This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Welcome to my fourth installment of You Should Know, where I give my own #ScholarSunday salute to Science Bloggers and Blogs you may not yet know about.
Introducing … Dr. Fatimah Williams Castro and Beyond the Tenure Track.
Dr. Williams Castro guides individuals in graduate school through the career path possibilities outside of academia. The stats are out and the reality is that academia is the alternative career for individuals with doctorate degrees in any discipline. However, most graduate students aren't instructed on other career options. In fact, many are outright discouraged. Beyond the Tenure Track features information on how to transition from academia to a nonacademic career. The website convers topics such as exploring new sectors and occupations, networking beyond the academy, building transferrable skills, and establishing side gigs such as consulting and freelancing. All information is tailored to advanced degree holders from prospective graduate students and graduate students to postdocs and tenured faculty in social sciences and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). At Beyond the Tenure Track, they embody the ideal of dreaming big and walking in power and authority to execute those big dreams.
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Dr. Williams Castro has a BA in Foreign Affairs and African American Studies from the University of Virginia. She earned her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Rutgers University. She is the CEO of Beyond the Tenure Track and serves as a management consultant at FatimahPhD, LLC. Her portfolio includes program development, strategic planning, and cross-sector partnership development for nonprofit, and philanthropic and government agencies.
In her own words ...
I speak and coach on nonacademic career planning, professional development and entrepreneurship for academics.
Links to her engaging material.
Nonacademic Careers for STEM PhDs
Find Your Tribe - advice to help fight the scholar blues of isolation and loneliness
Continuum or Change? - advice for shifting career path or not
She also hosts a ʺsecretʺ Facebook group called Options for Success for her coaching clients. The group holds each other accountable for career and entrepreneurial goals, and share job announcement and training opportunities.
You can engage Dr. Williams Castro and her many projects at the following social media services:
Twitter: @FatimaPhD
Facebook: Fatimah Williams Castro, PHD
Connect with her and be sure to leave a comment. Tell her you found him via The Urban Scientist (me, @DNLee5) and #ScholarSunday.
