Diversity in the workplace is starting to be more than a buzzword. Many companies are making diversity one of their top priorities. Amazon, the biggest retailer in the world, recently announced that it will nominate women and minorities to its board of directors.(1) Amazon said in a statement that:
    "...diversity will benefit companies by providing greater access to talent, harnessing existing talent more effectively, and improving decision making by reducing groupthink and similar psychological biases."

The issue of "groupthink", defined as "the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility" is more common in non-diverse workplaces, to their detriment.(2) 

If you are a hiring officer, chairman, or leader at your workplace, consider how you can get ahead of your competition by hiring people of diverse backgrounds.  Here are some ideas to help you improve diversity in your workplace.

Stop with the Excuses Already! Stop saying that you can't find good minority candidates to hire.  That is no longer a good excuse.  Although there are still small numbers of us in some sectors, particularly in academic STEM fields, there are at least some minority if you know where to look.  For example, I direct a research program for minority graduate students.  Every year, I receive 400-600 applications for 10 spots.  There are many great candidates in that pool of applications.  Similarly, if you advertise broadly you will be able to attract a diverse group of candidates.
 
Learn about Diversity: Incredibly, it is 2018 and many leaders don't know what we mean when we talk about diversity and even worst, they don't know how diversity may benefit their organizations. An increasing number of business leaders and academics are becoming aware of the evidence that shows that diversity in their teams can improve their revenue, but this knowledge is not yet widespread in many organizations.(1) 

Train Staff: Researchers at Montana State University conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether they could improve hiring of women faculty in science and technology positions. In the study, search committee chairs in the intervention group received training on gender bias and work-life integration. The researchers found that the search committees that received this training were much more likely to hire women for faculty positions as compared to the search committees that did not receive this training.(3)

Outreach: Advertise positions available in your institution broadly, particularly through organizations for minority professionals. Many professional associations and societies have chapters for underrepresented minorities in their profession and they can help you advertise through those channels.

Diversify and Empower your Committees: It is particularly important that search committees for positions available are diverse and have the mandate to consider qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds. This is important for at least two reasons. First, a search committee that is racially and gender diverse will distribute announcements for positions available through their networks which are more likely to be diverse as well. Second, candidates who are underrepresented in the fields may find it encouraging to see that the recruiting team is diverse. No one wants to be the only underrepresented minority in a team, so minority candidates may be more likely to accept a position in a team that has more diversity.

Create and Implement a Diversity Policy: Make sure that when you advertise positions available, that you include an equal opportunity statement. And mean it! We have all seen the now ubiquitous: "Equal opportunity employer". But companies that value diversity are being more explicit advertising their employment policies. For example, Google includes this statement:
   “At Google, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.”
Boston University gives examples of more proactive language for improving recruitment of underrepresented minority faculty, such as:
     "BU is committed to building a culturally diverse faculty and strongly encourages applications from female and minority candidates. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. BU is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from minorities and women. Candidates should describe how multicultural issues have been or will be brought into courses. Candidates should describe previous activities mentoring minorities, women, or members of other underrepresented groups."

Lead by Example: Create a culture of diversity by showing that you GET IT. As a leader, you set the tone for your organization. Show that you support a corporate community of inclusion. You can do this by supporting, promoting and encouraging diversity. Start by looking around your organization and ask yourself if it reflects the population outside company's door.

​
-----------------------------------

1. Reuters. Amazon adopts new policy to promote board diversity. New York Times, May 14, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/05/14/business/14reuters-amazon-diversity.html
2. Johansson, A. Why Workplace Diversity Diminishes Groupthink And How Millennials Are Helping.  Forbes, July 20, 2017.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/annajohansson/2017/07/20/how-workplace-diversity-diminishes-groupthink-and-how-millennials-are-helping/#36a327c4b741
3. Jessi L. Smith, Ian M. Handley, Alexander V. Zale, Sara Rushing, Martha A. Potvin; Now Hiring! Empirically Testing a Three-Step Intervention to Increase Faculty Gender Diversity in STEM, BioScience, Volume 65, Issue 11, 1 November 2015, 1084–1087, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biv138

I care about diversity in academia. Makes sense since I am a senior faculty, I am Latina, and I am a tenured professor at a large medical center. Is it self-serving that I want to see more women and underrepresented minorities in senior faculty positions like mine?

