ECS Weekly: SciComm resources, grad student funding opportunities, #FruitFlyArt is back for #Dros22

This week’s resources section was written by Daniel Baker of the Multimedia Subcommittee.

Communicating science: The time is now!

Communicating our science, whether to a general audience or to fellow scientists, has never been more important. Thankfully, we live in a time when the tools to spread and amplify research have never been better. Whether you are interested in staying up to date with cutting-edge discoveries, learning about a wide range of careers, or are searching for mentorship from diverse experts in a wide array of fields, there are a number of resources that make this possible on a scale that couldn’t have been imagined 20 years ago.

Today we highlight some exciting options to learn more about science, mentorship, and careers in an accessible and entertaining way. Some of these resources have been put together by leading journals and professionals, while others have been put together by early career scientists.

If you are reading this and think that there is a message missing, take this opportunity to amplify your voice and get your message out by starting a podcast or a YouTube channel today. You never know how much of an impact your story might make on someone!

Here you can find a few podcasts/interviews to get the wheels turning:

Genetics in Your World is a newly launched GSA podcast focused on cutting-edge genetics research in the GSA journals. It highlights scientists, their science, and the stories behind the science. Check out the first episode featuring GSA member Dr. Katherine Maniates!

Conversations with Giants in Medicine is an excellent interview series with leaders in medicine. Many of the guests include Nobel Laureates, Lasker Award winners, and pioneering scientists. The series focuses on the pathway of these renowned scientists from their birth to their breakthroughs. Their most recent interview is with Dr. Katalin Karikó, who was vital in the discovery of modified mRNA, which has laid the foundation for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Behind the Microscope is a podcast by MD/PhD students focused on the process behind the research. Focusing on topics including mentorship, grantsmanship, leadership, and much more.

First Rounders is a series of conversations with founders, financers, and developers from biotech's past, present, and future. Listen to a recent conversation with Dr. Carl June to discover how CAR-Ts went from the bench to the bedside in the fight against cancer.

GSA Early Career Leadership Program Resources

Check out the introductory episode of Genetics in Your World, a podcast created by the Early Career Multimedia Subcommittee to discuss articles in the GSA journals.

Ever considered participating in a Capitol Hill Day? Five members of the Early Career Leadership Program’s Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee describe their experiences advocating for increased NIH funding via conference call and Zoom, in partnership with the Coalition for Life Sciences at their Virtual Capitol Hill. Check out the article on Genes to Genomes.

Get to know the members of the Early Career Leadership Program with their individual spotlights! The latest spotlight in the series is Rachel Meade from the Communication and Outreach Subcommittee.

Use the GSA Policy Fellowship Database curated by the Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee to filter by required education, location, compensation, application deadline, and other features, making it easier to find opportunities that fit your unique needs.

The Communication and Outreach Subcommittee curates a list of helpful resources for those interested in joining and/or participating in workshops, conferences and training, international outreach, outreach for K-12 and adults, social media, podcasting, and more.

Postdoctoral Position in Plant Pathology/Fungal Genetics | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY, United States

Assistant or Associate Professor of Biology, Tenure track | Goshen College | Goshen, IN, United States

Assistant Professor in Microbial Genetics | University of Georgia, Department of Genetics | Athens, GA, United States

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics | Stanford University | Palo Alto, CA, United States

Adjunct Position, Anatomy and Physiology II | University of St. Thomas | Houston, TX, United States

Assistant or Associate Professor, Tenure Track (Multiple Positions), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | Piscataway, NJ, United States

Assistant or Associate Professor, Tenure Track (Multiple Positions), Neuroscience and Cell Biology | Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | Piscataway, NJ, United States

Assistant or Associate Professor, Tenure Track (Multiple Positions), Pharmacology | Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | Piscataway, NJ, United States

Computer Scientist (Senior Software Architect) | All of Us Research Program, Division of Technology and Platform Development | Montgomery County, MD, United States

Program Specialist | Principal Strategist for Employment Portfolio | Division of Diversity, and Inclusion in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | Montgomery County, MD, United States

Postdoc Position, Computational Neuroscience | Łukasiewicz Research Network, PORT Polish Center for Technology Development | Laboratory of Astrocytes Biology | Wrocław, Poland

Is your lab hiring? GSA members qualify for a discounted rate to post job openings and can post student and postdoc positions at no cost on the GSA Job Board!

