The Early Career Members Committee organizes the Research Spotlight Series. This Research Spotlight Series is designed to highlight notable members in CPDD and allow them to share their experiences and recommendations on how to be successful in the field of substance use and addictive disorders particularly with members in training or those who are new to the field.
Click on a name below to read their Research Spotlight Profile
- Beathea (Annie) Kleykamp
- Gerald (Jerry) Cochran
- Angela Heads
- Sherecce Fields
- Jermaine Jones
- Bill Stoops
- Erin McClure
- Amy Janes
- Kelly Dunn
Cecilia Bergeria
What issue has been persistent/hard to resolve in your area of expertise?
The ever changing, unregulated drug supply can make it challenging to systematically study and understand the mechanisms of and best ways to treat opioid use disorder- especially for targets like withdrawal and craving. It has been several years since the emergence of fentanyl and there are still gaps and questions about how to best adapt treatment for those who are chronically exposed. The emergence of new analogues and adulterants- like fentanyl analogues and xylazine- underscores the importance of being agile and ready to adapt protocols to fit the shifting landscape.
To what do you attribute your success?
Finding good mentors and collaborators is vital to doing well in research! At the beginning of my career, I was very excited and passionate about addiction research, but I found academia to be a strange culture to navigate at times. This was compounded by the fact that I am not a particularly extroverted person. Having mentors to offer advice, opportunities, and direction and who connect you with other people in the field is incredibly valuable. Also, finding a scientific home – like CPDD- is important for getting involved in committees, collaborating on symposia, and generally building connections. CPDD offers ample programs for finding new mentors for those who are not super comfortable approaching people spontaneously.
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
Academia can feel quite competitive at times. At the beginning of my career, I found myself comparing my work and C.V. to others. This caused unnecessary stress that did not necessarily translate to more productivity. It became apparent to me that good science that moves the field forward is about collaboration – not competition. To address issues related to addiction, we need all hands on deck and I think it’s important to remember we need to work together to ultimately find good solutions.
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
You won’t know what you like or what you are good at unless you try out a lot of different things. To that end, pursue opportunities with committees or take classes and workshops on topics that pique your interest. This helps you figure out what you want to do but it can also differentiate your skills and expertise from your colleagues. It's important to carve out your own research area and skill sets that allow you to make unique contributions to a team.
Kevin Freeman
Day-to-Day work
What issue has been persistent/hard to resolve in your area of expertise?
I study the behavioral pharmacology of mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists, and all researchers in this area, present and past, have spent their careers wrestling with the intrinsic link between the powerful therapeutic effects of MOR agonists as analgesics and their equally robust addiction potential. For researchers like me who work with chemists to identify novel MOR agonists with less addiction potential, the persistent challenge (and holy grail of the field) is uncoupling the analgesic mechanisms of MOR agonists from their addiction-related effects.
Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
My collaborations with medicinal chemists have been a large driver of ideas. As a behavioral pharmacologist, it is always fascinating to observe the effects of cutting-edge compounds through the lens of whole-organism behavior, and imagining new ways to apply the compounds to new problems grows naturally from that process.
Long-term career
In the short-term, we all want to get grants and publish papers, but what do you/did you consider as your long-term career goals? (e.g., tenure, editor positions, directorship positions?)I believe we all hope that we’ll stumble upon at least one finding that charts a new course that ends with meaningful reductions in suffering for people with substance use disorders. That remains a primary goal for me, but an equally important goal (and one that is arguably more tangible) is training the next generation of scientists. I have discovered a deep sense of fulfillment from seeing the success of my trainees. The effort we put into training today pays big dividends in career satisfaction later. You may not solve the big problems, but you might play a key role in the training lineage of the people who ultimately do.
To what do you attribute your success?
I would have to say that the chief attribute that has opened doors for me is a love of writing and wordcraft. Good writing reveals science to the world. I often tell students that it’s not enough to get all the correct information in there. You have to evoke clear visions of scientific meaning in the reader’s mind, which requires a lot of thoughtful arrangement and awareness of your audience. Papers, grants, websites, even emails – good writing elevates it all and will be your tiebreaker more than once. Sitting here writing this, I’m hard pressed to think of a career in science in which subpar or careless writing will not bottleneck progress.
What trajectory of work can lead towards working in policymaking?
Get involved in advocacy work as a trainee through scientific organizations. It’s the problem-based learning version of policymaking, and it will build a network to facilitate entry into that world.
Work/life balance
The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
Remember these words: “Thank you for considering me for this important task. Unfortunately, I am at quota on my SERVICE TYPE commitment at this time.” We all learn to say this later than we should, and we become overextended in-service obligations that eat into our nights, weekends, and family time. Be aware of what tasks are directly connected to your salary and protect them. For me, that means prioritizing my research and my trainees, then carefully budgeting what I do for service. If you do good work, trust me, it’s normal to say “no” way more than “yes”.
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
Well, I’m 50 and my children are 12, 10, and 3. I love it, but you should get a second opinion.
Overcoming adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
When I was a postdoc, I was troubled that I did not have a “this is what I was born to do” feeling as I neared the end of my training. Did I miss the passion train or something by not choosing to remove tumors or play music as a career? I’d like to say I worked this out at the time, but the truth is I just plodded forward and did the work. It wasn’t until years later when I was immersed in the life and busy with the research and teaching and traveling and networking that I realized how fortunate I was to be in this position, and the truth is I probably would have felt the same about those other options, too. I had adapted, and I found deep meaning (and wonderful friendships) in the work that made it clear to me that “arriving” was less about landing in the right place and more about a process of allowing yourself to grow happily wherever (and whatever) you are.