Yes, maybe it is self-serving. But perhaps not for the reasons that you might think.
True, we underrepresented minorities and women want equal opportunity and fairness. And of course, it would be nice if discrimination, racism, and unconscious bias didn't exist. But I also see the need to increase diversity in academia as a missed opportunity. Diversity in the workplace is turning out to be a secret sauce for success in organizations. And I do want my organization to be successful.

Evidence-based research in the business sector shows that diversity can improve the bottom line. A 2009 study showed that "racial diversity is associated with increased sales revenue, more customers, greater market share, and greater relative profits.(1) More recently, a study conducted by McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, found that companies that were ethnically diverse were 35% more likely to perform better than the national median for their industry. They also found that companies that were gender-diverse were 15% more likely to be making more money than the median.(2)
In spite of this and other evidence, many leaders are resistant to increasing diversity in their teams. According to a paper by Ellison and Mullin, this resistance comes from the fact that people enjoy being with other like-minded people.(3) It is human nature.
In their paper, Ellison and Mullin wrote that:

     --“The more homogeneous offices have higher levels of social capital" but ..."higher levels of social capital are not important enough to cause those offices to perform better. The employees might be happier, they might be more comfortable, and these might be cooperative places, but they seem to perform less well.”--

I understand this to mean that resistance to diversity may come from a level of comfort that individuals in a homogeneous group have from being with each other. Diversity challenges that level of comfort and "happiness", even when it can measurably improve productivity and profits. This is fascinating and sad at the same time. So you are telling me that leaders in homogeneous teams like to be with each other so much that they will prefer working with people who look and think like them, even if diversifying would make their organization more successful? Really? Wow!

I want my organization to be more diverse, not just because I would enjoy my work more if I could be with others who are like me, but also because I want us to be more successful. I want us to have the faculty and staff to respond to more diverse research opportunities and to be able to reach out to many different populations.
If diversity is good for business, is it good for academia?

I don't see why it wouldn't be.

So, yes. I'd like to see more diversity in the research workplace. Yes. It would make me happier to see more minority women faculty, but I would also hope that by bringing different perspectives, abilities, and resources, underrepresented minorities can make our academic institution more successful.

So I ask, please don't do us a favor. Diversifying your workplace is not a charity case. Diversity is good for you, even if at first it might be a little uncomfortable.
-------------------------------------------------

1. Cedric Herring. Does diversity pay?: Race, gender, and the business case for diversity. American Sociological Review 74: 208-224, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240907400203
2. Hunt V, Layton D, Prince S. Why diversity matters. January 2015. www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/why-diversity-matters
3. Ellison SF, Mullin WP. Diversity, Social Goods Provision, and Performance in the Firm. J Economics & Management Strategy. 23: 465-481, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1111/jems.12051

I should use a magnifying glass to be able to see the percentage of underrepresented minority women in the graph above. This graph, published in a paper written by officials from the NIH, shows the percentage of women and men underrepresented in academia (African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander...) and those that are "well-represented" (White, Asian).(1)
According to the paper, underrepresented minority women make up a healthy proportion of graduate degrees awarded, but our numbers dwindle at the highest levels of academia. There are hardly any tenured full professors who are women of color. I care about this because I am indeed a Puerto Rican, female, tenured professor, and I am NIH-funded.
Although the reality of this lack of people who look like me in academia stares me in the face every morning when I arrive at work, seeing it depicted in this graph makes me feel even lonelier.
I swear that I try to do my part to increase the numbers of underrepresented men and women in academia: I mentor. I develop and get funding for training programs. I recruit. I create networks. But there are many forces that contribute to the attrition of women and minorities from the highest levels in academia. Loneliness is certainly one that I can attest to, and also discrimination and exclusion, both subtle and overt. It seems to me that students come to academia, they see the struggle, and they leave thinking "I don't want to put myself through that". And I understand.
Many minority students have asked me "How do you do it?" "How do you persist?". Here are some of the things that I hope can help underrepresented students and faculty, both male and female, survive and thrive in academia:

1. Don't take it personally: When you feel excluded from meetings or opportunities in your job, and this happens repeatedly, it can really take a toll and erode your confidence. If you can objectively say that the reason for your exclusion is not due to your lack of expertise, then you must realize that the problem is probably not YOU. Realizing that someone else who looks like you may experience the same issues will take the burden off of you. If you are doing your best and are competent in what you do and you find that you are still excluded from opportunities at your job, know that you are not the problem. Discrimination or unconscious bias, whatever you want to call it, can destroy the confidence of even the most talented person. Don't let it get to you.
2. Question the reasons for your exclusion: Not taking things personally doesn't mean do not take an activist role. For example, if you find out that a meeting is happening to which you should have been invited because of your expertise, ask why you were excluded. Unconcious bias causes us to become invisible because we are just not thought of as "members of the club". I once was excluded from a business trip because the planning for it happened among colleagues who lived in the same high-income neighborhood. Since I live in a racially-diverse neighborhood, I was not thought of for the business trip even though it was in my core area of expertise. 'Out of sight, out of mind', so to speak. When I spoke up, the oversight was corrected and I was asked to lead the business trip. Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands and advocate for yourself.
3. Keep your head up: And I mean that literally. Experiencing persistent and repeated instances of exclusion due to overt racism or unconscious bias takes a toll on even the most confident person. Very few people can manage that without it eroding their own self-confidence. I know it can be very hard, but remind yourself of how far you have already come, in spite of all the obstacles. One of the hardest battles you are probably going to face is the one inside yourself. Maintain your dignity and know your worth.
4. Educate yourself: Even if your area of expertise has nothing to do with human resources, be armed with some knowledge about these issues. Become the "go-to" person in your department who knows about this stuff. It doesn't take getting a degree in race dynamics to become the most knowledgeable person in your office about underrepresentation in the workplace. Just by reading a few key articles you will likely be the most learned person on this subject among your coworkers and superiors. Share this information whenever you can.
5. Find allies: Is there someone in a position of power who understands your value? This person doesn't have to be someone of color. Mentors are important allies for sure, but there may be other people in your circle or just outside your immediate circle of colleagues who can also act as champions for your career. Is there a chairman who has cited your work at presentations? Is there a full professor whose lab you rotated through as a postdoc? Is there a course leader whom you helped as a teaching assistant? These can be people who can help you in times of crisis.
6. Laugh in the face of bias - This is hard. I know that feeling discriminated against is no joke. But as my mother says: "Hay que reir para no llorar". There have been times when I have found that a little laughter has made the truth bombs land more effectively. For instance, I was once asked to give a talk at a government agency. The meeting had been set up by email, so the organizers had never met me in person. During a coffee break, while I was checking the microphone, the head of the agency came to me and said: "Hello, are you Dr. Claudio's secretary? I'd like to meet him". Without missing a beat, I replied: "Surprise! I am Dr. Claudio, pleased to meet you". Noticing his awkward discomfort, I added with a smile: "Relax, it is a good surprise." After he recovered, he asked me if I would write a chapter for their report. I answered with a smile: "I would be delighted" and then I gave a killer presentation.
7. Defend others: Sometimes we can find it difficult to argue against unconscious bias out of fear that our actions may be viewed as self-serving. For many of us, it's easier to defend others than to do it for ourselves. If this is how you feel, find a more junior person who can use your help. Be a champion for someone else in your situation.
8. Propose solutions: Does it really help to complain about the lack of underrepresented minorities in your organization but do nothing about it? Propose some solutions. When your department announces positions available, distribute the announcements among your networks. Help identify seminar speakers from diverse backgrounds. Bring up the issue of diversity at meetings. Don't worry about sounding like a broken record, always being the one to bring up the issue of diversity. So what? Soon enough, others will catch on and you will not be the only one raising their hand about this.
9. Mentor: Being an underrepresented minority is a lonely feeling. It can be difficult to be the only person of color in your office. If you feel this way, surround yourself with students who need mentoring. Let it be known that you are a great mentor to other students, particularly for those who are underrepresented minorities. The word will spread and soon enough you will have more people who look like you around you because it will be known that you are a person to go to for advice and solidarity. You can help yourself by helping others.

