PhD Pathways

Overview

PhD Pathways is a career exploration experience for Stanford PhDs and postdocs. At Pathways, you will have the opportunity to explore careers beyond academia, connect with PhD alums, discover how the skills you’ve gained in graduate school translate to non-faculty careers, learn how to navigate the career exploration process, and devise next steps to advance your journey at Stanford and beyond!

On March 16, 2023, PhD Pathways returns as a day-long, in-person event after a three-year hiatus. Please note that attendees are expected to commit to attending the full day of events.  

PhD Pathways 2023 is sold out. Registration is now closed. 

Note: For current PhDs and postdocs who have registered, your $50 deposit will be refunded the week after the Pathways event. Failure to attend Pathways will result in the loss of your deposit.

Program Schedule

Check back regularly as more detailed information is added!

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
  • Lindsay Oishi, PhD ‘12, Education - Senior Product Manager, Indeed.com
• Interactive Case Study 2: Applied Research Thinking and Communication in Data Science
  • 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
  • Lindsay Oishi, PhD ‘12, Education - Senior Product Manager, Indeed.com
• Interactive Case Study 2: Applied Research Thinking and Communication in Data Science
  • 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

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.
4:30-5:00 p.m.