PhD Pathways 2026

• James Tarbox, PhD - Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director, Stanford Career Education
• Salvatore Cipriano, PhD - Associate Director of Career Coaching and Education, Stanford Career Education

• Pathways will open with an interactive session focused on connection, career curiosity, and intentional networking. Participants will meet fellow attendees, practice introducing their work and interests, and prepare questions for the day’s panelists. With a strong focus on networking as a critical part of the job search, the session will help attendees turn conversations into lasting relationships and future career opportunities - during the event and long after it ends.
  • Presenter:
    • Ashley Moses, PhD Student in Neurosciences

• Hear from a panel of PhDs pursuing scientific research and engineering careers in various sectors beyond academia.
  • Panelists:
    • Jeremy Feaster, PhD (Stanford, Chemical Engineering) - PI and Research Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Ivana Serrano Lachapel, PhD (Stanford, Biology) - Account Manager, Genedata
    • Eric Luxenberg, PhD (Stanford, Electrical Engineering) - Research Scientist, Gridmatic

• Learn from a panel of PhDs who have forged public service careers in different nonprofit and government settings.
  • Panelists:
    • Marcela Muñiz, PhD (Stanford, Education) - Senior Vice President of Philanthropy, Latino Community Foundation
    • Nadine Ann Skinner, PhD (Stanford, International Comparative Education) - Director of Evaluation and Research Programs, Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation
    • Lucinda Shih, PhD (Stanford, Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Water Resources Manager, Contra Costa Water District

• Learn from a panel of PhDs currently working different consulting roles, such as management, economic, and scientific.
  • Panelists:
    • Ari Gold-Parker, PhD (Stanford, Chemistry) - Director, Energy and Environmental Economics (E3)
    • Chris Bruegge, PhD (Stanford, Economics) - Principal, Cornerstone Research
    • Stephanie Bachas-Daunert, PhD (Stanford, Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Consultant, BCG

• Internships, volunteering, industry postdocs, service, and more–there are many ways to explore careers beyond academia. Learn from a panel of current Stanford PhD students and alums who have embarked on diverse opportunities to gain experience in roles beyond academia.
  • Panelists:
    • Ruth Schade, PhD (Stanford, Microbiology and Immunology) - Community Engagement Program Officer, Genetics Department, Stanford University
    • Marie Tano, PhD Candidate, Linguistics, Stanford University
    • Kayla Good, PhD (Stanford, Psychology) - Director of Research, 826 National Youth Writing
    • Tawaun Lucas, PhD (Stanford, Neurosciences) - Senior Computational Biologist, Biohub

• In this interactive workshop, learn the skills that will help you navigate challenges and the ups and downs of the job search in trying times.
  • Presenters:
    • Helen Hsu, PhD - Director of Outreach, Stanford University Counseling and Psychological Services, Stanford University
    • Angela Estrella, Well-Being Coach, Stanford University

• Hear from a panel of PhDs and other professionals about pursuing career paths outside of the United States.
  • Panelists:
    • Javier Stober, PhD (Stanford, Aeronautics and Astronautics) - Lead Mechanical Engineer, Lunar Outpost EU, Luxembourg
    • Joseph Makokha, PhD (Stanford, Mechanical Engineering) - Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Oslo, Norway
    • Kristin Muench, PhD (Stanford, Neuroscience) - Senior Computational Biologist, Recursion, London
    • Mariana de Heredia, PhD (Stanford, Iberian and Latin American Cultures) - Senior Product Lead, Decaid Academy, Berlin

• In this panel, engage with PhDs who have forged various careers in artificial intelligence.
  • Panelists:
    • Madihah Akhter, PhD (Stanford, History and Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies) - AI Fairness Policy Manager, TikTok
    • Kevin Grogan, PhD (Stanford, Mechanical Engineering) - Machine Learning Engineer, Snap
    • Adam Rowell, PhD (Stanford, Electrical Engineering) - Senior Director, Head of Edge AI, Analog Devices

• There are many opportunities in various educational settings beyond the research university. In this panel, hear from PhDs who have forged diverse careers in education.
  • Panelists
    • Sarah Wilker, PhD (Stanford, Classics) - Faculty Coordinator for Equity, De Anza College
    • Elaine Middleman, PhD (Stanford, Cancer Biology) - Faculty, Science Department, Castilleja School
    • Hayin Kimner, PhD (Stanford, Education, Administration, and Policy Analysis) - Founder/Managing Director, Community Schools Learning Exchange

• What does it look like to transition from a postdoc to industry? How do you make the jump? Join a panel of former Stanford postdocs as they share their experiences and insight on transitioning from academic postdocs to industry careers.
  • Panelists:
    • John Lin King, PhD (UCSF, Chemistry) - Senior Associate, Asset Acquisition, GondolaBio
    • Chiara Bertipaglia, PhD (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Biochemistry) - Associate Director, Programs and Training, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University
    • Joanna Bradford, PhD (Stanford, Biological Sciences) - Principal Scientist, Genentech
    • Melinda Lear (Cromie), PhD (Stanford, Mechanical Engineering) - Sr. Staff Systems Integration Engineer, Johnson & Johnson MedTech

• A large California public college is losing students at a rapid pace—can they use data science to turn the situation around? During the workshop, you will learn how you can apply your research skills to solve this real-world problem. Walk away knowing how to refine vague problem statements, approach challenges with a data-driven framework, and communicate solutions that drive action.
  • Presenters:
    • Derek Chang, PhD (Stanford, Nonlinear Optics) - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
    • Charles Pensig - Founding Partner, Stratus Data
    • Rachel Grant, PhD (Stanford, Developmental Biology) - Senior Data Scientist, Stratus Data

Connect, network, and learn from alums, professionals, and staff in informal conversations over lunch.