Not everyone will agree with these ideas, but these are things that have helped me cope over the years. Some people may find these ideas not aggressive enough. Others may see them as too much. Somehow, I have managed to survive and in some ways, thrive in academia. These are some things that I would have told my younger self if I had known what I know now. This is how I persist.
___________

1. Valantine HA, Lund PK, Gammie AE. From the NIH: A systems approach to increasing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce. CBE Life Sciences Education 15: fe4,1-5, 2016

 In an interview for a Mother's Day article, a reporter asked me to talk about the best career advice that my Mother ever gave me.
My Mom gives me a lot of advice, but it has never been particularly career-oriented.  Nevertheless, I have found that her wisdom can be applied to all aspects of my life, including my professional life.
As I answered the reporter's question, I struggled to translate my Mom's advice from her original Spanish, not just because of the language, but because my Mom speaks in funny anecdotes that may not make much sense to you at the moment.
Writer Emily Moore, captured motherly career advice from my Mom and 12 other professionals in her article for Glassdoor.com, the employers rating website.
Here is the section on my Mom:
"Although my mother only has [a] middle-school formal education level, she is one of the wisest persons that I know... Roughly translated, one of the best pieces of advice that she has given me is 'Try not to lose the rope trying to catch the goat.' What she means by this is that when you have something (a rope, a job), don't throw it out trying to get the next thing (a goat, a venture) — that rope can help you catch many other goats if you learn how to use it.
I have heeded my mother's advice by building on my career from my steady base as a tenured professor.  From this position, I have written a book, built a consulting business and helped others build their own careers. So I feel that I have used my rope to catch many goats."

To read the full article and see pictures of each contributor with our mothers, click HERE .

On this day, May 1st, people around the world celebrate and/or protest work, working conditions and the working class.  I wonder if it is a coincidence that this day is also known as May Day, same as a distress call for help from a sinking ship.
After reading the book Why we work? by Barry Schwartz I ask myself the question: Do I work to make a living or do I live to work?

In the book, Schwartz asks that if the main goal of working is to make money, then should the best incentive to get us to work harder be to be paid more money?  He explores the question of "why so many believe that the goal for working should be to earn money, how we arrived to believe that paying workers more leads to better work, and why this has made our society confused, unhappy, and has established a dangerously misguided system."
Only an academic would say this...
He further asks, "why are so many people dissatisfied with their work, despite healthy compensation? And why do so many people find immense fulfillment and satisfaction through “menial” jobs?"
In the book, Professor Schwartz gives examples of how finding meaning in one's work is what motivates people to work harder.  He talks about the need for all people to feel valued in their work, not through compensation, but through knowing that their work has an impact.
Although I agree with Schwartz that finding meaning in work makes it less, well, demeaning, it is hard to find this meaning when your work becomes laborious and futile.  For example, I recently talked to a former student who had become depressed after working countless hours to submit three grant proposals that did not get funding.  
It is hard to find meaning in work that can be seen as laborious and futile.  
I told my former student that the very act of writing the grant proposals can have meaning for her if she uses those proposals to trace a better plan for her research.  But I do sympathize and know that many others question the their efforts in getting research funding, especially given that the success rate for NIH grants stands at around 19%.  "All you can do is keep trying", I find myself telling my former student.
Another issue that I have with the Schwartz's book is that salaries for most jobs have stagnated and the disparity between the salaries of bosses and the workers have widened.  Sure, compensation is not the only motivator for good work, but it sure helps to feel that you are being compensated fairly.  When you find out that you are being compensated at 20% less than your male colleagues, it is demoralizing to the core. To tell workers to try to find meaning and satisfaction in the work itself as a motivator for better work does not begin to touch the demoralizing effect of wage inequality.
Our system is screaming May Day.  

​Here are 8 reasons to write and publish your research.  Can you think of two more?

1. The act of putting your research to paper will help you clarify your goals for the research, will help you in reviewing and interpreting your own data and force you to compare your work with that of others.
2. Peer review gives you important feedback on the validity of your research approach, and can provide insight on next steps for advancing and interpreting your work.
3. Communicating the information that you have found will help other researchers advance their work, thus building on the body of knowledge that exists in your field.
4. Writing and publishing puts your research into larger context.
5. Your published paper can help in the public understanding of a research question.
6. Having a robust body of published works helps advance your career as you are considered for academic appointments and promotions.
7. Publishing helps establish you as an expert in your field of knowledge.
8. Peer-reviewed publication provides evidence that helps in the evaluation of merit of research funding requests.

Can you think of two more reasons to add to this list?  Help us get to ten reasons to publish your research in peer-reviewed journals.  Post your reasons in the comments to win a free book How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: The Step-by-Step Guide (In English or Spanish).  The top two will be selected and posted here.  

