Berkeley Lab - UC Berkeley Postdoc Career Symposium

2025 Postdoc Career Symposium

The 2025 Postdoc Career Development Symposium was held on Friday, July 25, 2025, at the UC Berkeley Pauley Ballroom. 

  • The Postdoc Development Career Symposium is FREE for Berkeley Lab Postdocs and UC Berkeley Postdocs, Visiting Scholars, and Visiting Student Researchers.
  • Shuttle Services will be provided from Berkeley Lab Building 65 to Bancroft & Telegraph (next to CAL Student Union) from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM.

 

Career Symposium Agenda

Location: MLK Student Union, UC Berkeley Date: Friday, July 25 Main Locations:

  • Session A: West Pauley Ballroom
  • Session B: East Pauley Ballroom
  • Session C: Stephens Lounge
  • Shared Events: West Pauley Ballroom, 3rd Floor Lobby, Patio Outside Pauley Ballroom
Time

Event

 Location
9:00 AM

Registration Opens

 3rd Floor Lobby
 

Headshot Appointments Begin

 East Pauley Ballroom
10:00 AM    

Opening Remarks

Carol Burns (LBNL) & Katherine Yelick (UC Berkeley)

 West Pauley Ballroom     
10:15 AM

Panel: “Navigating career landscapes in transition”

    • Tomi Akindele: Research Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Sarina Patel: Policy & Engagement Coordinator – California Lead, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
    • Edi Wipf: Assistant Director of Science, Student Learning Center, UC Berkeley
 West Pauley Ballroom

 
 

Company Info Sessions

 Stephens Lounge

 

Morning Activities (Shared Events)

Break – 11:15–11:30 AM

Concurrent Sessions Block 1 – 11:30–12:30 PM

Session A – West Pauley Ballroom  

Workshop: “Your Expertise, Their Language: Telling your story in a way that opens doors” (Thi Nguyen)

 

Learn to network with purpose and communicate your value. In this interactive workshop, you’ll craft a compelling personal pitch, build your LinkedIn or resume summary, and develop strategies for connecting with employers and collaborators. Whether you’re introverted or outgoing, you’ll leave with practical tools to support your job search and career growth.
  Session B – East Pauley Ballroom Headshot Appointments (continued)  
Session C – Stephens Lounge  

Company Info Sessions

 		  

 

Networking Lunch – 12:30–1:15 PM

Location: West Pauley Ballroom Details: Join networking tables with employers and peers.

Concurrent Sessions Block 2 – 1:30 PM–2:30 PM

Session A – West Pauley Ballroom  

Panel: “From Research to Startup: Exploring Entrepreneurship”

 		  

Hear about the resources and offices available to support PhDs in exploring entrepreneurship, as well as postdocs who made the leap to starting their own companies.

  • Shaherose Charania: Partner, Unshackled Ventures
  • Darren Cooke: Interim Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer and Executive Director, Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center, UC Berkeley
  • Moderator: Naresh Sunkara, Nostalgic Foods and Berkeley Science Fellows Program Founder; Bio Advisor & Mentor at Berkeley SkyDeck; Berkeley Postdoc Entrepreneurship Program Founder & Executive Director; and host of the “Lab to Startup” podcast
 
Session B – East Pauley Ballroom

CV and Resume Clinic

   This session will begin with a 15-minute workshop discussing the different kinds of application documents required for different positions (academic vs. non-academic CVs, and resumes for non-research positions), followed by time to discuss your own CV and specific questions with an expert in small groups.  
Session C – Stephens Lounge  

Company Info Sessions

 		  

Break – 2:30–2:45 PM

Concurrent Sessions Block 3 – 2:45–4:00 PM

Session A – West Pauley Ballroom    

Workshop: Interviewing & Negotiation (Mike Matrone)

 

   		 This interactive workshop will offer a general overview of the principles of effective interviewing and negotiation that are applicable to any field, as well as resources and further suggestions for preparing for interviews in specific fields (e.g. academia, industry, government).
Session B – East Pauley Ballroom

CV and Resume Clinic

 This session will begin with a 15-minute workshop discussing the different kinds of application documents required for different positions (academic vs. non-academic CVs, and resumes for non-research positions), followed by time to discuss your own CV and specific questions with an expert in small groups.  
Session C – Stephens Lounge

Company Info Sessions

  

Reception – 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: Patio Outside Pauley Ballroom Details: Close the day with refreshments and informal networking.    

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