STEMPeers

Directions Website Contact the organization

PhD Career Support Group aka STEMPeers® (www.stempeers.org)-A US Non Profit 501(c)3 was founded in 2015.

The primary aim of this group is to build STEM NETWORKING.

05/27/2026

Spotlight Session | EuroSTEMPeers 2026

📅 July 11, 2026
📍 Business Development Center, Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Ring 5, 69124 Heidelberg
🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/dBKU_pKK

We are pleased to welcome Agata Zielinska, MB BA BChir PhD, Co-founder and co-CEO of Ovo Labs, as a speaker for the Spotlight Session at EuroSTEMPeers 2026.

Agata is a physician-scientist with a strong research background in female ageing and a deep commitment to translating scientific discoveries into clinical solutions for infertility. She received advanced training in reproductive biology at world-renowned institutions, including the Gurdon Institute and MRC LMB, University of Cambridge, Max Planck Institute Göttingen, University of Kyoto, and The Francis Crick Institute. During her MB/PhD studies at the University of Cambridge under Prof. Melina Schuh, Agata uncovered key mechanisms driving the decline in egg quality with woman’s age. Her discoveries in female ageing have been recognised with the Max Planck Society’s Otto Hahn Medal and the Young Scientist of 2018 title. At Ovo Labs, together with her co-founders Prof. Melina Schuh and Dr. Oleksandr Yagensky, Agata is developing therapeutics that protect eggs from age-related defects and aim to improve IVF success rates.

Drawing on her experience as both an NHS physician and a scientist, Agata will share insights into translating deep science into fertility innovation and real-world clinical impact.

Join us as we explore the next wave of disruption in R&D and life sciences — where science meets strategy, and bold ideas become impact.

🧭 Venue Details:
* Day 1 (July 10) – BioLabs Heidelberg, Nikola-Tesla-Straße 1
* Day 2 (July 11) – BDC Heidelberg, Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Ring 5

STEMPeers ®

10/09/2024

On October 5th, we had an incredible time of networking with STEM academic and industry leaders in Chicago along with an effective Keynote talk by Michelle Burbea Hoffmann on the Chicago Biotech Ecosystem. Thank you very much to everyone who attended the event from all over the US and India; and helped it make a huge success.

Our invited speakers and panelists shared their career journeys and provided deeper insights into their job functions. In addition, attendees learned about scientific writing, resume tips, leadership aspects and how to address mental health. Beyond the sessions and talks, so many meaningful conversations, new collaborations, and long-lasting connections were formed.
Tremendous thanks to our Sponsors: Bencos Research Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Hollister Incorporated Rosenblatt Life Science Consultants and InSphero for their generous sponsorship. Special sincere appreciation to our supporting partners Chicago Biomedical Consortium, Association for Women in Science (AWIS) Chicago Chapter, , Females in Mass Spectrometry BioSpectrum India National Postdoctoral Association NUPA (Northwestern University Postdoctoral Association), University of Illinois Chicago Postdoc Association, BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE Program Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences and Michigan State University Office of Postdoc Affairs and various other universities across the US in helping us widely promote the event through their social media, emailing listserve and institutional websites.

The energy, inspiration, and connections made will carry forward into next year’s conference. We hope to see you next year in Boston. Please reach out if you are interested in sponsoring, speaking or being part of organizing the event.

09/13/2024

It takes a lot of persistence and determination to accomplish great things and achieve bigger goals. Especially, to succeed in scientific careers, along with your passion, you need a great community of fellow scientists and peer mentors. Realizing that early on in your career and building a strong network is key that can help prevent any future obstacles.

Dr. Alka Gupta (Ph.D.) is a well-accomplished scientist with expertise in Epigenetics and RNA biology research areas who happens to know the importance of such networking. Dr. Gupta is a Postdoctoral Fellow at UCSC and also holds a prestigious fellowship from CIRM for her work in stem cells. As an attendee of the last two years' STEMPeers annual conferences, she has taken her interest in the scientific community and effective networking one step further by being part of the organizing team for this year's conference. She is a great team player, an effective communicator, and is eager to meet the attendees in Chicago and share her experiences.

Don’t wait and forget to register! Very few seats left https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f

09/11/2024

“Communicating Science, Landing Jobs: A Path to Diverse Careers”
Learning to communicate science effectively is not just a skill, it’s a crucial part of your job search and essential for your career growth. This dynamic session will feature Saurja DasGupta , a tenure-track faculty member Sumbul Khan, a strategic management scientist. The panel discussion will be moderated by Avraneel Paul, PhD and coordinated (including the online SciWri-a-thon) by Roopsha Sengupta Editor-in-chief of Club SciWri. Panelists will discuss how science writing has been pivotal in their career success and share insights on leveraging communication skills to unlock diverse job opportunities and advance professionally.

