Interview and Words by Jenny Schneider.
Edited by Jessica Sharrock.

A conversation with Dr. Sumru Bayin, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York. See part one here.

PART 2: PhD LIFE
JS: You got into a PhD program on your second attempt. What did you do differently the second time around that you think influenced the outcome of your applications?
SB: A few things. First, I got better, more personal, recommendation letters the second time around. It is not enough to have a generic letter that says, “She was top of her class”. Second, I worked more on my personal statement. Your statement should show why you are interested in that specific institute, program, or lab. It is important to research the institute you are applying to and get as much information as you can through their website and by talking to people.
Not getting into a program does not mean you are not good. There are bureaucratic aspects that you may not be aware of that will influence the school’s decision, like quotas for international students, or budget restrictions for flying you in for an interview. Try to find out how many international students there are in the program or if the institute is familiar with students from your country. Overall, putting in the time to do research about the students and the faculty, and understanding the program and the University you are applying to can increase your chances of getting into your desired PhD program.
Also, when I applied I didn’t contact individual Principal Investigators (PIs) but in retrospect I should have. International students are often afraid of being too familiar with a PI and coming off as disturbing. But the worst that can happen is that you will not get a response. Get in touch with PIs to express your interest in their work, just make sure to do this in advance; a few months ahead of the application deadline would be best. 
Overall, at PhD level everybody is equally smart, so you need to find a way to differentiate yourself and show that you are adaptable and resilient. My summer research program in the UK definitely helped showcase my experience and get good recommendation letters.

JS: How did you pick your PhD institute and lab?
SB: It was partially luck for me. I had trouble establishing my first rotation because I was not aware that I had to start contacting PIs about rotations before I started the program. That is part of the challenge as an international student; you can be out of the loop. By the time I started reaching out to potential rotation labs all the rotation spots were taken. Luckily, the dean of our school told me about a new PI that just opened a lab the month before. I contacted the PI and it was a great fit. I ended up doing my first rotation there and eventually joined the lab full time.

JS: Did you continue your rotation project once you joined the lab?
SB: No. I loved both my rotation and thesis projects but they were not the same. That is one of the reasons I think that the project is not the most important part when picking a lab, as it often changes. It is important to talk to your PI about your interests and pick a lab where you will have a few projects to choose from. Most of the times things don’t work out like you thought and it is good to have back-up projects.

JS: What were the most memorable moments of your PhD experience?
SB: I had a great mentor that let me find my identity as a scientist and this led to an overall great PhD experience (although like most people, I had days where I hated everything and wanted to quit).
In terms of specific moments, I remember my qualification exam as the most challenging thing I did throughout my PhD; I left the exam thinking I knew nothing. On the flip side, I think my thesis defense was the highlight of my PhD. Towards the end of your PhD, you reach the top of your learning curve and you accumulate a lot of data. Then at your defense, no one knows your project better than you and that is your moment to shine and be proud of what you have accomplished. Another big moment is getting your first first-author publication; it is a great feeling of affirmation.
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JS: When did you know that you wanted to continue to a postdoc?
SB: I knew early on in my PhD that I wanted to do a postdoc because I want to stay in academia (for now, let’s see how it goes). Although, I think I would do a postdoc even if I didn’t want to stay in academia because it is an opportunity to understand what you want and it gives you time to consider your next steps.
I did consider skipping the postdoc entirely and going directly to a junior investigator program where you are supervised, but you have your own grants and freedom to direct your research. Eventually I decided against it because I didn’t feel ready to be that independent; I wanted time to learn and understand more about my own interests for my future lab.

Join us for Part 3, when Dr. Bayin will talk about how she went about landing her postdoc, how she chose the lab and her experiences so far.

Interview and Words by Jenny Schneider.
​Edited by Jessica Sharrock.

INet NYC sat down with Dr. Sumru Bayin, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York. In this four-part interview, Dr. Bayin offers great insight and advice to early career scientists by talking about her personal scientific journey through Turkey, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). 
Dr. Bayin completed her Bachelors and Masters degrees at Bilkent University, one of Turkey’s leading institutes. She went on to get her PhD at New York University (NYU) and is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at MSKCC.