What do you think are the most common adversities that new and established professionals are facing in workplace? What is your advice/ what are your potential solutions for overcome these adversities?
The same old issue: getting external funding for your research. Your proposals have to get past many people with unique perspectives (i.e., reviewers, council, etc.). Don’t be a lone ranger. Give yourself time and leverage the multiple perspectives of your colleagues in the composition of your grant proposals. They will drastically reduce the porousness of your D-line and make your proposal better 100% of the time.
Advice for young investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
When looking for a postdoc, prioritize the diversification of your technique portfolio. A postdoc is not the time to learn how to ride a bike faster. Be sure you are obtaining new expertise in addition to deeper expertise.
What would you recommend to people who have a fear of missing out on all of the great conferences and presentations? How many conferences a year should one strive to attend?
In addition to CPDD, it’s reasonable to select one more. Someone will disagree with this, but I believe the networking that leads to collaborations is the biggest gain from conferences and turning that networking into actual collaborative work cannot be done with all of the 50 people you met and sparked creatively with in a given year. Meet a few, then go home and make it happen.
What is your favorite session/workshop/event to attend at CPDD?
I’ll lump this all into Saturday. For me that’s ISGIDAR, our fabulous workshops, and the opening reception Saturday evening as the cherry on top. It’s like the Christmas Eve of CPDD. Don’t miss it!
Jacques Nguyen
Day-to-Day Work
What issue has been persistent/hard to resolve in your area of expertise? What is a rising issue in your area of expertise?
One particular area of interest in my laboratory is the investigation of drug selfadministration using e-cigarette technology. Whereas other models of self-administration via intravenous or oral routes of administration have been studied for decades, the selfadministration of inhaled drugs, specifically cannabinoid drugs, is not well-characterized and has been particularly difficult to model in the animal aboratory. The recent availability of non-combusting devices (e.g. e-cigarettes, Volcano® vaporizers, etc.) capable of vaporizing or erosolizing psychoactive drugs has presented a new frontier for scientific research and has emphasized the importance of understanding how this technology may impact conditions such as substance use disorder. For example, marijuana is obviously used by human populations to self-administer delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) via inhalation in the majority of cases, with smoking of combusted plant material as the most common method. Our lab continues to learn about the acute and lasting consequences of e-cigarette and inhaled drug use, and through various collaborations we hope to provide evidence of behavioral self-administration of THC and other chemical constituents of cannabis using this inhalation model. We hope that this is a useful tool for understanding the behavioral and neurobiological outcomes associated with e-cigarette use.
Long-Term Career
To what do you attribute your success?
I attribute my success to the mentors and collaborators who have helped to educate and to inspire me throughout my scientific career. I received my doctoral training at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in the laboratories of Drs. Michael Forster and Michael Gatch. This training provided me with a strong theoretical foundation and framework for my research in the substance abuse field. I later joined the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) as a postdoctoral Research Associate in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Taffe and continued as a Project Scientist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego. During my postdoctoral training, I was able to collaborate with scientists including Drs. Marisa Roberto, Kim Janda, and Larry Parsons (RIP), as well as an amazing mentoring team for my NIH K99, which consisted of Drs. Thomas Kash and Candice Contet. Overall, I learned from all these amazing scientists that
success on the academic track requires hard work, patience, and a huge amount of luck. These mentors helped me to identify the strengths and weaknesses in my research, encouraged me to be a contributing member of the lab team, and ultimately prepared me for the role of mentor and collaborator as a principal investigator. I was trained to view success in academic science not as the expected outcome, but rather one of many potential career paths which are contingent upon significant training and preparation. Overall, these experiences shaped my approach to science and prepared me to lead my independent research program.
Work/Life Balance
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
Family has always been an important part of my life, and I have been fortunate to have this support during the early stages of my research career. There are far more qualified people who can answer to this question; however, my advice would be that if something either directly or indirectly benefits you in a significant way, it may be good to consider prioritizing it during each and every stage of your career. As cliché as it may seem, it takes a village; the relationships that I have continue to serve as the foundation for my personal and professional success. For some people, the decision to start a family is a novel consideration for the future, and while for others, family may already be a part of their lives and the decision to embark on an early research career is the question in hand. Most people would argue that there is not a “right age” or “right time” to start a family (e.g. find a partner, have children); however, most everyone would agree that nurturing and investing in strong relationships benefits us as a field. Certain details should be considered, including individual preparedness, emotional maturity, job security, financial stability, etc. Determining the optimal time to start family is a personal decision and requires a thoughtful and honest review of each of these things. Fortunately for early career researchers, there has been a growing focus on making science more accommodating by creating opportunities to support ongoing research during these types of life events. For example, the National Institutes of Health recently has supported the Family-Friendly Initiatives which provide administrative supplements to promote research continuity and retention during a significant life event.
Overcoming Adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
I remember the first year as a Ph.D. student being particularly challenging. I had to spend significant effort to find the best ways to change my approach as a full-time “student” to that of a full-time “student-researcher”. This required being able to conceptualize my effort in the classroom versus the lab, while also reframing how I approached my work to discover what questions really interested me. I got through this by seeking mentorship from all sources, faculty to senior students. They offered various perspectives on how to maintain work-life balance and to aim for both incremental and iterative progress throughout the scientific career.
