NINDS's Building Up the Nerve – Details, episodes & analysis

Are you attending the Society for Neuroscience's Annual Meeting Neuroscience 2024? If you are, join us for our 2nd annual live episode of Building Up the Nerve in the form of a professional development workshop.

"Building Up the Nerve" to Develop an Effective Career Roadmap will take place Monday, October 7, 2024, from 12:00 to 2:00 PM CT at the McCormick Place Convention Center, room S402. All Neuroscience 2024 attendees are welcome.

This workshop will provide deeper insights into helping graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty, and their mentors prepare strong career development plans. The workshop will feature advice and strategies from successful grantees and peer reviewers, with interactive activities and small group discussions facilitated by NIH staff and funders from foundation organizations. This event is organized by the NINDS Office of Programs to Enhance the Neuroscience Workforce (OPEN).

Add this event to your meeting planner and find resources for the event: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/news-events/events/building-nerve-develop-effective-career-roadmap-professional-development-workshop-sfn-2024

Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

In the fifth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, we help you strengthen your science communication skills with tools and advice to use throughout your career. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In the first episode of the season, we talk about Composing Scientific Narratives which focused on how to compose scientific narratives to communicate our findings and how to tell a scientific story in a way that is compelling, but also transparent and objective.

Featuring Sean Carroll, PhD, Balo-Simon Endowed Chair of Biology, University of Maryland; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Mónica Feliú Mójer, PhD, Director, Public Engagement with Science, Ciencia Puerto Rico; Director, Inclusive Science Communication & Engagement | Science Communication Lab; and Gina Poe, PhD, Director, UCLA Brain Research Institute; Lorre Scholars Faculty Chair; Professor, University of California, Los Angeles.

Resources

• Science Communication Lab: https://sciencecommunicationlab.org/ 
• Dr. Mónica Feliú Mójer’s documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNdX_C2jaac 

Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

The fourth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In episode 6, we talk about conducting research as a clinician-scientist, including the different paths to research as a clinician and what a clinician-faculty position can look like.

Featuring Erika Augustine, MD, Associate Chief Science Officer, Kennedy Krieger Institute; Edjah Nduom, MD, Associate Professor, Emory University; and Audrey Brumback, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at Austin.

Resources

• NINDS Institutional Awards for Clinician-Scientists, such as T32 and K12 Programs: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/training-career-development/institutional-grants 
  • For example, Dr. Augustine is on the leadership team of the Child Neurologist Career Development Program-K12 at Kennedy Krieger Institute: https://www.kennedykrieger.org/cncdp-k12
• NINDS Career Development Awards: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/training-career-development/career-development-awards 
• OPEN Stage Webinar: Clinician Scientist Clinic – Overview of NINDS Funding Opportunities and Q&A: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/news-events/events/open-stage-webinar-clinician-scientist-clinic-overview-ninds-funding-opportunities-and-qa 
• NIH Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education: https://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/training/index.html 
• The World Wasn’t Ready for You by Justin C. Key: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-world-wasnt-ready-for-you-justin-c-key?variant=41016598036514 

 Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

The fourth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In episode 5, we talk about succeeding as a postdoc, including what graduate students need to know about what to ask during a postdoc interview, how to develop independent lines of research, and when to know it’s time to enter the job market.

Featuring E. Mae Guthman, Postdoctoral research fellow, Princeton University; Rapheal Williams, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Washington; and Mai-Anh Vu, Postdoctoral fellow, Boston University.

Resources

• Parent K99/R00 NINDS webpage: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/training-career-development/postdoctoral-fellows/nih-pathway-independence-award
• MOSAIC K99/R00 NINDS webpage: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/training-career-development/postdoctoral-fellows/mosaic-postdoctoral-career-transition-award-promote-diversity 
• Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) Working Group on Re-envisioning NIH-supported Postdoctoral Training: https://acd.od.nih.gov/working-groups/postdocs.html 
• NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2023: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-23-076.html 
• NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (skip the postdoc): https://commonfund.nih.gov/earlyindependence 
• Loan Repayment Program (LRP): https://www.lrp.nih.gov/ 

Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

The fourth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In episode 4, we talk about succeeding in graduate school, including finding mentorship, performing research, and applying for funding.

Featuring Maya Gosztyla, Ph.D. Candidate, The University of California San Diego; Cellas Hayes, Postdoctoral fellow, Stanford University; and Shekinah Phillips, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Resources

• Individual Development Plan (IDP) resource
• DSPAN F99/K00 tips
• NIH RePORTER (use this to connect with other students that received the grant you’re applying for!)
• NINDS Advancing Diversity R25 Programs, including the UAB Neuroscience Roadmap scholars 
• NIH funded Summer Program in Neuroscience, Excellence and Success (SPINES)
• NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative ENDURE  
• NINDS Diversity Supplements page 
• Written by Maya Gosztyla: 
  • How to find, read and organize papers 
  • How to manage your time as a researcher
• Written by Cellas Hayes:
  • Black Scientists Are Not the Door to Diversity
• Scholarships/awards:
  • AWIS 
  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program 
  • SREB-STATE DOCTORAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM
  • SfN’s Neuroscience Scholars Program 
  • SfN Trainee Professional Development Award
  • Smith Scholars Program
  • oSTEM Scholarship
  • List of Cellas's applications
• International Brain Research Organization
• Black in Neuro

 Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

The fourth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In episode 3, we talk about applying for graduate school, including what you should know about preparing PhD applications, how to choose a program and advisor, and what to expect during a campus visit or during interviews. 

