ECS Weekly: The pressures of the first-gen experience; apply to join the ECLP; register for two science and community webinars

This week’s newsletter focuses on the unique pressures of first-generation graduate students, and it was written by Rochelle Yap of the Equity and Inclusion Committee.

The Pressures of a Being First-Generation Graduate Student

Trying something new in a foreign place can be terrifying. For many first-generation graduate students, this scenario might sound familiar. First-generation students are typically defined as individuals whose parents did not complete college. Marjorie Darrah and colleagues provide a more nuanced definition by categorizing first-generation status into four levels. Levels one and two include students whose parents attended some college but did not finish, and those whose siblings attended college, respectively. Levels three and four include extended family members.

As a level two first-generation student, I initially felt relieved at the thought that college would guarantee success in life. However, this glimmer of hope soon dissipated and was replaced with overwhelming pressure. When comparing myself to peers who had support from family members or friends who had attended college, I felt isolated. I couldn’t ask my family for academic advice and struggled to ask for help because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

Over time, I developed self-confidence as I built my own support network composed of peers and research advisors. Though unable to fully relate to my experience, my mentors provided invaluable guidance and engaging, candid conversations about academia, motivating me to pursue a graduate education.

The number of first-generation students in postsecondary education is increasing, so understanding their unique challenges is even more important now. Graduate students are expected to train towards independence, network to secure a career, and overcome bureaucratic obstacles while battling imposter syndrome. Some institutions offer programs for first-generation students to enroll early as an opportunity to meet professors, acclimate to graduate school, and connect with fellow first-generation students. This initiative could mitigate the extra time needed to adjust while also keeping pace with their programs and peers.

Graduate students also may face financial challenges leading to food insecurity, housing instability, and limited access to healthcare. Many institutions try to mitigate this by organizing workshops for financial literacy and academic development. However, these resources are often more widespread and more easily accessible at the undergraduate level than the graduate level.

These initiatives are excellent steps towards supporting the needs of first-generation graduate students broadly. These efforts can be more impactful by considering how other important aspects of one’s identity, such as ethnicity or socioeconomic status, can influence their graduate experiences. Otherwise, this group may continue to struggle. To learn more about the first-generation student experiences and resources, check out Center for First-Generation Student Success.

GSA Early Career Leadership Program Resources

NEW! Apply to join GSA’s Early Career Leadership Program! The ECLP is the perfect opportunity to develop your skills and join a thriving network. As part of the program, you’ll join one of our subcommittees that works on a wide array of projects like accessibility seminars, career development workshops, and a podcast. The deadline to apply is October 16.

NEW! Do you speak Mandarin? Are you interested in meeting other Mandarin-speaking scientists? Join GSA for our Multilingual Seminar Series in Mandarin! The seminar will offer community and connection for Mandarin speakers who wish to discuss their science (and more!) with others. For more info and info in Mandarin, visit the registration page. The seminar will take place on August 29 at 9 p.m. EDT.

NEW! Join GSA and our partner societies on September 16, 2024 for the next edition of the International Seminar Series with Harris Lewin. The seminar will cover Lewin’s work on the Earth BioGenome Project, which aims to sequence all of the known eukaryotic species on our planet. Register today for this upcoming seminar!

Coming to #Dros25? Awards are now available to help fund your attendance at the conference including the Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Award and the Larry Sandler Award. The Sandler Award is given to an outstanding recent PhD graduate studying Drosophila.

The DeLill Nasser Award application is now open. GSA Members can apply for $1,000 of funding to attend a lab course or conference that focuses on genetics research. Apply today!

The GSA Journals Peer Review Training Program takes place across two years with an introductory training session, a practice peer review, and eventually, a real peer review for research submitted to either GENETICS or G3. Get your CVs or résumés ready, and apply today!

The dates and location of the 25th International Worm Meeting have been announced. Join us at the University of California, Davis from June 28, 2025 to July 2, 2025 for everything worm!

The journals of the Genetics Society of America, GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, are calling for submissions of papers on the Genetics of Bacteria. This series will highlight recent genetic and genomic work that leverages both classical and innovative genetic approaches in the study of bacterial genetics. Learn more and submit today.

Assistant Professor | Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH

Assistant Professor | Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis | Davis, CA

Assistant Professor | Department of Biology and Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA

Faculty Position | Center for Genomic Health and Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine | New Haven, CT

Research Associate | ePhective | San Francisco, CA

Research Associate | Department of Dermatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center | New York City, NY

Postdoctoral Fellow | Precision Sarcoma Research Group, German Cancer Research Center | Heidelberg, Germany

Postdoctoral Fellow | Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio | San Antonio, TX

Postdoctoral Fellow | Georgia Cancer Center | Augusta, GA

Postdoctoral Fellow | Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School | Boston, MA

Postdoctoral Fellow | Jinfeng Labs | Chongqing, China

Postdoctoral Fellow | Caneva Lab, Delft University of Technology | Delft, Netherlands

Postdoctoral Fellow | Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland | College Park, MD

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!

