Throughout the three-day program, participants received candid feedback designed to prepare them for one of the most important milestones in an academic scientist's career: the faculty interview.

Buzczak was joined by Kristin Artinger, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota, Ingo Braasch, Ph.D., of Michigan State University, and Stephen Gould, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University.

"I had never heard of an institution organizing something like this specifically for its postdocs," Gould said. "Postdocs are often the least cared-for members of the scientific enterprise. So when I received the invitation, I thought, 'I have to see what this place is about.'"

Learning to tell the bigger story

One of the strongest messages throughout the workshop was that achievement in the lab alone is not enough. Postdocs must also learn to explain why their work matters to audiences far beyond their own specialty.

"Scientists only need about 90 seconds before they're deep in the weeds," said Buzczak. "That's where the mechanisms and the details live, and that's the beauty of science. But it's also what makes communication so hard."

The workshop featured presentations by postdocs Lorena Maili, Ph.D., Gopal Kushawah, Ph.D., Aurelie Hintermann, Ph.D., and research specialist Anand Sasidharan, Ph.D., whose research spans developmental biology, gene regulation, evolutionary genomics, and regeneration.

"When you're on the job market, you need multiple versions of your talk," Artinger said. "Sometimes you're speaking to experts in your field. Other times you're speaking to an entire biology department with faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. You have to know how to adjust your message."

More than a seminar

While research accomplishments may earn a candidate an interview, personal interactions often inform the final decision.

"The science might get you the interview, but it's the conversations that tell you whether this is someone you'll want to work with for the next decade," he said.

The visiting faculty encouraged participants of the workshop to approach the interview process with greater confidence.

"Young scientists are incredibly smart and self-aware," Artinger said. "They often see all the things they haven't done yet instead of recognizing how much they've already accomplished."

Gould echoed that message during feedback sessions.

"Selling yourself is hard," he said. "We all told one of the postdocs, 'This body of work is amazing, but you have to help us see why it's important.'"

Braasch told the group that professionalism is equally important and extends far beyond delivering an excellent seminar.

"'Professionalism' is really the umbrella for everything else: showing up prepared, asking thoughtful questions, dressing appropriately, being collegial, and treating people well," he said. "Most of it is common sense, but common sense is often culturally learned."

An investment in future faculty

Beyond the workshop itself, the visiting faculty were also impressed by the Stowers Institute’s research environment and the resources available to postdocs. "The core facilities are remarkable, but what really stands out is the mindset they create," Braasch said. "When you have that level of support, you start thinking differently about what kinds of science are possible."

Buzczak pointed to another distinguishing feature.

"One thing that's really special here is the postdoctoral community," he said. "Having 50 postdocs creates a critical mass where people learn from one another and support each other. That's difficult to build at many universities."

The faculty encouraged members of the postdoc community to use that environment to their advantage and reminded them that hiring decisions extend well beyond a candidate's research.

"Departments aren't just hiring great scientists. They're hiring future colleagues," Artinger said. "They want someone they can collaborate with, talk to, and work alongside for the next 20 years."

Faculty Edge Seminar Series

Beyond the workshop, as part of FacultyEDGE, postdocs also attend weekly seminar sessions in the spring. Attendees of the workshop included both senior and junior postdocs. For seniors, the feedback is timely, as they will soon prepare and submit applications. For juniors, the feedback helps maximize their postdoctoral tenure, providing both early exposure to leading scientists and the chance to more efficiently shape a compelling application package over the coming years.

Learn more about Faculty EDGE here. 

This year’s seminars featured Stowers Graduate School Dean and Stowers Investigator Jennifer Gerton, Assistant Investigator Arvind Pillai, and Jim and Virginia Stowers Fellow Friederike Benning. They presented on a wide-range of topics, including “Writing a Research Statement”, “Writing a Teaching Statement” and “Preparing a Chalk Talk”.