It’s not everyday that you can get career advice firsthand from a PI!
The AI Institute for Edge Computing Leveraging Next-generation Networks (Athena) recently hosted an event to give attendees that valuable opportunity to get sage advice. The hybrid event was held in person at Duke University and over Zoom.
PIs Maria Gorlatova and Bhuvana Krishnaswamy shared their career journeys and challenges, along with advice they would give young students and professionals. They addressed several topics, including their career goals in the next five years, and answered these questions:
- What unexpected challenges did you encounter in your academic career path that you weren’t prepared for and how did you overcome them?
- What strategies have you used for work-life balance?
- Have you had imposter syndrome? How did you deal with it?
- How is it for a woman to work in a male-dominated field? How do you feel about it?
- What are your thoughts and advice on navigating a demanding field?
Key Takeaways
- Take the time to select a research problem for your PhD that truly resonates with you.
- Prepare for the collaborative research environment that you’ll be working in, especially when you’re early in your career.
- Take stock of all the demands that accompany a faculty position, including research, teaching loads, and the time needed to prepare for teaching courses and helping students outside of class.
- As prospective junior faculty, pay attention to the ways a university will foster your career.
- With time management and work-life balance, it can be helpful to set personal goals and guard the time set aside for them.
- Establish a support structure that can flex with the ebbs and flows in your work life.
- Keep connected with your professional “support group” of friends, researchers, and mentors, as having a sense of community instills confidence.
- Keep a “feel good” folder so you can revisit your accomplishments when you need a boost.
- It’s beneficial to have multiple mentors.
About the Speakers
Maria Gorlatova
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University
Bhuvana Krishnaswamy
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin Madison