Advice for Young Investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
Trainees at any level should be encouraged to meet with their respective mentors as regularly as possible. Secondly, spend time to establish an individual scientific/professional development plan. In my opinion, one of the worst feelings to have as a trainee can be to feel as though you are spinning your wheels and going nowhere. By outlining deadlines and projected milestones, trainees can make their academic and professional goals more focused and thus more achievable. Relatedly, identifying both your strengths and weaknesses early on helps to provide additional context for what those goals should be, for example developing certain skills or publishing a certain number of manuscripts.
Bethea (Annie) Kleykamp
Researcher and Science Writer, BAK and Associates
Day-to-Day work
What are your publishing goals and how do you achieve them?
When I left my postdoc in 2011 I decided to shift from the traditional path in academia into a career in medical writing. So for many years, writing and publishing have been the most critical part of my career (and are now the cornerstone of my consulting business BAK and Associates). Over the past 10+ years I have maintained a publishing record in scholarly journals while also writing for the popular press. My current publishing goals focus on aging, tobacco use, and other substance use, as well as the inclusion of people with lived experience in research design and dissemination. I have three publications I am working on for academic journals looking at tobacco use and perceptions among adults 65 years and older. Older adults are often overlooked in research and policy that is focused on substance use – in particular smoking. I think that one reason for this gap is the prioritization of prevention in younger people to the exclusion of older cohorts. This bias has to change as the number of older adults is going to more than double in the coming decades and there are signs that there is an increase in the rate of SUDs in older populations. In addition, I am working on a manuscript focused on how people with lived experience using nicotine/tobacco can be part of the research design process in order to improve the rigor of research, reduce stigma, and empower the general public (not just traditionally trained scientists) to be part of the scientific process. I plan to write about each of these academic publications for the popular press.
Long-term career
In the short-term, we all want to get grants and publish papers, but what do you/did you consider as your long-term career goals? (e.g. tenure, editor positions, directorship positions?)
My long-term career goals are to write about substance use research and policy for the general public in a way that not only informs them but engages them closely with the topics I cover. I think that our work in academia and our publications are important, but most of it is relegated to paywalled journals or scientific conferences that are not attended by the public. I want to refine my writing so that it is engaging and tells a story. I have taken a class in creative nonfiction to help me improve my storytelling skills to reach a broader audience. My primary goal is to improve the quality and reach of science, and I think I can do that best by writing for fellow scientists and the public.
Work/life balance
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
I don’t think there is a perfect time. Best you can do with decisions like getting married, starting a family, when to buy a house etc. is make the best choice you can at that time and roll with it as life evolves. If starting a family is your priority, you can make it happen even if money or time is insufficient. This also goes for other life choices like finally taking that 3 week backpacking trip to Vietnam (DO IT!) or taking a leave of absence to be with a family member dealing with life-threatening health issues. Life does not wait as we finish our postdocs, tenure, etc. I think the best approach is to work hard at reaching your career goals while making the bigger life goals equally important. I tried so hard to be strategic with these choices when I was in grad school and starting my postdoc. Getting married, buying a house, and all those decisions became more of a checklist than something I truly wanted. All that planning suddenly shifted in the first few months of my postdoc due to a family crisis. Something I hadn’t planned completely undid all the obsessive planning I had done over starting a family and related life goals. Since that reset, I have found that being more flexible with my life timeline is best for me. And now, as a woman in her early 40s, I feel confident I made the right decisions at the right time around deciding to have a family or other life choices. I am not sure I would feel this confident if I had pushed the very tight timeline I had imagined for myself in my 20s that was very much connected to career stages like getting a faculty position.
Overcoming adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
Some of the most challenging times in my career have been when I have worked for someone or an organization that only hired me to support their own advancement. This mean that my unique skills, research interests, or career goals were overlooked and sometimes criticized. This has happened a couple of times during my career, and it can be quite demoralizing and result in a tremendous amoung of self-doubt. There is a tension between doing work for the good of the team (or lab or company or boss) versus building your own career and independent expertise. Ultimately I saw that these situations were unhealthy, and I was able to move on and find collaborative work where I could contribute to the team but also have my own agency and ownership of projects. This is one reason I created my own freelance consulting business, BAK and Associates. It has allowed me to thrive as an independent thinker while also continuing collaborations with trusted colleagues.
Advice for young investigators
What would you recommend to people who have a fear of missing out on all of the great conferences and presentations? How many conferences a year should one strive to attend?
My best advice for conferences is to have one that you attend each year where you can build your “science family”. That is how I feel about CPDD and I really look forward to catching up with everyone during the annual conference. It’s always a very positive, motivating experience to see what colleagues are doing and to build new research collaborations. I also recommend you pick one conference a year that is totally new to you so you can learn about new ways of looking at science and new communities of researchers. This approach pushes you out of your comfort zone and I think will help you be a more thoughtful scientist that can look at the same issue from different perspectives. My next goal is to attend a geriatric conference where I can share some substance use research with people that may not otherwise think about this topic in the context of aging.
Gerald (Jerry) Cochran
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, University of Utah School of Medicine
Director of Research for the Program on Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA)
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine
Day-to-Day work
What issue has been persistent/hard to resolve in your area of expertise?
