Stanford
Career Education
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2023 PhD Pathways Program

Registration and Light Breakfast

8:30-9:00 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:00-9:15 a.m.

Prime Your Mind

9:15-10:15 a.m.Led by Christian Simamora and Urmila Venkatesh of Stanford’s Life Design Lab, Pathways will open with an interactive, plenary session that will prepare you to make the most of the day—from thinking about the story of your skills, interests, and values to networking with alums—no matter where you are in your career development.

Learn & Explore: Industry Experiences

Select from a series of interactive sessions, including panels featuring 3-4 alums working in various industries beyond academia and case studies where an alum will lead activities on how to apply the skills you’ve learned in grad school to work in a non-academic career.

10:30-11:30 a.m.

  • Business and Consulting Alumni Panel​​​​​​ - Confirmed Panelists: 
    • Artem Trotsyuk, PhD ‘22, Bioengineering & Computer Science - Investor, R42 Group
    • Uchechukwuka Monu, PhD ‘17, Electrical Engineering - Principal, Boston Consulting Group
  • Arts, Media, and Communication Panel - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Alessandra Aquilanti, PhD ‘15, Italian - Development Director, Music@Menlo
    • Karen Rapp, PhD ‘09, Art History - Deputy Director, San José Museum of Art
    • Maggie Dethloff, PhD ‘19 (UC Irvine), Visual Studies - Curator of Photography and New Media, Cantor Arts Center
  • Research and Engineering Beyond Academia Alumni Panel - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Stella Aslibekyan, PhD ‘11 (Brown), Epidemiology - Senior Scientist, 23andMe
    • Jeremy Feaster, PhD ‘17, Chemical Engineering - Research Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 
    • Hannah Alpert, PhD ‘20, Aeronautics and Astronautics - Aerospace Systems Engineer, NASA Ames Research Center
    • Leslie Koyoma, PhD ‘19, Developmental Biology - Field Applications Scientist - Microscopy, Leica Microsystems
  • Interactive Case Study 1: Applying Your Skills to Product Management - Confirmed Panelists
    • Lindsay Oishi, PhD ‘12, Education - Senior Product Manager, Indeed.com
  • Interactive Case Study 2: Applied Research Thinking and Communication in Data Science - Confirmed Panelists
    • Derek Chang, PhD ‘14, Electrical Engineering - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
    • Charles Pensig - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
    • Rachel Grant, PhD ‘22, Developmental Biology - Data Scientist, Stratus Data

11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

  • Government, Policy, and Nonprofit Alumni Panel - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Lena Perkins, PhD ‘15, Mechanical Engineering - Emerging Technologies Manager, City of Palo Alto
    • Eric Gianella, PhD ‘16 Sociology (Berkeley) - Director of Data Science, Code for America
    • Tzipor Ulman, PhD ‘02, Chemistry - CEO and Founder, Science is Elementary
    • Angela DeBarger, PhD ‘02, Educational Psychology - Education Program Officer, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
  • Tech Pathways Alumni Panel - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Michael Chen, PhD ‘10, Bioengineering - VP, Technology and Innovation, Cepheid
    • Tanvi Chheda, PhD ‘20, Geology - Data Scientist, Meta
    • Madihah Akhter, PhD ‘20, History + Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies - Sr. UX Researcher, Product Inclusion, PayPal
    • Timothy Yeo, PhD ‘22, Energy Resources Engineering - Senior High Performance Computing Engineer, SLB
  • Education Pathways Beyond Faculty Alumni Panel - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Noori Chai, PhD ‘20, Neuroscience - Education Specialist, STEM Equity, UC Santa Cruz
    • George Philip (GP) LeBourdais, PhD ‘ 18, Art History - Head of Strategic Initiatives, Polygence.org
    • Abbey Thompson, PhD ‘18, Genetics - Director of Educational Outreach, The Tech Interactive/Stanford Genetics
    • Abiya Ahmed, PhD ‘21, Anthropology of Education - Associate Dean of Students & Director, The Markaz Resource Center, Stanford University
  • Interactive Case Study 1: Applying Your Skills to Product Management - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Lindsay Oishi, PhD ‘12, Education - Senior Product Manager, Indeed.com
  • Interactive Case Study 2: Applied Research Thinking and Communication in Data Science - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Derek Chang, PhD ‘14, Electrical Engineering - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
    • Charles Pensig - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
    • Rachel Grant, PhD ‘22, Developmental Biology - Data Scientist, Stratus Data

Networking Lunch

12:45-2:00 p.m.Connect, network, and learn from alums, professionals, and staff in informal conversations over lunch.

Navigate the Career Exploration Journey

Select from five sessions focusing on important career exploration topics for PhDs and postdocs.2:00-3:00 p.m., 3:15-4:15 p.m. (each session will repeat)

  • Navigating the Job Search as an International Student - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Gabriela Badica, PhD ‘20, Iberian and Latin American Cultures - Events & Communications Program Manager - Enterprise Engineering, Meta
    • Berk Can Deniz, PhD ‘21, Management Science - Data Scientist, Duolingo
    • Kilian Mallon, PhD ‘19, Classics - Policy Aide, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
    • Chiara Bertipaglia, PhD ‘15 (Heidelberg), Biochemistry and Structural Biology - Director of Scientific Programs, Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute
  • How (and Why) to do an Internship during your PhD - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Yasaman Shirian, PhD ‘22, Mechanical Engineering - Data Scientist, Orbital Insight
    • Wilfrido Martinez-Alonso, PhD Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering
    • Sharon Shiao, PhD ‘22, Economics - Economist, LinkedIn
    • Andrew Brooks, PhD ‘19, Political Science - Senior Research Scientist, AIGC Talent Management, Amazon
  • The Intersection of Identity, Experience, and the World of Work - Confirmed Panelists:
    • Rachel Gillum, PhD ‘14, Political Science - Vice President, Ethical and Humane Use of Technology, Salesforce
    • Lana Lau, PhD ‘13, Chemistry - Product Manager, Google
    • Liliana De La Paz, PhD ‘16, Chemical Engineering - Associate Director, Drug Product, Jazz Pharmaceuticals
    • Izumi Hinkson, PhD ‘15, Chemical and Systems Biology - Associate Director, Alliance Management, Gilead Sciences
  • The Path Forward: The Journey of Uncertainty - Mental Health & Well-Being on the Job Search - Presenters:
    • Kathleen Cassidy - Interim Associate Director, Career Coaching and Education, Stanford Career Education
    • Daisy Chavez Serrano - Interim Associate Director, Career Coaching and Education, Stanford Career Education
    • Donnovan Yisrael - Senior Health Educator, Mental Health and Well Being, Vaden Health Services
  • Connecting Your Skills, Interests, and Values to Careers of Meaning and Purpose - Presenters:
    • James Tarbox, PhD - Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director, Stanford Career Education
    • Helen Chen, PhD - Research Scientist, Designing Education Lab

Reflect and Pursue Next Steps

4:30-5:00 p.m. The day will end with a chance to reflect on the day’s activities and identify actionable next steps that will allow you to maintain momentum in your exploration and advance your career journey.