Blog

Silencing Your Inner Critic: Spotlight on Michael D.L. Johnson

Tue 29 Sep, 2020 Written by ASM

Dr. Michael D.L. Johnson is a Keystone Symposia Fellow, a Health Scholar of the Aspen Ideas Festival, cofounder of the National Summer Undergraduate Research Project and assistant professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona, where he currently studies how bacteria interact with metals, like copper, during infection. But, according to Johnson, identifying his propensity for science and finding the confidence to thrive in his field were limited by feelings of imposter syndrome early in his career. In fact, proving to himself that he belongs has been the most challenging thing he’s had to overcome as a Black microbiologist.

Practicing Resilience Mid-Ph.D.: Spotlight on Kristen Walker

Tue 1 Sep, 2020 Written by ASM

Kristen Walker has years of scientific experience, from her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal Science (from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Kansas State University, respectively) to her work as a biologist at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Agriculture Research Service (ARS), where she investigates the genomics of a virus that is a serious threat to domestic pork production. But nothing prepared her for the sudden departure of her Ph.D. advisor in the summer of 2020.

Imposter Syndrome: The Truth About Feeling Like a Fake

Fri 14 Aug, 2020 Written by ASM

Who do you think you are? You don’t belong here. Your intellect and experiences are leagues behind that of your peers. There’s no way you’re cut out for this! Just wait, your proposal will be a flop and then everyone will know that you’re a fake. Everything turned out alright, you say? (Again)? The reviewers must not have been paying attention. After all, if you can do it, then anyone can do it.

If someone were to say this to you, you might consider looking for new friends or filing a verbal harassment complaint (and rightfully so). Even very young children can correctly identify this as bullying language. Nevertheless, a lot of us speak this way to ourselves. Why? Engaging in such denigrating internal dialogue could indicate that you, like 7 out of 10 people, experience imposter syndrome (known also as imposterism or the imposter phenomenon), a faulty belief system wherein one chronically doubts his or her abilities in spite of rivaling external evidence.

Practicing Resilience and Wellness During COVID-19

Fri 14 Aug, 2020 Written by ASM

Many of us who are in or near periods of transition had a well thought-out plan for what to do next and how to get there. A global pandemic was not part of those plans, not to mention the equally potent civil rights movement that evolved shortly thereafter. Either of these alone could easily flip someone’s life upside down, but together, it’s like the whole world is getting flipped and spun and jostled. I say this not to make us feel more helpless, but rather to illustrate the extent to which our lives have been shaken up. Despite the nearly universal feeling of instability, we are all largely stuck in different houses, with or without other people, weighing any number of factors and just trying to make the best decisions moving forward.

Reviewing Grant Applications and Manuscripts as a Professional Development Strategy

Tue 21 Jul, 2020 Written by ASM

Reviewing manuscripts and grants is a key component of academic science. Without peer review, published research lacks credibility. Without grant review panels, decisions around funding might be more arbitrary. The system relies on huge amounts of volunteer labor and expertise. This labor is often framed as altruistic work for the betterment of science, but you can also be strategic and leverage review work to directly benefit your career.

How Mindfulness Helped me Cope with Uncertainty

Wed 15 Jul, 2020 Written by ASM

Regardless of country, state, age or social status, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on everyone. It is impacting how we approach our relationships with friends and family, as well as, our work and careers. Reflecting on how the pandemic started, I never imagined that I would not be able to physically go to work for almost 3 months. As it stands currently, that uncertainty remains. Uncertainty certainly seems like the word that is defining the year 2020, and it is easy to let it get the better of us, especially for students and trainees, who are constantly transitioning in their careers. We think that we are in control of most aspects of our lives, but if there is anything that I have learned from all this, it is that there is so much outside of our control.

COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter Movement: Managing Academic Realities

Wed 8 Jul, 2020 Written by ASM

The year 2020 has brought on new realities for many of us in ways that we were never prepared to handle. The cascading series of catastrophic events in the past few months has landed especially heavily on our Black and other under-represented people of color (POC) students and colleagues — more than most of us realize.

Celebrating Pride Month with Dr. Phoebe Lostroh

Wed 24 Jun, 2020 Written by ASM

We all find interests, passions, hobbies and careers that ignite us regardless of our identities. To celebrate Pride Month, we interviewed Dr. Phoebe Lostroh, an Associate Professor of Biology at Colorado College and a member of ASM’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce. She shares with us how her passion for science started, advice for those who want a teaching career and her interests in supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

Coping with Stress in the Time of COVID-19: Strategies to Enhance Resilience in Biomedical Graduate Students

Mon 8 Jun, 2020 Written by ASM

Pursuing graduate school in the biomedical sciences can be stressful, and the COVID-19 pandemic may be adding additional stress to graduate students’ lives. As stress levels increase during these difficult times, it is important to ensure that students have access to resources that will provide guidance in reducing stress.

We are a team of highly trained professionals in psychology, psychiatry and the biomedical sciences who have combined our expertise to provide recommendations for coping with stress and enhancing resilience for biomedical graduate students during the time of COVID-19.

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Addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Science in an Undergraduate Course

Fri 5 Jun, 2020 Written by ASM

The breadth of coverage of any undergraduate science course makes it challenging to address anything beyond the science content. This means most science courses don’t tackle topics of diversity, equity and inclusion. If we aren’t intentional about discussing these topics in the classroom, science will continue to reflect the systemic inequities of society and education. My colleague and I started the Science, Ethics, and Society course when we were teaching the biology capstone at Cedar Crest College, in Allentown, Pa. As an all-women’s undergraduate institution, we wanted to generate a “tool box” for our students to help them negotiate their future science careers.

Maintaining Tenure Goals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Thu 21 May, 2020 Written by ASM

COVID-19 is affecting many parts of the academic process, including shifting entire courses to online environments, adjusting research programs and the process of tenure. Tenure track faculty must engage in research, teaching and service, and the amount of time spent in each activity varies by institution type. Committees of senior faculty at department, college and university levels evaluate junior faculty members’ portfolios to determine whether they will be promoted and offered tenure, meaning they have a long-term contract with their institution. Typically, assistant professors become associate professors within 5 to 6 years. Post-tenure faculty can become full professors as early as 2 years or may remain associate professors for their entire career.

ASM interviewed Dr. Monica Cox, Professor and Chair of the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University. She shares with us her insights regarding how COVID-19 is affecting faculty in advancing their research and gaining tenure.

Building an Equitable and Inclusive Culture at ASM

Fri 15 May, 2020 Written by ASM

Despite 30 years of investment supporting women and scientists from underrepresented populations in science, the lack of inclusive diversity among ASM’s scientific journals, meetings, awards and committees signals a necessary examination of our systems, and a shift in thinking and practice. We must build a home where people of different perspectives and identities contribute to the production of new scientific knowledge and talent; a home where these people have opportunities to share their research findings, engage in scientific discourse and demonstrate their scientific expertise.

In fall 2018, ASM established the ASM Taskforce on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The taskforce is an external advisory group to the ASM Board of Directors seeking to do the following:

Promote a culture of inclusion.
Ensure growth and sustainability.
Identify benchmarks of success.