Meet the Panelists
Saurja DasGupta is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry with a concurrent appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. His lab studies RNA structure, function, and evolution and how they influence each other. Saurja obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry at The University of Chicago, where he investigated various aspects of RNA Catalysis. Saurja moved to Harvard for his postdoctoral research, where he investigated problems related to the origin and evolution of primordial life. He has been a contributing editor at Club SciWri since 2019.

Sumbul Khan is a Senior Scientist, Strategic Management and Planning at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. She received Ph. D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and completed post-doctoral research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research experience spans cancer biology, immuno-oncology, tissue regeneration, and microenvironmental surveillance in cancer progression. As an editor at Club SciWri and a writer and editor at Sci-Illustrate Stories, she has endeavored to make current advances in research simple, understandable, and exciting.

Roopsha Sengupta is an independent scientific editor and Editor-in-Chief at Club SciWri, a platform for creative science communication & outreach. She completed her Ph.D. at the Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna and conducted postdoctoral research at UCSF and the University of Cambridge. At Club SciWri, she works with scientists, artists, and writers to connect science, art, and literature, making it accessible to a broader audience. She also established and led collaborations with biotech companies for science content writing, design, and illustration.
Register now: https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f
📅 Save the Date: October 5th, 2024.
📌 Location: David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago.

Huge thanks to our sponsors and partners for ensuring the success of the event - Bencos Research Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Hollister Incorporated InSphero and Rosenblatt Life Science Consultants
Chicago Biomedical Consortium National Postdoctoral Association
University of Illinois Chicago Postdoc Association Northwestern University Postdoctoral Association

09/11/2024

Keeping a community vibrant needs an army of dedicated volunteers. Just like any other volunteer-driven organization, STEMPeers has had the privilege of working with some of the finest individuals who work both behind the scenes and on the front lines to ensure that our community gets the best of career-related information simply by scrolling or signing up to join a Zoom call to talk to people who have been there and done that.

Ajinkya Sase is one such kind soul in our leadership with sharpness of vision to grow the organization. He was the first member of STEMPeers to hold an AMA (ask me anything) live session on J1 waiver process in 2018. He understood that most of us are not articulate enough to pen the right questions about this process and an AMA is going to make access to information easier.

True to his belief in STEMPeers, and his collaborative approach, he led the revival of the in-person STEMPeers in Philly (2022), a major challenge for this community to resume in-person networking after COVID19.

Ajinkya never looked back since then. As one of the core members of the Mentor Mantra series, he has facilitated open discussions on diverse topics academic industrial careers for STEM-trained returnees to India, Midcareer growth with industry leaders in US, financial planning for STEM trainees in US, as well as using an O1 visa immigration to realize your entrepreneurial dream in United States.

With someone with this level of knowledge, it is amazing that he is willing to join us again in Chicago and share his insights.

Don’t forget to register! Few seats left https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f

09/10/2024

It is hard to express in words the impact of Arumugham (Ragoo) Raghunathan on STEMPeers. The STEMPeers conference series kicked off in Boston (2017) and Ragoo's presence since then paved the way for most of the career success stories that you hear in this community of STEM professionals.
Whether it was his mentorship, friendship, or just a wise choice of words to rescue a tough salary negotiation during the final stages of a job offer, he has made sure that a quick phone call with him never leaves the listener less than what they called him up for.
As he did in the past, he continues to impact the present and the future generations of this organization while touching several lives with his wisdom. Sign up for the Chicago STEMPeers conference and get an opportunity to learn 'WHY' we swear by his mentorship prowess.
Cheers to the Master Yoda of STEMPeers aka Arumugham (Ragoo) Raghunathan
If you haven't registered yet, please do so ASAP
https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f
Let’s make your STEM career unstoppable!

Save the Date: October 5th, 2024.
Location: David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago.

09/08/2024

Whether it was attending the first STEMPeers conference in Boston, or hosting STEMPeers in New York City, or growing this community's presence in NYC and globally (especially during COVID-19) through her charisma, mentorship, leadership, and networking capabilities,
Dolonchapa Chakraborty, PhD has been an internal champion of STEMPeers.
As we gear up to host 150+ audiences on October 5th in Chicago, she will be there, willing to network with you and help you grow your career in STEM.
If you haven't registered, please do so ASAP at this. https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f

Let’s make your STEM career unstoppable!

Save the Date: October 5th, 2024, Saturday
Location: David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago.

08/29/2024

🚀📚 Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the art and impact of medical and scientific writing! 🧠✍️ Whether you're a seasoned writer or new to the field, this event will dive into the nuances of translating complex research into compelling and accessible content. Our expert panelists will share their experiences, tips, and the latest trends shaping the industry. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your skills and connect with fellow professionals. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details! 🌟🔬

Medical Writing Panelist:
Ian Rochford, PhD. Dr. Rochford is currently a Senior Medical Writer at Prescott Medical, a medical communications agency based in Chicago. He received his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2021. As a medical writer, Ian develops clinical research publications and advises on publication strategy for client biotechnology companies working in the areas of cancer screening, dermatology, and oncology.
Let’s make your STEM career unstoppable! 🚀

The Scientific Writing aspect of this session will be preceded by an actual writing component for interested participants which is reviewed by a team of Scientific Writing experts Sengupta Dasgupta Khan. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details! 🌟🔬

Register now: https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f
📅 Save the Date: October 5th, 2024.
📌 Location: David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago.