The major area of focus I have been concentrating on has been integrating opioid misuse or treatment services into non-addiction specialty care settings. Examples of this are the work I have done with obstetrics and pharmacy services.
What is a rising issue in your area of expertise?
A pressing area of focus is how to better integrate non-prescribers into the process for medication treatment of opioid use disorder (MOUD). For instance, we have been working closely with large community pharmacy chains to train pharmacists and related staff to help provide care for patients with risky opioid use. Our goal is to establish a model of care in which pharmacists can independently manage patients with opioid use disorder.
Long-term career
In the short-term, we all want to get grants and publish papers, but what do you/did you consider as your long-term career goals? (e.g. tenure, editor positions, directorship positions?)
Honestly, I have had personal experiences with family and friends suffering from addiction. I can see the faces of these loved ones in each of the studies I have done. Throughout my career, I have wanted to come up with evidence-based solutions to problems that could have helped my loved ones.
To what do you attribute your success?
Hard work and to keep showing up. I don’t consider myself the most talented or brilliant person. But, I go to work every day, make sacrifices to be productive, and keep at it despite failures. I also believe the work in which I am involved is important—changing lives, which I believe makes good karma.
Work/life balance
Any tips? The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
I only work part of the day on Saturdays, and not on Sundays. I keep that time as set apart for my family, service, and rest (rest being not so much sleep, but changing my focus to other important aspects of my life).
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
The sooner the better I think. Having a family is an intense motivator to be productive and not waste time. A family also is an immense source of support during the highs and lows—and helps put into perspective what is most important in life.
Overcoming adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
Yes, I have worked in organizations that are not functioning well and that made serious leadership and administrative mistakes—that have directly impacted faculty and staff. These have been the most difficult. To get through those times, I strive to keep a positive attitude and hoped that, over time, things would eventually work out for a net positive change. Also, in these difficult times, reaching out to mentors and trusted leaders for support and trusting my gut have been key.
What do you think are the most common adversities that new and established professionals are facing in workplace? What is your advice/ what are your potential solutions for overcome these adversities?
I think the most important thing one can do is find a good team of mentors, peers, and staff. Going it alone is unnecessarily difficult. Surrounding yourself with people who you enjoy being around and who support you is key; they can help carry your burdens—and you theirs.
Advice for young investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
Be humble, collaborative, and develop grit.
What would you recommend to people who have a fear of missing out on all of the great conferences and presentations? How many conferences a year should one strive to attend?
I wouldn’t worry too much about missing out on conferences or conference presentations. My advice is to attend the sessions that are most relevant to you and where you can meet possible collaborators. I strive to attend at least 2 conferences a year, which I think is a good number for students and new investigators. Do your best to stay engaged while balancing the many responsibilities that we have in our lives.
Angela Heads
Angela M. Heads. Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) McGovern Medical School Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction
Day-to-Day work
What is a rising issue in your area of expertise?
I am not sure it is a rising issue, but more of an ongoing challenge in conducting research and developing interventions to treat substance use disorders. There is an increasing recognition that, to have the greatest impact on reducing the negative health and social consequences of problematic substance use and substance use disorders, we have to widen our approaches to include individual, interpersonal, provider, and system-level interventions. We are also moving towards recognizing multiple intersecting identities within individuals that contribute to risk and protective factors associated with substance use. I think this is an important shift and can improve our ability to more precisely target interventions and ultimately improve outcomes.
Long-term career
You currently lead several SAMHSA-funded programs providing substance use, psychiatric treatment, HIV prevention, and housing services to underserved populations. How might your work interact with advocacy and policymaking?
There are many ways that this work might be beneficial in addressing advocacy and policy issues. Our work directly increases access to substance use intervention, HIV prevention, and mental health treatment for populations that have not been prioritized. By demonstrating how a targeted approach to serving these populations reduces negative health and social outcomes related to HIV and substance use, policy makers may be able to see the benefit of making greater efforts to engage these populations.
Work/life balance
Any tips? The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
The work that we do is very important and is never ending. Learning how to step away from the work and protect the time you have for leisure and social activities is a crucial part of being successful in a career. It would be great if everyone learned how to do this early in their careers, but very few of us are able to navigate work/life balance well early on. Fortunately, it is never too late to recognize how taking time to recharge your batteries can actually make you better at the work you do. With many of us tied to our phones and other devices, it is very easy to blur the line between work time and personal time. When you are away from work, try to be really away from work. That means only checking emails and responding during times that you have decided you will work and letting things wait when you have decided that it is time to rest. Admittedly, this is something I am still working on. I think another important thing to remember is that it is OK to say no. There are so many opportunities for us to engage in work in very meaningful and impactful ways, but no one can do all of them if we want to do them well. I try to choose new projects and activities with these limitations in mind so that I can sometimes say “no” without guilt.
Overcoming adversity
What do you think are the most common adversities that new and established professionals are facing in workplace? What is your advice/ what are your potential solutions for overcome these adversities?
I was a first generation college student. It seems like a small thing to some people, but not having a person in the family who had that college experience who could give advice and set expectations can make everything seem so much more overwhelming. Today, there are still people entering college for the first time who do not know how to navigate the process because no one in their circle has been there before. In my large extended family, I was the first to complete an advanced degree, and I am (so far) the only person in my family to pursue an academic career (university faculty). It doesn’t stop in the classrooms. These unknowns take place throughout the entire career. This is challenging, but it is possible to overcome by sticking with it and not being afraid to ask for help. At every stage of a career, there are different challenges. Perseverance is key. Having supportive mentors is vital. Recognizing that you are more than your last failure is liberating.
