Pathways in Physics and Beyond: Aligning professional development and skills into career success. Invited annual keynote for postdocs

Abstract: Success as a postdoc often centers on training in research, though everyone’s career path requires skills beyond those that solely advance scholarship. Many postdocs have become savvy in preparing for their next career steps and enrolling in professional development opportunities to develop their skills. But it remains difficult to align personal aspirations and external motivations and pressures. I will tell the story of my career path, highlighting my personal process of alignment and choice making (which didn’t always work out). Along the way, I will provide a framework to help postdocs describe their current skills and strategically identify the areas they want to pursue and highlight for their pathway.