Featuring Daniel Colón-Ramos, Associate Professor, Yale University; Taylor McCorkle, PhD student, Drexel University; and Thibaut Pardo-García, Chief Sales Officer and Co-Founder, Microscape, Inc.

Resources

• NIH Neuroscience Doctoral Readiness Program (DR. Program): https://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/training-career-development/diversity-awards/nih-neuroscience-doctoral-readiness-program-dr-program 
• STAR method: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-use-the-star-interview-response-technique 
• NIH Blueprint and BRAIN ENDURE program: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/training-career-development/diversity-awards/nih-blueprint-and-brain-initiative-endure 
• NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) (R25): https://nigms.nih.gov/training/PREP 

Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

The fourth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In episode 2, we talk about what to do next after your bachelor's degree, specifically focusing on the gap year or years between finishing undergrad and starting a PhD.

And just as a note to our listeners, we do talk about heavier subjects like miscarriage,  so we have put chapter markers if you'd like to skip that section.

Featuring Cheyanne Lewis, Doctoral Student, Stanford University; Christian Cazares, Postdoctoral Fellow, Salk Institute for Biological Studies; and Gabriela Gomez, MD, MPH Candidate, Johns Hopkins University.

Resources 

• Programs:
  • Colors of the Brain program, co-founded by Dr. Cazares: https://colorsofthebrain.com/resources/ 
  • NIH Postbacc Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA): https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta  
  • Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) programs (e.g. at UC Berkeley): https://mcb.berkeley.edu/marc/marc-program-description
• Organizations: 
  • Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS): https://www.sacnas.org/  
  • Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS): https://abrcms.org/  
  • Association of Science Communicators: https://www.associationofsciencecommunicators.org/  
  • Black in Neuro: https://blackinneuro.com/undergraduates 
  • Científico Latino: https://www.cientificolatino.com/post-bac 
• "Skill development in graduate education": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22633484/
• "So You Want to Be a Neuroscientist?" by Prof. Ashley Juavinett: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/so-you-want-to-be-a-neuroscientist/9780231190893 

Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

The fourth Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In the first episode of the season, we talk about how to get started in undergraduate research, what undergraduates need to know about types of research opportunities available, how to find a lab, and what makes a successful research experience.

Featuring Michael D.L. Johnson, PhD, Director, National Summer Undergraduate Research Project and Associate Professor, University of Arizona; Hannah D. Nacht, NIH Diversity Fellow and Undergraduate student, Rutgers University and Oregon State University; and Ya’el Courtney, PhD candidate, Harvard University.

Resources

• Burgers, Bartending and Benchwork: My Journey to Graduate School by Ya’el Courtney
• National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP)
• NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative ENDURE program for undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds
• NINDS Diversity Supplements

Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.

Welcome to Season 4 of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve, where we discuss the unwritten rules, or “hidden curriculum,” of scientific research at every career stage. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we’re here to help—it’s our job!
 
Transcript available at https://ninds.buzzsprout.com/

The third Season of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Building Up the Nerve podcast helps you strengthen your mentoring relationships with tools and advice from both trainees and faculty. We know that navigating your career can be daunting, but we're here to help—it's our job!

In the last episode of the season, we focus on structural interventions around mentoring. Mentorship doesn’t happen in a vacuum—what can program directors, department chairs, and other institutional leaders do to create an environment in which supportive mentorship thrives?

Featuring Sherilynn Black PhD - Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, Duke University; Beronda Montgomery, PhD –Professor of Biology & Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Grinnell College; and Thomas Schwarz, PhD - Professor, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital.

Resources

• Burroughs Welcome fund: https://www.bwfund.org/funding-opportunities/diversity-in-science/
• HHMI Gillian Fellowship for Advanced Study: https://www.hhmi.org/science-education/programs/gilliam-fellowships-advanced-study 
• Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER): https://cimerproject.org/ 
  • NOTE: Create a FREE account in the Portal to access a library of resources, tools, and instructional materials on mentoring
• “Lessons from Plants” by Dr. Beronda Montgomery: https://www.berondamontgomery.com/lessonsfromplants/ 
• Montgomery, Beronda L. "Academic leadership: gatekeeping or groundskeeping?." The Journal of Values-Based Leadership 13.2 (2020): 16. http://dx.doi.org/10.22543/0733.132.1316 
• Culturally Aware Mentorship webinar with Dr. Sherilynn Black and Dr. Angela Byars-Winston: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt38C2l-o2o 
• Womack, Veronica Y., et al. "Culturally aware mentorship: Lasting impacts of a novel intervention on academic administrators and faculty." PloS one 15.8 (2020): e0236983. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236983 
• Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Program (T32): https://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/IMSD/

 Transcript available at http://ninds.buzzsprout.com/.