Student has no trouble visualizing a doctorate in chemistry
By Ed Fletcher (efletcher@sacbee.com)
Published: Monday, Sep. 12, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 1B

Even the most adept chemistry student will spend an evening hopelessly staring at models of double helixes, polypeptides and ribonucleic acids.

Not Henry Wedler.

Blind from birth, Wedler, who is working on his doctorate in organic chemistry at the University of California, Davis, sees these complex structures in his mind and occasionally with his hands.

I note that he is hedging his bets too by having a second undergrad degree in History and minoring in mathematics. Who knows what his career path will be.

Inspiring for anyone who doubts themselves!

I like that this comment ends with:

…what’s the problem if Stem graduates end up in careers outside science and engineering? If anything, we need more of it. We’re crying out for more scientists and engineers to teach in schools, get into politics and the civil service, and become involved in running companies. The scientific method should be more embedded in society, not less.

The Road Less Traveled – Alternative Careers for PhD Scientists

The skills you obtain as a PhD scientists are valuable, but not only in traditional jobs. Process development, analytical thinking, research techniques, and technology skills are highly sought and desired in government and private industry. Join Dr. Steve Carlo as he describes how traditional skills are more easily applied to alternative careers than you think.

Dr. Steve Carlo is a PhD physical chemist, currently working for the Federal Government as a technical manager.

Here is some help:
Is Being an Innovator-Entrepreneur Your Cup of Tea? is the first webinar in a 7 part series on entrepreneurship and how to be successful at it. The live webinar was held at the beginning of April but the next six are still to come:

1) Is being an Innovator-Entrepreneur my cup of tea?
Meet, talk, and learn from the many successful chemical entrepreneurs. It takes more than an innovation to make a successful business – consider what skills and support (family, friends) system you may need.

2) Evaluating your idea and your goals
This is where it starts and a lot of thought should go in to generating the best idea. You could use friends and instructors to have a free-flowing discussion. This meeting should generate several ideas which you could cluster and further refine.

3) Conduct Market Research and Patentability Opinion
This step requires searching patent and market databases. The patent searches are conducted with two separate goals. One is to do a patentability assessment and the second is a ‘freedom to operate’ assessment. The market research is to get as much detailed and specific information as possible.

4) Perform Feasibility Analysis and Pick your Industry
This step is a check to insure that the business you are proposing is sound. The four major feasibility analysis are: technical, financial, organizational and market. Also, you need to assess the industry you are preparing to enter.

5) Learn How to Sell
If you build it, will they come? An idea/product/service is only worth as much others are willing to pay. It is important to learn the different strategies to sell to scientists vs. non-scientists (customers, financiers, elected officials, etc.). Get to know how much they are willing to pay for your widgets.

6) Write Your Business Plan
Now is the time after passing all of the above tests to write your plan. The plan is intended for two main audiences: investors and your company employees. The plan should explain all of the fundamentals of your business from day to day operations to long term strategies for sustainability.

7) Raising Money and Finding the Right People
This is a very difficult step for a small start-up, since your company on paper may not be of a high value to investors. Governmental agencies are a great source, but they require time to get money. Also know that ‘good money’ is hard to get but is more valuable than ‘fools money’. Your company will also need experienced business personnel to run your business. Where to find them and how to pay them are key stumbling blocks. Forming a strong network is extremely important. Selecting the right Angels or VCs will be critical to help you financially and to connect you with key contacts.

Hmmm…got a better mousetrap?

I think that there is not enough time to go around, and the story above shows why. Besides, the Federal Reserve and its equivalents around the world create money at the press of a button, but nobody that I know of can create more time at the press of a button. That would be magical, indeed.

And now he has given up a tenured position and is helping other people get grants and living his life instead of chasing money.

What aspects of your life would you like to spend more time on and how can you get there? Sometimes you need to take a “leap in the abyss”

Patent agencies need people who are experts and generalists. Here is the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) recruitment page.

Currently, they have 3 openings for chemists for March 2012!

A couple of years ago their spotlight magazine did a story on two patent examiners, one of which was a chemist:
Profile: David Boudreau and Reid Mulligan
Vaccines and board games all in a day’s work for patent officers

Government patent agencies around the world will be very similar in their needs for chemists as well!

He has moved on from doing chemistry these days to doing robotic animation for the different rides. He said that at Disney people are not pigeonholed but can try new areas that interest them.

I guess that makes sense in a company that is all about creativity and imagination!!

Are you looking for a career change from the lab to a kitchen?