SOT 2007 Annual Meeting

Monday, March 26, 4:30 PM–5:50 PM
Chairperson(s): Vishal Vaidya, Brigham & Womens Hospital, Boston, MA and Elaine Faustman, Institute for Risk Analysis & Risk Communication, Seattle, WA.

Endorsed by:
Career Resource and Development Committee*
Education Committee
Student Advisory Committee
Women in Toxicology (WIT) Specialty Section

Extramural funding has always been a backbone of academic research and NIH is the leading federal institute to fund extramural research grants with a fiscal year (FY) 2006 budget of over 28 million. Although traditionally toxicology researchers have received funding from a wide spectrum of the 20 NIH institutes, the NIEHS and NIGMS have been of particular interest in terms of funding chemical toxicology and environmental health related research projects. Two speakers will help to elucidate the grantsmanship process during this session. Dr. Pat Mastin, Chief of Cellular, Organ and Systems Pathobiology Branch at NIEHS, will discuss the new funding initiatives by the NIEHS including a discussion of the recent NHEH’s Genes and Environment Initiative, ONES awards, etc. Dr. Raymesh Nayak, a consultant to NIH and DOD, will offer his insights from over 30 years of experience working as a Scientific Review Administrator at NIH. These experts will share their views on successful grant writing, electronic submission, novel funding opportunities by NIEHS, NIGMS, and DOD. The presentations will address areas of interest to all academic scientists at a number of stages of their career. Moreover, Dr. Nayak will show a ‘Mock study section video” for early career investigators to be well versed with the peer-review procedure. This video will provide essential, practical information for graduate students, postdocs and early to mid academic investigators.

Grantsmanship Forum: Funding Opportunities at NIH, Vishal Vaidya, Brigham, Womens Hospital, Boston, MA and Elaine Faustman, Institute for Risk Analysis & Risk Communication, Seattle, WA.
Current Directions in NIEHS Extramural Programs, J. Patrick Mastin, Ph.D. Chief, Cellular, Organs, and Systems Pathobiology Branch Division of Extramural Research & Training NIEHS

Communicating Science: Writing for Technical and Lay Audiences

Tuesday, March 27, 1:30 PM–4:15 PM
Chairperson(s): Julia Kimbell, CIIT Centers for Health Research, Research Triangle Park, NC and Claude McGowan, Johnson & Johnson, Skillman, NJ.

Endorsed by:
Animals in Research Committee
Career Resource and Development Committee*
Education Committee
Risk Assessment Specialty Section

Research in toxicology often produces results that are significant for regulators and the general public as well as scientists. In addition to technical reports, written material is needed for information resources such as Web sites, press releases, prospectus blurbs, and package inserts, making written communication skills essential for toxicologists. One key to the success of a scientific document is the scientist' style which should structure the content in a logical and persuasive fashion, include informative and persuasive illustrations, and express ideas in clear, connected sentences. Getting research published in a good journal is a fundamental requirement for all scientists. A good scientific paper should be clearly focused from title to discussion, provide adequate information regarding how experiments were carried out and make it easy for any scientist to understand the significance of the work. Yet bridging the gap between technical publication and other public media can be difficult. The lay media often have a tough time digesting complex scientific jargon. Scientists, fearing their message will be lost in the translation, may be reluctant to share their research. These barriers prevent interesting and important science developments from making the news. Exploring how the media evaluate science news helps break down these barriers and encourages scientists to accurately translate their message to a lay audience. Discussion among the participants in this session will address practical questions regarding how one translates scientific jargon into a form that non-professionals can appreciate, why non-professionals should care about the latest advances in toxicology, and how toxicologists can clarify messages for the larger public.

Communicating Science: Writing for Technical and Lay Audiences, Julia Kimbell, CIIT Centers for Health Research, Research Triangle Park, NC and Claude McGowan, Johnson & Johnson, Skillman, NJ.
Essentials of Style in Scientific Writing, Michael Alley, Penn State University, University Park, PA.
An Editorial Perspective on Good Scientific Writing, James P. Kehrer, Editor, Toxicology Letters, Dean, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Communicating Science to the Public, Helen Chickering, NBC News Channel, Chapel Hill, NC.
Challenges in Communicating Science from the EPA, Cynthia Yu-Robinson, U.S. EPA, Durham, NC.

Toxicology Consultant: A Perspective

Wednesday, March 28, 7:30 AM–8:50 AM
Chairperson(s): Richard Parent, Consultox, Ltd., Damariscotta, ME and Shayne Gad, Gad Consulting Services, Cary, NC.

Endorsed by:
Career Resource and Development Committee*
Education Committee
Ethical Legal and Social Issues Specialty Section
Regulatory and Safety Evaluation Specialty Section

Although there are many retirees, academicians and government people who do consultations in toxicology on a part-time basis, there are more and more well qualified toxicologists who make a career out of doing consulting work in a variety of areas as is evidenced by close to one hundred registered toxicologists listed with the Roundtable of Toxicology Consultants. Today, we present four highly successful consultants who have achieved a high level of success in attaining the height of their profession as toxicology consultants. They will share their insights into the tasks to be addressed in the various industries that they service.

The Chemical Sector, Richard Kraska, Kraska Consultants, Inc., Bonita Springs, FL.
The Pharmaceutical Industry, Patricia Frank, Patricia Frank & Associates, Inc., Evanston, IL.
The Medical Device Industry, Shayne Gad, Gad Consulting Services, Cary, NC.
Litigation Support, Richard Parent, Consultox Ltd., Damariscotta, ME.

You Just Can't Focus on the Science: A Primer of Strategies to be Successful in Your New Position

Wednesday, March 28, 4:30 PM–5:50 PM
Chairperson(s): Thomas Kawabata, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton, CT and Jean Kramarik, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Research Triangle Park, NC

Endorsed by:
Career Resource and Development Committee*
Postdoctoral Assembly

You've completed your postdoctoral training and landed your first job. After many dedicated years in graduate school and as a postdoctoral fellow, you now have the scientific knowledge and technical skills needed to get the job done and you are ready to hit the ground running. However, there are many other important skills you need to learn. Whether your new job is in academia, government or industry, you just can't focus on the science. You need to be aware of the many planning and people skills needed to be successful in your new job.

Introduction, Thomas Kawabata, Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton, CT.
Planning for Success and Career Satisfaction, Harihara Mehendale, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA.
The Importance of People and Leadership Skills in Career Success, Leigh Ann Burns Naas, Pfizer Research and Development, San Diego, CA.