MRS Snack Chat Series—Facilitated Networking with Alaina Levine

Join award-winning entrepreneur, author, science journalist and career consultant Alaina Levine as she leads MRS’ Snack Chat series at the 2020 Virtual MRS Spring/Fall Meeting. 

During each Snack Chat session, attendees with shared interests will come together for an informal but focused conversation to address a specific career-related subject.  Alaina will provide structure and facilitation to make these discussions effective and meaningful, while still allowing them to develop organically. These curated conversations will provide opportunities for spontaneous peer learning and will prove a valuable way for MRS Meeting attendees to stay in touch with their new acquaintances and fellow members.

Networking and Building Collaborations from Afar

Tuesday, December 1
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Networking is the most honorable activity in which you can engage because, at its core, it is about a spirit of generosity. Networking is not "what can I take from you," but rather, "what can I do for you?" How can I be a resource to you during this challenging time? In this snack chat, we will discuss how to network in an effort to build win-win alliances. We will address how to find people to network with, how to leverage social media and virtual platforms, and answer any questions about the why and how of networking from afar.

Successfully Navigating the International Job Search

Tuesday, December 1
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

How do I get a job in another nation? How can I network to find opportunities on the other side of the world? In this discussion, we will answer your questions about how to navigate, plan and launch an international job search, even in the middle of a pandemic.

Virtual Interviewing

Wednesday, December 2
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

The mechanism for job interviews may have changed, but many of the rules regarding substance and communication techniques have not. In this discussion, we will answer your questions about how to leverage virtual platforms to effectively and successfully articulate the value you will provide the employer. We will discuss academic and non-academic job interviews as well as the logistical and technological concerns—we can even address the job talk! Bring your questions!

Being Persistent and Managing Rejection

Wednesday, December 2
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

A “no” does not mean no forever. It just means no for now. A rejection is often simply an issue of resource allocation in this time and space. But how to we manage multiple rejections, especially as we may be facing a challenging job market? How do we build resiliency, and ensure that we do not equate a rejection with any measure of our self-worth? In our conversation, we will address how to manage rejection with a positive attitude and become persistent.

Transitioning Your Career Beyond Academia

Thursday, December 3
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Considering a career beyond academia? Or perhaps you are building a contingency plan for your career path, especially given the challenges COVID-19 has created? In our discussion, we will address how to craft and launch a plan to move beyond the Ivory Tower. Bring your questions as we explore networking strategies and tactics that will allow us to access and even create hidden opportunities in multiple ecosystems.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Thursday, December 3
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Imposter syndrome, where we erroneously believe we will be discovered as a fraud, is a common occurrence—even Nobel Laureates experience this! In our discussion, we will address how imposter syndrome manifests and how we can navigate beyond this. We will talk about techniques to identify and acknowledge this feeling that we are imposters—in our studies, work and other professional spaces—and use our scientific backgrounds to make the true case that we, in fact, DO belong here.

About  Alaina G. Levine

Alaina G. Levine is an award-winning entrepreneur, STEM career consultant, science journalist, professional speaker and corporate comedian. Her book, Networking for Nerds (Wiley, 2015), beat out Einstein (really!) for the honor of being named a Top 5 Book of 2015 by Physics Today. As President of Quantum Success Solutions, she is a prolific speaker and writer on career development and professional advancement for engineers and scientists. She has delivered over 750 webinars and speeches for clients in the US, EU, Mexico, Canada, Africa, India and Asia, and has written over 425 articles in publications like Science, Nature, Scientific American, National Geographic News Watch, and Smithsonian. She has served as a career columnist for Physics Today and is a regular contributor to the American Physical Society’s APS News and ScienceCareers. She also writes Your Unicorn Career, a careers column for ScienceCareers about finding your professional bliss. Levine authored two online courses for Oxford University Press on career development and entrepreneurship, is a consultant, speaker and writer for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, and served as the event manager for an international conference on phononics. She holds bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and anthropology and a certificate in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Arizona, and studied at the American University in Cairo as a US Department of Defense Boren Fellow. She is a regular speaker and consultant for MRS.