Panelists Advise ‘Flexibility’ as Key to Career Success

Career panelists share their advice and experiences with REU and REV students. From left to right: Jan Brown, Stacey Patterson, Angelia Gibson and Robert Gerhold

Flexibility is the key to finding your future career, according to the consensus of four panelists representing diverse careers in mathematics and biology. REU and REV students listened to this advice and more during a recent career panel at NIMBioS. If you are flexible and work hard, the perfect opportunity will come to you, looking for you, said one panelist. Networking was also cited as important, as well as time management skills and setting priorities to achieve the right work-life balance. Representing a variety of careers from higher education to research to industry, the panelists included Angelia Gibson (chemistry/biochemistry faculty, Maryville College); Stacey Patterson (director of research partnerships for the Univ. of Tennessee); Richard Gerhold (postdoctoral fellow in UT’s forestry, wildlife, and fisheries department); and Janda Brown (a senior commodity specialist with the Tennessee Valley Authority). The panel was monitored by NIMBioS Education and Outreach Coordinator Kelly Sturner. Only two more weeks remain in the 2011 NIMBioS Summer REU/REV program, which concludes with research presentations from the participants in the six REU/REV projects.

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