Finding Your Path in the Shifting Scientific Workforce

Kendall Powell, a freelance science writer and editor, jumped from the lab bench to laptop via the University of California, Santa Cruz, Science Communication Program in 2002. She discusses the tough realities and statistics facing students and postdocs as they enter the scientific workforce and, specifically, the evolution of postdoctoral scholars in the United States. She also offers practical advice on how to make the most of the postdoctoral experience, mentoring tips and best practices for faculty to ensure success in their trainees. As a writer, Kendall Powell covers the realm of biology, from molecules to maternity. She has written news stories, features and scientist profiles for a variety of publications and founded the organization SciLance as a way to network with other freelance writers who are as much word nerds as science geeks.