A class of 20 post-doctorates and scientists graduated this morning from the first-ever Chief Science Officer (CSO) Development Course. The successful students received a Certificate of Completion signed by the National Institute of Health’s Foundation for the Advancement of Education in Science (FAES) and Montgomery College Workforce Development and Continuing Education, a key partner in the training and education of the county’s business community.
The 12-week course trained students for the transition from the laboratory to the board room, providing them with the business and leadership skills necessary for success in Montgomery County’s burgeoning biotechnology industry. The Federal Laboratory Consortium, Mid-Atlantic Region (FLC-MAR), Human Workflows, and Montgomery County Department of Economic Development (DED) each contributed to developing targeted and streamlined coursework for the course that would provide a pathway for a future CSO career and create new opportunities for local employers to view the CSO Development Certificate as a viable measure of success in the field.
“Through the CSO Development Course, Montgomery College had a unique opportunity to collaborate with our county, federal, business, and community partners on a program that supports the further development of our knowledge economy,” said Dr. Sanjay Rai, vice president and provost at Montgomery College-Germantown. “In this era of globalization it is essential that we preserve our workforce by enhancing the skills needed to transition from the laboratory to business.”
“The CSO Development Course is a perfect complement to the broad range of programs and services our department offers to assist business and job growth,” said Steve Silverman, director, Montgomery County Department of Economic Development. “It allows any technology firm to learn from a focused group of business-savvy professionals with a highly-trained technology background and we know of no other course that combines the strength of such notable public-private partnerships with a proven pathway of opportunity for future Chief Science Officers.”
The preparation of post-doctorates for non-academic jobs is frequently overlooked. Academics trying to find success in the commercial world often find that there is more to being competitive in the industry job market than just their scientific backgrounds. While Ph.D.s have impressive technical skills, they can find themselves at a competitive disadvantage because they lack basic business competencies. Given that well over half of people holding a Ph.D. will end up in the business world, this skill deficit makes the transition a tough one to manage.
“The course taught skills that scientists don’t really learn during their thesis work,” said Lindsey Garver, Ph.D., who participated in the course. “We rarely learn how to manage people and how to lead; we think in terms of science, not human capital. When I understood that my career was pulling me into administration and management of science and scientists, I found this course and it turned out to be exactly what I had hoped. It honed what skills I already have and opened my eyes to the additional skills I will need to enhance for future success.”
The three-hour interactive sessions each Saturday provide deeper understanding of business management skills. One of the most important aspects of this course is its personalized approach. Each student begins with a self assessment which provides him/her with a clearer understanding of his/her strengths, and weaknesses which he/she can in turn use to plan and navigate their career path. Students learn how their own experiences actually translate to these important competencies and how to express those skills together in order to become successful in their business careers.
“The CSO Development Course is a great example of the synergistic nature of collaboration between federal labs, educational institutions, economic development organizations and small business,” said Mojdeh Bahar, chief, Cancer Branch, Office of Technology Transfer, NIH. “A result of discussions between FLC-Mid-Atlantic Region and Montgomery College urged by Montgomery County, the course brought together two additional partners, namely Foundation for the Advancement of Education of Science at NIH and Human Workflows, LLC. This one-of-a-kind, personalized course, can hopefully serve as a model that can be hosted at different institutions. It is an honor to have been part of such amazing team.”
Montgomery College is a public, open admissions community college with campuses in Germantown, Rockville, and Takoma Park/Silver Spring, plus workforce development/continuing education centers and off-site programs throughout Montgomery County, Md. The College serves nearly 60,000 students a year, through both credit and noncredit programs, in more than 100 areas of study.
