{"id":14562,"date":"2019-10-02T21:59:48","date_gmt":"2019-10-02T21:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.golive.clarku.edu\/news\/2019\/10\/02\/alumni-offer-clark-students-tips-on-finding-careers-that-promote-scientific-fearlessness\/"},"modified":"2025-05-19T09:51:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T13:51:10","slug":"alumni-offer-clark-students-tips-on-finding-careers-that-promote-scientific-fearlessness","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2019\/10\/02\/alumni-offer-clark-students-tips-on-finding-careers-that-promote-scientific-fearlessness\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni offer Clark students tips on finding careers that promote \u2018scientific fearlessness\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n

Session outlines ways to secure STEM jobs in a competitive marketplace<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n Emilie Ogisu’17, M.S. ’18, and Noah Schwaegerle ’17, M.S. ’18, chat with Clark students before speaking at Professor Don Spratt’s class, “LEEPing into a Science Career.”\n

 <\/p>\n

Learn about the companies you’re applying to. Sell yourself. And always thank your interviewers.<\/p>\n

Alumni from Clark University’s biochemistry and molecular biology<\/a> (BCMB), biology<\/a>, and chemistry<\/a> programs returned to campus Sept. 20 to impart these and other valuable pieces of advice to undergraduates who will soon be looking for an edge in the STEM job market.<\/p>\n

The Clarkies who presented to students in Professor Donald Spratt<\/a>’s “LEEPing into a Science Career” class were: Ashley Burke ’16 (BCMB), M.S. ’17, research associate for Novartis<\/a>; Elizabeth Nelson ’16 (BCMB), M.S. ’17, associate scientist for LakePharma<\/a>; Rachel Orlomoski ’17 (biology), M.S. ’18, research associate for AbbVie<\/a>; Emilie Ogisu ’17 (biology), M.S. ’18, associate scientist for Affinivax<\/a>; Noah Schwaegerle ’17 (BCMB), M.S. ’18, research associate for Beam Therapeutics<\/a>; and Faith Witkos ’19 (chemistry), scientific associate for Vertex Pharmaceuticals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Alumni
Ashley Burke ’16, M.S. ’17 (second from right), describes her job as a career associate for Novartis. Also on the panel were (from left) Noah Schwaegerle ’17, M.S. ’18, Rachel Orlomoski ’17, M.S. ’18, Faith Witkos ’19, Emilie Ogisu ’17, M.S. ’18, and Elizabeth Nelson ’16, M.S. ’17.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The presenters counseled the students to begin applying for jobs the January before graduation and to pursue positions in areas of research that appeal to them over the long term.<\/p>\n

During the interview process, ask each of the scientists interviewing you how long they’ve been at the company and where their research interests lie, Orlomoski advised.<\/p>\n

“If they’ve been at the company for a long time and they are still excited about the science they are working on it is a good company to work for,” she said.<\/p>\n

Added Nelson, “When going through the job search process be picky; don’t blindly apply for everything you see. If you want to be there a long time, liking the work is key.”<\/p>\n

Additional pieces of advice the alumni offered:\n<\/p>\n