Advice for young investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
There has been a lot of advice that has been important to me at different times. One that sticks with me no matter what stage of my career is to never be the one to tell myself, “No. You can’t do that.” Many people do not even attempt the next step because they think they are not smart enough, capable enough, or qualified enough. In reality you may be just the right person for that project, job, or promotion. I am not saying you should try to fly an airplane without taking some flying lessons, but do not get in your own way when pursuing the work that you are trained to do. I also encourage people to help others when they can and accept help when they need it. Collaboration and community help us all to be successful.
Sherecce Fields
Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
I get inspiration from multiple sources. When I was younger, I would look at the future directions of the articles that I read for inspiration about next steps in the research process. Currently, these steps can come from my own studies and data collection. For instance, what questions are left unanswered by the data? Or What is the next step in the process for our projects? I also get inspiration from colleagues in other areas like basic social and cognitive science who do interesting work that can be applied to understanding the initiation and maintenance of substance use disorders.
What is your target number when it comes to publishing?
I usually shoot for at minimum 2 articles per year. I think this is my target because for tenure at my University, that was the desired number. Now that I have graduate students, that number is typically higher each year as they also want to publish at a constant rate to get jobs.
In the short-term, we all want to get grants and publish papers, but what do you/did you consider as your long-term career goals? (e.g. tenure, editor positions, directorship positions?)
My long term goals are to be a full professor at my University. I would also like to become a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences or the National Academy of Sciences.
Any tips? The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
For the most part, I try to do most of my work during working hours. My son is in school and so afterschool/work time is time for me to spend with my family. I try to be as efficient as possible during those 8 to 5 hours so that there is time for them. Of course, when there are grant deadlines, etc., that time can get co-opted; however, I have become pretty good about keeping to that schedule.
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
I tell all my graduate students the same thing. The best time to start a family is when it is best for your family! There are always drawbacks at any level of your career. I have seen people be incredibly successful having children in graduate school, on postdoc, pre-tenure and even post-tenure. You have to make the decision that is best for you and your family. The rest will fall into place.
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
I am a first generation faculty. What that means is that I am the first person in my family to ever go to college, graduate school or become a faculty member at a University. The most difficult obstacles for me were understanding how the process works and the “unspoken” rules. I benefitted greatly from having mentors who were very patient with me and who worked with me through my development. I do not think I could have made it without them!
Jermaine Jones
Day-to-Day Work
What issue has been persistent/hard to resolve in your area of expertise?
The various motivations that cause people to initiate non-medical opioid use. There seems to be individuals who are initially positively reinforced by opioids (for example, they like the euphoriant effects) and alternatively those who initiate opioid use because they are negatively reinforcing (i.e., they are anxiolytic etc.). Though they end up in the same place (i.e., struggling with Opioid Use Disorder [OUD]), how they got there may impact disease course and treatment response. We rarely consider these potential endophenotypes of OUD in clinical trials, and I think that they deserve more focus.
What is a rising issue in your area of expertise?
What’s most concerning to me is the rise of psychostimulant use, in general, along with its increased use among individuals with OUD. Given that we don’t have a pharmacotherapy for cocaine or methamphetamine use disorder, and no equivalent to naloxone, I think the field isn’t prepared for another psychostimulant overdose epidemic.
Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
I think I typically leave conferences really excited about the possibly of what’s next. So, I guess I would say I’m most inspired by my colleagues.
To what do you attribute your success?
Familial support, great mentoring, hard work and a bit of luck!
Work/Life Balance
Overcoming adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
I wouldn’t say there was one aspect of my career that was particularly more difficult. I think each phase of career comes with a unique set of challenges.
What do you think are the most common adversities that new and established professionals are facing in workplace? What is your advice/ what are your potential solutions for overcome these adversities?
I think finding your place can be difficult. I’m beginning to learn that this is something that doesn’t necessarily need to be forced. Your career trajectory may not be a straight line, and that’s ok.
Advice for young investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
Find a place that where you enjoy the people you work with. This field requires a lot of hard work, being in an environment that you don’t enjoy is going to make it exponentially more difficult.
What would you recommend to people who have a fear of missing out on all of the great conferences and presentations? How many conferences a year should one strive to attend?
People should go to as many conferences as their workload and budget permits. Keep in mind that you get different things from different meetings. Some conferences may not have the best science but provide better opportunities to network. My recommendation, always plan for CPDD, and don’t be afraid to solely attend a conference because of its location- you’ve probably earned a few days on the beach.
Bill Stoops
Day-to-Day Work
What is a rising issue in your area of expertise?
For a long time, we’ve evaluated the success of potential treatments for stimulant use disorders by whether they promote complete abstinence or not. Having an expectation for complete abstinence produced by an intervention has likely contributed to our lack of any broadly implemented or FDA approved treatments. Complete abstinence is a great goal, but may be unrealistic for many. For other health problems, we don’t expect perfection, even if we strive for it. For example, it’s unlikely that a person with diabetes will have perfect blood sugar all the time or that a person with depression won’t have a relapse. But, we consider treatments for those disorders effective if we see an improvement in signs and symptoms, rather than perfect attainment of treatment targets. I think that our field needs to start thinking that way and not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. It’s been done in the alcohol field whereby eliminating heavy drinking days, but not all alcohol drinking, has been accepted as an indicator of treatment efficacy. Reductions in stimulant use, or a similar outcome, may be beneficial and more achievable. It’s on us, though, to identify other indicators of efficacy and advance them through research in order to make a change.
