Mission, aims and activities

Mission

Our mission is to support talented young scientists who are at a crossroads in their career. Following a PhD thesis, and perhaps one or two postdoc positions, important career decision will need to be made. We offer these postdocs guidance in their search for a suitable next step in their career, be it within or outside of academia. PCDI has started out as an organisation targeting young research in the life sciences, health and technology but we intend to broaden our scope in the near future.

Aims

• Raise awareness about career prospects in life sciences, health and technology among postdocs and final year PhD student.
• Provide transferable skills training – including the raising of awareness about such skills and competencies – to increase the prospects of a successful career in academia and the transfer of talented young scientists to companies and non-profit organisations in the life sciences.
• Raise competencies required for market valorisation of academic research and scientific knowledge among potential entrepreneurs in the life sciences.
• Create a network of actors in industry, academia and non-profit organisations who can serve as role models for young scientists in the life sciences.

Activities

• Annual 3-day retreats, attended by 100+ PhDs and postdocs in the life sciences. Our retreats involve career development workshops, networking events, round-table discussions and forums on the future of the life sciences. Invited speakers include people from academia, industry and government bodies with a successful career in the life sciences.
• Day-long or half-day-long workshops in career development, such as job interview and transferable skills training, and workshops in knowledge valorisation and entrepreneurship.
• Company visits to some of the most prestigious companies in the Dutch life sciences industry. Postdocs are invited to attend plenary sessions, workshops and tours of the company laboratories.
• Workshops and networking events that enable postdocs and PhD students to meet with people within companies and intermediary organisations.