St. Jude National Graduate Student Symposium is a catalyst for postdoc recruitment and career advancement

Nurturing the next generation of researchers is not just advantageous — it’s essential — for the future of pediatric research. The St. Jude mission is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Research depends on the contributions of leading experts whose scientific discoveries lay the foundation for new treatments. 

Inspiring exceptional students to dedicate their work to pediatric diseases is a part of how St. Jude continues to help build the pipeline from education to science careers. However, the journey to a successful research career is often complex, competitive and filled with obstacles. Additionally, the transition from academic training to a professional position can be overwhelming, with many researchers struggling to find roles that align with their expertise and goals. 

The National Graduate Student Symposium (NGSS) provides significant opportunities for leading graduate (PhD) researchers to explore career options at St. Jude and gain a deeper understanding of the institution’s pioneering research. NGSS is a three-day event on the St. Jude campus, offering participants a comprehensive experience. Attendees present their PhD research, engage in one-on-one meetings with St. Jude faculty in their areas of interest, tour the St. Jude facilities and explore the city of Memphis. The events during the symposium are carefully planned and designed to leave a lasting impression on the participants. 

As the first step in students’ career pipeline, NGSS serves as a recruitment tool for St. Jude and provides career advancement opportunities to up-and-coming researchers. Most often, that career advancement takes the form of a post-doctoral fellowship (postdoc), where a recent graduate joins the laboratory of a St. Jude faculty member and conducts research. However, in some cases, the ripples of the NGSS are felt even beyond this career stage as investigators transition from postdocs to other, more advanced roles. By cultivating and maintaining the science careers pipeline, NGSS ensures that the future of pediatric research remains bright and innovative.

Fostering the future of research

NGSS is an invitation-only event. Students must be nominated by a faculty advisor or mentor, or St. Jude may invite them directly to participate. 

Linda Harris, PhD, Postdoc Talent Acquisition director in the Department of Academic Programs in the Biomedical Sciences, and her team oversee the event. Harris noted, “We were the very first institution to host an event of this kind back in 2002.”

The process begins with a call for nominations sent to St. Jude faculty and faculty at universities nationwide, who are encouraged to either nominate students themselves or forward nomination requests to colleagues. Nominated students are invited to apply. Applications are categorized by research area and reviewed by St. Jude faculty, and the top 40 candidates are selected to participate in the symposium. NGSS is a crucial recruitment tool for St. Jude, as it attracts some of the field’s leading PhD and MD/PhD researchers. 

“My team travels extensively to conferences for postdoc recruitment. While discussing St. Jude with potential candidates can generate excitement, nothing compares to seeing the institution firsthand,” Harris explained. “Visiting allows candidates to experience our state-of-the-art facilities, explore our shared resources and get a true sense of what we’re all about. Inviting top students to visit the St. Jude campus enhances our chance of recruiting them to St. Jude, and NGSS is crucial in facilitating this process.”

The National Graduate Student Symposium

NGSS is a powerful catalyst for career advancement and professional growth. It provides engaging experiences and meaningful connections that open doors to extraordinary opportunities. 

Dorothea Morris, PhD, is a postdoc in the laboratory of Stacey Schultz-Cherry, PhD, St. Jude Department of Host-Microbe Interactions. It was through participation in the NGSS that Morris first connected with Schultz-Cherry. 

“When I found out I got accepted, I reached out to [Schultz-Cherry] and let her know that I would be attending and that I was interested in her lab,” Morris said. “It was a nice connection to make and be able to meet her at the symposium.

“NGSS helped me secure my postdoc position in terms of timing and opportunity to connect with the principal investigators. For me, coordinating meetings and interviews was quite challenging, but NGSS made it so much easier, especially since St. Jude was at the top of my list of places to look at.” 

Stefan Schattgen, PhD, a senior scientist in the St. Jude Department of Host-Microbe Interactions, also participated in the NGSS and was later hired as a postdoc and then staff at St. Jude. The symposium not only broadened his perspective but also directly influenced his career trajectory. 

“The symposium showcased the unique highlights and benefits of working at St. Jude, which might have otherwise been overlooked in a typical postdoc interview. NGSS provided an opportunity to engage with the institution from a broader perspective, beyond just the interests of individual faculty, and significantly influenced my decision to postdoc and then stay at St. Jude,” Schattgen said.

Postdoc recruitment 

Recruiting highly skilled and capable postdocs to work in the laboratories at St. Jude requires faculty to make real connections with potential hires. The NGSS helps make those connections simpler. 

Schultz-Cherry, among other faculty at St. Jude, utilizes NGSS as a recruitment tool. She said, “I have recruited several NGSS participants, most recently Dorothea Morris, to the lab. She is an outstanding postdoc that I never would have found had it not been for NGSS.

“The NGSS not only helps identify top-quality postdocs but also offers invaluable opportunities for St. Jude faculty to interact with candidates both scientifically and socially, which is critical for determining if a candidate would be a good fit,” Schultz-Cherry added. “This often results in recruiting highly qualified postdocs who might not otherwise have been recruited. In my case, these have been people outside my immediate field.”

Approximately 15% of attendees are hired as postdocs at St. Jude. In addition to directly recruiting scientists who attend the NGSS, participants become ambassadors for St. Jude, actively sharing their experiences and promoting the institution within their professional networks. This fosters indirect recruitment, as their positive endorsements attract other talented candidates to explore opportunities at St. Jude.

Catalyzing careers and creating opportunities

Beyond serving as an excellent recruitment tool, NGSS significantly enhances the professional prospects of its participants. Moreover, the opportunities extend beyond postdoc placements, as evidenced by the increasing number of current staff members who participated in the NGSS, became postdocs and transitioned into other staff roles to further advance their careers. 

NGSS participant Jennifer Ocasio-Adorno, PhD, St. Jude Department of Academic Programs in the Biomedical Sciences, chose to explore a different career path after her postdoc. She is participating in the Career Advancement Program (CAP) Fellowship — a St. Jude program that trains scientists looking to transition from research to other careers where a strong scientific background is beneficial — and aims to pursue a career in academic planning. 

She shared, “I love doing research, but my true passion is building training programs to help trainees succeed. I aim to become a program director in an academic programs office.”

Whether a student decides to stay at St. Jude, pursue opportunities elsewhere, remain at the lab bench or transition into other roles, the NGSS is a foundational experience that opens doors. Through the NGSS, students can gain invaluable experience, learning more about the career options available to them. It also gives St. Jude a chance to showcase everything the institution offers early-career investigators as they embark on the next stages of their professional growth. In doing so, the NGSS holds a pivotal role in the scientific career pipeline. 

If you would like to learn more about the NGSS, or nominate a student, visit www.stjude.org/ngss or contact ngss@stjude.org.