You have a continuous track of R-level funding since early on in your career. Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
I derive inspiration from a lot of sources: manuscripts I’m reading, presentations I see, conversations with colleagues, RFAs or PAs put out by funders. Lately, one of my biggest inspirations has come from learning about work that’s been done preclinically and figuring out a way to translate that into a human laboratory project or clinical trial. Often, those grants include adding a preclinical researcher as a collaborator, so it’s especially fun because I get to work with someone new, learn a lot about their work and think creatively about how to apply my expertise to that area.
Long-Term Career
What trajectory of work can lead towards working in policy-making?
As an academic researcher, I’ve found that my most effective efforts in advocacy and policy-making have been through the application of my expertise, knowledge base and passion to communicate with lawmakers about policy relevant to substance use disorders and research. It’s also really important to build relationships with those policy makers and let them know that you are ready to serve as a resource to them as needed. Working with larger organizations, like CPDD or APA, in addition to speaking as a constituent will help to get your message across.
Of course, if you’re really interested in being directly involved in policy-making, I think that can be hard to do well as an academic researcher considering all the other demands on your time. So, if direct involvement in policy-making is your goal, it’s important to think about a career with organizations that have an advocacy/policy-making agenda or to work for local, state or federal governments after you’ve completed your scientific training.
Advice for Young Investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
Although there’s a lot of advice I’ve received that’s been helpful along the way, I’ll keep it to my central tenets for working successfully with others because that’s such a crucial aspect of any career: give credit where credit is due, say thank you and, most importantly, be kind.
What would you recommend to people who have a fear of missing out on all of the great conferences and presentations? How many conferences a year should one strive to attend?
I experience fear of missing out, too, especially with the advent of Twitter! There’s no way anybody can make it to every conference they want to get to, but I think that now is a really great time because science and presentations are more accessible than ever. I would certainly advise following scientists in your area and conferences you are interested in on social media. That way, you can see what’s going on at meetings you can’t attend and maybe even access some of the content. With COVID-19, so many conferences are going virtual (and some are doing so at deeply reduced registration prices), you don’t have to miss out as much! As far as how many conferences to attend per year, I think you should definitely try to make it to at least one a year as a trainee or early career researcher, but if you can attend two or three, that’s very helpful for publicizing your research and building your network. Look for meetings that offer travel awards and other ways to make it more affordable, like discounted registration, for you to attend and present.
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Erin McClure
Day-to-Day Work
Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
Some amount of inspiration for new projects comes from reading the current literature, but I get much more inspiration from talking to others one-on-one about their work, discussing exciting next directions and research questions, and potential collaborative possibilities. I draw so much inspiration from my colleagues and collaborators, which keeps me excited about writing grants and pursuing new projects. I’ve learned over the years that it is very important for me to be surrounded by smart and productive researchers and clinicians who have overlapping (not identical) interests. It’s also been important for me to have a close network of collaborators and colleagues who I trust and who can provide helpful, honest, and constructive feedback. Those who are overly negative or seem to shoot down any and all ideas, without being constructive in their criticisms, should be avoided as much as possible. Everyone should strive to have a “safe space” to put potential projects into words without reservations. I also keep a running list of grant topics and experimental ideas that I would like to pursue. I return to that list every few months to consider which ideas I’m most excited about, is the timing right, which projects I want to prioritize, is that still a potentially good idea, etc.
What is your target number when it comes to publishing?
My publication target goal is always shifting. During training (graduate school and post-doctoral training), I would typically shoot for 2-3 publications per year knowing that some years would be more productive than others. The content of those publications did not seem to be as important in earlier career stages, but just demonstrating that you can publish results and can disseminate findings is important. Now that I’m in a faculty role, the priorities have shifted slightly. I would say that the number of publications is less important, but the impact of those papers is now critical and closely scrutinized. Grant reviewers are looking for a content-relevant publication history and evidence of collaboration more so than counting the number of pubs. It’s also important that I am working with trainees and that they are publishing, moving me into a senior (last) author role. I still have several first-authored publications that I am working on at any given time and I am lucky to be involved in a number of interesting projects and work with very productive collaborators. I would say that there are always at least 3-4 manuscripts under review or in the revision process at any one time.
It’s also important to know if your institution has publication metrics. For example, as part of our academic promotion criteria, we are expected to have a certain number of publications since last promotion/appointment with “significant authorship,” which means first, second, or last. If you don’t meet that number, you are not fulfilling that criterion for promotion. Knowing those metrics (if they exist) ahead of time or discussing with your mentor will provide you with a target for each year.
Work/Life Balance
Any tips? The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
This is a major challenge and a problem that I don’t think anyone has figured out. The workload continues to increase as you advance in your career, so developing strategies early to protect your personal time and have work-life balance is essential. Practice those strategies early and often! Work-life balance is a frequently discussed topic in many professional development workshops and seminars, and I have picked up a few tips from those over the years. First, if you have the opportunity, make time to attend a work-life balance workshop or seminar. It’s hard to carve out time to do this but may benefit you in the long run. If nothing like that is offered to you, ask for it! Request a seminar on that topic or develop your own for a professional meeting. Second, stay organized and prioritize your tasks. This may include having a master to-do list. For example, what are the major projects that you want to get done in the next year or two? And then having a weekly to-do list is helpful. What are the things that must get done this week? What can wait? Third, I’m constantly reminded to “work smarter, not harder.” Being efficient and cutting out unnecessary parts of the workday are helpful. Fourth, don’t say yes to everything. You can’t do that and stay sane. Say yes to some things and be a good citizen, but there is nothing wrong with being strategic in what you say yes to and limiting your commitments. And when you say no to a request, recommend someone else for this role. Finally, when you take a vacation (and you should take a vacation), actually take a vacation. Disconnect and enjoy. The work will still be there when you return.
