The annual event, held September 19-20, 2024, featured career-oriented panel discussions, technical poster sessions, and employer networking opportunities. Patel and Yousufzai met with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to discuss career opportunities at the Lab. Patel was also a panelist at a Career Symposium held on September 19.
The Symposium focuses on the many career opportunities other than teaching and academic research that an advanced degree in science opens up. ChemPD, a student-run professional development group at UCSB, organizes it.
“2024 marked the 6th year hosting the Chemical Sciences & Engineering Career Symposium at UCSB, showcasing the diverse interests of our graduate students and postdocs. This event provides invaluable insights into various career paths,” says Andrea Carlini, assistant professor at UCSB and faculty advisor to ChemPD.
Carlini explains that its goals include strengthening connections among students, industry and government representatives, and alumni in non-academic careers. Its mission encompasses career preparation through leadership workshops, career panels, and networking events, focusing on promoting equitable access for underrepresented groups.
The event raises awareness and builds lasting connections. “I am excited to see more UCSB students pursue their career ambitions at sites like Berkeley Lab,” said Carlini. “We hope that with ongoing collaboration, we can engage more students in programs like the DOE SCGSR and SULI internships.”
Beyond internships and graduate school, there are many possibilities for professional careers. “These are outstanding students who will find that their degrees open many doors,” Patel said, adding, “I hope we inspired them to consider national laboratories such as Berkeley Lab. Our team-science approach offers resources, mentoring, and leadership opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere.”

“This event has become a vital platform for fostering connections between students and industry leaders from a wide range of chemical companies and national laboratories,” said ChemPD co-president Elizabeth Murphy. “I am especially excited to see students from various departments, including those just starting their Ph.D. journeys, taking advantage of this invaluable networking opportunity.”
Both the setting and a non-academic career are familiar ground for Patel. After earning her doctorate in molecular biology at the University of California, Riverside, she was a postdoctoral scholar at UCSB. She has maintained ties with the school through her subsequent career in biotech and then at Berkeley Lab and has served at these events since 2019.
“It is always tremendously rewarding to work with these early-career students and postdoctoral scholars and feel their enthusiasm for science,” she said. “I hope to see some of them here at the Lab.”
“Throughout the day, Asmita and other representatives actively engaged with postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates, fostering meaningful discussions,” Carlini added. “It has been a pleasure to see Asmita’s continued commitment to outreach at our annual event. Her engagement profoundly impacts our students’ perspectives on careers at Berkeley Lab and other national laboratories. More importantly, I observe our students’ ambitions evolving during their interactions with her as they gain a renewed understanding of the opportunities available through government.”
Elizabeth Murphy concurs. “Dr. Patel’s continued engagement at our annual symposium since 2019 has made a profound impact on the students at UC Santa Barbara, offering them valuable insight into careers at a national laboratory. Her dedication is further demonstrated by continually volunteering on our Ph.D. Pathways to Industry panel, providing career development guidance, insight from her own experiences, and encouragement to students.”

Patel (second from right) and Yousufzai (right) discuss Berkeley Lab opportunities with UCSB students. (Credit: University of California, Santa Barbara)
Yousufzai said of the event, “Engaging with many talented individuals was inspiring; their passion for their respective fields was palpable. I left the event feeling optimistic about the future of LBNL’s research efforts, knowing that such bright minds could contribute significantly to our work and innovation.”
“Asmita’s unique perspective on non-academic careers and the collaborative climate at national labs offers invaluable exposure to our diverse early-career scientists, many of whom may not traditionally consider government paths during their PhDs,” adds Carlini.
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