Watch the 60‑minute seminar session with Dr. Barbara Cheifet and Dr. Ashley Sizer (watch video here with NetID).
As part of the STEM PhD Pathways Program, OCS spotlighted careers in scientific writing, editing, and medical communications. On April 10, 2025, Barbara Cheifet (Editor‑in‑Chief, Nature Biotechnology) and Ashley Sizer (Scientific Director & Team Lead, Envision Pharma Group) traced their journeys from Yale research to influential roles shaping how science is communicated to the world, offering actionable guidance for researchers ready to move beyond the bench.
During this session, the speakers explored:
- What “scientific writing & communication” means today — from high‑impact journal editing to medical affairs and strategic communication
- Career routes inside and outside publishing — how to choose between editorial, medical writing, and agency environments
- Essential skills and mindsets — clarity, audience awareness, project management, and collaboration across scientific and business stakeholders
- Common pitfalls when transitioning from academia — and tactics to sidestep them
- Resources at Yale and beyond — courses, fellowships, writing programs, and professional networks that accelerate a communication‑focused career
Barbara Cheifet, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Nature Biotechnology
Barbara Cheifet, PhD, is Editor-in-Chief of Nature Biotechnology, which publishes cutting-edge research and commentary on biotech innovations across life sciences, agriculture, and environmental science. Her responsibilities include overseeing manuscript evaluation (epigenomics, single-cell biology, bioinformatics, plant biotech, microbiome), peer review coordination, editorial decision-making, and journal development. She also engages in academic outreach, conference participation, and fostering the journal’s growth.
Ashley Sizer, PhD, CMPP, Scientific Director & Team Lead at Envision Pharma Group
Ashley Sizer, PhD, CMPP is currently a Scientific Director & Team Lead at Envision Pharma Group, a technology-enabled medical affairs company. Previously, she was a graduate student at Yale working in the lab of Kathleen Martin, PhD. During PhD training, she discovered a passion for storytelling in science—leading her to roles at the Yale Graduate Writing Lab and university publications. Now she combines her scientific expertise with sharp communication skills to lead a team of medical writers in developing clear, accurate, and strategically aligned documents, including clinical trial results and educational materials.
This event was co-hosted by Qi Yan and Hao Xie, McDougal Fellows at the Office of Career Strategy.
