Career Transitions: Academia to Industry

As a researcher, considering a move from an academic career to industry can feel like an intimidating prospect. What questions should be considered and how does one begin to explore opportunities within industry? This webinar will address the differences between a career in academia versus industry through the perspectives of researchers who have made the transition. Panelists will share about their journeys to work in industry, important considerations around this move, and best practices when exploring industry opportunities. Participants will leave the session equipped with a practical understanding of how and why academic researchers choose this path, along with questions to consider in deciding if (and when) this transition is appropriate for them.

Boundary-Crossing Skills for Research Careers Series

This series explores approaches to developing a broad range of competencies integral to establishing and maintaining a successful research career. The series delves into the following competencies: team science, mentorship, project management, communication, leadership, and funding research. For more information and to access other resources and webinars in the series, please visit Boundary-Crossing Skills for Research Careers.

Meet the Moderator

Vishal Vaidya, PhD, is vice president and chief toxicology scientist at Pfizer, where he serves as a senior advisor for development and implementation of translational safety and risk management strategies for the company’s portfolio. Vaidya has held leadership roles in drug safety and early clinical development. He has also led multidisciplinary teams in academia and industry, with a goal of changing patients’ lives by discovering disease-modulating targets and disease-monitoring biomarkers. Previously, he was an associate professor at Harvard Medical School where his team invented biomarkers and targets for kidney disease, co-founded a biotechnology company (Mediar Therapeutics), and authored more than  100 papers and book chapters. Vaidya’s work has been recognized by NIH/NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientist award, Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s Innovation in Regulatory Science Award, Society of Toxicology’s (SOT) Leading Edge in Basic Science Award, and the SOT Achievement Award. He obtained his graduate and postdoctoral training from the University of Louisiana and Harvard Medical School, respectively. 

Session date

May 10, 2023

12:00-1:30pm EST via Zoom

Audience

This webinar is designed for translational researchers at any career stage. However, there are no eligibility requirements to participate and anyone is welcome to attend.

We believe that the research community is strengthened by understanding how a number of factors including gender identity, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture, religion, national origin, language, disability, and age shape the environment in which we live and work, affect each of our personal identities, and impacts all areas of human health.