NEW! The National Postdoc Association is inviting nominations to fill six positions on the NPA Postdoc Council as current members complete their terms. Learn more about the application and apply by the deadline on Friday, September 27!

Check out the Chicagoland Postdoc Recruitment Initiative that will take place virtually on October 10-11, 2024. This event is hosted by the Postdoctoral Affairs Offices at Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, and University of Illinois Chicago and serves as an opportunity to explore postdoctoral programs and research across these institutions. Applications are open until September 13, 2024.

Learn more about nominating an outstanding early-career researcher for the Alan T. Waterman Award, which includes a medal and a $1,000,000 grant over five years for research or advanced study. To learn more about the process, register for an informational webinar which will be held on August 14, 2024. Nominations are accepted until September 20, 2024.

FASEB’s “Fellows for the Future” is a cohort-based project for early-career researchers from historically excluded groups that involves mentoring, community support, and leadership training to promote diversity and inclusion within their respective FASEB member societies. Learn more and apply today to become a fellow or a mentor. The deadline is August 16.

Open Biology invites submissions for their Open Questions article type.
Participants have the chance to win an overall cash prize of £1,000 and enjoy a full Article Processing Charge waiver. The prize for the best article will be judged by a panel of our editors and aims to support ongoing research endeavors or facilitate participation in conferences. The deadline to submit for the prize is October 31.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s Career Awards at the Scientific Interface is now accepting Letters of Intent until September 4, 2024. The award provides $560,000 over five years to support the transition from postdoctoral training to the first three years of a faculty position.

HHMI's Science Education Alliance supports a vibrant and growing community of STEM faculty from 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities to adopt, collaborate, and sustainably implement course-based research. Consider joining the program with your institution, and apply by October 31 for implementation next year.

The Genome Informatics 2024 meeting will be held at the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge, United Kingdom. Abstracts are due by September 10, 2024. For more information, visit the website.

Current professional development and training opportunities

NEW! The National Postdoctoral Association is hosting a seminar on "Owning your Career" as their kick-off event to this year's Postdoc Appreciation Week. You'll hear from Rashada Alexander, director of AAAS's Science and Technology Policy Fellowships. Register today for the event on September 16 at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

NEW! The American Society of Human Genetics wants to work with you to help an inclusive genomics community. For a webinar, they are bringing together directors of four NIH funded projects that aim to train people from underrepresented groups in genomics and introduce them to future careers. Register for the event which will take place on August 21 at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

Check out the Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Fellowship Program, designed to provide early-career professionals with the opportunity to engage in science policy and gain valuable experience in a prestigious environment.

Need some help crafting a pitch or an article for a science publication? The Craft of Science Writing and the Pitch Database feature successful story pitches on The Open Notebook, and The OpEd Project’s resources will improve your writing skills, especially for opinion pieces.

The National Cancer Institute is hosting a two day meeting in-person and online on October 16 and 17. The Cancer Research Data Commons marks its tenth anniversary with this meeting that will cover data governance improvements, success stories from bench and translational studies, and reports from an array of active research initiatives. To learn more and register, visit the website.

The NIH is requesting recommendations from the research community on ways that we can improve the postdoctoral training experience and career progression in the biomedical field. Please contribute to the Request for Information by October 23, 2024.

Sharing preprints can have a positive impact on the scientific community, leading to collaborations, jobs, grants, and more. ASAPbio wants to hear your stories about the preprint experience to share it on their website.

Registration is now open for Letters to a Pre-Scientist, a pen pal program for STEM professionals. By participating in the program, you will send and receive letters for a year to cultivate a relationship with students interested in STEM.

Join ASAPbio for a Lunch & Learn session about the history of preprints on August 21, 2024 at 12 pm EST.

Participate in the Sustainable Working Conditions in Academia Survey (STAIRCASE), an initiative by the Researcher Mental Health Observatory. Researchers have crafted a survey for researchers to identify key factors that promote healthy and sustainable working conditions within academia. Check out the “STAIRCASE Survey: Shaping the Future of Research Culture!” here!

Join the National Postdoc Association’s 2024 National Postdoc Appreciation Week events! The national kickoff event will take place September 16 at 1 p.m. EDT.