University of Chicago, Northwestern host Science Career Forum

Patent law offices, biotechnology firms and consulting companies are among the organizations that will scout the University Chicago, Northwestern University and other Chicagoland institutions for prospective high-tech and biotech employees in the 2nd Annual Chicago Science Career Forum from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 29, and Friday, March 30.

Open to all Chicagoland Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral fellows in the sciences, the forum is sponsored by the University of Chicago, Northwestern and Science magazine. Science hosts or sponsors five career forums annually, but Chicago’s is the only one in the Midwest. The event takes place at the Norris University Center, 1999 S. Campus Drive in Evanston on the Northwestern campus March 29, and at Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th Street on the University of Chicago campus March 30.

Nineteen employers have signed up so far to participate in this year’s events. Thirteen of the employers will recruit on both campuses, while three organizations visiting the University of Chicago will not be at Northwestern, and vice versa.

Two of the firms returning from last year’s event are McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff and Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, both of which are looking for prospective patent agents. Biotechnology is the driving force behind patent law, said Robin Wagner, Associate Director for Graduate Services at the University of Chicago’s Career and Placement Services. “It’s the entire nature of new business built on new technology. There’s a huge need for the specialist.”

Scientists hired at the patent law firms can expect to earn $70,000 or more, Wagner said. “It’s much easier to teach them the law than it is to teach a lawyer the science,” said Malaina Brown, CAPS Graduate Career Counselor. “The students are quite interested, too.”

Wagner noted that postdoctoral fellowship opportunities as well as permanent employment is available to doctoral students. “You can do postdoctoral fellowships at a few industrial research settings and possibly come back into academic science if you choose to,” Wagner said.

Also returning this year is the Chicago-based MediChem, a fast-growing drug-discovery and development company. MediChem already employs several University of Chicago Ph.D.s in chemistry, Brown said.

Last year’s event, which took place only on the University of Chicago campus, attracted more than 350 Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral fellows. Approximately 100 of those participants came from other area universities, mostly Northwestern and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The Science Career Forum will begin with a research expo from 9 to 10:30 a.m., both days, at which doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows will make poster presentations of their research. Last year 74 scientists presented posters at the research expo. Half of those surveyed reported that they had received further contact from prospective employers in the six weeks following the expo, Wagner said.

The employer expo will follow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. Participating employers will include Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago Technology Park, Goldman Sachs and Teach for America.

To help graduate students and postdocs prepare for the event, CAPS will hold a session on “How to Work the Science Career Forum” at 4 p.m. Monday, March 26, at Ida Noyes Hall, West Lounge. A resume workshop is scheduled at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 28, same location.

Participants actively seeking employment should bring copies of their curriculum vitae to the March 29 and 30 events. No registration is required. Recommended attire is business casual.

For information, call Malaina Brown at the University of Chicago, (773) 834-1033, or see http://www.caps.uchicago.edu/science.html, or Emily Murphy at Northwestern, (847) 491-2568, or see http://www.stuaff.northwestern.edu/ucs/science_forum/science.htm.