There are few scientific fields in which international collaboration is more important than the field of environmental health. Environmental pollution has global effects on the health of populations around the world. What we learn through research studies in one country can illuminate research questions that may apply to other populations.
For more than 20 years, I had a grant from the Fogarty International Center to train scientists in Latin America on research methods in environmental and occupational medicine. With FIC's support, we established very productive collaborations with research institutions in Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. We decided to work in these countries partly because they had a level of scientific infrastructure that could serve as a jumping off point for joint scientific projects.
We provided training and research support for 52 biomedical professionals in those three countries. The program resulted in the publication of numerous research papers, the establishment of two occupational medicine residency programs, in-country summer courses, hands-on workshops for industrial hygienists and other professionals, and many other outcomes. One key feature of our programs is that it aimed to support long-term international collaboration and avoid the potential for brain-drain, the emigration of the highly skilled workforce from those countries.
Years later, many of these scientific collaborations continue, even if my funding for this program does not. Several of the research projects developed by the Latin American fellows continue to yield progress to this day, including several we have published recently. Importantly, these same research fellows are now serving as international research mentors for US students on our study abroad programs, and participate as co-investigators of research projects with our faculty. I would say that the initial investment of training researchers in Latin America has multiplied manyfold and continues to be fruitful, even years after the funding ended.
However, new concerns have emerged about the sustainability of these investments. Cuts in government research funding are fueling a growing crisis in science in Latin America. Our Latin American colleagues are facing cuts in salaries and underfunding that could lead to a brain-drain. For example, a paper published by authors from Argentina and Colombia demonstrated that researchers in those two countries, as well as in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay earn less than the cost of a two-bedroom apartment in their country’s capital. The situation may get worse as research spending in those countries has been reduced to less than 1% of GDP.
There is a high level of research capacity in Latin America, with highly-skilled scientists and some very well respected and productive research institutions. We, scientists in the US, can continue to support research collaborations in Latin America that are cost-effective to advance our understanding of environmental health and other disciplines in which more knowledge is urgently needed. I hope that we don't give up working hand-in-hand with our colleagues in Latin America.
Dr. Luz Claudio is a tenured professor of environmental medicine and public health. She blogs about life in academia and is the author of the book: How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: The Step-by-Step Guide, Now Available in Spanish.

Growing up in the public school system in Puerto Rico, I was taught Spanish and English starting in first grade. Although my fluency in spoken English wasn't great, the instruction that I received was good enough to allow me to read textbooks and scientific papers in their original English. Learning both languages helped me become a scientist.
When I came to the States to study neuroscience, the fact that my first language was not English was seen by my professors as a disadvantage, something that I needed to overcome. In time, I discovered that my bilingualism was, in fact, an advantage. Being able to speak Spanish and English opened a world of opportunities for me in my scientific research, my international collaborations and my personal life.
Now that I have a daughter, I want her to have the same advantages that being bilingual has given me. I believe this will benefit her future career and also will help her interact with her extended family in Puerto Rico. There are additional advantages to being bilingual that support this decision. Bilingual children are thought to have improved social skills and may have some advantages in cognitive skills.
However, it has not been easy to raise a bilingual child in the US. There is no foreign language instruction in most public elementary schools and only 18.5% of public school students take foreign language classes. In our household, Spanish instruction is important enough to warrant the extra expense of Saturday classes, Spanish books, and a conscious effort to speak Spanish at home. The biggest challenge has been my daughter's desire to fit in with her peers, which I can understand. What has been harder is the occasional intolerant comments from people who find it offensive when we speak Spanish in public, and worse, the occasional teacher or acquaintance who argues against it because of their own biases.
Every parent wants to give their child their best chance to succeed in life. Teaching my child my first language is just one way in which I try to do just that. I hope dual language instruction will open a world of opportunities for her future.
Dr. Luz Claudio is a tenured professor of environmental medicine and public health. She is the author of the book: How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: The Step-by-Step Guide, coming out soon in Spanish.

Oprah Winfrey's speech at the Golden Globes was posted on my social media feeds so many times that I finally gave in. During a break from working 10-hour days on a major deadline, I clicked on the link with one hand while holding a bowl of plain rice (my dinner) on the other.
For the first time ever, I felt like one of these "celebrities" was speaking directly to me.
Me too, as a young girl of color, aspired for more than sitting on my mom's linoleum floor. And I too still look up to other people of color who have achieved the impossible -they have managed to be seen and heard.

