Career Feature

The work of a Licensing Associate for Life Sciences

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We invited Elisabeth Rutledge to tell us about her career as a Licensing Associate for Life Sciences. Here, Elisabeth tells us about her work and how she transitioned from being a PhD student to pursuing a career in technology transfer. She also offers some advice to those who are interested in pursuing this career.

About Elisabeth Rutledge

LinkedIn 

Elisabeth’s Ph.D. focused on the areas of Development, Stem Cell, and Regenerative Medicine. She currently works at the technology transfer office of the University of Southern California (USC) – USC Stevens Center for Innovation. It aims at translating USC research into products for public benefit through licenses, collaborations, and the promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation. In her role as a Licensing Associate, Elisabeth manages a portfolio across 21 departments with many inventions and patents.

How did you get your current job? Describe the path to your current position.

As I wrapped up my PhD, I was seeking ways of acquiring experience in a non-laboratory setting. I began volunteering at the USC Stevens Center for Innovation. After several months, I joined their internship program, which provided a structured learning experience while also assisting the licensing team with marketing and licensing efforts. During my internship, a position opened for a Life Sciences Licensing Associate. With encouragement from the staff, I applied for the position and was eventually hired.

What is a usual day/week at your job position?

I am responsible for managing a diverse group of university departments to promote and enable the commercialization of their technologies. During a usual week, I assess new inventions, market technologies to companies, negotiate licenses, and facilitate patent prosecution for intellectual property protection. I interact with USC researchers, patent attorneys, biomedical companies, and other offices within the university to direct and support these activities.

From your experience, what does a company/institution look for in candidates applying to your job position?

From my experience, tech transfer offices are looking for candidates with a strong scientific, legal, and/or business background. As a graduate student, it can be difficult to get any exposure to the legal or business sectors. I would highly encourage students interested in tech transfer or other related fields to look for opportunities that can provide that experience, whether that is through internships, relevant classes/programs offered at your institute (or elsewhere), etc.

What skills have made you and others in your field successful? Were there any unexpected skills that you needed to learn?

I’m very new to this field, so I still have much to learn! One important skill that I am learning is how to navigate the language within licensing agreements and patent applications. I was completely unfamiliar with both of these types of documents, each of which has its own unique format with specific guidelines and requirements for their context. I’ve received a tremendous amount of support and help from the USC Stevens team to understand these documents in order to effectively work with them.

What advice do you have for the current graduate students looking into work in this job position?

I encourage you to reach out to your institute’s own tech transfer office to ask for any opportunities for getting involved with them. Additionally, setting up informational interviews with tech transfer professionals can provide you some insights into their day-to-day tasks, what they like and don’t like about the job, and their own career journey. There are also several organizations that promote technology transfer, such as AUTM and LES (Licensing Executives Society), that have materials and courses to educate yourself on the field.

Interview by Pankajam Thyagarajan

Get into Technology transfer in Life Sciences

Alumni Spotlight

Kahina Ghanem, Professor in Avian Reproductive Physiology

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We asked Kahina to talk about her experience in obtaining a Ph.D at Penn State. Here, she shares her opinion and advice on how to succeed during and after graduate school.

About Kahina Ghanem

LinkedIn | Professional page

Kahina obtained a Ph.D. degree in Integrative and Biomedical Physiology at The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Penn State, in 2019. She received postdoctoral training at the University of Rochester Medical Center and currently, she is an Assistant Professor in Avian Reproductive Physiology in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota.

What motivated you to choose your Ph.D. program at Penn State?

I really wanted to get a Ph.D. in Physiology. At Penn State, I found the Graduate Program in Integrative and Biomedical Physiology which offers lab rotations to incoming graduate candidates. This rotational system got my attention once it provided me with the opportunity to train and explore different research topics and get to know faculty and students from different departments. Ultimately, the more I learned about the academic training opportunities at Penn State, the more I had the feeling that it was the right place for me.

How did your Ph.D. training prepare you for your current job position?

My graduate education at Penn State made me a strong applicant which ultimately led me to be hired in my current position. The coursework and scientific training I received through my Ph.D. Program gave me the knowledge and critical thinking skills to become a leading scientist. To me, the mentorship I received from my advisor, Dr. Alan Johnson, was the most important aspect of my Ph.D. training. He taught me to be independent and take responsibility for my training and success in academia. Over time, his lessons and advice helped me to be confident in proposing and completing project ideas. Finally, the supportive and engaging environment in the Department of Animal Science made me feel welcome and allowed me to develop lifelong friendships.

What is something surprising that you learned about yourself during your Ph.D.?

I was in denial about being depressed.

Describe a setback you experienced. How did you overcome and learn from it?

