WHERE TO TAKE MY CAREER - A START-UP OR AN ESTABLISHED COMPANY? - MAY 17, 2012  (3pm-4pm EDT)

Entering the workforce  is a major concern for graduate students nationwide.  Researchers reaching the end of their graduate education are confronted with fundamental questions of how best to continue their careers into technological industry.  Should one attempt to start or join a small company based upon his/her research, or should one join the ranks of a large, multinational corporation with well-established practices and partnerships?

What are the benefits of each approach to furthering a burgeoning career?  What should graduating researchers consider about their own personal goals and interests before pursuing a career in either a large company or a startup?  

Please join our panel in exploring these topics and more in the third of our ongoing series of Innovation Webinars presented by the Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry (CSMC).

The distinguished panelists for this webinar are:

Dr. Stephen Meyers, Lead Engineer at Inpria Corporation

Stephen Meyers is an early employee of Inpria, a Corvallis, OR based start-up company focused on developing disruptive manufacturing technologies enabled by solution deposition of inexpensive and environmentally benign aqueous inks. Stephen is the architect of multiple dielectric, semiconductor, and resist materials within Inpria’s portfolio. He holds a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Oregon State University.

Dr. Alicyn Rhoades, Industrial Marketing Manager for Thermoplastic Urethanes, at Bayer MaterialScience, LLC (BMS)

Alicyn Rhoades’ responsibilities include product strategy development and implementation to optimize BMS product offerings and competitiveness. Prior to this position she was an Innovation Manager in the New Technologies/New Business group at BMS; a Research Commercialization Project Manager at the Pennsylvania Nanomaterials Commercialization Center; and, a Commercialization Leader with the University of Southern Mississippi's tech transfer organization.  She completed an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2006.

Dr. Judith Giordan, Partner in ecosVC and Senior Advisor to the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA), moderates the panel.
In a career that has spanned 30 years, Dr. Giordan, the recipient of the 2010 Francis Garvin-John Olin medal of the American Chemical Society, has served in executive and leadership positions in R&D and operations at some of the world's top brands, including International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc., the Pepsi-Cola Company, and the Henkel Corporation.

Click here for more information on the CSMC Innovation Webinar Series and to view videos of past webinars.

April 2012

Judy visited the Phase I CCI at Purdue University, "Quantum Information Center for Quantum Chemistry (QIQC)" to facilitate a Lens of the Market workshop.  A total of 16 graduate students, post docs and faculty from the Center participated.

Centers for Chemical Innovation or CCIs are funded through the National Science Foundation.

April 2012

Judy moderated the this year's first ACS Chemical Entrepreneurship Series Webinar on April 5, 2012 titled "Jobs in Startups – Differences and Similarities to 'Real' Companies".  Heidi Friedman of Boston Heart Diagnostics, and Dr. Chris Palatucci of Palatucci Executive Search, LLC, were the webinar panelists.  Watch the recorded webinar for more on:

• What are the similarities and differences about getting a great job in a start-up or an ongoing large company?
• What do you need to know to be competitive and successful?
• What do executive recruiters and hiring human resources leaders look for when they hire or place people, and is there a difference for start-ups vs. large companies?

March 2012

Judy presented "Resources from National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA)" at the 243rd American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting in San Diego, CA, in the "Entrepreneurship in the American Chemical Society" session. Her presentation covers the NCIIA's research to commercialization lens, NCIIA's impact and their programs.

Judy is a Senior Advisor to the NCIIA.

March 2012

Judy visited the Phase II CCI at the University of California, Irvine, "The Center for Chemistry at the Space-Time Limit (CaSTL)" to facilitate a Lens of the Market workshop.  A total of 22 graduate students and post docs from the Center participated.

Centers for Chemical Innovation or CCIs are funded through the National Science Foundation.