DeanofGraduateStudiesin2003

Serendipity

or

ConsciousChoice?