You are looking ahead to your next career opportunity. Will you apply for a postdoctoral position, an industry job, or a government lab position? In addition to exploring what your next move might be, consider where in the world it could be! There is increasing awareness that international education and research experiences are invaluable. How can working, researching, or studying abroad enrich your professional and personal life?
International experiences can directly benefit your career in chemistry. A 2016 report from the Council of Graduate Schools, National Science Foundation, and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft suggests that there is a correlation between graduate students and postdocs having international research experience and their ability to publish more than similar peers and to apply more successfully for grants. One reason may be because they make wider scientific contacts and connections. Chemists with international experience are often more competitive in global companies that are interested in candidates who can work in a variety of conditions with different kinds of people.
ACS Past President Joseph Francesco shares the success of his international experiences in a 2015 article in Angewandte Chemie, currently posted on the ACS International CenterTM Web site. His practical knowledge of the subject corroborates data from other sources that indicate even the science is better because of a diverse research team. Many of the challenges in the world represent global problems, from the production of food to climate change, and an international scientific team can bring many resources and approaches to solving them.
Your personal life can also be enriched by spending time in a foreign country. Traveling gives you a chance to see the world and often learn or use a different language. You also gain an appreciation of cultural differences and an increased respect for others. You may be stretched, taken out of your comfort zone, but that can lead to deep personal growth. At the same time, it can help you appreciate how interrelated people and places can be. The friendships that you make can last a lifetime.
It is the hands-on experience that often leads to valuable creative insights. Why not increase your experiential learning in an international setting where you will expand your skills and depth and breadth of knowledge?
ACS actively supports international experiences, and the ACS Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) is currently collecting data to measure the impact of foreign research, work, and study on the professional and personal lives of its members. As a result of this focus, ACS has a number of resources available to help you, including the following:
- The ACS International CenterTM is a repository of international research opportunities and funding.
- The Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) sponsors the Young Chemists Crossing Borders (YCCB) exchange program and will launch the International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN) in 2017.
- Programming is offered at national meetings about international research opportunities, such as the session on Global Careers in Chemistry sponsored by YCC at the 2016 fall national meeting in Philadelphia.
- ACS has alliances and partnerships with many international science associations in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
If you haven’t considered the possibility of an international experience, take time to explore the option. We value experiential learning in science. It is the hands-on experience that often leads to valuable creative insights. Why not increase your experiential learning in an international setting where you will expand your skills and depth and breadth of knowledge?
With best wishes for your future adventures, Jennifer B. Nielson
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