The hardest thing I experienced in graduate school was to allow my critical, inner voice to drown out everything else. As the years passed, I became unhappy with my performance and achievements. I was often defining myself by how well an experiment went, whether I achieved a deadline or not. The funny thing is, the harder I was on myself the less productive and efficient with my time I became. All of this culminated in me becoming more depressed. What helped me to snap out of this harmful mindset was to change my perspective and attend therapy. I came to understand that my self-worth does not solely dependent on my accomplishments at work; my self-worth comes from all aspects of my life.

What advice you think is the most valuable for someone who…

  • Is applying for graduate school … Just go for it and let your passion be the driver.
  • Is starting graduate school … Do not compare yourself to others.
  • Is finishing graduate school … How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Also, if you are planning on doing a postdoc, and you don’t like it, leave! A Postdoc is supposed to be fun. Do not be afraid to find a postdoc that you like. It will make all the difference in the world!

Interview by M. Isabel da Silva

Mental Health at Penn State

Whether you are struggling with academic stress, homesickness, relationship issues, depression, or another mental health concern, the staff at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) are available to support you. >> Read more

Career Feature

Bridging Science, Art and Design

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We invited Radhika Patnala to tell us about her career in Science Illustration. Here, Radhika talks about some responsibilities and skills in this unique field that combines science and art. She also offers some advice to those who are interested in pursuing a career in science illustration.

About Radhika Patnala

LinkedIn | Twitter

Radhika’s Ph.D. focused on the areas of neuroscience, inflammation, and epigenetics. Currently, she strives to bridge the line between science, art, and design through her role as the Founder and Director of Sci-Illustrate. This creative agency based in Munich, Germany provides various Life Science companies, research universities, and organizations with a scientifically-informed platform for their needs in design, science communication, and marketing.

Describe the path to your current position. What role did your Ph.D. play?

Sci-Illustrate is a bootstrapped venture created by blending my passion for science and art with a goal to enhance science communication. It was built with a lot of resilience and immense support from my family. Giving myself permission to fail while carefully setting small but consistent milestones, paved the way for Sci-Illustrate to contribute in various spheres of biotechnology, healthcare, and science communication. 

My research experiences from versatile fields allow me to better understand and solve my clients’ problems in design and communication. My Ph.D. training helped in building resilience towards failure and uncertainty. Working in a research environment has taught me how to manage teams and collaborate with others – these qualities lay an essential foundation for any business. 

What is a typical day/week for your job position? Tell us about the different projects at Sci-Illustrate!

My typical week is filled with client meetings, internal meetings with team members for various projects and their execution.  Sci-Illustrate has worked with clients from various life-science and healthcare sectors spread across the world. We also conduct workshops regularly to train life scientists and healthcare professionals in science illustration. 

Examples of some projects at Sci-Illustrate include 2-D/3-D visualization of biomedical products; motion graphics and 2-D illustration to make compelling visuals to tell scientific, medical and pharmaceutical stories. I, with my team of artists and content editors work on an inspiring in-house project called the WIS series under Sci-Illustrate Stories, where we tell stories about Women in Science.

From your experience, what does a company/organization look for in candidates applying for a position in scientific illustration?

One will look for a candidate’s skills and interest in Science Communication. The following soft skills are essential to meet the demands of this field: Communication, Project management, Reliability and Organization to manage deadlines. Utilizing design software such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop is an important technical skill. Successful candidates show experience in leading different initiatives that can demonstrate these skills and their interests.

Why is science illustration important and what do you find most exciting in this field?

There is an unmet need for effectively communicating research among scientists themselves and further relaying it to non-scientists. Illustration is a highly efficient form of communication and it makes science more accessible. I love solving real-world science communication problems for researchers and science illustration allows me to bring science closer to the public.

What advice do you have for the current graduate students looking into work in this field?

It is crucial to be very clear about the kind of science communication avenue that you would be interested in pursuing: Is it science/medical illustration, public outreach, scientific/medical writing, or science journalism? All of these fields require very different skill sets. Once you gain clarity on the avenue of interest, you can begin to hone your skills in that specific direction.

Interview by Pankajam Thyagarajan

Get into Science Illustration

If you wish to explore a career in science or medical illustration/science communication, start now! Here are some resources to get you informed and active:

Student Stories

In-person TAing during COVID-19

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Collin Hudzik is a Ph.D. candidate in the Plant Biology program. For the last three Fall semesters, he has taught as a Lab TA for Bio 220. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to his teaching experience the past Fall. In this brief interview, he discusses how the course adapted to the challenges posed by the pandemic and his own experience teaching in-person.

Did you feel anxious about teaching in-person? Were you provided with the opportunities to teach remotely?

