Name: Early-Stage Investigators' Symposium
Start: 2026-03-17T08:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-03-17T16:30:00-04:00
Location: Smilow Center for Translational Research

ITMAT invites early-career faculty and late-stage postdocs to gain new strategies for success in clinical and translational science careers.
About this Event

Join us on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 in Smilow’s Rubenstein Auditorium for the eighth edition of ITMAT Education’s Early-Stage Investigators' Symposium: Skills and Strategies for Advancing Your Research Career.

Continuing ITMAT Education’s commitment to supporting early-career biomedical investigators at Penn, we are excited to announce this symposium targeted towards late-stage postdoc and early-career faculty.

Topics will include:

Approaches to considering career pathways outside of academia
Diversifying research funding portfolios and protecting intellectual property
Strategies for creating a scientific identity
Strategies for publishing in high-impact journals
Tips for writing successful NIH grant applications (K and R awards)

The day's events will also include the popular speed mentoring sessions (capacity is limited).

Agenda

🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Check-in and Continental Breakfast
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:45 AM
Welcome Remarks
🕑: 08:45 AM - 09:45 AM
PANEL: Career Pathways Outside of Academia
Host: Moderated by Emma Meagher, MD
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Speed Mentoring
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PANEL: Protecting Your IP – An Approach to Diversifying your Funding Portfolio
Host: Moderated by Benjamin Dibling, PhD
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:20 PM - 02:20 PM
PANEL: Creating a Scientific Identity
Host: Moderated by Bonnie Ky, MD, MSCE
🕑: 02:20 PM - 03:20 PM
PANEL: The Art of Publishing
Host: Moderated by Anne Cappola, MD
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
CONCURRENT SESSION: Transitioning from a K to R Award
Host: Moderated by David Mankoff, MD, PhD
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
CONCURRENT SESSION: Writing a Successful Career Development Grant (K Award)
Host: Moderated by Karen Teff, PhD