Pittsburgh Power Meal Brings Multiple Communities Together to Discuss the Transition from Academia to Industry
By now, we’re all well aware of the Great Resignation and how this ongoing economic trend resulted in over 47 million people voluntarily resigning from their jobs. According to Wikipedia, possible reasons for this mass exodus include wage stagnation, job dissatisfaction, safety concerns, and remote work opportunities. But what about those who specifically transitioned from academia to industry? To share insight into this particular career shift, we hosted a Power Meal around this exact topic at the end of July.
Hosted by Lydia Chen, PhD, Biology Research and Development Scientist at NeuBase Therapeutics, our Power Meal: Transitioning from Academia to Industry invited a small group of community members to gather over catered lunch from Panera Bread to discuss such a transformation and the benefits surrounding it. Guests weren’t just local either, as we provided digital access via Zoom for individuals from the Aging Institute, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in Bridgeside II, and even a sister property in Atlanta, Georgia to join remotely.
Right away, Lydia jumped into her professional journey. Five years ago, she felt like her only career opportunity was to be an advisor in academia. So when she left her role as an Academic Researcher at the University of Pittsburgh to become an industry professional with a company that focuses on advancing an entirely new class of medicines to address many currently undruggable diseases, she was both nervous and excited. “Life is so short; you need to pursue something you really love,” Lydia exclaimed.
And her passion led her to a multitude of opportunities – even ones she never dreamed possible. She shared that “as you get older, it is harder to get support on projects and research.” But in her current role, she has access to ample resources, tools, and the chance to learn something new: “I learn how a drug will work in people, rather than the theories of how it could work. We get to focus on people in hospitals, in charities, and in organizations where people need support. There is a connection between the patient and what you can really do for them.”
However, it’s important to note that in order to get these incredible opportunities, you have to work hard, continuously improving both your social and leadership skills. According to Lydia, “networking and really ‘selling yourself’ is vital. It is all on you to improve, to speak up for yourself, and to reach out to find more opportunities.”
After sharing her story, the group reviewed two topics that they were asked prior to the activation. As seen below, several members seemed to be on the same page when it came to both the advantages and disadvantages of such a career transition:
1. What benefits can you imagine there are by moving from academia to industry?
2. What are some of the downfalls you can imagine there are by leaving academia for industry?
Lydia then opened up the discussion for any additional questions attendees had:
Q: Can you transition back to academia?
A: “I don’t want to go back. You have to learn your passion. If you are open to the puzzle and challenge of the industry, you will love it. I don’t think I personally have the opportunity to return, but my publications are quite strong and I have witnessed others returning to academia after a few successful publications.”
Q: What are the differences between big pharma, startup, or medium sized biotech companies?
A: “If you go to a big company, it is much more stable. You need to expand yourself and enhance your skills. You need to know how to deal with people before you can deal with your project. You need to understand everything from discovering your drug, to testing it, to pushing it, to laboratory testing. You need to understand all of this before you go to a big company. But at a startup, you can do a lot and you will get to know the CEO and understand all aspects of the company.”
Q: Why did you choose NeuBase Therapeutic?
A: “I didn’t want to travel a lot. When I first started to apply, most jobs required that you travel almost every day.”
Q: Do you feel like the pressure to produce findings is overwhelming?
A: “I do think there is a lot of pressure – you can’t just focus on the one task that you have because of the pressure to support your team.”
Q: What have you been able to accomplish that you wouldn’t have otherwise?
A: “In academia, I wouldn’t have had the same drive. In industry, you have to find and push a track.”
Q: What are your work hours like?
A: “On Fridays, my company does not work past 1 p.m. Regular business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but it is not very strict. As you go, you can assign projects to others and that sometimes leads to actually putting in more time. I also get 25 days of paid time off (PTO) which is great, as I am encouraged to take time away from work and to have a strong work-life balance.”
As the Power Meal concluded, some ladies stayed behind to learn more about other local, upcoming events, like the BioBreakfast that happens every Tuesday and a Women In Bio (WIB) event happening in September. In fact, Lydia is a member of the WIB organization, which focuses on helping women entrepreneurs and executives building successful bioscience-related businesses, and she has been vocal about how it assisted her with networking and connecting with people in the industry within Pittsburgh.
To learn more about our future activations and local community events, check out our website and subscribe to our newsletter, The Bridgeside Bulletin.