Olivia was a star in my research team. Degree in epidemiology, totally competent in biostatistics, good writing skills, and wonderful at presenting seminars. All of that wrapped in a joyful personality. And even bilingual in English and Spanish. She is Puerto Rican, like me!
In short, Olivia was the perfect. Our research was going well when one day she came to me and said: "I am leaving research to become public school teacher".
After my initial shock, I don't remember (or don't want to remember) what my overt reaction was at her news. But I am quite sure that I was not supportive.  
I was "training" Olivia to become a mini-me. Go on to get her doctorate degree, become a faculty member, get her own lab... Now to see her jump off that track was disconcerting. Had I been a good mentor? Did I fail in steering in the "right" direction?

Like many of you, I watch the news in shock. Whole islands in the Caribbean rendered uninhabitable by unprecedented hurricanes. Major cities under water. Forest fires threaten urban areas. Tropical storms hit temperate zones. Extreme monsoons and cyclones. 
It feels like the dystopian future that seemed farfetched in so many bad movies, is now real. Having seen the water rushing through the subway tunnels after Hurricane Sandy hit New York made me rub my eyes in disbelief. It looked just like another movie in which they destroy Manhattan had actually come to life. 
Now worries about hurricanes affecting family in Puerto Rico, colleagues in Texas, and friends in Florida and Cuba keep me up at night.
 I suspect that I am not alone in this state of worry.
If you are not being directly affected by these climate-related disasters, you probably have close friends or relatives who are. 
There is much fear about what is next. There is frustration about continued denial even though things are happening right in front of our eyes and you don't have to be a scientist to see. The reality is that climate effects that seemed so far in the future are here, now. ​

What work-life balance?!
It was my first book signing event at a national conference. 'Excited' did not begin to describe how I felt. Being able to present my book to a crowd of like-minded people was such a great thrill!
But when I realized that the dates of the conference conflicted with my husband's planned business trip, I went into panic mode. Will I have to cancel my book signing event? I had no one who could take care of my daughter for the weekend while I attended the conference. So, breathing deep and hoping for the best, I paid the train ticket to take my daughter to the conference with me. Had no choice.

Today is Independence Day.
in·de·pend·enceˌ indəpendəns/ noun synonyms:
self-government, self-rule, home rule, separation, self determination, sovereignty, autonomy, freedom, liberty. 
This definition of the word 'independence' feels personal, more personal than the US holiday can celebrate with its barbecues and fireworks. It is about being who we want to be as a people and as individuals.  
For many people, especially women, being who we want to be can require a revolution, as significant and bloody as any war. Independence is scary. It is costly, and it leaves casualties, even some from friendly fire. You have to pay, one way or another, for your independence.
Being whom we want to be requires first finding out what we want to be, a painfully long process for many. My own process took a while and did not follow a straight line, but eventually, I became a doctor/scientist. How can I best guide my female students and my daughter in this process?

​I was recently asked by a reporter about the mentors who helped me along my scientific career. I've been blessed with many mentors over the years, but one always stands out in my memory: Dr. Celia Brosnan. She was my main thesis mentor during the doctoral program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Brosnan's method of mentoring me was simply this: focus on your strengths. 
Once she identified that I was a strong writer, she gave me more writing assignments. Getting some wins early in scientific writing gave me the confidence to stay in the program and to gain the other skills that I needed to succeed in STEM. I have found the hard way that not every mentor will do this.

On last week’s blogpost, we focused on tips for identifying “predatory journals”. Those are journals that exploit scientists' need to publish their research by charging publication fees to authors without providing legitimate peer-review or editorial services. If you have not read that blogpost, check it out here.
Now you know which journals to avoid. Let's talk now about how to choose the right journal for your paper.
Given the vast number of scientific journals out there, (as of today, there are 5,635 indexed in Medline, the publisher of PubMed) choosing the right journal for your paper may seem like a daunting task, but it’s one of the key factors that will determine whether your paper gets published or not. Here are 7 things to consider when making your selection.

​Your years as an undergraduate, graduate student, postdoctoral fellow or even as a junior faculty have not prepared you for this. You need to get your own funding! You can feel the mounting pressure and it is very real.
How do you start even thinking of applying and getting your own grants when you've never done it? Sure, you have written and published some good research papers in peer-reviewed journals, but writing a grant proposal is a whole new different ball game. As I have said before, writing papers is about saying what you have done. Writing grant proposals is about convincingly telling someone what you will do if they give you thousands of dollars to do it.
So how do you write a grant proposal?
Well, it is the same as for so many other journeys in life, starting is the most difficult part. But once you start and have a plan, you will have conquered the toughest hurdle.