PART 1: INTRODUCTION
JS: How did you decide to become a scientist?
SB: As a kid, I was one of those “freaks” who played with earth worms, dissected flies, and knew at the age of 12 what they wanted to do. I come from a family of STEM scientists, and although I was never forcibly pushed into that professional direction, it probably influenced my inclination towards science. In middle school, we had to interview someone who was pursuing our “dream job” and I picked a PhD student studying molecular biology and got to visit their lab. That experience was a crucial point in my decision to become a scientist and helped set my mind in that direction.

 JS: How did you pick your scientific field?
SB: I always found stem cells and their adaptability fascinating. Up until now I worked with liver stem cells, brain tumor stem cells, and now stem cells in the context of brain development. Honestly, I never thought I would work on the brain but I found it very attractive because there is so little known about it; it was the challenge that drew me to the field.
In general, when picking a field, I would say follow your gut and be aware that your interests may change over time. Follow a general interest and do not be too consumed with picking a specific subfield. At the start of my career, I was interested in Cancer Biology because of family history, but after finishing my PhD in the cancer field I realized I didn’t know anything about the function of healthy cells, so I moved into developmental biology research. Projects change all the time, so make sure you like the general theme and techniques. In a nutshell, listen to the science and see where it takes you. Try to see the big picture and don’t be too consumed with the little details although it is easier said than done.

JS: Can you tell me more about the time you spent doing research in the UK as an undergraduate student?
SB: The internship program I joined in the UK was similar to the Summer Undergraduate Research Programs (SURP) here in the US. While I was an undergrad in Turkey, I sent bulk applications to try and get into a program abroad. My application was eventually picked up by a lab that was familiar with the reputation of Bilkent University (they had a PhD student from my University in the lab, which I was not aware of when I sent the application).
It can be challenging to prove your academic merit when coming from countries like Turkey. Despite having world-class institutes with outstanding academic programs, the perception in the world can be skewed due to lack of familiarity. It helps to have someone to vouch for you and your home institution. That said, the challenge is mostly getting noticed during the application process. Once you are in the program no one will question your abilities and professionalism.

JS: Why did you decide to apply for a PhD program in the US?
SB: I was debating the US vs. Europe (EU) but I felt that the US had better-structured PhD training programs. Unlike most programs outside the US, here you get to do rotations and try different labs before you commit to one, giving you time to explore your options and interests more. Also, the education programs in Turkey are more similar to the American system than the EU system and this familiarity influenced my decision.

JS: Why not in Turkey?
SB: Despite the top-notch research going on in Turkey, it’s hard to compete with international level science simply because of logistics and geographic location, like the amount of time it takes to get an antibody shipped. I felt that if I decide to go back to Turkey one day, going back with a proven scientific record would make it easier to navigate the scientific community and have more of an influence than if I would try to build my career there from the ground up.

Join us next week for Part 2, when Dr. Bayin will talk about her PhD application process and life as a PhD student.

Words by Anna Pimenova and Jessica Sharrock
Edited by Jessica Sharrock
 
Helena Schnell and Anna Amelianchik sat down with Ariola and Mike to discuss all things INet NYC. 
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Ariola and Mike both completed their PhDs at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and are now work as consultants at ClearView Healthcare Partners and IQVIA Consulting Services, respectively. In this interview, we learn about their determination to unite international scientists in New York in a community that allows them to thrive.
 
How did INet NYC start?
After attending a career event during Graduate School, Mike realized that a lot of the information given about successfully obtaining a job after completing a PhD program rarely applied to international scholars due to limitations in visas and work authorization. This problem was further highlighted by the limited experience of invited experts to answer questions raised by foreign students. In October 2014, Ariola and Mike came up with a plan to bridge this gap and pitched the idea of starting an international networking group to Yaihara Fortis Santiago (at the time, the Science Alliance Program Manager at The New York Academy of Sciences, NYAS), who acknowledged the need for such a group and fully supported the idea.
 