Huge thanks to our sponsors and partners for ensuring the success of the event - Research Solutions, Hollister Incorporated US, InSphero and Rosenblatt Life Science Consultants
Postdoc Association of Illinois-Chicago postdoc association University Postdoctoral Association.

08/27/2024

Your mental health is as important as your career! Let’s come together to learn how to support ourselves and people around us in need so that no one gets lost in this competitive world.
After investing a decade of life in research, mid-career professionals can go through insecurity, lack of motivation and passion to pursue research. Family, peer pressure, lack of support from the PI, lack of funds/resources could destabilize mental health which also hinders personal and professional growth. If you're looking for answers to your mental health stability or for the betterment of your strategies to overcome the problems, STEMPeers 2024 conference will be your go to event, this fall.

Dr. David Cipriano, MS, PhD from Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), Milwaukee would love to address your problems and help maintain proper mental health, especially for the people in STEM. He has a vast experience in dealing with the graduate students, residents of MCW over the years. He is a trained Clinical Psychologist from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has been working on youth grief, learner wellbeing, anxiety disorders and school-based mental health for more than two decades. He is currently an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin as well as Director of Student and Resident Behavioral Health.

This session helps you to overcome your anxiety, depression and fear by using simple techniques which you could apply in your daily life and be ready for your future endeavors. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain expert insights into mental health from Dr. Cipriano.

Let’s make your STEM career unstoppable! 🚀
Register now: https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f

📅 Save the Date: October 5th, 2024.
📌 Location: David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago.

Huge thanks to our sponsors and partners for ensuring the success of the event - Bencos Research Solutions, Hollister Incorporated US, InSphero and Rosenblatt Life Science Consultants
Postdoc Association postdoc association University postdoc association

08/23/2024

.
Ready to take on a leadership role and make your mark? Transitioning into leadership is both exhilarating and challenging, and we're here to help! Join us at our exclusive Leadership Session Panel to discover the skills you need, the risks to prepare for, and how to advance your career while managing your team effectively.
We're thrilled to invite you to learn from experts Dr. Honey Reddi and Dr. Douglas Yau about , , , , and . Don't miss out—register soon and get ready to level up!
Register now: https://www.cvent.com/d/xzqj8f

Meet the Speakers
Honey Reddy, Ph.D., FACMG- Dr. Reddi is a trailblazer in the field of Clinical Genomics and Biotechnology! As the Senior Vice President and Medical Director at Belay Diagnostics, Dr. Reddi brings unparalleled expertise and visionary leadership to her role. Before joining Belay, she was a distinguished Professor and Chief of the Division of Clinical Genomics at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Dr. Reddi's impressive career includes spearheading a groundbreaking translational research program on thyroid cancer at the Mayo Clinic. Her exceptional contributions to the field have earned her prestigious accolades, including the 2023 Outstanding Graduate Educator Award for her transformative role as faculty and course director in the MS in Precision Medicine program at MCW. In 2018, she was honored with the "Women of Innovation Award" by the Connecticut Technology Council for her outstanding leadership in bioscience and technology. Passionate about shaping the future of laboratory genetics, Dr. Reddi is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of experts in her field. Her commitment to innovation and education continues to inspire and impact the world of clinical genomics.

Douglas Yau, Ph.D., MBA- Dr Yau is the Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Coherus, leading the Oncology Medical Science Liaison team from Chicago. With 14 years experience in Oncology Medical Affairs, he previously served as Senior Director of Oncology Solid Tumor Field Medical at Sanofi, where he managed multiple teams and led the launch of several immuno-oncology drugs across various tumor types. His career also includes roles as National Director of Oncology Solid Tumor and East Regional Director for Hematology/Oncology at Sanofi.
Before the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Yau conducted pre-clinical research at The University of Chicago and advised at Heartland Angels. He is also a career and performance coach at Unlocking Brilliance Institute, LLC, and teaches Emotional Intelligence at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Yau holds a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences from The University of Chicago, a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MBA from DePaul University, along with certifications in Emotional Intelligence and Executive Leadership from prestigious institutions.

This session promises to be a game-changer for anyone ready to embrace leadership and drive their career forward. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain expert insights and take your leadership potential to the next level!
Let’s make your STEM career unstoppable! 🚀
📅 Save the Date: October 5th, 2024.
📌 Location: David Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago.
Huge thanks to our sponsors and partners for ensuring the success of the event - Bencos Research Solutions, Hollister Incorporated US, InSphero and Rosenblatt Life Science Consultants
Postdoc Association postdoc association

Address

1150 First Avenue
King Of Prussia, PA
19406

Website

http://stempeers.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when STEMPeers posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.