Not really. There was a little anxiety at the beginning when I agreed to teach in person but I did feel that I could have a better connection with the students in person than I would be able to remotely. My course offered opportunities to teach in person or remotely only and I decided to teach in person. Teaching in person meant that I would essentially be doubling my in-class time where I was responsible for four sections, instead of 2. This came with the trade-off of doing a little less grading (even though it didn’t feel like it) which was picked up by the remote TAs.

How did the class change to accommodate COVID-19 safety practices?

There were a few changes to the design of Bio 220 and it was a bit complicated. The course was designed so that each section was split into A and B sections. One section would be the ‘in person’ component and the other would be an entirely remote section. For ‘in person’ sections, like the one I taught, I would have to simultaneously broadcast a zoom classroom for students who either chose to be entirely remote or were quarantining after a positive COVID test. Additionally, the in-person sections were reduced to no more than 10 students at a time to respect social distancing practices. While I was teaching the “in-person” section, the other section would be attending the remote section with a remote TA at the same time. They would switch between in-person and remotely every other week.

Could students choose to be remote or change their minds after the semester started?

Unless they were quarantining, not really. We wanted to avoid situations where students decided like they didn’t want to come for the in-person lab one week and rejoin the next week.

Were there any logistical issues with students who were required to quarantine?

For me, not really. Because I would broadcast my sections on Zoom, if a student had to quarantine, they would just join virtually. However, it was initially difficult to monitor Zoom questions while teaching in person, but with practice, it became much more manageable.

Were your students respectful of the COVID-19 safety practices?

Students in my section were extremely respectful of all COVID-19 safety practices–they were compliant with mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines. I didn’t have any issues whatsoever throughout the semester with my students.

Do you feel like you gained any new skills given the unique circumstances of the past semester?

As most of us can relate, I definitely upped my game on how to use Zoom. While I generally feel comfortable interacting with students in person, I found interacting with students only over zoom after the Thanksgiving break took a bit of getting used to.

Do you have anything else you’d like to share about this teaching experience?

In general, I don’t believe that graduate students are fairly compensated for their work—especially during the pandemic.

Interview by Isaac Dopp

Student Stories

Checking feelings

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As a scientist, I often spent more time lost in thoughts outside of myself – experiments, deadlines, coursework – than devoting time to personal introspection. However, I discovered that reflecting on my motivations and goals are important to feeling centered and succeeding in grad school. Thus, I wrote to myself some reminders and started revisiting them as checkpoints for my mental health. Although, in the beginning, the following advice sounded to me like superficial aphorisms on the back of a teabag, “sip by sip” I became aware that I could be happier if I followed them.

Note: It is bittersweet to write about my personal experiences as I am still finding my ways to conclude my degree. I am not here to give anyone advice. Instead, I share my story to contribute to the community of graduate students who are enduring difficult times and want to talk about it.

Stop comparing yourself with others

I heard this advice on my first day in graduate school by talking with senior students. At the beginning of my training trying to be as good as my peers helped me acquire and improve upon skills that were beneficial to my professional performance. However, overtime, comparing myself with others often led me to think that I was not working hard enough. My continuous desire to out-do myself drained my energy and led to negative self-esteem. After a few good cries and self-analysis, I noticed that excessively comparing myself with others was detrimental to my overall well-being. Each graduate student has different life experiences, abilities, and cultural and educational backgrounds. Our differences provide us each with unique ways to execute tasks. So instead of looking at my classmates as rivals, I asked for their advice and offered support. Their accomplishments now inspire me to believe that I will also be successful in my own way and in my own time.

You are good enough

Being in academia has allowed me to encounter many smart and talented people and explore unfamiliar situations. Inevitably, I went through periods of self-doubt and despair. I often asked myself if I deserved to be a doctoral student while I was hopeless that I would be able to get anything done correctly. I was afflicted with “imposter syndrome.” Luckily, I had emotional support from family and friends who reminded me of my own self-worth. They reminded me of my story, my frustrations, my persistence, and my accomplishments. So, when you start doubting yourself, remember your trajectory, your victories, and that you are already successful for simply making it this far.

There is always something to be thankful for

It is easy to dwell on problems and let the negative thoughts become all-consuming. I experienced this when I projected my frustrations at work onto my partner. After hearing me out, a friend helped me realize how I was making my relationship unhealthy and how my partner, to the best of his abilities, was being nothing but supportive through my hard times. From this situation, I learned that when I am having bad days at work, instead of projecting my feelings onto others, I should remind myself of the good things I have in my life – family, friendships, accomplishments – and be grateful for them.