The first few months comprised of a lot of hard work to get the organization off the ground, identifying the main needs of the scientific community and coming up with event ideas that were specifically tailored to those needs. At first progress was slow, but soon Ariola and Mike recruited other like-minded students and formed the INet NYC executive board to support international scientists in New York. A survey of international scientists in NYC carried out by INet NYC showed that there was huge interest in the resources that INet NYC was aiming to provide for the community and from here INet NYC began to network and plan events around the city.  From day one, INet NYC has had continual support from the NYAS, which has led to the organization of numerous international-oriented events together including ‘Career Fair for Scientists’, ‘Non-Academic Career Tracks for International Scientists’ and ‘Immigration Info Session for Advanced Degree Holders in STEM’. Over time, INet NYC has gone on to gain increasing visibility from different Graduate Schools and Postdoctoral Offices in New York leading to increased collaboration, event planning and popularity.
 
How did the experience of running INet NYC help your career?
Running INet NYC taught Ariola and Mike many things, specifically about bringing an idea to life, learning how to network and fundraise efficiently and how to plan each event to be a success. As the awareness and interest in INet NYC grew, the challenges shifted to recruiting the right people who could understand their vision and wanted to take the organization to the next level. While more people became involved in INet NYC, Ariola and Mike also had to transition into more leadership positions, where they focused on managing people, motivating the growing team and dedicating more of their time to think about the bigger picture for INet NYC and the resources they wanted to offer to international scientists. Additionally, having INet NYC on their CVs helped them land offers to advance their careers outside of academia, including consulting internships with BCG, The Solution Lab and numerous job interviews. The wide range of skills they developed helped them to progress professionally and the INet NYC experience was very valuable for them to pursue consulting careers immediately after graduate school. However, the organization aims to help all of their members develop any of the skills they need to land their dream jobs.
 
What did INet NYC bring to your life and what are you most proud of?
Being involved with INet NYC brought Ariola and Mike a great sense of accomplishment, as there were clear goals and a quantifiable output in the number of events held and the people who joined the organization. It didn’t feel like hard work when they could work with fun, hard-working and ambitious people. Since 2014, the number of members has grown to over 900, and the advisory board has been increasingly impressed with the work being done. INet NYC continues to celebrate the diversity of people’s experiences and provides a supportive social network to connect people facing similar challenges on their path to success as international scientists.
 
What do you wish for the future of INet NYC?
The possibilities for INet NYC are enormous and good leaders should envision the organization’s development beyond its current boundaries. INet NYC could potentially become a non-profit organization offering support to international students coming to the US. INet NYC could also help by providing immigration advice, insights into day-to-day living in NYC and offer scholarships. Hired professionals would run these operations, while volunteer students and postdocs would continue to organize social and professional events around the city. INet NYC operations could also be expanded to other cities (including Boston, Chicago and San Diego), providing a similar role to INet NYC. Such expansion could bring the organization to national and potentially international levels in the future. At the national level, a conference could be held yearly to facilitate professional education, networking, and information exchange among international scholars. All these ideas converge on the need to obtain financial support, which may prove difficult from the legal perspective. Nonetheless, INet NYC keeps growing and moving forward because of motivated individuals that are passionate about the goals of INet NYC. As long as there are people willing to volunteer their time because they care about the mission, INet NYC will thrive!
 
Can you share any tips for your success?
Although the work of a graduate student or postdoc is very demanding, it’s important to try to enjoy these years by taking small breaks or engaging in different activities outside the lab. Working over weekends or holidays will not make a difference in the long run, but if you make time for yourself, it will certainly increase your quality of life. Making time for your personal and professional development will be important for your future career path, especially if it is not in academia. Everyone feels pressure to work and has guilt if they do not want to stay in academia, but this should not stop you from exploring all the exciting opportunities New York can offer.
 
We would like to thank Ariola and Mike for taking the time to talk to us about INet NYC.