Overcoming Adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
There have been ups and downs throughout my career, but one particularly challenging time was the final year of graduate school when I was in the process of completing my dissertation and looking for post-doctoral fellowships. This was an incredibly stressful time and even though I was part of a wonderful and supportive cohort of other graduate students, the whole process feels very isolating. I had to work very hard to stay motivated and tackle the project one section at a time. Like any major project that feels daunting, it was helpful to break it up into smaller, manageable chunks and work backwards from the final deadline. I had also received advice to work on a writing project every day, even if it’s only for a short period of time (~30 minutes). That allowed me to stay engaged in the material and it was easier to pick up where I left off the day before. Though writing the dissertation felt isolating at times, I relied very much on my professional network during this time. I would frequently commiserate with other graduate students during this process, which was incredibly helpful. It’s important to know when you need a break, even if you feel like you don’t have the time to take one.
Advice for Young Investigators
What would you recommend to people who have a fear of missing out on all of the great conferences and presentations? How many conferences a year should one strive to attend?
When attending conferences, you won’t see everything you want to see, so no need to stress about it! Sometimes, the most meaningful part of conferences is to have one-on-one conversations with those who are doing similar work or share common research/professional interests. And that doesn’t necessarily need to be a senior investigator in the field, but it can be a peer who is perhaps a few years ahead of you. Even though poster sessions can be overwhelming, this is a good opportunity to meet specific individuals. I try to select 3-4 posters per session that I will attend, rather than roaming the aisles, which is dizzying to me. Also, there is great value in the hallway conversations at meetings. Some of my most productive conference experiences have occurred when I’m on the way to a talk but run into someone I know or have been wanting to chat with. I may have missed the talk, but the time was well-spent! In terms of the number of conferences, I typically attend 2-3 conferences per year. Consider joining the organization prior to the meeting. That may give you access to a reduced registration rate and organization member meetings during the conference.
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Amy Janes
Day-to-Day Work
Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
Talking with others and attending meetings is critical to expanding research ideas, but I am most inspired when reading the literature. In reading, I have the time to really think about how new concepts may fit into my work. I am also inspired by the limitations of my own work. When I’m writing up results sometimes I hit a wall where I can’t make a point because I need more data, and the answer is not in the published literature. The exciting part is realizing that this is a place where my research can move in a new direction.
Long-Term Career
In the short-term, we all want to get grants and publish papers, but what do you/did you consider as your long-term career goals? (e.g. tenure, editor positions, directorship positions?)
At the moment, my long-term career goals are somewhat general in that I know the broad things I want. For instance, I want to move the field forward as best I can. I want to work in a collaborative environment, play a role in mentoring, and continue to grow as a scientist, laboratory director, and mentor. How I meet these goals may evolve over time and I try to stay open to opportunities.
Work/Life Balance
Any tips? The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
It is easy to get caught in the trap of feeling like you should work all the time, even when important deadlines are not looming. For me, working non-stop is no way to live and work-wise it is not best for productivity. Whenever I feel guilty for not working I remind myself that my out of work goals are important too, and that taking a break will enhance my efficiency and productivity at work. Setting aside time, whether it is a weekend or a quick walk around the block can help me come at a problem with fresh eyes, allowing things to move forward more easily. As for practical tips, one is simply acknowledging that the work never ends and it is OK to leave things for tomorrow. At the end of the day instead of listing all the things left to do, I remind myself of what I accomplished. This shift in focus typically helps me realize that while I could work more, I have already been productive and a break will likely be helpful. Another thing I did a while ago was shut off email alerts on my phone, so I no longer have a list of all the unread e-mail coming in on my lock screen. I would have an email flash up and feel like I had to deal with it right away even if it could wait. Now, I have to make a conscious choice to check e-mail instead of having it interrupt whatever I am doing. The third thing that works for me is that I work on big projects like grant writing as far in advance as I can. While this isn’t always possible, by giving myself enough lead time I have more flexibility in terms of when I work because everything does not need to be crammed into a short time period.
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
There is no “right time” in terms of fitting in with a specific career stage. I had my daughter when I was supported by a K01, which was a good time for me, but I know others who have had children at earlier or later stages and they were successful. What worked well for me in terms of timing, was that I started my family when I had a solid support structure at work. The other helpful piece of advice I received, was timing the submission of papers and grants just prior to going on leave. That way, things are still moving forward with reviews and you can hit the ground running by responding to critiques when you return.
Overcoming Adversity
Was there a time in your career that you found particularly difficult, and how did you get through it?
