FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 14, 2000
#00-06

NIEHS CONTACT:
Tom Hawkins
(919) 541-1402

14 Apr 2000: Biomed and Biotech Careers Surveyed by Scientists

The perplexing and seemingly endless career possibilities open to today's young scientists will be charted and discussed by some of the Research Triangle Park's most accomplished senior scientists at the third annual Biomedical Science Fair. The event for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows is sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Training Assembly (NTA) (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/careers/research/nta/index.cfm), as well as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (http://www.epa.gov/) and the Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology (CIIT) (http://www.ciit.org/) . It will be held April 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a reception to follow, at the NIEHS Rall Building (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/visiting/index.cfm), 111 T.W. Alexander Drive (see Directions (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/visiting/index.cfm)).

In any given year, scores of young scientists-in-training work at NIEHS (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/), EPA (http://www.epa.gov/) , CIIT (http://www.ciit.org/) , and similar research agencies in Research Triangle Park (http://www.rtp.org/) . Once they complete their stint working with mentors in their respective laboratories, they set out to find additional training opportunities or permanent positions in academia, government, industry, or elsewhere. This meeting is designed to help them make that major career leap successfully.

Opening remarks will be by NIEHS Director Kenneth Olden (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/od/pastdirectors/kennetholden.cfm), and the keynote address, "Career Decision Strategies in the Era of Biotech: How to Decide What Pathway is Right for You," by William T. Schrader, vice president for scientific and technical affairs at Ligand Pharmaceuticals (http://www.ligand.com/) .

Panel discussions on training in biomedical science (10:30 a.m.) and career opportunities (3:15 p.m.) will be interposed with a scientific poster session, a career fair with representatives from biomedical and biotechnical firms, and a box lunch for registrants. See program at (URL no longer active) for panel members and times of all events.

• For other information contact Doug Sweet, 541-0379 or Heather Cross, 541-5411.
• Media representatives interested in covering the event should contact Tom Hawkins (mailto:hawkins8@niehs.nih.gov), NIEHS News Director, 541-1402. Photo opportunities will include what promise to be some intense discussions as well as the always animated conversation around the scientific poster sessions. Interviews will be readily available with young scientists facing exciting but challenging career choices.