Saturday, February 25, 2012

Serving the World with Science

For some of those in graduate school, you may not know how you are going to apply your research and leadership skills in your future career. Here is a suggestion. While you are inventing in the lab, keep up to date on the social implications of medical and life science research. It is not just big Pharma out there; other options do exist.

Listen to TED talks http://www.ted.com/ which showcase worldly "ideas worth spreading." Keep up to date on the social impact of science, such as organizations like Union of Concerned Scientists. http://www.ucsusa.org

Check out the Martha and Bill Gates Foundation. http://www.gatesfoundation.org

Learn about research agencies like the International Development Research Centre  http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx and CIDA with programs such as the maternal and child health program. http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/FRA-127113657-MH7

One inspiring story is when a group of graduate students got together to design a baby warmer, to save premature babies in developing countries. http://embraceglobal.org/
Foundations like Edesia produce Plumpy'nut for famine relief. http://www.edesiaglobal.org

Read up on environmental issues. http://environmentaldefence.ca/
Find independent research and think tanks that you might want to intern or work for. www.aidsresearch.org, http://www.fraserinstitute.org/

Check out the founder of Genetic Alliance. She is inspirational. www.geneticalliance.org

Think outside the box, and develop a passion.
Follow-through with networking and internships, and you may end up working for your cause after graduate school or postdoc.

Good luck exploring the world!

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