Nuts and Bolts for a Successful Graduate Study and Thereafter

Safe Science: Promoting a Culture of Safety in Academic Chemical Research

On August 5, 2014, the National Academic Press and NRC have released a report entitled Safe Science: Promoting a safety culture in academic chemical research by the Committee on Establishing and Promoting a Culture of Safety in Academic Laboratory Research, convened by NRC. The report examines successful safety systems from other sectors such as industrial research and aviation, and identifies the roles of various groups within the academic chemical research enterprise that can play in bolstering lab safety. It is highly recommended that every Tong Lab member should read it. Summaries are geared towards specific stakeholder groups, and is available here: http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Safe-Science-Promoting-Culture/18706

The Benefits for Having a Graduate Degree in Chemistry

The 2014 ACS New Graduates Starting Salaries Survey shows that the median starting salary in 2013 for inexperienced graduates in chemistry related jobs is $39,560 for bachelor’s, $55,000 for master’s, and $75,750 for Ph.D.s.

Similar differences were found in 2013 Survey and earlier Surveys (accessible for ACS members). Here are two newer survey results: C&EN June 29, 2015, New-Grad Salaries & Employment and  C&EN November 14, 2016, How Do Chemists' Salaries Stack up? 

Graduate Study

• Professor Wi Ji Ma of NYU's Growing up in Science Site that provides helpful mentoring information 

• The Heilmeier Catechism

• How to Make Stress Your Friend

• Guide for Ph. D Students

• Learning to be a mentor

• PhD Training Builds a Bridge to Business

• An Illustrated Guide to Shlenk Line Techniques

• Mentoring Match

• Dealing with a Difficult Adviser

• Top 10 Tips for Success in Graduate School

• Strategic Reading, Ontologies, and the Future of Scientific Publishing

• References Managing Softwares

• An Example of Literature Review

• Are Four Years a Magic Number for GRA Study?

• A Wake-up Call: Follow Your Passion

• Instrumentation Skills and Job Opportunities

• Sharpen Your Presentation Skills

• PowerPoint Doesn't Give Presentation but You

• An Example of Poor Scientific Presentation:

Writing Scientific Papers

• English Communication for Scientists

• Tips for Writing a Journal Article

• Professor George Whitesides' Paper Writing Article

• Professor Royce Murray's Editorial on how to write an awful paper

• Professor Royce Murray's Editorial on how to write a good Supporting Information

• Writing a Scientific Manuscript by Thomas Spector

• Writing a Scientific Research Proposal

Job Hunting

• Selling the PhD

• Look for a Good Post-Doc Position

• Short Cuts for Landing a Job

• Getting the Job: Interview Strategies

• Negotiate for a Faculty Position

Interpersonal Skills

• Conflict Management

  • The Power of Forgiving

  • What Makes a Person Ugly (The Original Post)

• Learn from the Jordan vs Kerr Story:

Miscellaneous but Important Stuff Good to Know

• Leadership Training for Early Career Researchers

• 27 Tips for Mastering Anything

• Tomorrow's You Starts Today

• Mediating in the Academic Bully Culture

• Power of Positive Thinking: "Optimists are not simply being Pollyannas; they're problem solvers who try to improve situation"––Michael F. Scheier

• Understand the Brain of Teenages: An October 2011 National Geographic Magazine Article

• Parenting Teenages: A NIH Newsletter Article September 2011

• Professor James Patterson's The Ten Mistakes for Physcists to Avoid. But How About the Others?

• Video: How to Speak by Patrick Winston MIT Professor of AI

• Video: Riding a backward bicycle: a case of unconscientious bias and brain hysteresis by Destin Sandlin

• Video: A good companionship leads to a good life by Robert Waldinger

• Video: The golden circle by Simon Sinek

• Video: Dream big, do great things by Tiffany Yu

• Video: 10 life lessons from Seal Training by Admiral William McRaven

• Video: Grit: The power of passion and perseverance by Angel Duckworth

• Video: How to spot a liar by Pamela Meyer