Be true to your current self

Not long ago, I found myself imagining what my future would look like. I started asking; What do I want to achieve in my personal life? What do I want to do for a living? What are my passions? I felt odd for not knowing or having complete answers to these questions. Little by little, I discovered new goals and priorities that were significantly different from those I had at the beginning of my Ph.D. training. In my first two years, I worked overtime, trying to advance my training and get more work done. I often canceled social meetings with friends and colleagues. Then, I found myself feeling lonely and missing fun moments. I realized that developing friendships and bonding with my peers improved not only teamwork but gave me a sense of belonging. I also thought that a career in academia was my only option after graduation. But now I see that there are other careers in science that I would love to contribute to. Today, I am working towards achieving my new goals and adjusting my work-life balance to meet my expectations for my future career. Thus, knowing what you want and knowing that this too may change, is something powerful and transformative.

Overall, I AM proud to be a Ph.D. student. I also agree academia needs to change and support a healthier environment for the minds of students, faculty, and staff. So, check our feelings, talk about them, and work together to promote change.

Written by M. Isabel da Silva

Mental Health at Penn State

Whether you are struggling with academic stress, homesickness, relationship issues, depression, or another mental health concern, the staff at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) are available to support you. >> Read more

Alumni Spotlight

Michael Santillo, Chemist at FDA

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We interviewed Michael Santillo about his experience during graduate school at Penn State. Here, he shares his opinions and advice on how to be successful during and after graduate school.

About Michael Santillo

LinkedIn | ORCID

Michael obtained a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry at Penn State in 2009 and served as a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2010 to 2013. For the past decade, he continued working at the FDA as a research chemist. Michael develops in vitro cellular and biochemical methods to detect and predict the safety of chemicals in foods and dietary supplements. His applied-research spans the fields of chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology.  

What motivated you to choose your Ph.D. program at Penn State?

I applied to the Chemistry Graduate Program at Penn State because of its excellent reputation in research quality and output, and grant funding opportunities. I liked how the department focused on interdisciplinary research projects, particularly my advisor who was also affiliated with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. Furthermore, I noticed that alumni from my advisor’s lab had successful careers in academia, federal government, and industry. All of these factors led me to choose Penn State for my graduate education.

How did your Ph.D. training prepare you for your current job position?

Through my doctoral training, I was exposed to diverse experiences that prepared me to become a research scientist. As a teaching assistant, I developed skills in leadership, time management, communication, and organization that enabled me to lecture and supervise lab activities in a room of 25 undergraduate students. In my advisor’s lab, I learned to be resourceful, a fast learner, and an independent problem solver. I gained teamwork skills by training junior lab members in new methods and instruments and offering critical advice on their research projects. Finally, after giving talks at national meetings and writing journal articles, I realized that communication skills are equally important as technical knowledge and lab skills.

What is something surprising that you learned about yourself during your Ph.D.?

I learned that I could overcome many challenges in graduate school (failed experiments, short deadlines, rejected manuscripts, etc) if I focused on the task at hand and identified all available options to solve a certain problem. By trying different solutions, I realized at least one of them would be successful.

Describe a setback you experienced. How did you overcome and learn from it?

I wrote a few manuscripts that were rejected by journals without opportunities for revision. Receiving criticism from editors and reviewers allowed me to improve my scientific writing and experimental thinking which resulted in future manuscripts being published.

What advice do you think is the most valuable for someone who is:

  • Applying for graduate school. (1) Obtain practical experience in academic research or industry internships instead of only taking classes through the university. (2) Apply to a graduate school that has multiple faculty members who you would be interested in working with as not all advisors can accept a new student into their labs. (3) Contact current graduate students to gain a sense of the academic and cultural environment of their program. (4) Research the alumni of a given program and learn the career paths that your degree or research field can provide you with.
  • Starting graduate school. (1) Be attentive to faculty personality, leadership style, lab management, and research team interactions when choosing a thesis advisor. (2) Attend career fairs and start browsing job listings early on to know your options and better prepare for job positions. (3) Be resourceful and take initiative in your training. (4) Look for opportunities to give oral presentations and write papers. Communication skills are equally important as technical lab skills regardless of your career path.
  • Finishing graduate school. (1) Apply to as many jobs as possible and do not be surprised if it takes several months for you to receive a response. The more applications you submit, the higher the chances you will get an interview. (2) If you are invited for an interview, obtain information beforehand on the organization and what they do. (3) Develop a short “elevator pitch” that you can use when marketing your research or skills to potential employers, and modify it depending on who you are speaking to (e.g., human resources recruiter vs. scientist).

Interview by M. Isabel da Silva

Huck Graduate Student Advisory Committee at Penn State

Created by Corrine Smolen and Maria Isabel da Silva