I have been fortunate to have wonderful and supportive mentors who have helped me through each difficult time in my career. Whether I was struggling with a technical problem or something related to career development, I had people I could go to for advice and support. One example of a difficult time was when I began my postdoc in clinical neuroimaging, as this was a big change from the preclinical research I conducted as a grad student. This was an uncomfortable time for me, because I went from being proficient in the preclinical domain to once again needing a lot of training. Becoming a novice again was tough, but fortunately, graduate school taught me both specific skills, and how to seek out help. Specifically, how not to be afraid to ask for help. No matter how much self-learning one can do, the advice and support of others is so critical and good mentors are happy to help students who are invested and motivated to learn.
Advice for Young Investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
The beginning of your career is exciting and challenging because the majority of tasks require you to both learn and do at the same time. So do not take on too much too quickly (remember you still need to plan for taking breaks too!) Focus first on the very specific tasks you need to do to be successful. Things will eventually become easier once you have the basics down and that is when new challenges can be added. As with any job, there will be aspects you like and some you don’t. Work on figuring out ways to spend more of your time on the parts you like, whether it is research, writing, teaching, or mentoring, and the rest of your career will naturally unfold along that path. Finally, I see a lot of very early career students feeling a great deal of pressure to publish and write grants. While these are real pressures, try to refocus on answering an interesting question that you care about, or telling a clear and compelling story about research findings. This will keep you focused on where you need to go - the grants and papers will follow, but the path to getting there will be more fun if you let your passion lead you, and you’ll be much more effective at achieving your goals if this is the case.
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Kelly Dunn
Day-to-Day Work
Where/how do you get your inspiration for your next project?
I like to attend conferences/talks from outside of my direct field of research to learn about new perspectives or experimental methods that I can adopt. Following preclinical work is especially important to me - much of my current research was inspired by exciting outcomes from animal studies.
What is your target number when it comes to publishing?
A prominent senior scientist once told me their goal was to always have a paper under review. That was somewhat difficult to achieve as a postdoc/trainee, but that advice stuck with me and became easier over time, and now I think it’s a nice concrete goal to work towards.
Long-Term Career
In the short-term, we all want to get grants and publish papers, but what do you/did you consider as your long-term career goals? (e.g. tenure, editor positions, directorship positions?)
My long-term career goal is to be in a stable position that provides me ample flexibility to pursue different research ideas. I’m not yet sure whether that will be as tenured professor or in some other position- our field is very dynamic and I don't want to focus so heavily on one long-term goal that I overlook other potentially fulfilling opportunities.
Work/Life Balance
Any tips? The work never ends, so what boundaries do you have in place to protect your personal time and your sanity?
I firmly believe you have to set boundaries for yourself. When I first became a postdoc I pushed myself like I was working on my dissertation- I kept thinking I would work really hard “temporarily” until I accomplished the goal of finishing all my work. But work kept accumulating, and I ended up feeling burned out and like I was failing. All of my efforts to work as hard as possible actually caused my productivity to suffer. Eventually, I decided I would only work at work and would reserve nights/weekends for myself (except for extreme circumstances), because 99% of things are not so urgent that they can’t wait until tomorrow for me to respond/ work on them. I continue to follow these rules- although I may check email, I rarely respond or do work unless I am in my office during the workweek. Since I stop thinking about work for a few hours each day, I no longer feel burned out and I am more productive when I am working. I also think it really helped to have established these boundaries early in my career because my colleagues have come to anticipate my schedule (I no longer receive large requests on the weekends) and I have only gotten busier over time, so developing a work-life balance early helped me to maintain it as the demands on my time increased. Also, once I acknowledged that I wouldn't ever be “finished” with work, I learned to pace myself better so I don’t feel overwhelmed by my workload.
In your experience, when is a better time to start a family? Should it be after you graduate, after completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, after completion of few years of first faculty position, or perhaps some other time?
I only recently started my family, but I suspect this decision will be different for everyone. I view my personal and professional lives as being very separate, and I decided that I would start a family when it was the right time for me to do that personally. There will always be more work to do. And since our careers advance through productivity, anything that decreases that (like a baby) can be easily deprioritized, which means there will probably never be a “right time” as far as work is concerned. My personal opinion is that you should pursue a family when that is the right choice for your personal life and then adjust your work expectations to accommodate your new “normal”. You probably won’t be as productive at work for a while, but that is OK because your personal life deserves as much attention as your career.
Advice for Young Investigators
What advice would you give to a new grad student, a senior grad student, a new postdoc, or a new investigator?
I have two thoughts. The first is that when you feel like a task cannot be accomplished or have guilt from not meeting goals, it is important to evaluate whether the goal is something you set for yourself and whether it was really achievable. I frequently set goals for myself that are very ambitious (e.g., submit two grants next cycle), and then as I feverishly work to meet the goals I forget that I was the one who set them. Many times when this has happened, I have felt pressured to sacrifice the quality of my work in order to complete them or just felt incredibly stressed. Now when I start feeling this way, I make myself step back to consider whether the deadlines are real or something I created. Most of the time, I imposed them on myself, and when this happens I force myself to acknowledge that my plan was probably too ambitious to begin with and to set new, more reasonable goals (e.g., submit one grant now and another at a later cycle).
The second is to say yes to as many new opportunities as you can without sacrificing your ability to manage everything. Everything you do becomes an area of expertise on your CV and I have watched many colleagues become inspired enough to change career paths or receive unexpected job offers simply because they spontaneously agreed to contribute (often in a minor way) to a project that was outside of their wheelhouse and may even have been perceived as an extra burden on them at the time. This includes new research skills as well as professional opportunities (e.g., reviewing journal articles, participating on committees, etc..).
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