Do you have a niche for science? If so, join the Programs to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE) to take part in a year-long intensive mentored training. This training includes intense Summer sessions to enhance your research skills and gain access to opportunities that promote scientific and career development. Learn more about PRIDE and apply here. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

NEW! Johns Hopkins University offers a continuously updated repository of federal and private funding opportunities that are intended for graduate students.

Apply to the Committee for Postdocs and Students (COMPASS) to focus on career development, outreach, and science communication. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Are you interested in building your research skills to transition to an independent investigator? If so, the Alzheimer and Related Dementias Independent Scholars (ARDIS) Program invites you to join an exciting and well-supported opportunity for early-career researchers. The ARDIS Program provides early-career researchers a time-limited independent Principal Investigator appointment, generous resources, and access to research cores and infrastructure within CARD and the broader NIH Intramural Research Program. Apply by December 31, 2021.

NEW! Are you interested in training as you research, write, and sharpen your skills in communicating complex scientific issues? If so, consider applying for the 10-week Summer Program with the AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship. Apply no later than January 2, 2022.

Poster-only abstract submission is now open for the 63rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference, which will be held in San Diego, CA and online from April 6–10, 2021. Don’t miss your chance to present at #Dros22! The deadline to submit a poster-only abstract is January 10, 2022.

The James F. Crow Early Career Researcher Award recognizes outstanding achievements by students and recent PhDs conducting population, evolutionary, or quantitative genetics research. Finalists for the Crow Award will present their research at the Population, Evolutionary, and Quantitative Genetics Conference in a high-profile Plenary session. The application deadline is January 12, 2022.

NEW! The Fruit Fly Art Show is back! Show off your Drosophi-love and share your Drosophila-themed artwork on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #Dros22 and #FruitFlyArt to be entered into a raffle for a free registration to the Annual Drosophila Research Conference. Entries are due by January 14, 2022.

Registration is currently open for the 63rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference. To receive an Early Registration discount, register by January 18, 2022.

Abstract submission and registration are now open for the Population, Evolutionary, and Quantitative Genetics Conference, which will be held in Pacific Grove, CA and online from June 7–10, 2022. Building on the successes of #PEQG20, #PEQG18, and #PEQG16, the 2022 conference will span a diverse array of topics across Evolutionary Genetics, Population Genetics, Quantitative Genetics, and Science and Society. Abstracts are due on February 3, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Current professional development and training opportunities

NEW! Are you a graduate student, interested in learning how to better communicate your research to broader audiences? Are you curious about science communication? Registration for SCOPE, a free online SciComm program, is now open for the winter quarter!

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering several diversity-related funding opportunity announcements, which include fellowship and career development grants available to early career scientists. To learn more about these exciting opportunities and to apply, visit the NIH Diversity in Extramural Programs here.

The SciComm Collective Symposium invites interested participants to join its inaugural event from January 15–16, 2022 to explore science communication as a goal toward building a strong foundation to make scientific information personal and relatable for your audience and understand the intersections between science communication and social justice. Register before January 15, 2022.

Save the date for the Yeast Genetics Meeting, which will be taking place from August 17–21, 2022 at the University of California Los Angeles and online! Information about abstract submission and registration will be available in mid-January.