After lunch, we will reconvene as a group to reflect on what you learned in the first half of the day, identify new questions and ideas, and chart a path for the second half of the day.

• Join a group of PhDs working in various technical and non-technical roles in Big Tech. Learn about the pathways available and what it’s like to transition from the PhD to the tech world.
  • Panelists:
    • Jessica Kao, PhD (Stanford, Cancer Biology) - Director, B2B Go-To-Market Transformation, Adobe
    • Laura C. Brown, PhD (Michigan, Linguistic Anthropology) - UX Researcher, Meta
    • Joy Pai, PhD (Stanford, Immunology) - Senior Machine Learning Scientist, Calico Life Sciences

• Learn from PhDs who have pursued entrepreneurial careers and started their own businesses.
  • Panelists:
    • Bryen Le, PhD (Wisconsin, Food Science) - Founder and CEO, Mendocino Food Consulting
    • Homan Yuen, PhD (Stanford, Materials Science) - Managing Partner, Keymaker
    • Jin Chow, PhD (Stanford, Comparative Literature) - Co-Founder and COO, Polygence
    • Whitney Gaynor, PhD (Stanford, Materials Science and Engineering) - Co-Founder and CEO, Sinovia Technologies

• In this panel, connect with PhDs working in various media, arts, and communication industries, including publishing, scientific communication, museums, and more.
  • Panelists:
    • Nicholas Weiler, PhD (Stanford, Neuroscience) - Associate Director of Communications, Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute, Stanford University
    • Lauren Adams, PhD (Stanford, Medieval History) - Executive Director, Museum of American Heritage
    • Rachel Karas, PhD (UC Santa Barbara, English Literature) - Digital Manager/Web Editor, Stanford Humanities Center
    • Caroline McKusick, PhD (UC Davis, Anthropology) - Associate Editor, Stanford University Press

• Finding and securing non-faculty jobs in the U.S. as an international PhD student or postdoc presents unique complexities and challenges. Learn from a panel of international PhDs as they share their experiences and insights navigating the job search.
  • Panelists:
    • Sonali Majumdar, PhD (Georgia, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) - Assistant Dean of Professional Development, Graduate School, Princeton University
    • Elise Loppinet, PhD (Stanford, Chemical Engineering) - Postdoctoral Fellow, Genentech
    • Gabriela Badica, PhD (Stanford, Literatures, Cultures, and Languages) - Communications Manager, Uber

• In this interactive case study, you will gain insight into what it’s like to be a UX researcher. You will apply your research, organizational, and communication skills to work on a project.
  • Presenter:
    • Anita Tseng, PhD (Stanford, Education) - Senior Manager of User Research, Instacart

• What do data scientists do? Where do they work? Join a panel of PhDs working in data science across various industries to learn about their work and experiences.
  • Panelists:
    • Yueqi Guo, PhD (Johns Hopkins, Biomedical Engineering) - Data Scientist, Alto Neuroscience
    • Seema Swamy, PhD (Stanford, Communication) - Sr. Director, Insights and Data Analytics, Walmart
    • Ruth Appel, PhD (Stanford, Political Communication) - Data Scientist, Anthropic
    • Tom Lampo, PhD (Stanford, Chemical Engineering) - Senior Manager, Data and Applied Science, Uber Technologies

• Hear from a panel of PhDs from a range of disciplines who have forged careers in various roles and sectors focused on sustainability.
  • Panelists:
    • Hanna Breunig, PhD (UC Berkeley, Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Staff Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Staci Lewis, PhD (Stanford, E-IPER) - Senior Biodiversity Program Manager, California Ocean Protection Council
    • Naoko Munakata, PhD (Stanford, Civil and Environmental Engineering) - Supervising Engineer, Research Section, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
    • Daniel Matross, PhD (Harvard, Earth and Planetary Sciences) - Global Head of Research, CREO

• Wondering what employers think about when hiring PhD students and postdocs for non-academic roles? Hear from a panel of employers to get your questions answered.
  • Panelists:
    • Dawn Carter - Founder, New Dawn Strategy Group
    • Jiyoung Choi - Chief Operating Office, Valuenex Inc.
    • Kat David - Recruiter, Exponent
    • Ingrid Rulifson, PhD (Chicago, Immunology) - Scientific Associate Director, Amgen

• Former PhDs and postdocs will tell their stories about their experiences, including the transition to their careers and how they navigate the workplace. This panel creates an open space for conversations about the range of communities and perspectives that Stanford PhDs and postdoc contribute to the world of work.
  • Panelists:
    • Eric J. Daza, DrPH (UNC, Biostatistics) - Associate Director, Biostatistics and Clinical Data Science, Boehringer Ingelheim; Found and Chief Editor, Stats-of-1
    • Valerie Vargas-Zapata, PhD (UC Berkeley, Molecular and Cell Biology) - Community Engagement Program Coordinator, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University
    • Steve Lee, PhD (Illinois, Organic Chemistry) - Assistant Dean of Inclusion, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University
    • Melissa Ko, PhD (Stanford, Cancer Biology) - Assessment and Curriculum Design Specialist, UC Berkeley

• In this interactive workshop, learn how to identify and effectively communicate in professional settings the skills that you’re developing in your PhD or postdoc.
  • Presenter
    • Jazmin Lopez - Assistant Director, Belonging, Access, and Career Equity, Stanford Career Education
    • Jenny Roxas - Associate Director, Belonging, Access, and Career Equity, Stanford Career Education

• Confirmed Speaker:
  • Kenneth Goodson, PhD - Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs

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.