Are you interested in pursuing postdoctoral training at the National Cancer Institute (NCI)? Consider joining the NCI Graduate Student Recruiting Program (GSRP). The GSRP is a competitive program that provides students the opportunity to explore postdoctoral fellowships in cancer biology (basic and translational), epidemiology and genetics, cancer control, and population sciences. The NCI is committed to training the next generation of scientific leaders, and it is crucial that this reflects the diversity of the population it serves. They strongly encourage applications from underrepresented populations. The GSRP is currently accepting applications for a virtual visit from May 11–12, 2022. Apply by February 4, 2022.

NEW! Join the Human Population and Evolutionary Genetics virtual workshop before February 7, 2022 for an exciting opportunity to learn about basic knowledge on population genetics and the help of genetics in the study of human migrations and human adaptation to extreme conditions.

NEW! Early-bird registration for Science Talk ‘22 is now open. Register for your in-person or virtual ticket to attend this conference to connect with the professional science communication community.

Registration is open for the 31st Fungal Genetics Conference! Present your latest research with the fungal community, who will reunite in person at the beautiful Asilomar Conference Grounds. Can’t attend in person? Join your colleagues as a virtual attendee.

For the first Multilingual Seminar, Arabic-speaking scientists discussed expanding accessibility through translation. Jessica Vélez, PhD, GSA Membership, Engagement, and Early Career Program Manager, was inspired to create the Multilingual Seminar Series. This series offers an opportunity for multilingual and non-English speaking scientists and science enthusiasts to talk about science in languages other than English, while also providing a space to discuss strategies for expanding science communication efforts to include non-English speakers. Read about the May 18, 2021 Multilingual Seminar Session in Arabic on Genes to Genomes, and view a recording on the series webpage.

Are you a graduate student interested in taking your scientific career to the next level by improving your publications and advancing your writing skills? Consider participating in an on-demand workshop with Udemy. Register here.

ReVision editor Emma Spikol offers guidance for applicants to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) in her article Eight Steps to a Strong NSF GRF Application.

The Women in STEM Leadership program offers an immersive, transformative experience that will boost your STEM career to new heights by helping you identify and hone the leadership skills to become an influencer and mentor in your workplace and beyond. Apply now for the Spring 2022 cohort.

The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) launched the “Pearls of Wisdom” video series, in which prominent, diverse women in science and medicine share words of wisdom about advancing in careers within the biomedical field. They discuss their experiences and cover many topics, ranging from leadership to navigating complex workplaces.

Society for the Advancement of Biology Science Research (SABER) is sponsoring a series of events through Spring 2022, which will be focused on promoting awareness, understanding, and commitment to change academic biology environments to be more inclusive. This series will be co-sponsored by Arizona State University’s HHMI Inclusive Excellence Project, the SEISMIC Collaboration, and the ASU RISE Center.

Interested in connecting with a network of over 4,000 Native students and professionals who will support your journey into the fields of STEM? Become a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES).

Emily Roberts of Personal Finance for PhDs compiled a recommended set of tax resources for graduate students and postdocs in the US.

The Uproot Project is a newly launched network for journalists of color who cover environmental issues. Apply to become a member.

Johns Hopkins University compiles this continuously updated repository of funding opportunities for postdocs.

Interested in pursuing a science writing career? The beginner’s guide to a career in science writing and an International Student’s Guide to Freelancing in the US have you covered.

Learn how to choose an appropriate research mentor by the National Institutes of Health. The three major factors to consider when selecting a research mentor are: the research program; the personality and mentoring style of the Principal Investigator (known as a PI); and the research environment. Click the following link to learn more!

Learn about the Short-term Mentored Research Career Enhancement Award to Promote Diversity at the National Institutes of Health. The award provides support for scientists from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented groups, who wish either to expand their genomic competencies or to change their research careers by acquiring new genomics research knowledge or skills.

The National Institute of Health’s Early Career Reviewer Program aims to help early career scientists become more competitive grant applicants through first-hand experience with peer review and to enrich and diversify the Center for Scientific Review’s pool of trained reviewers. Sign up today!